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Initiatives
• Transportation
• Health Services
• Sustainability
• Government Cost Reduction
Objective: Restore and accelerate the development of the transportation infrastructure necessary for our current needs and future growth. This includes roads and rail.
Benefits: Better mobility. Economic development in and near transportation corridors.
Current Situation
Collin County is beginning to lag behind the rest of the region in developing its transportation infrastructure.
Since taking office in 2007, the incumbent County Judge has actively refused to work with others in the county and in the region on transportation matters. To our detriment, Collin County is becoming isolated from regional transportation planning.
In his first year in office, the incumbent opposed all of his colleagues on the county commissioners court to campaign against county transportation bonds for local thoroughfares. Fortunately, 64-69% of the citizens voted against him in approving the bonds. However, the incumbent has since ignored the mandate of the citizens; and there has been only a token few of the approved projects let out for contract.
In early 2009, the incumbent opposed virtually all the area mayors and other officials to testify before the state legislature against a local funding option for major transportation projects. Unfortunately, this opposition was enough to derail the measure.
In addition, the incumbent led the rescission of an agreement with Denton County regarding a northern extension of the Dallas North Tollway along the county line. The incumbent also led the creation of a Collin County Toll Authority with the intent of moving the extension sharply east in to Collin County and otherwise duplicating and competing with the functions of the North Texas Toll Authority.
Also, unlike his predecessor, the incumbent holds no leadership posts in the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) or other regional planning organizations. Collin County is experiencing the consequences of the incumbent's self-admitted approach of "head-butting" rather than teamwork.
A current comparison with Denton County illustrates how Collin County is lagging others in the region. Commuter rail will be extended to Denton from the end of a DART light rail line in 2011, just months after the opening of light rail service to Carrollton. In contrast, DART light rail to Plano opened in 2003; and since then the rail right-of-way from Plano to McKinney and beyond sits unused with no construction plans. Another example is construction soon planned for I-35E between Lewisville and Denton, expanding it to as many as 22 lanes. The currently programmed work on our central highway corridor, US 75, pales by comparison. Likely soon to be added to this comparison is approval of a Dallas North Tollway extension plan including a sharp turn west in to Denton County, an apparent direct consequence of the incumbent's refusal to collaborate with others.
The Opportunity
Upon election, David M. Smith will reestablish working relationships with other leaders in the county and the region. Several steps will be taken to show that Collin County is abandoning the approach of just going it alone. These may include transferring the Collin County Toll Authority projects to the North Texas Toll Authority and pursuing a new joint resolutions with the Denton County Commissioners Court and others.
Smith will fully participate in the process of consensus with others in the region regarding major transportation initiatives. He will ensure Collin County gets its fair share of funding. He will not show up at the Texas legislature or elsewhere to campaign against any regional consensus.
Regarding the northward extension of passenger rail, Smith will study the success of the Denton County Transit Authority and evaluate emulating or modifying that model for the benefit of Collin County. Also, Smith will seek to repeat the success Plano and other communities have had in encouraging transit-oriented development along the rail line. There is a potential of adding over $1 billion to the Collin County property tax rolls. Smith will also support other transportation projects that would have high economic benefits.
Why Collin County Will Succeed under David M Smith's Leadership
Smith has been closely following transportation issues during his 30 years of area residency. As a city council member, he was especially close to the decision-making process, as an alternate to the Regional Transportation Committee during all three council terms and as a member of the National League of Cities Transportation and Communications Policy Committee.
Smith understands the need for collaboration and cooperation between officials. He will be able to immediately start working with a lot of the people he has worked with in the past and with some he still works with in other civic roles.
He will also apply his direct experience from Plano for the benefit of the rest of the county. This includes the establishment of tax increment financing districts and promotion of transit-oriented development in conjunction with transportation projects. As a result of the efforts of Smith and others in the 90's, the City of Plano and others now have the nice problem of figuring out the best use for millions of dollars of surplus revenue that was generated by the Downtown Plano tax increment financing district.
Objective: Most health care services for Collin County residents delivered in Collin County.
Benefits: Collin County residents served without a need for travel to Dallas County. Better public health. Economic benefits from more medical providers and more medical spending in Collin County.
Current Situation
Collin County has medical facilities and providers that provide excellent service for about three-fourths of our residents. These residents are generally those in first-class health insurance programs provided through their employers.
Most of the remainder, which generally includes the uninsured, underinsured and people in CHIP, Medicaid or Medicare, obtain services in Dallas County or go without. The county indigent care program and the charity clinics serve a small fraction of this group of about 200,000 people.
Each year, hundreds of millions of private and federal and state dollars are spent mostly in Dallas County delivering services to this remainder group. When many from this group go to a Collin County emergency room, the hospitals absorb unpaid or unreimbursed costs, increasing the cost of care for those with first-class insurance.
The Opportunity
Bring more medical facilities and providers into Collin County to serve the currently underserved. Ensure most of the state and federal dollars intended for Collin County residents flows into and stays in Collin County. Increase the private dollars spent on health care in Collin County. Create more synergy with Collin College, who can train more health care professionals who will move on to jobs in Collin County. Reap an economic benefit that may exceed $1 billion per year after multiplier effects.
Why Collin County Will Succeed under David M Smith's Leadership
Smith has first-hand experience with the shortfall in Collin County health care services as a foster parent who has made many trips with foster children to providers in Dallas County.
He has also learned about the landscape and challenges in Collin County through serving on the Plano Health Facilities Development Corporation while on the Plano City Council and later as a participant in the Collin County Cluster of Dallas Area Interfaith, who did an in-depth study of health care needs in the county. He has also followed the 2005 work of the county-appointed health care task force and the current Collin County Health Care Committee. In addition, Smith has the perspective and contacts from his current service as a member of the D/FW Leadership Council for Community Health Charities.
If it has not happened before then, in his first month in office (January 2011) Smith will convene a summit meeting of stakeholders to jumpstart work towards the objective of better public health and associated prosperity.
Objective: Reduced construction, energy and water costs for county government
The Situation
Collin County government appears to be avoiding "green" initiatives for ideological reasons. "We don't do LEED projects in Collin County" was recently heard in a Commissioners Court meeting. Designing and constructing to earn a certification under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building Rating System can result in buildings that use less energy and less water, reducing operating costs borne by taxpayers. We may also be passing on other opportunities, such as the procurement of county vehicles that will use less gasoline or diesel fuel.
The Opportunity
Upon election, David M. Smith will call for the appointment of a sustainability director who will identify opportunities for county departments to save money through reducing energy or water consumption. Where net investments are necessary for future cost reduction, some of the many grants currently available to local governments can be pursued.
Note: One need not agree regarding global warming or other politicized issues. One need only agree on reducing costs footed by taxpayers.
Why Collin County Will Succeed under David M Smith's Leadership
Smith is very familiar with the opportunities and alternatives available to the county through his present environmental consulting work and his past city council experience, including membership on the National League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee. Smith also has a background in architectural and engineering work, enabling him to knowledgeably converse with all concerned towards identifying the best courses towards cost reduction.
Objective: Reduce the cost of providing county government services.
Benefits: Lower taxes and fees
The Situation
While tighter with budgets than many area local governments, Collin County has had the luxury of rapidly increasing revenues during the growth we have had over the past three decades. The bounty of funds has likely led to higher government spending and higher average unit costs for some services. The "cuts" in recent years have been relatively superficial. The slowing of the increase in spending can generally be attributed to the national recession and the resulting slowing of growth.
Low employee morale resulting from actions by the incumbent hinder the identification of cost reduction measures. Recent actions include the creation of a Citizens Efficiency Committee, which has been populated with individuals perceived to be anti-government activists. The incumbent has also engaged in lawsuits with employees. This is extraordinarily counterproductive and has cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorneys fees.
Also, nepotism and cronyism are contributing to higher costs. The county has a number of high value no-bid contracts with relatives of elected officials. Many of the individuals receiving such contracts are substantial contributors to incumbents' election campaigns. Also, about one fourth of the county workforce includes people related to each other. This may inhibit the free flow of information about the efficiency of some departments.
The Opportunity
Better policies and techniques, including first and foremost a respectful working relationship with county departments and employees, can yield significant unit cost reductions, leading to substantially lower taxes and fees.
Immediately upon election, Smith will initiate a systemic look at each county department and function and work with each to identify how services may be delivered at less cost. Internal synergies, potential synergies with other government entities, opportunities for out-sourcing and opportunities for in-sourcing (reducing payments to external consultants) will all be examined.
Smith will take a facilitative role, primarily relying on information from county employees, each of whom best knows their job. Smith will build respectful rather than adversarial relationships.
Budget decisions will be based (1) on what departments need (and no more than what they need) to deliver first-class services and (2) available resources. Smith recognizes that needs do not grow uniformly. There will be no arbitrary direction to all to prepare budget requests going up or down a certain percentage from the previous year. Where revenue shortfalls may threaten a level of service, Smith will pursue alternative financing.
Also upon election, David M. Smith will immediately advocate for the following policy changes.
* Put virtually all contracts out for bid.
* Adopt an ethics policy featuring the following.
- Disclosure of familial relationships between contractors and county
and other elected officials.
- Disclosure of campaign contributions and gifts from contractors
to elected officials. Ideally, this would lead to a halt in such
contributions and gifts.
* Immediately eliminate any conflict situations among members of
families with multiple members working for the county. In general,
begin phasing out nepotism within the county workforce, including
appointed and elected officials.
Why Collin County Will Succeed under David M Smith's Leadership
Smith will apply management expertise honed in decades of corporate and public sector service.
During his Plano City Council tenure, Smith became part of a council majority that moved the city from annual double-digit spending increases (tracking increases in property and sales tax revenues) to increases not exceeding growth plus inflation. Tax rate decreases and tax rebates resulted from this.
Smith's Finance Committee work also helped result in the city earning the highest possible bond ratings, reducing interest costs paid for from tax funds. Also, Smith became an expert in the funding and financing available to local governments, much of which can reduce the burden borne by taxpayers.