Seemingly lost in the midst of the immensely competitive Texas congressional races is the importance of the San Marcos City Council vote. Throughout early voting on Oct. 22 through Nov. 2 and regular voting on Nov. 6, Texas State students will have the opportunity to place their vote toward a more inclusive, healthier and safer San Marcos.
City Council’s agenda directly affects San Marcos’ conditions and community. Poor execution regarding housing plans and management equates to families not being able to find adequate, affordable housing. Substandard oversight regarding emergency management does not ensure that San Marcos citizens are prepared for unexpected danger.
San Marcos’ city government is responsible for creating the current Workforce Housing Task Force, which will aid the City Council’s committee in finding solutions to the current housing challenges that working families in San Marcos face. The full City Council will, at some point, have a say in what policies will be put in place to aid the public. Whether or not the implementation is effective is the difference between current housing conditions — which consist of rising, unaffordable costs for traditional families — and better conditions consisting of those same families being able to find reasonably priced homes.
A family of four should have the option to settle in a home that is reasonably priced and affordable in correlation to their income. However, housing developers along with a steady, yearly population increase in San Marcos are reasons why that is not happening.
Housing developer greed for materialistic gain can be regulated by City Council. Without the right representation, however, it will be difficult for proper policy and regulation to be implemented. In order to combat that, students must find and vote for candidates who they feel have the best interests of all San Marcos citizens, not individuals who can be bought or bribed.
The City Council has a stake in decisions regarding emergency management. No resident of San Marcos can personally control the whereabouts of natural disasters and dangers, but the city’s representatives have a say or vote toward whether or not their constituents are well-prepared when circumstances beyond one’s control do occur.
Furthermore, representatives have a say in how the city responds to tragedy. Proper oversight ensures that everyone in city government is held accountable, whether it be fixing a city-wide power outage or taking proper precautions after incidents like the horrific Iconic Village apartment fire.
Every citizen in San Marcos should feel as if they are prepared in the event that the unexpected does happen. Effective representation is the difference between whether or not preparedness is a reality. It equates to direct oversight of emergency management execution. City representatives must place the safety of their constituents above all else, and take the actions necessary that result in the well-being of all individuals.
Self-serving and unethical politicians will place that responsibility on everywhere else but themselves. To combat that, students must get out and vote for individuals who they feel will take the city’s natural dangers personal. Students must vote for individuals who they feel will ensure that San Marcos citizens are protected, safe and prepared for the unforeseen.
Students must get out and vote for the improvement of San Marcos. Moreover, students must get out and vote for those who will execute proper oversight, management and citizen well-being. The future of San Marcos is in the hands of the young innovators, creators and difference makers that occupy it.
To learn more about the current San Marcos City Council and candidates, see the voting guide on pages one and two.
– Jaden Edison is an electronic media sophomore