Meet the candidates in the Lakeway mayor's race
Lakeway Mayor Tom Kilgore is facing challenges from two political newcomers, Ron Cooper and Roy Paar, in his bid for reelection on May 6. Early voting runs through May 2.
The American-Statesman asked each of the candidates their thoughts on the issues facing the city.
Ron Cooper
Cooper, a 41-year-old public insurance adjuster, is seeking public office for the first time. He studied sociology and engineering at Ohio State University.
Cooper said the biggest issue Lakeway is facing is growth and traffic management. Whether it be on RM 620 or Texas 71, Cooper said, residents “spend too much time in traffic.”
Cooper said he is committed to building proactive relationships with the Texas Department of Transportation, Travis County and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to improve traffic and reduce hazardous road conditions in the city.
“Additionally, we need to focus on the growing number of small crimes in Lakeway before they become difficult to address by ensuring our police have the resources needed to do their job effectively,” Cooper said. He said he also prioritizes sound fiscal management and transparency.
“In my professional life, I'm required to have strong negotiation and people skills to be effective,” Cooper said. “I've learned humility; listening and learning from experts, and the people here in Lakeway with decades of experience is the way to get the job done and serve in the best interests of the residents.”
Tom Kilgore
Kilgore, 64, is a retired U.S. Army officer and finance executive who specialized in energy. Kilgore lost his first bid for mayor to Sandy Cox in 2019, but defeated Alain Babin with 63% of the vote in 2021 to succeed Cox. He received a Bachelor of Science from West Point and a master’s degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Kilgore said the biggest issues facing Lakeway are development and maintaining local control. He said that, for the past two years, the city has been proactively managing development to maintain the character of Lakeway by revising and updating zoning ordinances.
“Residents are concerned about the consequences of overdevelopment,” Kilgore said. “They are frustrated by traffic congestion, clear-cutting land and excess regulation.”
Kilgore said his goals, if reelected, are to finish Lakeway road improvements; prepare new zoning rules for RM 620 widening; improve and expand the city’s parks; keep a conservative city financial position; maintain transparency and accountability at City Hall; and to keep the city’s character intact.
“I’ve been mayor for 23 months now," he said. "I’ve kept every campaign promise I made when I ran, but there is still more to do.”
Roy Paar
Paar, a 39-year-old technology consultant, is also seeking public office for the first time. He received a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a business minor from the University of Oregon. He said he is beginning a master’s of computer science program next month.
Paar said the explosion of growth in the area is one of the most noticeable changes and should be managed wisely. He said Lakeway is “a beautiful place and has done an amazing job becoming what it is today.”
The national labor shortage and wage crisis is an issue Paar said he wants to address locally through better transportation options, higher wages or incentives.
“If we want a larger pool of low-wage labor in the city, we have to make it economical for people getting by on a low-wage income to commute to Lakeway,” Paar said.
Paar said he is willing to hear both sides, roll up his sleeves, work hard and stay out of politics.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Meet the candidates for the Lakeway mayor's race
