First Look: College Station City Council Place 2

In May College Station residents will be given the choice between electing an older more experience candidate or a younger candidate with fresh views when they cast their ballot for City Council Place 2. There choices will be between Jess Fields, a senior at Texas A&M and owner of Texas Avenue Cigars, and Tony Jones, a former city councilmember and owner of Legacy Realty and Development. Councilmember James Massey declined to file for reelection, so whether or not residents choice youth or experience there will be a new city councilmember in Place 2.

It seems like every year a student campaigns for College Station City Council, and this year is no exception. According to an article in the Bryan-College Station Eagle, Fields would like the city to improve its relationship with the University. Although, most of what Fields campaign message has centered around improving the city government and strengthening the local economy. In the same article Fields notes that he would also like to use the hotel tax funds as a way to reduce the property tax burden. In an article in the Texas A&M Battalion, Fields said that “We need people in city government who think more broadly than certain special interests. Particularly, I feel that city council needs to consider more the small business community and the role of the university in this town.”

While one current councilmember is stepping down, another former councilmember is stepping back up. Tony Fields has a long record of public service in College Station, as he has served as a College Station ISD trustee, College Station City Councilmember, and a Brazos County Commissioner. Jones is campaigning on his experience, and similarly to Fields is also campaigning on improving the way in which the city government functions. According to an article in the Eagle, his experience has given him a understanding of the producers and policies of the local government, which he believes would facilitate better communications that could move the city forward at a better and cheaper rate. Jones also said that he felt the city should focus on increasing sales tax numbers while investing in bonds for infrastructure improvements.

During an interview with WTAW 1620AM, Fields focused on the message that he is a “new perspective” and he will bring “common sense” to the city council, along with focusing on fiscal issues including “fighting” against raising taxes and against the city debt. “When the city just spends money frivolously and installs tons of pet projects…we’re not thinking about the future of the city as much as we should be.” While being interviewed on WTAW 1620AM, Jones said that one of the most importance issues facing the College Station city council is controlled growth and a possible budget shortfall, but would not say what types of cuts in the budget might need to be made because he has not “been involved that deeply for a long time.” While Jones generally supports the idea of a convention center, he also thinks that is should be brought up for a vote.

This campaign looks to be a much different campaign than the campaign for the mayor of College Station. Both of the candidates are going to be closer on the issues that the candidates for mayor, and because there is not an incumbent neither candidate will be able to campaign against the other candidate in the frame of being a part of the current problems with the city council. Issues such as the city budget, development, and the local environment will all be issues probably discussed during the campaign, and while both candidates support allowing the residents of Wellborn to vote on incorporation recent events make it unlikely that that will be a core campaign issue. What should be interesting is who the two candidates focus as possible supporters. Jones has been a figure in College Station politics for over four decades, and Fields is a newcomer to local politics. Will Fields be able to court the traditionally older voters to support someone as young as he is, and will he be able to cultivate the usually very inactive in local politics student population? Will this campaign fit into the tradition experience vs. youth narrative?