Below are the unedited responses from George Buchenau, Jr. to the Amarillo Pioneer’s candidate questionnaire for 2020. Buchenau is running in the March 3, 2020 Republican primary for Potter County Commissioner, Precinct 3. Buchenau is facing John Coffee, Walter Goodwin, and Brian Moore in his primary.

Please note: Questions from the Pioneer are in italics and the candidate’s responses are in standard type.

Why did you decide to run for office in 2020?

In the summer of 2018 I had some questions about county commissioners and what they did. So, I began attending the Potter Co. court sessions to become informed. When I learned that the commissioner position for the precinct in which I reside was going to come open, I decided to run for it. After attending the sessions for over a year, I felt like I had a good grasp of the duties and the issues.

What are your top three priorities, if elected?

Issues in precinct #3 include housing/roads/drainage development in Bushland & wildfire control in rural parts of the county.

- I will work closely with the Potter Co. Fire Department to insure that the department has the necessary staff and equipment to carry out their responsibilities.

- I will work with the Potter County Road Maintenance Department, assisting when drainage issues may occur and insure that the correct culverts are installed.

- I will assist with further development in the northwest and east Amarillo as is needed to produce an increased tax base for the county and provide the funds needed to deal with the

Do you support the Potter County Commission's recent vote to build a new district courts building at a projected cost of $54 million using certificates of obligation to secure funding? Please explain.

Yes, the current building and structure are in unresolvable repair and the employees in that building need a safe and efficient place to work.

In your view, what should a Commissioner's role be in advocating for his or her district on the Commissioner's Court? Please explain.

I will be responsible for the roads, bridges, and buildings within precinct #3. I will represent the precinct by being well informed in order to make good policy and budget decisions. And I will work with the commissioners from the other precincts toward consensus on controversial issues.

Do you plan to host any town hall meetings in your precinct during your term, if elected? Please explain.

Yes, I would be open to conducting town hall meetings in precinct #3.

In what cases would you support raising taxes or fees? Please explain.

Improving infrastructure and conditions often require an infusion of capital. I will work to do that within budget constraints, but there may be projects that need to be taken care of that will require a tax increase. If these projects expand the tax base, it will benefit the county in the long term. I would also support raising taxes so that the Potter County employees could receive better pay.

Do you consider adopting a tax rate that is over the "effective" or "no-new-revenue" tax rate to be a tax increase? Please explain.

Yes. If the effective rate calculation produces a lower rate than the previous year's actual tax rate, it is because the appraised values of property have increased. So the taxpayers would actually be paying higher taxes with the exact tax rate that was levied the year before and that rate would also generate more revenue for the county.

How will you work to ensure constituents can actively communicate with you about the issues, if elected?

I will be available to my constituents and assist them when issues arise. They will be able to contact me through my office at the court house.

Are you supported by any political action committees? If so, please list your PAC endorsements.

No.

Why are you the best candidate for voters to support in Potter County?

I have an MBA, and I have been the General Manager/Healthcare Practice Administrator over several local businesses and have been responsible for building companies and maintaining their growth, hiring and retaining hundreds of employees over the years. I have 31 years of experience working in business and I understand the importance of the annual budget process. I have been a resident of Precinct #3 for 39 years.