PEARLAND CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR - KEVIN COLE

Meet Kevin Cole. For over 25 years, he has been actively engaged in politics and issues concerning our city. His background in business and desire to be a champion for the city, make him the perfect candidate for Mayor of Pearland.
Kevin Cole moved to Pearland in 1977 and began serving this great city as a member of the Pearland Planning and Zoning Commission in 1994. He was elected to Pearland’s City Council serving from 1995-1998 and again from 2004-2010..
A CHAMPION FOR PEARLAND

• Kevin seeks to diversify Pearland’s tax base and take the strain off our homeowners. His PEAR plan describes the path for our next growth cycle and brings primary jobs to our City.
• Kevin was co-founder of the Greater 288 Partnership that has been instrumental in advocating for improved transportation in our area and culminating the major reconstruction of highway 288 scheduled to complete in mid-2020.
• As Kevin seeks your vote for Mayor of Pearland, his key focus for safe and reliable traffic flows remains critical to both our quality of life, smart city growth and prosperity. 

A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMANAs a Principal of Cove Matrix Development, Kevin offers his expertise in property development, providing ideas and support to area elected officials as well as consulting services.
Over the past 20 years, Kevin has developed or consulted on the creation of 6500 residential lots in the Greater Houston Area, resulting in $1.7B in private capital investment. 
A FAMILY MANKevin and his wife, Lisa, have raised four children in Pearland - all live in Pearland and are starting families of their own. They have 7 grandchildren and another on the way. Kevin and Lisa are active members of Crosspoint Church.
VOTE KEVIN COLE FOR MAYOR ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020.EARLY VOTING MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020.




Kevin developed his PEAR Plan to help move Pearland forward in keeping with the city's economic development, crime and safety issues, infrastructure and managing the city’s budget and resources.
PROTECTION

• One of the key responsibilities of local government is to PROVIDE PROTECTION for its citizens. As Mayor, Kevin will take this responsibility seriously.
• POLICE PROTECTION is vitally important to Pearland and Kevin will focus on the City’s efforts to keep a low crime rate.
• FIRE PROTECTION is key in keeping both property safe and threats to life at a minimum. The City has been upgrading staffing and facilities to make sure the City has proper coverage for both fire and EMS calls.
• Maintaining and increasing PROPERTY VALUES is important to both the City and to property owners.
  • FLOOD/DRAINAGE: Certain areas of the City continue to suffer from repetitive losses during large flooding events. Kevin understands drainage and the importance it plays. He will dedicate continuing efforts to resolve these long-standing issues.
  • On the far west end of Pearland, the BLUERIDGE LANDFILL COMPLIANCE ISSUES are also a drag on property values for homeowners. These issues should be important to Pearland as a whole because of the loss of property value in that area. The rest of the City has to make up the difference.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Homeowners pay the bulk of property taxes in Pearland, so it is important that we EXPAND PEARLAND'S TAX BASE through attracting clean industry and high paying jobs. It is also important for us to DIVERSIFY PEARLAND'S TAX BASE so as not to be too heavily weighted in any particular industry. (Oil and gas is an example).
• Pearland has existing businesses that contribute a great amount to the overall community. We need to RETAIN AND EXPAND PEARLAND'S EXISTING BUSINESSES.
• One of the biggest keys to attracting or retaining companies is making sure they have an available and skilled workforce. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS CRUCIAL. Kevin has experience through the Northern Brazoria County Education Alliance to help with this effort. Partnering with the ISDs, Community Colleges, and UHCL Pearland Campus will be important in making our workforce the best in the area.
• Kevin has always been a believer in a MARKET-BASED APPROACH when it comes to growth and development. There are certain areas of the City that have not experienced economic development and the zoning needs to be looked at through the eyes of the market.
• Small business is the backbone of the Pearland economy. Kevin will focus on making sure rules, regulations, and permitting are done in an efficient manner to FOSTER THE GROWTH OF SMALL BUSINESS.

ACCESSIBILITY (MOBILITY AND TRAFFIC)

• Kevin will focus on transportation needs in the city. This will include an emphasis on both SAFE AND RELIABLE TRAFFIC FLOW throughout the city which is key to our growth and quality of life.
• Kevin will advance innovative ways to improve the traffic signal technology so we can MANAGE TRAFFIC FLOW MORE EFFICIENTLY.
• As Mayor, Kevin will work with city staff and elected officials to IMPROVE THE TRAVEL TIME RELIABILITY of our corridors. Our travel in Pearland should not vary from day-to-day. Under Kevin’s leadership, our transportation system will be dependable.
• Kevin will work closely with the Transportation Policy Council to leverage regional dollars to help us with local project funding. He knows H-GAC, how they operate and will lead the city into the future to ADDRESS OUR NEEDS FOR GROWTH AND MOBILITY.
• Kevin will lead Pearland as we update the city Major Thoroughfare Plan which will be our ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE OF SMART CITY GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Kevin believes both that the City's TAX RATE IS TOO HIGH and that its DEBT BURDEN IS TOO HIGH, and that both are huge concerns for the city.
• Kevin will lead Council to direct staff to get SPENDING ACCOUNTABILITY OF EVERY LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET.
  • Kevin led a similar effort when serving on Council in 2007/2008. As a result, they REDUCED SPENDING by $600,000 by asking two questions:
    • Is the line item still meeting its intended purpose?
    • Is the intended purpose still needed?
  • Kevin will ensure that the same effort is applied to future budgets.
• Kevin will use his City Council and professional experience in challenging staff to KEEP THE 2019 VOTER-APPROVED BOND PROJECT SPENDING TO A MINIMUM.