Tarrant County Precinct 4 candidates in Republican primary March 1
Jody Johnson
Occupation: Two-Term elected Republican Tarrant County Constable, Precinct 4; former Fort Worth Police SWAT Team sniper and Weapons Instructor at the Fort Worth Police Officers Training Academy.
Age: 59 years old
What’s the best way for voters to reach you? By Cell Phone: 817-991-0135; or by Email: jody@jodyjohnsoncampaign.com
Website: jodyjohnsoncampaign.com
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: Two-Term elected Republican Tarrant County Constable, Precinct 4 (first elected in November 2016 and re-elected in November 2020).
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: No
Why are you seeking this office? To protect and serve my neighbors with conservative values, comparable life experiences and a professional career as a 36-year veteran police officer and former Fort Worth Police SWAT Team sniper. My wife Jill and I have been married 30 years with two sons. Jill is a retired 28-year second grade public school teacher. Both of our sons graduated from Texas Tech University. As the elected Republican Constable in County Commissioner Precinct 4, I drive all the streets of this community and know firsthand the problems each neighborhood is facing, and the solutions needed to fix them.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be? Lowering homeowner property taxes, making our community safer including strict enforcement against illegal immigration, and improving local mobility.
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? I’m a career line of duty police veteran and two-term elected Republican Constable who is deeply concerned about my neighbors in West Fort Worth and NW Tarrant County. Whereas my main opponent, Manny Ramirez is a 33-year-old police union president and lobbyist who wines and dines elected officials. His campaign ads are full of photos of his police union lobbying adventures in DC, Austin and locally. Finally, according to the Tarrant County Election office— it shows Ramirez has been a registered voter for only the past 3 years (registered 10.3.2018). So, he clearly did not care enough about taxes, crime and roads to even register to vote as an adult until he decided to be a candidate. This begs the issue of sincerity and commitment to our local citizens. For example, while I have been serving our local neighbors this past year as our elected Republican Constable, Mr. Ramirez has continued his out of town and out of state junkets as a lobbyist all while he was shopping for a political office to run for including a congressional race in SE Tarrant County (https://www.star-telegram.com/article249483510.html).
What should county government do to expand and improve COVID testing? The challenge for COVID-19 testing is with making it accessible with no hassle. I strongly support the County continuing to offer walk-up and free COVID-19 testing sites which are located as close as possible to our neighborhoods and businesses across West Fort Worth and NW Tarrant County. These sites need to have “before work” and “after work” hours plus weekend hours. These testing sites also need to deliver quick results to those being tested. I commend our essential workers, healthcare providers and first responders for their extraordinary dedication to helping us all through this pandemic.
Should the county take more steps to encourage COVID vaccination, and if so, what would you support? Like with COVID-19 testing sites, our county needs to ensure we have accessible and free vaccinations sites (including walk-up and drive through sites). I don’t support mandates, but I do support Tarrant County ensuring we have vaccination accessibility for all neighborhoods and especially for our seniors and for those with pre-existing conditions.
What transportation priorities would you pursue? Are there specific road projects you’d like to see? The recently passed 2021 Tarrant County Road $400 million bond package has significant funding for road improvement projects in almost every city across County Commissioner Precinct 4. Most of this money is for desperately needed improvements to fund better and new roads in the rapid growth corridors of the NW and Far North areas of Tarrant County. As our current Republican Constable, I drive these roads every day and know exactly where the bottle necks and congestion are located. I will work diligently with our city, state and federal government partners on rapidly building road infrastructure (East-to-West and North-to-South) to improve our travel back and forth to work, taking children to schools and to guaranteed we have quick police/fire/EMS response times.
What changes should be made to the property appraisal process? As a Republican County Commissioner, I will forcefully carry the battle cry for property tax appraisal reform to Austin calling on our statewide Republican leaders and legislators to pass a Homeowner Property Taxpayer Appraisal Bill of Rights. My current thoughts include the following: 1. Make the position of the Appraisal District’s Chief Appraiser and its board members two-year elected positions. 2. Freeze all homeowner property tax valuations at their 2022 tax valuation unless the property sells, and then it can be reappraised per the Appraisal District’s property tax assessment at market value at the time of the transaction. This will force TRUE transparency with local government entities to ensure the only way for them to raise a homeowner’s property tax bill (adjusted for inflation & population growth) is through voter approval. And since more than half of our local property tax bill is for school property taxes, we will need for the STATE to pay a higher share of the cost of public education and stop shifting the buck to local property taxes. These are bold proposals, and I will keep an open mind to other ideas, but we must stop the current punitive tax appraisal system of “taxation without representation” which allows local governments to raise their budgets automatically because they know they get more revenues from annual tax appraisal increases. We owe it to all homeowners to fix this unfair taxation problem, as it is just nuts that a Texas homeowner’s property taxes can potentially double in about 7 years under the current appraisal tax system — even if tax rates don’t increase at all.
In what ways do you think the county should be spending its American Rescue Plan Act dollars? The relief and recovery money should be spent based in part based on public input and in part on the independent Needs Assessment Study which will be presented to the Commissioners Court in February. Tarrant County received the first half of its roughly $400 Million in ARPA Relief funds last May; and the final installment will be sent this spring. Additionally, cities and school districts throughout Tarrant County have also received ARPA funding. For example, Fort Worth received $174 Million in ARPA funding, the FWISD received $262 Million, and the state received $16 billion. We should find ways to coordinate this money in partnerships between the state and local governments to maximize its public benefit. Though the US Treasury Department has provided 151 pages of restricted and prohibited uses of the fund (such as preventing local government entities from using the money to fund pensions or pay off debt) these relief funds do allow for considerable latitude for our local leaders. Basically, the relief money can go into the following areas: Improvements to our local healthcare safety net including mental health, economic recovery assistance for individuals and local businesses, homelessness assistance, and infrastructure improvements. With our rapid growth, this funding is a great opportunity for Tarrant County to rebound, catch up with our current population growth, and to plan ahead. Tarrant County has already held a series of public workshops to gather input for prioritizing our local needs and how to best fund them moving ahead. As County Commissioner, I will make sure our priority needs are met with ongoing public input and with full transparency.
Larry Dale Carpenter Jr.
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Age: 34
What’s the best way for voters to reach you? Phone, text, email and social media
Website: carpenterforcommissioner.com
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: N/A
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: N/A
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: N/A
Why are you seeking this office? I don’t like the direction Tarrant County is moving in. We need a solid Constitutional Conservative Patriot in office to guide Tarrant County back into its rightful conservative spot and for Tarrant County to be a leader for the rest of the counties in Texas to follow.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1) Voter Fraud
2) Property tax and TAD
3) Infrastructure
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? I’m the only conservative in the race, I’ve been actively involved in Republican politics my entire life and will be that young, strong voice for conservative leadership in the County. I have never held public office and owe my allegiance to God and my Constituents. I have a diverse working background including eight years of overseas work experience in residential and commercial construction and education. I believe that participating in the voting process is a cherished right we have in the USA and anyone seeking public office should have a strong record of voting.
What should county government do to expand and improve COVID testing? N/A
Should the county take more steps to encourage COVID vaccination, and if so, what would you support? Getting vaccinated is a personal choice and should NEVER be forced on someone. I will expose and go after businesses in precinct 4 that fire employees for not getting vaccinated. COVID is never going away and the virus will always mutate.
What transportation priorities would you pursue? Are there specific road projects you’d like to see? Northwest Tarrant County is far behind the rest of the County in terms of infrastructure. We’re growing at a break neck speed and need more communication between TXDOT and the County and the municipalities and the County on many road works projects, especially in and around the alliance corridor. Many of these road arteries are constantly in gridlock mode and must be addressed immediately. We’re wasting heaps of money on terrible road works projects on Boat Club Rd by installing a raised median that hinders and causes more damage than helps. I’ve specifically targeted many intersections within the County that must be addressed by building for the future and not just a few years down the road.
What changes should be made to the property appraisal process? Appraisals are out of control and don’t reflect the true value of the home. Appraisals should be frozen while the person is living in the home and should only be appraised when the home owner is selling or buying. We’ve got $2 billion dollars worth of new builds underway in Tarrant County and we’ll only continue to grow as we put more conservatives in local offices, like myself.
Also, if you dispute your taxes with TAD your claim is heard by an unelected appointed board members. I believe you should have your case heard by elected officials, such as a small claims court like a Justice of the Peace.
In what ways do you think the county should be spending its American Rescue Plan Act dollars? First, I believe that small businesses owners that were excluded from the small business grant and are in deep financial trouble from COVID should benifit in some way from the ARPA. All businesses are essential. Emergency rental program should not be a permanent program and should eventually be phased out. We should scale back on funding for COVID testing and vaccines programs. If we’re able to use some of this funding for infrastructure projects I’m all for it.
Manny Ramirez
Occupation: President, FWPOA
Age: 34
What’s the best way for voters to reach you? manny@mannyramirez.org
Website: www.mannyramirez.org
Public offices you’ve held or run for, with years: N/A
Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: N/A
Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: N/A
Why are you seeking this office? I was born and raised in Tarrant County and my wife Fabiola and I are raising our three beautiful daughters here. I love the community that we are from and I love our tight-knit neighborhood feel. But, I look around every day and see our County falling behind. Everyday our roadways get more congested, our schools get more crowded, and our public safety system gets stretched thinner and thinner. Our precinct has fallen behind in both infrastructure improvements and economic development. I am running to bring Tarrant County into the 21st century and make our county a better place for our children and the future generations that will be around long after I am gone.
I am running to bring a new vision of strategic and principles-based leadership in our county. County Commissioners are not just elected representatives, they are elected executives. Our citizens deserve a Commissioner who is an experienced, educated, and proven executive.
I am proud of my executive experience in both the public and private sectors, where I have managed multi-million dollar capital projects and operational budgets. As president of the FWPOA I have forged strong relationships with many of our State Representatives and Senators and I am prepared to begin working on day one to ensure that Tarrant County has a competent and capable voice at every table.
I know that there is no limit to what we can accomplish when leadership has no ego and puts personal feelings aside for the good of the mission. It has been my privilege to serve our community for more than a decade as a police officer. I would be honored to continue to serve Tarrant County as the next Commissioner for Precinct 4.
What would your top 3 policy priorities be?
1.) Improving Tarrant County’s aging infrastructure
2.) Improving public safety
3.) Reducing taxes and spending in Tarrant County
Why should voters choose you over your opponents? County Commissioner is an elected position in our county government that requires a unique set of skills and qualifications. Commissioners are not simply elected representatives, but serve as elected executives with full-time responsibilities. Our communities deserve executive leadership that is qualified and proven effective at tackling tough challenges. I am proud of my proven record of successful conservative leadership and I am committed to making Tarrant County a better place for all of our neighbors.
I am proud to have years of executive leadership experience in large public and private organizations. This experience includes service as the president of the FWPOA, CFO of a private statewide construction company, and as a board member of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, appointed by Governor Greg Abbott. I have earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from TCU, and stay engaged with TCU as a member of the Chancellors Advisory Council.
An established working relationship with our state and local leaders is critical to ensuring that Tarrant County has an effective voice at every level of government. I have been endorsed by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, State Representatives Craig Goldman, Matt Krause, David Cook, Phil King, and Tony Tinderholt. And, I have also been endorsed by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and former Mayor Mike Moncrief.
I am proud to have helped Tarrant County tackle some of the toughest challenges that we have faced in recent history. In 2017, the City of Fort Worth faced a $1.6 billion shortfall in the Fort Worth Employees Retirement Fund. Using my education and executive experience I worked as a lead negotiator to tackle this challenge. After months of deliberative planning, strategic execution, and transparent communication, we solved this problem with no negative impact to taxpayers or retirees.
As your next commissioner I will be focused on effective policies, not politics. I am ready to put my education, leadership experience, and dedication to work as your next Tarrant County Commissioner.
What should county government do to expand and improve COVID testing? We should expand the use of public/private partnerships to provide more flexible and widespread testing capacity. Our county health employees are spread thin and we should look for ways to improve efficiency with flexible and responsive strategies. The private sector will nearly always be more flexible and efficient than our government sector and we should leverage the incredible resources we have in Tarrant County.
Should the county take more steps to encourage COVID vaccination, and if so, what would you support? Vaccination should not be a polarizing issue. We should focus on unifying our message around COVID vaccination and offer the vaccine to all of those who choose to receive it. We should also work with our local partners to develop a plan for administration of proven effective therapeutics.
What transportation priorities would you pursue? Are there specific road projects you’d like to see? For years the residents of Northwest Tarrant County have gone without representation on the North Central Texas Council of Government’s (NCTCOG) Regional Transportation Council (RTC.) The RTC is critical in determining where transportation funds are allocated and which projects are prioritized. I commit to providing our region an active voice on the RTC to improve the aging arterial roadways throughout Tarrant County.
I also commit to partnering with our neighboring counties to better prepare for regional growth. Infrastructure is a regional concern and we must have forward looking leadership that is prepared to develop 5, 10, 15 year strategic plans. Once developed, we must ensure that we remove any barriers to project startup and completion. Building roads takes time, but the beauracratic process to plan and approve them can be improved.
*Short-term specific road projects I would advocate for include critical improvements around schools and major neighborhoods (Bailey Boswell Rd., Bonds Ranch Rd., etc.)
What changes should be made to the property appraisal process? Property values are determined by the Tarrant Appraisal District which has a board of directors appointed by local taxing entities. I would advocate for more transparency in the appointment process and a clear explanation to taxpayers as to why their tax bill has gone up or down. The most effective and appropriate way to lower the tax burden on homeowners is to reduce the tax rate.
In what ways do you think the county should be spending its American Rescue Plan Act dollars? Our County has a large portion of the allotted American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds still unallocated. I believe we should work hard to ensure that every dollar spent goes towards the goals of improving public health and improving our emergency preparedness. Healthcare infrastructure, public safety infrastructure, and broadband infrastructure should be prioritized. I would insist that we not treat pandemic aid funds as a windfall or piggybank to start new programs without long-term funding. We must include these funds in current revenues and look for ways to reduce the tax burden on our community members over the next decade.
