Candidates for Tarrant County commissioner Precinct 2 on November 8 ballot
Andy Nguyen
Political party (if applicable): Republican
Age as of November 8, 2022: 56
Campaign website: www.andyfortarrant.com
Occupation: Self Employed
Education: BA in Business Administration
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought):
Yes. I served as Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 2 from 2011 - 2018.
Please list highlights of your civic involvement:
YMCA, Arlington Rotary Club, Chambers of Commerce in Arlington, Grand Prairie, and Mansfield, Vietnamese-American Community of Tarrant County, Arlington Heritage Memorial Grounds, North Central Texas Council of Governments, North Texas Regional Transportation Council, Tarrant County Housing Finance Corporation Board, Meals on Wheels, Southeast Tarrant Transportation Partnership Board, Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition Board, Salvation Army Advisory Board, Catholic Charities.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Steve Lockwood, Defend Texas Liberty PAC, Dan Tran
What is the most important distinction between you and your opponent(s)?
The most important distinction between me and my opponent is my leadership skills, collaborative, solutions-oriented style, and experience in business, community, and county government. I am a knowledgeable, thoughtful, effective and collaborative servant leader with a clear track record of producing positive outcomes for the people of Precinct 2 and Tarrant County. From the construction of SH360 South and other important transportation projects to economic development, supporting our law enforcement, and effective governance, as County Commissioner of Precinct 2 from 2011-2018, I was highly proactive and instrumental in producing tangible results for Precinct 2. The best predictor of the future is past performance. My past performance proves that I am committed, able and ready to serve as County Commissioner of Precinct 2 on Day One.
What are the three biggest issues in this race?
1) A National Rise in violent crimes—including juvenile—and fentanyl poisoning. I will work to provide law enforcement and mental health agencies with sufficient resources to combat these serious threats to the safety of our families and communities.
2) Lowering property taxes. I will work to identify unnecessary or not urgent spending and move the savings to higher priorities like law enforcement and returning it to the taxpayers in tax reduction. The bulk of the property tax burden is that of the school districts. I will collaborate with other county leaders to advocate for the state legislature and governor to provide property tax relief to the taxpayers.
3) Improve infrastructure and expand our local economy. Tarrant County’s population is expected to add another million people. I will work collaboratively with community, business and governmental leaders at all levels to expand our transportation, create good paying jobs, and improve housing quality/quantity.
What should Tarrant County do to encourage business relocation or development?
Keeping taxes low and regulations reasonable is a good start. We need to make sure that we have a suitable and healthy workforce. Maintaining safe communities is also an important factor in fostering economic and commercial growth. Improved and expanded transportation infrastructure is one of the best ways to spur economic growth. Tarrant County should also take a more proactive and strategic role in collaborating with municipalities and the business communities in identifying and encouraging business relocations and developments that not only benefit the coffers of local governments but also elevate Tarrant County small businesses and residents.
Public health structures have been strained by the COVID pandemic and monkeypox. What is your philosophy on the county public health department? Does it need more or fewer employees? What should its priorities be?
Public Health collaborates with other health agencies, healthcare organizations, non-profit organizations, public safety providers, etc. to provide critical leadership in maintaining and strengthening the well-being of the Tarrant County population. It also has to connect with and listen to the population it serves. As a County Commissioner, I would recommend that Tarrant County Public Health first reassess its direction, goals and effectiveness in serving and gaining the trust of the population. Then, it needs to identify the gaps within the communities of Tarrant County and formulate its priorities from there. Through this process, Tarrant County Public Health will gain a roadmap of activities and benchmarks. While COVID and monkey pox continue to be a concern for many, drug addiction and fentanyl poisoning, which are closely linked to mental and behavioral health, are on the rise. A priority for Public Health should be to warn and educate families about this serious threat.
Mental health continues to be a challenge, one that often ends up on the doorsteps of the county jail. What should the county do to provide more or better mental health services?
Mental health issues aren’t homogenous. We have to understand their root causes. Some forms of mental illness are chronic and biological. Others are the result of depression, trauma, abuse and neglect, which tends to lead to addiction and other behavioral challenges and eventually homelessness and violence. What is the joint role of Public Health, MHMR and JPS in this struggle for mental wellness? As a County Commissioner, I had worked to lay the foundation for a collaborative strategy to deal with this perpetuating challenge. JPS Medical Homes should include outpatient mental service. Public safety and social service providers should be included in the process. MHMR and Public Health should collaborate cohesively. JPS mental health hospital should be expanded. MHMR, JPS, the Sheriff’s department, and the Courts must work together to deploy diversion strategies. State legislature should boost funding for more state beds. Other non-profits should be included in the strategy.
What is your view of the size and scope of county government overall and the office you’re seeking? If you would make budget cuts, how would you target them?
Tarrant County government should focus on its core responsibilities: providing public safety and justice, holding elections, maintaining records, building and maintaining county roads & bridges, providing emergency management services, providing public health and safety services, collecting property taxes, issuing vehicle registration and transfers, and registering voters. A Commissioner should be the representative of the people’s interests on the Commissioners Court and collaborate with other institutions to fulfill his/her duty in service to the people. Cutting waste and unnecessary spending should be a consistent effort, not just a one-time initiative. Providing effective service and rewarding excellence should be a core tenet of the organizational culture. Setting priorities and measurable goals, allocating resources based on the priorities, and holding departments and elected officials accountable to the measurable goals are examples of how we can improve Tarrant’s performance.
The Star-Telegram has reported consistently on the conditions at the juvenile detention center and potential defunding of the two juvenile court judges. What is your position on this issue and what do you think needs to be done to improve the criminal justice system for juveniles in the county?
I can’t take a position on the conditions at the juvenile detention center and potential defunding of the two juvenile court judges until I am in the position to thoroughly examine the facts from all sides. There are many factors contributing to the challenges and problems we are facing. The rise in juvenile violent crimes, the workload and the process at the juvenile court, the backlog at the state detention centers, etc., are all potential causes. Leaders have to constructively and thoughtfully dialog to understand problems and identify solutions. Most juvenile violent offenders come from broken homes. We must seriously consider the home condition, the pipeline from home/school to the county detention centers, the court process and management, and the space at the state detention centers to identify causes and effects to the challenges that Tarrant County faces.
Tarrant County is growing and developing at a faster rate than it can build and improve roads. What do you think needs to be done to increase the pace and reliance of infrastructure projects across the county?
The County Commissioners from all four precincts must systematically collaborate with one another, our cities, our communities, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Regional Transportation Council, TxDoT, and NTTA to develop a comprehensive transportation plan for Tarrant County. This plan should include ranked highway and main arterial roadway priorities with growth, traffic congestion, logistical distribution, and safety as some of the key considerations. This plan should include not only surface transportation but also technologies (drone, self-driving, fiber, etc.), aerial, and water considerations. By having a comprehensive plan and consistent advocacy, Tarrant County will be more effective in obtaining and efficient in spending our transportation dollars from the federal and state governments while leveraging our local public and private money.
Alisa Simmons
Political party (if applicable): Democrat
Age as of November 8, 2022: 59
Campaign website: VoteAlisaSimmons.com
Occupation: Small Business Owner
Education: Texas Woman’s University Bachelor of Science Degree, Journalism, May 1985
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought):
Texas House District 94
Please list highlights of your civic involvement:
President | Arlington NAACP
Vice President | Texas NAACP
Board Member | Texas ACLU
I have delivered on issues from the passage of city council term limits to ensuring changes in policy and procedures at the Arlington City Jail following the in-custody, use of force death of Jonathan Paul and, the attainment of record levels of participation for homegrown and M\WBE businesses on the construction of Texas Live!, Globe Life Park, and the American Airlines Headquarters Project.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Sam and Monica Jackson, Chris Turner, Gerald Alley
What is the most important distinction between you and your opponent(s)?
I am focused on my own campaign, not on my opponents. I have laid out a clear set of issues that I want to communicate to the voters of Precinct 2. That is my priority.
I am a problem-solver. I look for opportunities to collaborate. I am a reach-across-the-aisle type problem solver, not a hard core partisan. I can share many, many examples of my leadership in which I have worked with elected and civic leaders to solve problems – from economic development to public safety to housing.
My opponent has been indicted on a felony economic crimes charge. I do not have a criminal record.
I believe in protecting the very foundation of our democracy, the sanctity of the ballot and our democratic ideals. My opponent had the distinction of introducing Trump at a rally and is a Trump devotee, whom I have never heard denounce the Big Lie or the insurrectionists’ attack on our U.S. Capitol.”
What are the three biggest issues in this race?
The greatest need in the county is to keep up with the growth in the county and expand our ability to meet our citizens needs without busting the budget, and without raising taxes.
Lowering PROPERTY TAXES. Together we can push our Texas legislators to address rising Property Taxes.
Improving PUBLIC SAFETY. My 20-year Public Safety career is a testament to my commitment to keep fellow citizens safe from threats to life and property. As your county commissioner. I will utilize my public safety expertise to ensure the Sheriff and District Attorney focus on violent crime.
As your next County Commissioner, I will focus on expanding access to Public Health, particularly mental healthcare services.
I spent two decades developing and managing budgets for our county’s 9-1-1 district. My experience will ensure the County Budget remains fiscally sound, while keeping your priorities in mind.
What should Tarrant County do to encourage business relocation or development?
We can make sure we communicate our commitment to invest in infrastructure systems — roadways, bridges, transit, railroads, water, sewer, intermodal connectors and telecommunications systems. When those systems are on point, we will see higher property values and quality-of-life improvements, that affect business decisions. We can demonstrate that we offer small business support through a range of programs, like business incubators, etc. We can promote our workforce development collaborations with Tarrant County College, area school districts, non-profit organizations, cities, states and federal organizations. Demonstrating that disaster preparedness plans are in place, industry diversification and international economic development will give businesses confidence to consider Tarrant County.
Public health structures have been strained by the COVID pandemic and monkeypox. What is your philosophy on the county public health department? Does it need more or fewer employees? What should its priorities be?
I am certain that the public health department needs more resources than fewer. The first step is to make sure that current resources are utilized to the max, before we ever add more people. I have not yet seen a staffing plan. So, I would be looking to make sure the current resources are directed in the right place. Before we start adding resources --- human or otherwise, I think the priority should be to ensure we prepare for the next pandemic.
Mental health continues to be a challenge, one that often ends up on the doorsteps of the county jail. What should the county do to provide more or better mental health services?
What needs to be done is to adequately and fully fund the Tarrant County Hospital District and the programs and services of the JPS Health Network. An in-patient mental health facility must remain priority one. My opponent was against the bond and delayed, delayed, delayed his support of it. And here we are. Had he not done that, we would be much further along, doing that bond work… before Covid-19 hit. As a result, Covid-19 struck and erected an additional roadblock. Remember, my opponent tried his best to block the bond, resulting in 2-years worth of delays. I believe this is a primary reason he lost voters’ confidence and was not reelected in 2018.
What is your view of the size and scope of county government overall and the office you’re seeking? If you would make budget cuts, how would you target them?
For 18 years, I worked for an agency that served Tarrant County (Tarrant County 9-1-1 District). So, with an insiders point of view, I can see that the county is very efficient and doing its best with its tax dollars. This county is lean and solvent. However, county government is essential to the safety net as we’ve seen with Covid-19. The county is really the forgotten layer of government that provides most of the services that people need , services they don’t always know they’ll need and they don’t know WHEN they will need them. I’d rather work on increasing revenue so that we don’t have budget cuts. Strategically increasing revenue with grants, economic development, so we don’t have to make budget cuts. And if and when budget cuts became necessary, I would make them thru a process of prioritizing.
The Star-Telegram has reported consistently on the conditions at the juvenile detention center and potential defunding of the two juvenile court judges. What is your position on this issue and what do you think needs to be done to improve the criminal justice system for juveniles in the county?
The rehabilitation of youth, not the humiliation and endangerment of minors by the judges, should be the aim of Juvenile courts. Improvements can be realized when voters elect compassionate jurists who can also be tough on crime. Until voters exercise their right to vote out derelict judges, commissioners must do all in their purview to sanction them.
Tarrant County is growing and developing at a faster rate than it can build and improve roads. What do you think needs to be done to increase the pace and reliance of infrastructure projects across the county?
We need to look for extra money. We need to research other funding methods including how to participate regionally and federally for grants. We need to be mindful that companies coming in receiving tax incentives and abatements reduces the tax base. So, you allow them to stay off the tax rolls, but you still build all the hook-ups, curbs and gutters…the infrastructure...for them. Basically, the state, the cities, the school districts and the county all take a hit when the mayor offers an incentive for a company to move in. There is a sign off on that deferment of taxes. The county is basically sponsoring the company’s move. And, it reduces revenue. You still have to keep up with the pace, because they are here. That is everyone’s complaint! The companies coming in aren’t paying taxes so the burden’s on the homeowner. The solution is to stop offering these great incentives and make corporations responsible for paying their taxes and paying for their drain on the system.
