Lawrence Romero came to Georgetown seven years ago and is owner and caretaker of a historic house in District 6. He decided to leave the daily grind of Houston and during a trip to Austin, he made the serendipitous decision to drive north instead of south and Georgetown was love at first sight. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Computer Information Systems, and worked in insurance and healthcare before becoming a residential Realtor. “I just love the idea of finding the right house to become a home and fit people’s needs.”
Since moving here, he has given back to the community as a volunteer at The Caring Place, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, HARC, and is a member of Preservation Georgetown, which he says, “That’s what I do for fun; it’s my social time while I’m helping the community and doing what I love.”
Why are you running?
I want to conduct city government as a representative of all of the constituents of District 6. I will make myself available to everyone, listen to everything and be a bridge between people who like and dislike my or Council’s positions on the issues. I have attended and participated in Council meetings and I didn’t feel that all the residents were being represented; I don’t believe businesses are getting the air time they deserve. I have been requesting a meeting with our current council member for some time and have not received any response. This is not acceptable for this level of government. City Council is the most personal of governing agencies, and in our council meetings we need to focus on individuals. We do not need to concern ourselves with national or state issues unless they directly affect our citizens. And most of the time, they don’t.
I got involved in politics after seeing the obstacles created by over-regulating our small businesses. We nearly lost one of our best small businesses with special use permit regulations. They fought hard and eventually met the obligations imposed, but it shouldn’t be that difficult to be successful in Georgetown.
What sets you apart from your opponent?
We need an individual in the District 6 seat who can bridge the gap for smart growth, and as I’ve watched City Council over the past few years, District 6 is often the one vote in a 6-1 split. I believe growth and smart growth are not mutually exclusive and I am someone who can be a team member for the sake of serving the community. My military background has enabled me to understand the need and the benefits of rule following, and my business experience helps me process what is written down, but also what and when things need to be changed. We need people who can look at the issues, decide on a good compromise and guide the work to be done purposefully and effectively.
Growth is happening, but regulating it to the point that a small business cannot flourish, or diverse industry leaders pass us by is bad for Georgetown. Change is hard for some people so we need progressive minds to move forward, but I’m also a part of the historical preservation so I am poised to bridge that gap as well.
Another big difference between me and my opponent is my focus on District 6 issues. Our governance is the City of Georgetown and its residents. National issues are important but a city government needs to focus on streets, sidewalks, sales tax and parks. Not what is going on in Austin or Washington, DC. Those large ticket items don’t affect much change in Georgetown and that’s where I can.
Why should voters choose you?
I bring a new perspective to the council. Having a combat-era military background, I understand the importance of teams, rules and service. We will be a larger Georgetown in three years but our city will still have the charm that made me fall in love with it. Decisions need to be made with good quality growth in mind and we need to make sure everyone is heard, every opinion is valid, our city is safe, and that we don’t overburden public safety facilities. I will work to make sure we consistently have good police and fire response. I also want to ensure that our biggest community asset—our world-class parks—are maintained well and amenities added. I want to help shepherd our growth wisely.
I am running as an independent because I believe city government should be non-partisan. Making this race about party politics will not be a benefit to the people of Georgetown. I love Georgetown, I love the Square, it’s charm, it’s old buildings. We get to be part of and caretakers for a wonderful and long history. What we do today will be part of what we pass along to the next generation of residents. I am excited about the prospect of being a part of that.
City Council elections are May 6.
