Texarkana, Ark., City Board of Directors — Ward 2
LANEY HARRIS Incumbent 1. What are your top priority or priorities specific to your ward, and how do you plan to address them?
I have always shown and remember that I am attending the board meeting on behalf of the residents of Ward 2. To put them first in all my decision before the board and continue to fight for Ward 2 to get it fair share of city service (clean and maintain creeks, alley, vacant lots in a timely manner and money for streets paved. I drive the ward regular, sent in written requests for removal of dilapidated and burn houses, potholes, lots cut.
With the attending of 468 out of 470 regular meeting without pay, I have shown, I will be there to represent Ward 2 at the table (always fighting for Ward 2 citizens best interest).
To continue to voice the issues and concerns of my ward and to promote the concept of fairness, accountability and equality on how the City deals with the needs of Ward 2 residents.
2. How can the city promote economic development and new job creation?
Understand the barriers such as 10.25% compare to 8.25% sale tax but also express our strong’s point: cheaper property tax, lower cost of living, impressive education and workforce training institutes. Local official city, county and economic development officials are work together to address the need of relocation business. Feeds off the FedEx Distribution center in making Texarkana a distribution hub due to it airport, two interstate and four highways and city location.
3. What is the next large-scale project the city should tackle, and how do you propose funding it?
Our city infrastructure is in disrepair such as streets and drainage and there need to wider and concrete Nix creek, mitigation the flooding. Also I must acknowledge some of the currently major projects in the city: new animal shelter, new airport with a apron and past projects: 2012 GO Bond street program that was the last major street projects under my leadership. Search for new police chief, simple thing as to clean curbs throughout the city. Any major project will be an uphill battle when the salaries present about 2/3 of the budget.
4. What are your thoughts concerning the city’s civic culture, that is, issues such as political polarization, social and economic justice, and policing reform?
The city shall be leading direction and treat every day if the police were in a National Night Out setting. It’s start with how the police officers are trained, at most the training needs to be revised, the police are trained to engage with citizens from a breach of wrongdoing than how is your day going. Community police concept shall be widely adopted.
5. What is your vision for downtown Texarkana, and how do you plan to achieve it?
Make sure that the historical prominence stay in tack while it’s continue to grown as a place to live and entertainments. Continued to support matter as I have such as approving the City Entertainments District, Buhrmann Pharr loft apartment, and other loft apartment concept, permits request. With about five vacate building there is opportunity for continued growth.
Needs of an app for smart phone and tablet users that provides a relatively easy and centralized source of information that helps people to find out about downtown. Interactive Kiosk Experience -24 hour location.
Continued to visit and talked with residents, business owner, investor, entrepreneur in assured there is not any hinder because of any city undue regulation or policy.