You can listen to archived audio from the July 13 Primary Liberal City Commission candidate forum with candidates for the primary election in August.
Candidates in attendance at the forum, in their speaking order as drawn by number: Kathleen Alonso; Ron Warren; Richard Wester; Greg Duran; Jose Lara; Matt Landry; Felix Vargas; Jairo Vazquez.
Candidates not in attendance at the forum: Takumi Rader; Patricia Torres.
Audio of opening statements, in the speaking order of the candidates:
Question 1: “What would you do to improve staff shortage issues at the city?”
Candidate Ron Warren; Richard Wester; Greg Duran; Jose Lara; Matt Landry; Felix Vargas; Jairo Vazquez; Kathleen Alonso. Follow-up by Jairo Vazquez.
Q2: “Are you in favor of increasing property taxes above the revenue neutral rate?”
Wester; Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren. Follow-up by Vargas; Lara; Wester; Vazquez.
Q3: “How do you feel about abatements, TIFs [Tax Increment Financing], RHID [Rural Housing Incentive District] or other economic development incentives?”
Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren; Wester. Follow-up by Vargas; Lara; Vargas again; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren.
Q4: “What are your thoughts and ideas on the one cent sales tax?”
Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren; Wester; Duran. Follow-up by Lara; Warren.
Q5: “What would be one thing as a commissioner you would improve in our downtown area of Liberal?”
Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren; Wester; Duran; Lara. Follow-up by Vargas; Wester; Warren; Alonso; Landry; Vazquez; Lara; Landry again; Duran.
Q6: “How can we improve the beautification of Liberal?”
Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren; Wester; Duran; Lara; Landry. Follow-up by Vargas; Lara; Alonso.
Q7: “How do you plan to bring white collar professionals to Liberal, so we can get the care we need so we don’t have to go out of town?”
Vazquez; Alonso; Warren; Wester; Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas. Follow-up by Vazquez; Alonso; Lara.
Q8: “Would you support turning Liberal into a sanctuary city?”
Alonso; Warren; Wester; Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez.
Q9: “What is the most pressing issue at the city that you would like to see resolved?”
Warren; Wester; Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso. Follow-up by Wester; Lara; Duran; Wester again.
Q10: “Concerning House Bill 2350, what do you think cities’ role is, and do you agree with House Bill 2350?”
Wester; Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren. Follow-up by Wester; Lara; Vargas.
Q11: “What is one hurdle that you think businesses are facing when trying to come to Liberal?” Or, as subsequently rephrased by the moderator when candidate Vazquez requested that the question be repeated: “Name one hurdle that you think businesses are facing when looking to move to Liberal.”
Duran; Lara; Landry; Vargas; Vazquez; Alonso; Warren; Wester. Follow-up by Lara; Vargas; Vazquez.
End of Q-and-A portion of the forum.
The candidates gave their concluding remarks, in the following order: candidate Jose Lara; Matt Landry; Felix Vargas; Jairo Vazquez; Kathleen Alonso; Ron Warren; Richard Wester; Greg Duran.
Moderator Brad Carr then concluded the forum.
