Antoine Lane, Candidate for District 7
1. Term Limits Committee – please respond by August 27, 2020
A Term Limits Advisory Committee was named and fast tracked recommendations to the city council with four meetings, and over 13 hours, between July 14 – July 28. Do you have an opinion of this whole situation? Do you have an opinion of the outcome?
Did not respond.
2. Sales Tax – please respond by September 3, 2020
This November's ballot includes a measure to increase the sales tax another ¼ cent to 8.25%. Would you have voted to put this on the ballot? Why or why not? How do you plan to vote on this issue? Why?
No, I would not have voted to raise the sales tax rate on citizens. The city is seeking to raise taxes on citizens living in this city but has offered no direct benefit through their spending of tax dollars.
This city has irresponsibly committed nearly $1.4 billion of our tax dollars since 2016, to an entertainment district that would largely benefit visitors. While not offering much more than cosmetic benefit for residents. Large, expensive, and boring is how I would describe the vision for the entertainment district. The vision obviously doesn't grasp what entertains people in the DFW. The city likely will never recoup the $50 million investment into Texas Live. As we will continue to see Arlington residents moreso spend their weekends in Dallas and Ft Worth than in the hardly interesting entertainment district.
A city that is scarce in quality income jobs and has failing schools (65% of Arlington schools received a C, D, or F rating in 2019), has decided to focus on entertainment and tourism. I must say, that type of decision making is quite ratchet.
Per the city's proposed 2020 budget, property taxes are estimated to bring in $119 million, while sales taxes will have revenues of $68 million. This entertainment district has already caused dramatic increases to property taxes and rent; and will continue to do so moving forward (but where is the increase in quality income jobs?). My first apartment off campus in Arlington was in 2011 at Cooper Park Apartments. Me and a roommate stayed in a two bedroom in which the rent was $650 a month. Today in 2020, the rent at those same apartments is $850 for a one bedroom and $1045 for a two bedroom. That is a $4,740 increase in annual rent yet there has been no increase in quality income jobs, quality of life nor improvements in education. In fact, a nearly $5,000 increase in annual rent while maintaining a constant or slightly increasing pay rate, is extremely harmful to residents and has decreased many resident's quality of life. To be clear, an increase in property taxes isn't always bad; but when that increase isn't a result of a higher quality of life for residents then it is outright criminal.
I will be voting no to increasing the sales tax rate. If the city would like to increase sales tax revenue, then try creating a product that makes people want to spend more. Don't increase the price on a subpar product. That is the quickest way to lose customers, or in this case residents.
3. Density – please respond by September 10, 2020
How do you feel about changing commercially zoned properties to multi-family zoned properties? What if the area already contains many, many apartments such as southeast Arlington in the Hwy 360 corridor? How do you feel about RMU (Regional Mixed Use) zoning and its potential 100 units/acre?
Did not respond.
4. Transportation – please respond by September 17, 2020
Via's December 2019 contract renewal has increased the geographical coverage area to 41% (and is available to 49% of the population). Meanwhile, the contract is paid 53% by Arlington taxpayers, 31% by Federal Grant, and 16% by the people taking the rides. Is this fair to the taxpayers, most of whom are not covered, but are paying 53%? How do you plan to vote on future funding? What is your solution? [the staff report: https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/481268/Staff_Report_-___MF__RK__-_FINAL.pdf].
Did not respond.
5. Communications – please respond by September 24, 2020
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?
Did not respond.
6. Issue – please respond by October 1, 2020
What is the most important issue the city council is facing? Why?
Did not respond.