Meet the candidate: Matthew Guzman, City Council District 8
Age: 41
Occupation: I am the executive director of the Mary L. Peyton Foundation. The work is rewarding and something I’d like to continue while holding office. However, I am firmly committed to delivering results and if balancing both roles hinders my performance.
Please describe your personal and professional background.
I received my high school diploma from Lutheran South Academy, a small private school in Houston. I received my bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University, where I studied Psychology and Business. I also received various regulatory credentials while working as a financial advisor such as: Series 6, Series 63, Series 66, and Series 7 Licenses.
Describe your political identity.
I would describe myself as a pragmatic, solutions-focused
moderate. Socially, I believe in personal freedoms, inclusion, and a community safety net for those that need it. Economically, I believe in being fiscally disciplined and allowing free enterprise to create opportunities. Government shouldn’t be heavy-handed. Its job is to create an environment where the private sector - especially our local, small businesses - can easily expand and compete. Excessive regulation only creates hurdles to job creation, housing development, and real wage growth. At the same time, fiscal discipline does not just mean complete austerity, it means demanding a real return on every taxpayer dollar. Return on Investment for government isn’t measured in quarterly profits, but in reliable infrastructure, effective public safety, and a superior quality of life that keeps families here and invites new investments. By leveraging smart public-private partnerships, we can capture private-sector efficiency and funding to build major civic projects responsibly.
Questions related to El Paso City Council District 8 race
Do you support the proposed Downtown I-10 Deck Plaza project? Why or why not? If elected, would you support using city funds to help finance the project?
I do support the Downtown Deck Plaza. The data shows each community that has capped a portion of their freeway has seen the area around it spring to life. New housing, small businesses, and green spaces have sprouted up in those city centers and urban areas have been revitalized. In El Paso, we are feeling the effects of sprawl: school enrollments are declining, urban neighborhoods are decaying, and we are building more roads, electric lines and water infrastructure to the fringes of the city and out into the county. We are hollowing out the core of our city. And all of that comes at a cost - not just to build, but to maintain. We need a catalyst for housing creation and restoration, and continued economic development near downtown. I believe the Downtown Deck Plaza will be just that. Downtown is for everyone and is worthy of our investment.
Property taxes remain a top concern for many El Paso homeowners. What specific actions would you support to slow the growth of property tax bills or reduce services?
In order to make a real difference in property taxes we have to tackle the problem on multiple fronts: First, we need to ensure our spending is purposeful, strategic, and disciplined. Second, we have to aggressively expand our industrial and commercial tax bases that not only create tax dollars that offset property taxes for our residents but also create jobs. Lastly, we have to fix the housing shortage. Last year we permitted just over 2,000 new units, with the city facing an 18,000-unit shortage and growing. We need to cut the red tape around housing development within city limits so that we can get more people into homes they can afford to further broaden the tax base, allow more El Pasoans to participate in the wealth accumulation associated with homeownership, and stabilize prices by adding much needed supply.
Road conditions continue to be a major concern for voters. What steps would you take to ensure adequate and sustainable funding for street maintenance and repairs across El Paso?
It’s important to understand that road maintenance is not just a funding issue, but a workforce capacity issue as well. If we received a blank check tomorrow, we would still be facing a shortage of trucks and qualified workers to re-pave our roads. We need to be able to attract and retain workers, which means paying them a livable wage and providing housing they can afford. We can explore creating a revenue stream for street maintenance through a Transportation Utility Fee - which treats the roads like a utility and charges a fee based on usage. The fee would be far higher for large volume shopping centers like a Walmart than it would be for a single-family home, but it would still result in a new tax and it wouldn’t necessarily solve the workforce issue. This is an idea worth exploring and getting community feedback on.
What is your assessment of the city's Data Center Policy Framework? Does it strike the right balance between economic development and protecting community resources, or would you propose changes?
I support the council’s decision to prevent the incentivizing of future data centers. But that framework does little to establish new parameters around the current data center development. The city cannot break the contract with Meta without cause, but we can hold them accountable to every word of the existing agreement. We should be auditing their buildout and ensuring they are staying within the bounds of the contract every step of the way. If they don’t hold up their end of the bargain, then the city will have grounds for breaking and renegotiating the contract. We should be engaging with Meta on a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement that puts in writing some of the promises they have made in public - e.g. using a closed loop system for cooling exclusively; creating 300 permanent positions, not 50; and investing in our water infrastructure and water preservation initiatives. These shouldn't just be promises, they should be legally bound requirements.
Should the city continue offering tax abatements and other incentives to attract profitable corporations or industries? Under what circumstances, if any, should those incentives be approved?
Tax abatements and incentives can be a useful tool to attract companies that bring jobs and large investments to the region. We are in constant competition with cities across the state, region, country, and world. Oftentimes when a business is seeking a site for expansion the decision comes down to costs and incentives. Should we incentivize every business? No. Should we incentivize businesses that will bring jobs, infrastructure, and growth to our industrial and commercial tax base? It depends. The company should fit our economic development plan, should provide a sizable return on our investment, and should be a good steward in the community. Those things need to be established before any agreements are made, and they should be done transparently.
Public safety remains a core city responsibility. What are your top priorities for police, fire and emergency services, and how would you pay for them?
Our police are having a hard time with recruitment and retention - even after passing a pay package that is competitive with the region and state. Our fire department is beginning to see some of their recruits trickle out to other communities. While pay and benefits are important, we need to recognize that this isn't just a pay issue. We are losing young people to cities where they feel they have more opportunities. We need to be building a city that young people want to live in. That means continued investment in our quality of life and local amenities. It means creating the housing options that young people are looking for. It means having an entertainment district where young people can congregate and feel like they belong. And it means creating more jobs so that individuals and their significant others are able to find gainful employment opportunities here in El Paso. In order to continue investing in our safety services and continue paying them what they deserve we need to attract more businesses, create more jobs, and get more people owning homes. All of those things broaden our tax base and put less of a burden on existing taxpayers.
What do you see as El Paso's biggest economic challenge, and what specific policies would you pursue to address it?
I think our biggest economic challenge comes from complacency, the culture of “No”, and a resistance to change. We always hear “We don’t want it. We don’t need it” in response to anything new. Then in the same breath, we hear “There’s no high paying jobs here and there’s nothing to do.” In the past decades we have seen cities across Texas boom with corporate relocations and expansions. We’ve seen Phoenix and Denver become economic and technological hubs. Even Albuquerque has a higher per capita income and a higher median household income than El Paso thanks to their city’s deployment of strategic tax incentives that have attracted high-wage industries. We need to change the conversation from “We don’t want it” to “Let’s find a way to make it work.” The world is changing fast and if we don’t find a way to compete for jobs and infrastructure we risk being left behind.
Have you read the City Charter? What did you learn is the top City Council priority?
Yes, the City Charter mentions conservation as a priority, which the data proves we have been working towards. Since the mid 1980’s our county population has grown approximately 80%, while our water usage per capita has gone down by 35% thanks to efficiencies in water delivery, recycling, and aquifer recharging programs. Those numbers will improve even further when the Pure Water Center comes online in the next few years. El Paso Water has been planning and preparing for industrial, commercial, and population growth for decades and we should continue that focus.
The updated City Strategic Plan names Economic Mobility as the city’s top priority. This aligns with my goals of job creation, expanding workforce opportunities, supporting small businesses, and increasing housing development.
City leaders often face divisive issues. How would you work with colleagues, stakeholders and residents to find common ground and build consensus on major city decisions?
I think sitting down with people with differing viewpoints and having hard conversations is a core part of the job. I was always taught that we were given two ears and one mouth because we should listen twice as much as we talk. It’s important to listen, understand, and empathize with different perspectives and realities. Despite what social media would have you believe, I think most people are good at their core and generally operate with good intentions. Communicating a difference of perspective with colleagues and stakeholders doesn’t have to be contentious when we are all working to make El Paso a better place.
What should be the city's next big civic project?
First and foremost, we need to make sure we are hyper-focused on executing the buildout of the Advanced Manufacturing District. That project has the potential to be a massive catalyst to job creation, talent retention, and commercial tax growth in El Paso and we have to make sure that we don’t squander that opportunity. Beyond that, I think the Deck Plaza is the closest thing we have to a large, shovel-ready civic project. I am hopeful that the capital stack will continue to fall into place because I think that would be a transformative project for El Paso, and one that could catalyze housing and economic development in the core of the city, rather than on the fringes of town. I would also like to explore the economic impact of making improvements to our airport and convention center. Both of those facilities have the potential to produce great economic returns for the city.
Learn more about Matthew Guzman
Do you plan to continue in your current employment if elected?
I will gladly step down from the foundation to ensure my elected responsibilities get my undivided attention.
What experiences in leadership do you have that qualify you for this position?
I have spent my entire career serving others in a leadership capacity. As a financial advisor I helped people identify and reach their financial goals. As an executive director I have connected people who are struggling financially with the resources they need. In my community I am a founding member and vice president of the Friends of Sunset Heights Neighborhood Association, where we have provided backpacks and outfits to students and families of Lamar Elementary School students, provided Thanksgiving meals for families in need through the Wiggs Family Resource Center, and have worked with city staff to implement pedestrian safety projects in our neighborhood. I have served on the board of directors for the Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation, and the Para Niños steering committee - an effort to get El Paso designated as a UNICEF Child Friendly City. I am also an assistant coach for the summer track program, the El Paso Heatwave.
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a crime? Have you ever had a civil judgment against you? Have you ever been in arrears on local, state or federal taxes? If so, please provide an explanation.
No arrests or judgements, nor have I ever been in arrears on my taxes.".
If elected, would you have any potential conflicts of interest that you are aware of that would impair your ability to serve? Please explain what they are and how you would avoid the conflict.
I stepped down from my position on the board of directors of the Downtown Deck Plaza Foundation when I decided to run for office. I did not want it to be a conflict of interest, nor did I want my candidacy to be a burden to the project.
What does transparent government mean to you? Will you be personally accessible to answer questions while in office?
Transparent government means communicating clearly and effectively what projects and decisions are being considered, and more importantly - why. My communication style is very direct and I believe when government officials talk around issues rather than addressing them head-on it creates mistrust amongst constituents. I will remain personally accessible for questions and open to constructive criticism should I be elected.
What distinguishes you from the other candidates in this race, and why should voters choose you?
I have a proven track record of integrity, fiscal discipline, and hands-on service to our community. Growing up in a multi-generational household with limited means, I know firsthand the hardships our community members face. I understand both the boardroom and the kitchen table. I was fortunate to break the cycle of poverty for my family, and now I am committed to public service.
My career in finance and the non-profit world brings together two distinct strengths: the financial acumen to manage complex budgets transparently and responsibly, and deep community service directing support for El Pasoans in critical need. Voters should choose me because I have the fiscal rigor to protect and deploy taxpayer dollars intelligently and strategically, and the community experience to prioritize the people and places who need local government to work best.
The candidates' responses are being published largely as they were submitted.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Meet the Candidate: Matthew Guzman seeks City Council, 8 seat
