Mayoral Debate Recap Part 1

Well the debate is over and I have to say, we had a good time with it. I want to start off by thanking everyone who emailed and called in questions. We had over 100 questions emailed to us, and not enough time to get even half of those in. Emailed questions sent before 3 yesterday had the best chance of getting in the debate, because we had to have time to process and get the questions down. Out of about 14 questions asked 5 came directly from either listener emails or calls. We also had many people have the same type of questions that we asked.

On tomorrow’s LFN it will be your chance to sound off on todays debate. We will open the phone lines for the whole show to take your comments on the debate.

So, who do YOU think won and lost the debate? Anyone take you by surprise? Let me know on the blog AND on tomorrows show. Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty airs 6-9am on 790 KFYO.

REMINDER: The Great KFYO Debate Is Tuesday

Just a reminder for all of you out there that The Great KFYO Debate is on Tuesday during Lubbock’s First News from 7-9am. You can listen of course on 790 KFYO or chadhasty.com by clicking the “Listen Live” link or on kfyo.com.

All 4 Mayoral candidates will be participating in the debate and the candidates will be able to have rebuttals. We are also allowing the KFYO listening audience to participate in 2 ways. You can either email a question to me, my email address is chad@kfyo.com, OR you can call in your question to our producer and he will send us the question. You can even leave a question here on this blog.

Be sure to tune in Tuesday morning from 7-9am for The Great KFYO Debate during Lubbock’s First News on 790 KFYO.

Ryan Hyatt Is Dead On…

Hyatt makes excellent points in his blog today regarding the AJ, and Mayor Miller. Check it out. HERE

790 KFYO/Lubbock’s First News Mayoral Debate

This morning on LFN you heard Rex and I talking about the Mayoral debate which will be on Tuesday the 29th from 7-9am during Lubbock’s First News. This debate will feature ALL the candidates. That’s right you will hear from Mayor David Miller, Tom Martin, Roger Settler, and Gilbert Montes. This is the only debate that has all 4 candidates participating. We felt that it was important to invite all the candidates since they will appear on the ballot, and all the candidates have a right to express their opinion. People want to hear others ideas and beliefs on the City, and we think it’s important to hear them.

The debate will be 2 hours long and will focus on the issues that concern you. The candidates will also be allowed to interact and ask each other questions. The debate will be moderated of course by myself and Rex. Listeners will also be invited to submit their own questions via email. All you have to do is send an email to chad@kfyo.com

So remember tune in to 790 KFYO on Tuesday the 29th from 7-9am during Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for our Mayoral Debate.

KFYO/LFN Mayoral Debate Set….

KFYO/LFN MAYORAL DEBATE

Ready for a REAL debate with ALL the candidates? Tune in to Lubbock’s First News on 790AM KFYO on Tuesday April 29th for a 2 hour debate featuring Mayor David Miller, Tom Martin, Roger Settler, and Gilbert Montes.

More details to come on how YOU can be part of the debate, so stay tuned and tune into Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty on 790AM KFYO tomorrow morning for more details.

Texas Tech University and Growth

This morning on LFN we discussed the story in today’s AJ regarding a group of Horn professors at Texas Tech being concerned with chancellor Kent Hance’s plan of growing the population of students to 40,000 by 2020. There were a few listeners who thought I was against this because I’m against growth.

40,000 students by 2020 sounds great, and I’m all for that as long as Texas Tech standards don’t drop. I already wish the standards were higher for incoming freshman, but that’s not going to happen. Growth is great as long as it’s done right. Texas Tech does not need to lower the bar just to get more students enrolled. If Tech does that, then it won’t help the University at all it will just make us look bad.

As it is right now Texas Tech needs more professors to teach more classes. I’ve known many students who have had to delay their graduation just because they couldn’t get into a class they needed because it was either full or offered at the same time as another required class. That is a shame and it happens every semester to many students. Texas Tech needs classes offered at different times and more professors to teach those classes in order for the 28,000 current Texas Tech students to succeed. Another minor issues currently at hand that will get worse if not addressed…parking. There isn’t enough space right now to handle 12,000 more students. This could easily be handled if TTU would build parking garages, and come one Tech…we don’t need more garage’s like the current one that looks better than the library from the outside. Just build a few plain ol’ garages that are a few stories high. No one will care that much how pretty they are.

And then there is that little thing called tuition. Tuition at Texas Tech (and every where else) keeps going up and I believe pricing the middle class out of college. Yes, there are loans, but that is a lot of debt for a person to rack up. Families can still afford to send a kid to college if they want to and are smart about it by looking into the future and making a plan, but I worry that the number of people who can afford it will be dwindling even more into the future.

These are just a couple of the problems Texas Tech will have to deal with in growing the student body…I haven’t even started on the City issues.

I do believe that chancellor Kent Hance is doing a fine job and I believe that he will be able to make sure that TTU’s academic standards don’t suffer. I think he wants what is best for Texas Tech and what’s best for the student body. There are some professors out there that don’t want their workload to increase, they don’t want to teach more, and I believe some are using that to whine about the 40,000 mark.

To wrap it up, growth is good. 40,000 Tech students will be great for Texas Tech and the City of Lubbock. The local economy will get a boost and if done right the University will benefit from smarter students. Let’s just make sure we keep our standards where they are, or RAISE the standards to produce better students and a better environment of learning. If this is done right, and I have no reason to believe it won’t, than 40,000 by 2020 will be good for Texas Tech and it won’t be growing just to grow.

-Chad

A Lubbock Democrat Switching Parties?

Guess which local Democratic elected official was at the John McCain rally last Friday.

If you guessed County Commissioner Ysidro Gutierrez, you’re right.  Gutierrez, who was defeated in his re-election bid in the March primary, was among several hundred on hand at Aero Care to hear the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Is Gutierrez supporting McCain?  Yes.  Has he become a Republican?  No.  At least not yet,

But don’t be surprised if he becomes a Republican after the November election.  Because Gutierrez ran for re-election in the Democratic primary,  he will wait until after the November election to make that change, unless he changes his mind.

And if Gutierrez changes parties, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise, considering statements he’s made in recent months.  You will recall that Gutierrez called for Councilwoman Linda DeLeon, a fellow Democrat, to resign, and on Lubbock’s First News, he called her a “laughingstock.”

I’m not an expert on Gutierrez’s voting record as a commissioner, but he has a reputation for being a not-so-typical Democrat, a Democrat who sometimes takes the conservative side of issues being considered by the commissioners court, while some of the Republican commissioners vote the other way.

If Gutierrez switches parties, will he seek public office as a Republican?  Stay tuned.

-From Rex Andrew of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty

Miss The Mayoral Debate?

Watch the debate here at KCBD.com

Watch it on LISD-TV Suddenlink Channel 12 on these dates and times:

• Today (4/15): 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

• Wednesday: 9 p.m.

• Thursday: 9 p.m.

• Friday: 8 p.m.

• Saturday & Sunday: 7:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

• Monday: 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

• April 22: 8 p.m.

Breaking Down The Debate On Tuesday

Tune into Lubbock’s First News Tuesday morning for our thoughts on tonights debate. We will also take your calls and see what you thought. We will probably start talking about this at 7:05am

City of Lubbock Mayoral Debate Running Blog

Mayor David Miller vs. Tom Martin. During the debate I will be blogging on what I notice from the Debate. The debate is on Suddenlink channel 12 and on the air on 790AM KFYO. Let me know your thoughts as well!

Opening Statements: Martin in his opening statement brings up Miller flip flopping on the red light camera issue.

Mayor Miller has brought up the successes of the City Council and how the City has worked on infrastructure. Brings up Men’s Health Magazine rating Lubbock a top commuter city, however not the Magazine ratings for drunk driving, bad teeth, etc. Funny.

I also find it funny that they are using yellow and red lights.

Miller claims that a business background is better than Martin’s background.

Black eye question for Miller: “The buck stops at the Mayor’s desk.”-Miller, Miller says that those issues aren’t the City’s fault. Presented enough facts to 20/20 about Chippendales that 20/20 pulled the segment. That’s a good thing. Mentions he wrote a letter to the TSA demanding it doesn’t happen again. I’d love to see that letter.

Martin not engaging too much in the black eye question. Instead mentions how great the Giant Side of Texas is. People are the best part of the City. Miller agrees.

Martin likes the idea of more than 1 Chamber. Miller doesn’t believe that it’s a City Govt. issue, but personally he would like to see 1 Chamber where everyone works together.

Miller on updating the City Charter: A public committee should take a look at the charter and determine any changes (Charter Review Commission). Miller does not want a Mayor as CEO of the City.

Martin says: Agree’s with Miller on the issue. Should take a look at the Charter to see if there are any changes that need to be made. Last time there was review was in the 80’s.

Question to Martin on future of Lubbock. How will Lubbock look in 2020 compared to now? Brings up gas prices. Major transportation issues. Water conservation. Must do a better job at conserving water. “Lubbock will be thriving in 2020.”

Miller: Pioneering spirit of West Texas. We must continue to look at core services. Water distribution, Animal Shelter, etc.

Question to Miller on how to keep young people in Lubbock. “It’s not governments job to create jobs” Really? Governments job is to create a better atmosphere and attractive.

Question on the council not getting along: Miller believes that the council does get along and that a 4-3 vote is about debate and not closed door meetings. Martin believes that the council doesn’t get along real well.

SMACK! Miller slams Martin on not being a progressive. Interesting. Reminds seniors that their tax rate is frozen. How is Miller a progressive though?

What makes your experience better for Mayor? Miller: WOW! Miller wants a good relationship with the media. Partnership with Media is important. Says that he wore his faith on his sleeve too much. A friend told him that he voted for Miller for Mayor not preacher.

Martin: Talking a lot about time and sacrifice to be Mayor.

Miller claims that he has been the most accessible Mayor.

Good Government difference? Miller says that Martin has a different style. Martin is police/dictator style, while his is business. Miller says he believes in bringing in all council members, not just a few. Believes in partnerships. Also says that he believes in keeping taxes low, but not just to keep them low. We need to progress while having low taxes.

Martin: Public service method, and his police background taught him to work with people. You have to work together. Keep the focus on the important things in the community.

Closing statements:

Martin: Campaign should be about the future of Lubbock.

Miller: It’s difficult to look to the future, but partnerships and building the perfect community is a big part. Communicate with one another. Partner with me, to move Lubbock forward, not backwards.