Ashton Stauffer, Candidate for Mayor
1. Term Limits – please respond by March 14, 2019
Last November, voters approved term limits for the Arlington City Council. What is your opinion of these term limits?
As you know I was an outspoken advocate for term limits. I am so happy that they passed.
2. Transportation – please respond by March 21, 2019
Please describe, including price maximums to taxpayers, your thoughts on public transportation.
I am a believer in the free market and limited government, our tax dollars should not go to give a free ride. That is the role of family and charities to help those in need not the government.
3. Communications – please respond by March 28, 2019
If a constituent e-mails you a question or comment on an issue where you disagree and asks you for a response, will you respond to the constituent? Why or why not?
Absolutely. I am not being elected to represent a select few I would be elected to represent all Arlington citizens. I have actually had an opportunity to experience this very situation. And upset Arlington Citizen emailed me saying that due to my support for Sheriff Joe they will no longer be eating at Jambos. I emailed this person back several times engaging in polite conversation each one of my answers very professional and respectful. I let this person know that should they change their mind I would absolutely Love to see them at my restaurant and they are welcome to continue contacting me via my email I also encouraged them to feel comfortable expressing themselves through our freedom of speech as everyone has a different opinion.
4. Taxes (Part I) – please respond by April 4, 2019
Currently, Arlington has 1/4-cent of sales tax that could be used, but is not used. What, if anything, do you see yourself approving to place in front of the voters, for uses for the 1/4-cent of sales tax? Why?
I will not to raise sales tax. People of Arlington are taxed enough already.
5. Taxes (Part II) – please respond by April 11, 2019
Currently, Arlington is experiencing almost double-digit property tax evaluation increases. What do you feel is the appropriate tax rate that should be levied upon the citizens: 1) a rate a little below the rollback rate, 2) the effective tax rate, 3) the same tax rate (even if above the rollback rate), or 4) something else? Why?
I’m grateful for this question this is actually one of the three main planks of my platform. The effective tax rate. So no matter what the values are raised to you do not pay more than the effective tax rate. This is a mechanism we can easily put in place.
6. Issue – please respond by April 18, 2019
What is the most important issue the city council is facing? Why?
If the question is what is the most important thing they are facing right now the answer is short term rentals. We had a real opportunity to show true leader ship and bring two totally different groups together by meeting them in the middle and instead they have done an absolutely abysmal job, In fact these two groups would’ve been better off if they did nothing. There were practical solutions we could have come up with to accomplish this job of satisfying two groups. The one which i put forward is an online special use permit giving the property owner two parking spaces in front of the house for guests and a three strike policy for the sound ordinance. If officers are called out for a third time the property owner would lose the special use permit. Thereby making it the property owners responsibility to alert their guests they must be good neighbors in order to stay. The reason for these two parts in the solution is the biggest problems with short term rentals we are hearing about from the neighbors the most is parking and sound. Instead this current council and mayor have decided to relegate short term rentals to the entertainment district only thereby upsetting all of the neighborhoods there and issue a cease-and-desist everywhere else in the city immediately ending supplemental income for families who have been relying on renting out their short term rentals. Our local government has stuck their nose into our homes and their hands into our pockets providing zero leadership to resolve this issue. They are upsetting everyone and causing more division in our neighborhoods. Can we now expect them to step in when it comes to long-term renters or even property owners and homeowners in neighborhoods? This local government has become far too invasive and divisive. The solution is so simple, we just need the right leader to implement it.