City Council District 3 candidate Fabiola Ruiz-Arras answers questions regarding industry, stormwater, development, and the challenges of the district.

Editors note: NPT emailed the questionnaires to the candidates, and received answers from four out of the five. The same questions were asked of all the candidates, and, since this is the Internet, there were no space limitations placed.

***

Biographical info:

-- Name: Fabiola Ruiz-Arras

-- Age: 27

-- Education: Bachelor's of Arts in Mathematics from UTEP

-- Occupation: Lead Teller

-- Length of Residence in District: 24 years

***

Questions (no word limit):

1) What is the role of a member of City Council?

The role of a member of City Council is to listen to the public's concern on issues that affect us everyday

2) What are the five most important issues facing the district?

1. Streets

2. Drainage

3. Safety

4. Traffic

5. Deteriorating Alameda Ave.

3) What are the five most important issues facing the city? How would you address those?

1. Economy: Push forward on Economic Development Projects

2. Taxes: Create a well balanced budget, as to not increase any More burden on the taxpayers since everything is on the rise.

3. Downtown Re-development: Protect the Property Rights of current and long time business owners.

4. Neighborhood Improvements: Listen to needs of the community and prioritize the projects. Taking in consideration the traffic impact and the lenght of the much needed improvements.

5. Asarco: The city and the state need to set aside political interest and see the benefits that ASARCO would bring to the community economically. ASARCO needs to be very responsible in following through with the emission standards that have been set by the state and abide by those standards if it does not follow through serious consequences must be enforced to protect the public.

4) What are the largest businesses in your district?

1. Cielo Vista Mall

2. Western Refining

3. Bassett Place

5) If you could bring any business to your district, what would it be?

I have recently come to meet with some people that plan to develop retail shops in the old, abandoned Farrah building. We need to push this idea forward to bring about economic development to this area eliminating blighted areas.

6) Do you think public amenities and services are being fairly distributed among the eight city council districts, including libraries, parks and facilities for youth and adult sports and street paving and improvement projects?

No. I strongly feel that the Lakeside to Thomas Manor Areas come very short of that distribution. The Cielo Vista are is just now getting the library that had been taken from them. The Parks in this district are not up to date or have been neglected, such as Modesto Park, Riverside Park, and the Hidden Valley Park. If you come and take a drive through the southern streets of the distict, you can clearly see the neglect that it has received from the city. These streets are in much need of improvements and that is the peace of mind that I would like to bring to these residents.

7) Do you support impact fees (that would require developers and, ultimately, home and commercial property buyers in new developments to pay more of the costs to provide those areas with water service, police and fire stations and amenities) on new development?

Yes.

8) Would you support a definition of blight as a precursor to use of eminent domain that evaluates blight property by property, rather than by neighborhoods or districts?

Yes.

9) Do you support the eventual use of light rail and other mass transit options that will be competitive to private auto use?

I would have to see the project first hand to be able to support or oppose it and what impact it would have on our community.

10) If so, how much emphasis would you put on supporting new roads in El Paso versus building a mass transit system that more people would choose?

11) Do you support the city's efforts to keep Asarco from reopening?

No.

12) Do you believe Western Refining or Phelps Dodge poses a threat to the health of nearby residents, and how would you deal with that?

Again the state has set minimum emission standards in which these company's should follow to reduce any health hazards.

13) Do you support the Medical Center of the Americas concept? What would you do to limit its impact on the neighborhood, or, conversely, what would you do to support its growth, or both?

14) What is your view of the Public Service Board’s new stormwater utility and the monthly fees that homeowners, business owners and apartment dwellers are being charged to finance it?

I believe that it's an issue that needs some revisions to it. Not only did this fee get imposed, but also the rise of the other utilities, gasoline, food, etc. Everything seems to be going up. The talk is that this would alleviate the people concerns of something like Storm 2006 on happening again. Well this happens often to the Lower Valley Area and nothing has or is being done.