'US Vote Smart' rates The Woodlands Township candidates by the numbers

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Is your favorite candidate a 12 or a 93? Those numbers clearly express the spread of rankings awarded to candidates running for The Woodlands Township Board of Directors. For every election the Montgomery County Tea Party issues its ratings via the US Vote Smart website (usvotesmart.com) to assist voters in making their decisions about which candidates and issues will earn their votes. The ratings are based on a combination of personal vetting interviews, completion of a six-page questionnaire, and general impressions of candidates’ community activities and standing, as observed by members of the vetting committee. This election has candidates running at large for Township Positions 5, 6, and 7.

POSITION 5 is currently held by John McMullan, an energy attorney, a graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Texas with a Finance degree. He is asking to be re-elected. US Vote Smart marks McMullan as 93 out of 100, making him tied with a candidate in Position 7 for the highest scores. He is one of the three “Residents’ Advocates” in this election working with a common purpose to put “Residents First.” He is a fiscal conservative who opposed the $350M road bond and considered anti-establishment in Woodlands politics. He has two opponents - Tom Sadlowski, a Key Account Manager with business degrees from California State University was “viewed favorably” by the committee with an 81 rating. Candidate Amos McDonald did not answer the group’s questionnaire and declined an interview, resulting in a 12 rating. He is a District Retail Executive with BBVA Compass bank.

POSITION 6 finds Matthew Burton with the highest rating at 89. He is a newcomer to Township politics but led a resident campaign to stop clear-cutting of trees in the new Village of Creekside Park and opposed the $350M road bond. Professionally he is Director of Strategy and Business Development at United Rentals, Inc. and has a B.A. in Economics from BYU and an MBA from Columbia Business School. There are three other candidates running for this office - Chuck Meyer received a 70 rating. He has extensive educational credentials including Oxford University and American University. He is a Small Business Counselor, Technology Lawyer, and a Patent Attorney; Ann Snyder earned a 48 rating because she lacked conservative ideals, is in favor of using government funds for social issues, but has a professional skill set. She is currently serving as CEO and President of Interfaith of The Woodlands; the final candidate is Paul Brown with a 40 rating. He missed the vetting interview due to miscommunication but did submit the questionnaire on which his rating was based. He showed a willingness to grow the size of government, was unwilling to consider incorporation of The Woodlands as a city, and did not appear to be running a serious campaign with no web site or Facebook page.

Position 7 shows a high-profile race between a powerful incumbent and a new challenger who says it is time for a new generation of leadership by putting “People Above Politics.” Laura Fillault tied McMullan for the highest rating in the election with a 93. She is considered a solid principled conservative, a leader against the road bond, and is selfless, sharp, and analytical. She is another of the “Residents’ Advocates” pledged to put residents’ interests and quality of life first. She has an Industrial Engineering degree from Texas A&M and serves as a political commentator, community activist, and mother of two children attending a CISD school. Her French husband (name is pronounced “Fee-Yo”) became a U.S. citizen in August. Her opponent, Bruce Tough, is currently seated at Position 7 and also serves as the board’s chairman. His rating, however, is only 19 because he declined to submit the questionnaire or participate in an interview. He strongly supported the $350M county road bonds, sent an e-mail attacking those attempting to put a new bond on the November ballot, and displays arrogance at Township meetings.

Us Vote Smart’s complete reviews including full video of candidate interviews are available at www.usvotesmart.com. Early Voting begins October 19 -24 and continues through Oct. 26-30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Further election information is available at http://www.co.montgomery.tx.us/election.