District 10 Candidate Q&A With Kathy Stewart, Sirrano Keith Baldeo, Brian Hasenbauer, and Chris Carter

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of responses to CandysDirt.com questionnaires issued to all candidates running for office in the May 6 Dallas City Council election. We’ll be revealing their responses over the next several days. Candidates in the races for Districts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12 did not respond to the questionnaire. Early voting begins April 24.

Candidate: Kathy Stewart

Opponents: Sirrano Keith Baldeo, Brian Hasenbauer, and Chris Carter

Incumbent: Adam McGough (not seeking re-election due to term limits)

Why do you think Dallas continues to attract corporate relocations and new residents at a greater frequency than the rest of the nation?

Corporations are looking for vibrant communities that are business friendly and family friendly with accessibility from an airport like DFW, an investment in art and culture as well as amazing sports teams. Dallas is a business friendly city with opportunities for jobs, good schools and attractive neighborhoods like District 10. Rolling hills, big trees, quick access to White Rock Lake, the Dallas Arboretum and downtown Dallas as well as great RISD schools make D10 a desirable location to live, work and play. D10’s biggest asset is our strong community. We are a neighborhood made up of a diverse group of people (our schools have multiple languages) who thrive on being connected with their neighbors.

What areas in your district could see a housing boom in the next few years?

The housing boom taking place in District 10 is in our established residential neighborhoods. Our existing homes are either extensively remodeled or torn down and replaced with much larger houses. As young families discover the strength of our RISD school and desirable location, they move here and make significant investments in their homes.

What is occurring in your area that could poise your district for growth, and how can you support that?

The improvements to the LBJ East corridor and the new tied arch bridge at Skillman and LBJ bring opportunities for new development along the corridor and at the Skillman/LBJ intersection. LBJ East includes a safer highway, improved access with continuous frontage roads (which we have never had) and a beautiful welcoming new gateway into D10 with a tied arch bridge at Skillman and LBJ that includes bike and pedestrian lanes. I believe the continuous frontage roads will encourage re-development along the corridor with development that faces the freeway and is now more accessible. The bridge will provide a beautiful gateway into the district that also improves the function and overall aesthetics of the intersection at Skillman and LBJ. All these improvements will increase the property value near and along the corridor and thus provide the opportunity for some redevelopment throughout the whole area. I propose we begin work on an Area Plan for the LBJ East corridor so that this re-development is balanced and planned. Working with City staff, the residents will have a voice in creating a vision for the future of the LBJ East corridor.

How can the City of Dallas improve the redistricting process, and how would that positively impact your district?

District 10 is a cohesive neighborhood with a strong community. Our district identifies as one neighborhood with many of our high school students attending the one public high school in our district, Lake Highlands High School. We wouldn’t want to lose any portion of our current district.

How would you vote on the matter of allowing or restricting short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods? 

During my many conversations and meetings with D10 residents, short-term rentals always came up. In D10 most single-family homeowners do not want short-term rentals in their traditionally residential neighborhoods and I agree. We have experienced the “party house” too many weekends with overcrowding, overconsumption of alcohol and noise. I would support a ban on short-term rentals in neighborhoods that are zoned single family residential. I do recognize that multi-family property owners have a different perspective and experience with short term rentals, and they want to retain the right to this use. There may also be property owners supplementing their fixed income with short term rentals and property owners in neighborhoods with more density or proximity to entertainment areas that want to preserve their right to short-term rentals. The solution must recognize these differences.

How do you feel about the Public Facility Corporation financing structure for multifamily development?

Public Facility Corporations (“PFC”) are a relatively new housing tool that provides property tax exemptions for private apartment developers. They are a tool for mixed-income housing with a general rule of 50% market rate units and 50 % affordable units. We know Dallas needs more affordable housing units and the PFCs with the right developer and location seem to be a viable tool.

How do you plan to engage with the public and local media?

Communication from the Councilmember to the residents is critically important. I am planning regular newsletter emails as well as town hall meetings. I hope to continue the D10 monthly meetings with updates on projects and opportunities for collaboration with community members. I will welcome open dialogue with the media and always strive for transparency.

How do you feel about using historic and conservation districts to preserve a neighborhood’s character?

I support the use of historic and conservation districts to preserve a neighborhood’s history and character. I had the opportunity to work in Uptown for three years and learned to appreciate our historic trolley and State Thomas neighborhood. Lake Highlands history also needs to be preserved by finding opportunities to tell the stories of the families and communities that came before us.

What is the role of a developer in providing affordable housing? What is the role of the city in providing affordable housing?

Safe, quality, affordable housing is a nationwide need. The City of Dallas is focused on providing more affordable housing. A City of Dallas May 2021 memo shows that D10 has more low-income housing units than any other district. Keeping that reality in mind, D10 knows it will need to absorb some affordable housing. Every district needs to accept affordable housing. I will make community engagement a top priority – early in the process – so that developers have a chance to hear from residents and respond to their concerns. My biggest concern is that we don’t concentrate new affordable housing projects all in one area of the district. I promise to work with the developers and city staff on affordable housing.

What projects/needs in your district should be given priority in the 2024 bond? 

My plan is to create a bond task force for D10 with representatives from different neighborhoods and people with different skills. I will ask this task force to put together a list of needs for parks and trails, creek erosion, streets and transportation etc. – looking at all of this from the perspective of improving connectivity. I know for example we have two parks that need bond funds, Orbiter Park and the new park at Forest/Audelia. We need playground equipment and a pavilion at Orbiter – we need funds to complete the plans for the park at Forest/Audelia. We need connectivity from our new bridge at Skillman and LBJ.I am aware of many of our needs but want to make sure we have an inclusive approach to putting together needs inventory.

Candidate: Sirrano Keith Baldeo

Opponents: Kathy Stewart, Brian Hasenbauer, and Chris Carter

Incumbent: Adam McGough (not seeking re-election due to term limits)

Why do you think Dallas continues to attract corporate relocations and new residents at a greater frequency than the rest of the nation?

Dallas is one of the world’s leading corporate headquarters centers. There is no local or state income tax for Dallas residents and there is no corporate or personal income tax in Texas.

Texas is fifth-lowest among states in total state tax. A healthy economy and a skilled workforce, it has a major talent pool for big corporations. Young professionals with the highest concentration of college-educated adults.

The cost of living. Texas offers excellent infrastructure and easy transportation options, in and around the city and it is business-friendly.

What areas in your district could see a housing boom in the next few years?

Unfortunately, the past leadership has not constructed District 10 as an Urban City for a housing boom. When I am elected, I would have to reconstruct and reevaluate the commercial areas from the residential areas. Currently, there are pockets of locations that could potentially develop good housing but, the past leadership did not do a good job constructing the District for it. I have three opponents that sat around doing nothing, two in government, they could have done this but they chose not to so now I am left with the task to reconstruct District 10 to meet any kind of housing boom.

What is occurring in your area that could poise your district for growth, and how can you support that

Nothing, nothing right now has poised District 10 for growth, Lake Highlands just constructed a few new businesses on Skillman Street at Walnut Rd. When a business moves out, a new one fills in but for the last 10 years, no one has evaluated the other parts of District 10 for growth or housing. Sadly District 10 missed so many opportunities to attract large corporations as the ones moving downtown and other areas. In the minority community that has no representation and until voters finally and proudly elect a minority to address those concerns, it will remain that way. I offer District 10 a visionary to keep up with the growth of Dallas as a whole. I’ll give you an example of a bad decision and a huge missed opportunity, under my three opponents. Opposite the Walmart on Forest was a pain relief center. 

The councilman approved a carwash for its use. There is already a carwash up the street. The property could have been offered and approved to reflect one of the major corporations moving to Dallas. It would have enhanced the area. About 10 businesses could have fit on one floor and corporate business on other levels. 

So when you compare these kinds of poor decisions to what is happening to Dallas as a whole, you know it’s time for new leadership.

My three opponents have been here and nothing has changed or is advancing to reflect Dallas’ other Districts. Lake Highlands carries the majority of votes and they don’t vote minority. Until they realize, “if you keep voting for the same people, over and over again and you’re getting the same soft results” the new flux of immigrants will eventually push you out. My job as councilman is to build up the District to keep safety and security in place to prevent that and I know how to do it. 

How can the City of Dallas improve the redistricting process, and how would that positively impact your district?

The last councilman testified to leave my District 10 as is, this keeps the District segregated, and he knew what he was doing. This is the last District that voted to keep the Confederate cause alive. They somehow believe that blacks and minorities, like myself, should be working to enrich whites and they weren’t secretive about it. They publicly fought for supremacy.

All three of my opponents supported this councilman directly and indirectly when wanted a public display of racism with the Confederate monument. Two even use their government positions financially to support him. They were clear, they want to keep District 10 segregated from the black and minority side. I too spoke on redistricting and supported an expansion to balance the voting block. Interestingly, a lot of other white folks felt the same but the councilman pushed to keep it the way it is and it has disenfranchised the minority community. If you look at the number of votes in the last four elections, you’ll see how it has impacted my District in a negative way. 90% white voters vs. 10% minority votes. Redistricting is done to have voting fairness, between minorities and whites and between Republicans and Democrats. Now we have to wait another 10 years to correct this shame or hopefully more minorities will move it and offset the segregation or if I’m elected as the first minority councilman, we can move on from these people.

How would you vote on the matter of allowing or restricting short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods? 

I think people have a right to do with their homes as they please, under the constitution but I also feel residents should not be subjected to loud parties, noise, and crime that goes along with these short-term rentals. I think quiet neighborhoods need to be void of intrusion, they are my tax base. I also think these kinds of rentals should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

If someone is innocently renting it out for a period of time to a business person or other non-party or recreational use or a family who can’t afford a hotel, I’ll consider an application to the city for it but I will not approve overnight or party houses to disturb my constituents. 

How do you feel about the Public Facility Corporation financing structure for multifamily development?

We are currently dealing with such a project on Cypress Creek in the minority community. The developer is using this kind of structure to get a 75 years tax break, that’s money they are taking from police, taxpayers, roads, and other things we badly need it for. We started this questionnaire to attract corporate relocations with some of the biggest companies in the world, now we’re down to cheap housing, and 75-year tax break, and possible bonding. This is why I said District 10 must keep out with the boom for large corporations and housing to match that kind of employment.

Sadly, the developers who are looking to put these houses in Dallas are skipping south Dallas and trying to dump them in pockets of North Dallas. Under my watch, District 10 will meet the demand for growth as it reflects Dallas as a whole.

How do you plan to engage with the public and local media?

I ran a newspaper for over a year, mostly exposing public corruption and incompetence. For exposing it, the government spent about $1.4 million trying to shut me down, even targeting my wife to get to me. Since moving to Dallas, I have discovered some things that would probably get me killed if I publish them. 

But I am the media, as a councilman, I am the government, so I will use my office to provide what happens to my constituents. I will also have a media liaison for the press so they won’t have to go doing an OPRA for information my liaison could easily give to them. I’m sure as the media CandysDirt.com also has problems getting into city hall for information.

How do you feel about using historic and conservation districts to preserve a neighborhood’s character?

I recently tried to save The CornerStone Church from destruction with it so I guess if it’s a value to the public and they want to keep it, it’s a good idea.

What is the role of a developer in providing affordable housing? What is the role of the city in providing affordable housing?

We need to carefully watch developers when it comes to affordable housing. When they try to dump it in a high-opportunity zone, they are taking a piece of property and diminishing it. If the developer skips the 60% of land in South Dallas and is coming to North Dallas, this should be addressed. The first question is why are you not focusing on developing the low-income areas that have lots of space?

Developers are after the bottom line, that’s their role.

The city has to be careful not to get into the real estate business, we provide a balanced budget, keep taxes down, provide public safety, and make laws.

Once you go outside those lines you disrupt the harmony of city hall.

City Hall does have a Homeless Solutions office, they are tasked with receiving federal funds specifically for housing. As a councilman when the proposed housing is in your district, it’s up to you to make the argument for or against it, with the help of your constituents. 

The outgoing councilman dropped the ball on three such proposals, one on 12000 Greenville Ave. No city in the United States can provide enough affordable housing but we cannot have land in South Dallas and not have housing development with shopping, businesses and other amenities. Dallas is currently home to people from the outside and more are coming in or being sent, we have to be prepared for this influx. 

What projects/needs in your district should be given priority in the 2024 bond? 

Crime, what I need to do with District 10 is relabel the police department, District 10 Defense Force. I want a new look and perspective on my cops and any bond money will go to creating a police substation, with a courthouse and a holding station.

I have been to the Dallas County Commissioners Court four times and twice I went up to the mic and begged them for a multi-purpose center, they never helped so I would need money for that.

The main purpose of being an elected official is to help people, not see it as another job or to line your pocket. I am also concerned about bonding money because the interest payback is very high for taxpayers. 

Candidate: Brian Hasenbauer

Opponents: Kathy Stewart, Sirrano Keith Baldeo, and Chris Carter

Incumbent: Adam McGough (not seeking re-election due to term limits)

Why do you think Dallas continues to attract corporate relocations and new residents at a greater frequency than the rest of the nation?

Dallas has a pro-business mindset, low taxes, and a growing economy. We must ensure that our inefficient commercial and residential permitting processes don’t discourage development and result in a loss of new developments and tax revenue to the suburbs. 

What areas in your district could see a housing boom in the next few years?

There are many areas that are transitioning from older houses to new builds, which will increase the number of new housing developments in the area. Areas North of 635 have a lot of potential for growth. 

What is occurring in your area that could poise your district for growth, and how can you support that?

Completing the 635 East project and creating a frontage road will position the areas along 635 for growth. Working with a 635 Task Force, consisting of the LH Chamber, businesses, residents, and neighborhood leaders, can help to envision the best uses for that area.  

How can the City of Dallas improve the redistricting process, and how would that positively impact your district?

Having neighborhoods submit their redistricting maps vs. individuals creating their own plans would help achieve greater consensus around desired redistricting boundaries. 

How would you vote on the matter of allowing or restricting short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods?

I would vote for the KISS solution or the recently suggested KISS 2.0. We should be encouraging homes, not hotels, and protecting the safety of our neighbors.  We need to get all current STRs to register, generate tax revenue, and be able to closely monitor the bad actors and get them delisted if concerns or complaints arise.

How do you feel about the Public Facility Corporation financing structure for multifamily development?

As a tool, I like the concept of Public Facility Corporation financing. The 75-year lease period seems excessive unless the clauses for reversion to city control are easily enacted to ensure quality management and good long-term actors. We don’t want to be stuck with a long-term bad actor on what is still valuable city property.

How do you plan to engage with the public and local media?

I plan on having a weekly YouTube/Facebook Live to discuss issues. Quarterly we will have all of our boards and commissioners meet publicly to review issues and what’s happening in their respective areas and get feedback. We will also more regularly update the website, have e-newsletters and printed newsletters, and be on social media more. Also, continue Collective Impact but more constructively and inclusively. 

How do you feel about using historic and conservation districts to preserve a neighborhood’s character?

Historic preservation and conservation areas are great tools and should be used where possible. 

What is the role of a developer in providing affordable housing? What is the role of the city in providing affordable housing?

The role of a developer in providing affordable housing is to develop projects that are attractive to both investors (if not a non-profit developer), the surrounding neighborhoods, and ultimately the prospective tenants. The goal should be to create a well-designed property that includes early public input and stakeholder support and be able to improve the neighborhoods they are built. I encourage developers to seek a limit of 40% affordable units to earn a satisfactory return on their investment while providing new affordable housing units in the community.

The role of the City of Dallas in affordable housing is to work in partnership with developers, Community Home Development Organizations (CHDOs), and other entities to provide funding mechanisms (possibly through partnerships and grants, HUD funding, County, etc.), land, infrastructure, or other resources to increase the affordable housing stock in a reasonable and well-thought-out manner.

What projects/needs in your district should be given priority in the 2024 bond?

Road repair and resurfacing should be at the top of the list. We also need to reduce speeding cars in residential neighborhoods and prioritize adding traffic-calming features to neighborhood streets (4-way stops, bike lanes, speed bumps). 

Increased capital equipment budgets for purchasing new fire trucks, maintaining fire stations, and repairing city facilities.

We should also consider investing in reenvisioning Orbiter Park and The Fair Oaks Tennis Center so that residents can better enjoy them for recreation.

Throughout the city of Dallas, we should include bond money for affordable housing development, mental health treatment facilities, and transitional shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness that may have drug and alcohol addictions and need wrap-around services and care.

Candidate: Chris Carter

Opponents: Kathy Stewart, Sirrano Keith Baldeo, and Brian Hasenbauer

Incumbent: Adam McGough (not seeking re-election due to term limits)

Why do you think Dallas continues to attract corporate relocations and new residents at a greater frequency than the rest of the nation?

No state or local income tax.

What areas in your district could see a housing boom in the next few years?

With persistently high inflation and interest rates, a housing boom is very unlikely.

What is occurring in your area that could poise your district for growth, and how can you support that?

The rebuilding of LBJ freeway could bring more retail businesses along the service roads. But, we need to keep homeless shelters from being built near those service roads that will disincentivize development.

How can the City of Dallas improve the redistricting process, and how would that positively impact your district?

The redistricting process should be more transparent and depoliticized.

How would you vote on the matter of allowing or restricting short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods?  

I will vote against short-term rentals in residential areas.

How do you feel about the Public Facility Corporation financing structure for multifamily development? 

District 10 has two apartments for every one residential home. I will put a two year moratorium on any further apartment building in District 10.

How do you plan to engage with the public and local media?

Through a biweekly email and public meetings. Unlike our current city councilman, I will give the required 30 day notice for controversial development meetings. Homeowners will have the final say on rezoning issues. 

How do you feel about using historic and conservation districts to preserve a neighborhood’s character?

I approve of using historic and conservation districts.

What is the role of a developer in providing affordable housing? What is the role of the city in providing affordable housing?

We need citywide balance in affordable housing. District 10 has more than its share of affordable housing. 

What projects/needs in your district should be given priority in the 2024 bond? 

Unless we solve the $4 billion in unfunded pension liabilities in the police and firefighters pension fund, the City will get a debt rating downgrade by Standard & Poors and Moody’s, with a NEGATIVE outlook. In that event, there will not be a 2024 bond. We will not be able to access the credit markets.