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Trustee candidates answer questions from the community
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| CFISD Board of Trustee candidates pictured (l-r) are Martinez, Youngblood, Abney, Arechiga and Wolfe. |
By VALERIE JONES
Community members were able to familiarize themselves with candidates for CFISD Board of Trustees during an hour-long candidate forum held Monday evening.
Positions 1 and 2 are up for grabs with Position 1 incumbent Al Martinez, Jr. seeking re-election against Larry Youngblood and Allan D. Abney. Albert Arechiga, III currently holds the position 2 seat and is seeking re-election against Ethel Wolfe.
The forum allowed candidates an introduction of themselves, followed by a Q&A from audience members.
With the current state of the economy and funding issues CFISD has been facing, candidates fielded questions in regards to possible salary increases, elimination of school programs and tax increases.
“As a resident, the last thing I want to see is my taxes go up. Raising taxes should always be the last thing we do,” Abney said in response to the question of raising taxes or cutting school programs.
Martinez said he would have to evaluate the benefits of the programs and learn what the tax rate would be before he could make a decision.
Wolfe said she wouldn’t choose to raise taxes if she didn’t have to.
“I would look to the federal government for grants to help pay for the programs or go to the state to see if they could subsidize the program,” she said.
Candidates also answered questions about issues such as school vouchers and educating the children of illegal immigrants.
“We have not done a good job of educating children who speak English as a second language,” Youngblood said. “ESL classes are detrimental to the child and costly.”
Arechiga said he would have to abide by the law in this situation.
“By law, all students are to be educated and offered the same opportunities by state and federal government,” Arechiga said.
Community members wanted to know candidates’ computer capabilities, district involvement and what elements new candidates would bring to the table.
Youngblood said, if elected, he would bring fiscal conservatism to the Board of Trustees and said students in America need to be educationally competitive with students in other countries.
Abney said his capabilities are two-fold, having both business experience and being a pastor.
Wolfe said she would bring 10 years of teaching experience to the table.
All candidates encouraged voters to vote in the Board of Trustee election Nov. 4 as part of the presidential election.
Positions 1 and 2 are up for grabs with Position 1 incumbent Al Martinez, Jr. seeking re-election against Larry Youngblood and Allan D. Abney. Albert Arechiga, III currently holds the position 2 seat and is seeking re-election against Ethel Wolfe.
The forum allowed candidates an introduction of themselves, followed by a Q&A from audience members.
With the current state of the economy and funding issues CFISD has been facing, candidates fielded questions in regards to possible salary increases, elimination of school programs and tax increases.
“As a resident, the last thing I want to see is my taxes go up. Raising taxes should always be the last thing we do,” Abney said in response to the question of raising taxes or cutting school programs.
Martinez said he would have to evaluate the benefits of the programs and learn what the tax rate would be before he could make a decision.
Wolfe said she wouldn’t choose to raise taxes if she didn’t have to.
“I would look to the federal government for grants to help pay for the programs or go to the state to see if they could subsidize the program,” she said.
Candidates also answered questions about issues such as school vouchers and educating the children of illegal immigrants.
“We have not done a good job of educating children who speak English as a second language,” Youngblood said. “ESL classes are detrimental to the child and costly.”
Arechiga said he would have to abide by the law in this situation.
“By law, all students are to be educated and offered the same opportunities by state and federal government,” Arechiga said.
Community members wanted to know candidates’ computer capabilities, district involvement and what elements new candidates would bring to the table.
Youngblood said, if elected, he would bring fiscal conservatism to the Board of Trustees and said students in America need to be educationally competitive with students in other countries.
Abney said his capabilities are two-fold, having both business experience and being a pastor.
Wolfe said she would bring 10 years of teaching experience to the table.
All candidates encouraged voters to vote in the Board of Trustee election Nov. 4 as part of the presidential election.
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