What you should know before you vote for Leander’s next Mayor


(UPDATED JUNE 11) Leander homeowners and taxpayers are expanding their Civics IQ as they evaluate candidates and do their homework before choosing their next mayor. The publicly-available data below offers additional visibility on those choices. This page will be updated through Election Day (Sat. June 16), so be sure to bookmark and check back periodically.

The content on this page should help you better answer the following questions:

    • Which candidate is more likely to achieve real property tax rate reduction?
    • Which candidate is least likely to be controlled by outside special interests?
    • Which candidate has demonstrated responsibility with his personal finances and in whom you are more inclined to trust with the City of Leander’s purse?

    What was the Total Property Tax Rate trend during each candidate’s tenure on the Leander City Council?

    Candidate

     

    Term(s)

     

    Property
    Tax Rate
    First Year
    on City Council
    Property
    Tax Rate
    Final FY
    on City Council
    Percent
    Change
    During Term(s)
    on City Council
    Troy Hill 2015-2018 $0.632920
    per $100 valuation
    $0.577867
    per $100 valuation
    -8.7% Decrease
    in Property Tax Rate
     Vic Villarreal 2005-2009 $0.548291
    per $100 valuation
    $0.602590
    per $100 valuation
    9.9% Increase
    in Property Tax Rate

    What was the Maintenance & Operations (M & O) Property Tax Rate trend during each candidate’s tenure on the Leander City Council?

    Candidate

     

    Term(s)

     

    M & O Property
    Tax Rate
    FY Prior to 
    Taking Office
    M & O Property
    Tax Rate
    Final FY
    on City Council
    Percent Change
    M & O Property
    Tax Rate
    During Term(s)
    Troy Hill 2015-2018 $0.41864
    per $100 valuation
    $0.361967
    per $100 valuation
    -13.5% Decrease
    in M & OTax Rate
    Vic  Villarreal 2005-2009 $0.162749
    per $100 valuation
    $0.245659
    per $100 valuation
    50.9% Increase
    in M & O Tax Rate

    Source: City of Leander Finance Department

    What other positions with taxing authority have candidates held and what were the property tax rate trends under their term of office?

    Mr. Villarreal served on the Austin Community College Board of Trustees from 2010 – 2016. He served as Chairman of the Board during the final year of his term, presiding over the tax rate discussions  for Fiscal Year 2016. Note: Chairman of the Board experience is not equivalent to the President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who presides over day-to-day operations and execution of policy, which in itself is vastly different in a government institution than a public or private company.

    Although the Adopted M & O Tax Rate for each FY remained a constant at $0.09 per $100 of assessed value, the Effective M & O Tax Rate (M & O ETR) fluctuated. The ACC Board has the power to set the Adopted M & O Tax Rate below, equal to, or above the Effective M & O Tax Rate.  Setting the Adopted M & O Tax Rate above the Effective M & O Tax Rate more often results in a real dollar property tax increase for the average home (FY 2015 & 2016). The following table created from Tax Rate Workseets provided by ACC’s finance department shows the trend of the Adopted M & O Tax Rate in relation to the Effective M & O Tax Rate (M & O ETR):

    FY 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
    Adopted  M & O Rate 0.0900 0.0900 0.0900 0.0900 0.0900 0.0900
    M & O ETR 0.0958 0.0911 0.09 0.0868 0.082 0.0805
    % + / – -6.05% -1.20% 0% 3.69% 9.76% 11.80%

    Source: Austin Community College, EVP Finance; TravisCountyTX/tax-rates

    Who is contributing to each mayoral candidate’s campaign and are they eligible to vote in Leander’s elections?

    Candidate
    Campaign
    Finance
    Reports
    1 & 2)

     

    Total Number
    Monetary Contributors

     

     

    Total Number
    Contributors Eligible to
    Vote in City of Leander

     

    Total  Monetary Campaign
    Contributions Received

     

    Percentage
    Monetary Contributions from Donors within City of Leander

     

    Percentage
    Monetary Contributions from Donors outside City of Leander

    Troy Hill
     1,  2
    16 7 $12,000 66% 34%
    Vic Villarreal
     1,  2
    46 1 $21,800 1% 99%

    Which candidate’s presentation best addressed the questions regarding Leander’s future?

    The evening of April 20th, a Leander organization by the name of Leander Advocacy Group* sponsored a candidate forum in which each of the council and mayoral candidates were allowed 15 minutes to address questions previously provided to each candidate. The forum rules were strictly enforced, providing an environment for the candidates to each put their best foot forward.

     

    Presentation analysis

    After reviewing both of the above presentations, which candidate:

        • best answered the specific questions posed by the host organization?
        • best articulated a strategy for addressing issues facing the City of Leander?
        • best communicated a plan to guide Leander though the next phase of growth?
        • is more likely to reduce over-regulation and over-taxation of Leander businesses and homeowners?
        • is more likely to reduce Leander’s debt and expand Leander’s sales tax revenue while decreasing reliance on property taxes?
        • is more likely to advocate local control of Leander’s future?
        • is more likely to best serve the interests of Leander homeowners and taxpayers?
        • is more likely to reign in property tax rates?
        • is more likely to give priority to outside special interests and entities?
        • is more likely to rely on taxpayer debt for non-infrastructure, non-public safety city development?
        • is more self- and resume-focused than focused on the interests of Leander residents?

    What is the personal voting history of each candidate?

    Candidate Voting Activity 2015 – 2018 (reverse chronology)

    Candidate

     

    Mar.  2018
    Party Primary Election

     

    Nov. 2017 
    General Election 
    LISD Bond Electiom

    Dec. 2016
    ACC
    Run-off 
    Election
    Nov. 2016
    Pres.
    Election

     

    May 2016
    Primary
    Run-off
    Election

    May
    2016
    City of Leander
    Mar. 2016
    Party
    Primary
    Election
    Nov.
    2015
    General
    Election
    May
    2015
    City of Leander
    Hill Republican Yes No Yes No Yes** Republican No Yes**
    Villarreal No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Democrat No Yes
     Source: Williamson County Elections and Travis County Clerk, Elections Division

    Candidate Voting Activity 2008 – 2014  (reverse chronology)
    Nov.
    2014  General Election
    Mar. 
    2014 
    Primary
    Election
    Nov. 2012
    Pres.
    Election
    July 2012
    Primary

     Run-off Election
    May
    2012
    Primary Election
    Nov. 2010
    General
    Election
    Mar.
    2010
    Primary
    Election
    Nov.
    2008
    General  Election
    Mar.
    2008
    Primary
    Election
    Hill Yes No Yes Republican Republican Yes Republican Yes Republican
    Villarreal Yes Democrat Yes NA Democrat Yes Democrat Yes Democrat
     Source: Williamson County Elections and Travis County Clerk, Elections Division

    Candidates for Leander mayor and city council do not typically formally identify with a political party when running for office.

    Texas is an open-primary state, meaning no one “registers” with a political party. A voter only identifies with a particular political party by voting in that party’s Primary or Primary Run-off election every two years in order to select the party’s nominees for various races in the November General Election. By voting in a Party Primary, the voter is limited to voting in any run-off election subsequently held by that party and participating in that party’s conventions during that election cycle.

    Even though candidates for Leander offices do not run on a party label,  a candidate’s Party Primary voting history is often an indicator that the candidate identifies more closely with that political party’s underlying principles and values. For those new to Texas or who are first-time voters, the two major political parties in Texas are Democrat and Republican. The principles, values, and positions  of these parties are best summarized in their respective Party Platforms:

    Texas Democrat Party Platform 2016-2018

    Texas Republican Party Platform 2016-2018

    What can be known about candidates based on public endorsements?

    Mr. Hill’s website does not rely on personal or celebrity endorsements for credibility.

    Mr. Villarreal’s website lists endorsements from a labor-union affiliate (Texas is a Right-to-Work state). His website also lists eleven individuals, seven of whom either represent outside special interests or are not currently eligible to vote in the City of Leander elections according to Williamson  County Elections and Travis County Elections and Mr. Villarreal’s Campaign Finance Reports (see above links):

        • Fred Jay resides  in Colorado and has a firm in Leander that has received over $200,000 in payments from the City of Leander within the past two years. Mr. Jay is not shown to be a registered voter within the City of Leander and is not eligible to vote in City of Leander elections. Campaign Finance Reports ( 1,  2show Mr. Jay contributed to Mr. Villarreal’s campaign.
        • John T. (Tom) Glenn resides in Burnet County and served as one of the figureheads for Growing LISD’s Future PAC which pushed the recent $454M bond package, even though he does not pay LISD or City of Leander taxes on his $424k property outside Liberty Hill. Mr. Glenn is not shown to be a registered voter within the City of Leander and is not eligible to vote in City of Leander elections. Campaign Finance Reports  (1,  2) show Mr. Glenn contributed to Mr. Villarreal’s campaign.
        • Mitch Fuller resides in Cedar Park  and works for J.L. Powers and Associates. Williamson County Elections voter records show he voted in the 2018 Democrat Primary and Run-off. Mr. Fuller is not eligible to vote in City of Leander elections. Campaign Finance Reports (1,  2) show Mr. Fuller contributed to Mr. Villarreal’s campaign.
        • Monta Akin, long-time administrator for Tom Glenn, does not pay taxes to City of Leander on her address listed in the Voter Registration database and is not shown to be eligible to vote in City of Leander elections.  Williamson County Elections voter records show she voted in the 2016 Democrat Primary and 2008 Democrat Primary.
        • Brent Fields is not shown to be a registered voter within the City of Leander and is not eligible to vote in City of Leander elections. Williamson County Elections show an M. Brent Fields residing in Cedar Park and who voted in the 2016 and 2008 Democrat Primaries.
        • Jeffrey Richard works for J.L. Powers and Associates. Mr. Richard is not shown to be a registered voter within the City of Leander and is not eligible to vote in City of Leander elections.
        • Allen H. Kaplan is not shown to be a registered voter within the City of Leander and is not eligible to vote in City of Leander elections.  Travis County Elections and Campaign Finance Reports show Allen H. Kaplan residing in Cedar Park and who has voted in every Democrat  Primary back to 2006. Campaign Finance Reports (1,  2show Mr. Kaplan contributed to Mr. Villarreal’s campaign.

        What can be known from public information about how candidates have managed their personal finances?

        Troy Hill

        • April 28, 2009 Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade issued an Involutary Dissolution of a business name, Tega Properties, LLC for which Mr. Hill was the original registered agent.
        • a query of the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) returned no record of Mr. Hill ever having filed bankruptcy

      • Vic Villarreal

        • January 29, 2016 Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos forfeited a charter, certificate or registration of a taxable entity, Global Vista Strategies, LLC for which Mr. Villarreal was the registered agent.
        • a query of the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) returned a number of documents pertaining to Mr. Villarreal’s bankruptcy filing, including: 
        • his September 23, 2010 Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filing, Case No. 10-12687-cag, showing unsecured liabilities totaling over $96,000 to 16 different credit card accounts, and over $129,000 in taxpayer-backed, Sallie Mae student loan debt
        • November 8, 2010 Statement of Presumed Abuse (of federal bankruptcy laws) under 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)

         

    Note: Mr. Villarreal writes and teaches about “…essential ethical management theories, cases and understandings for students and professional alike.”

      • *I am not a member of the Leander Advocacy Group, nor am I a member of their Facebook group, nor have I ever attended any of their events or meetings other than the April 20th public candidate forum held at the Leander VFW meeting room.

        **Correction: On Tuesday, May 29, 2018  the voting record of a mayoral candidate was corrected and this site updated. Previously, this post indicated Troy Hill had not voted in the City of Leander Elections of May 2015 and 2016.  He did, in fact, vote in both of those elections.

        The City of Leander jurisdiction spans across both Williamson County and Travis County in which Mr. Hill resides. In recent years,  Travis County Elections has not been updating Travis County Voter History of Leander residents who voted in City of Leander elections managed by Williamson County Elections. This, combined with field coding differences between Williamson County Elections and Travis County Clerk, Elections Division, led to a misreporting of Mr. Hill’s voting record and I regret the error.

        Copyright © 2018 Don Stroud