Campaign Endoresements
State Representative Erin Zweiner, Kyle City Councilmember Lauralee Harris, Hays CISD Trustee Katy Armstrong
I bring more than 15 years of experience in public policy and nonprofit leadership, working with elected officials, government agencies, community organizations, and diverse stakeholders to solve complex problems and turn ideas into practical solutions. As a Vice President, for a national nonprofit, I lead multi-state policy efforts, build coalitions, and navigate complex regulatory and policy issues. Here in Kyle, I have spent years serving through volunteer efforts, community initiatives and civic engagement. I bring both an understanding of how government works and a commitment to how it can better serve families and communities.
My first priority is building a stronger community by investing in the services and spaces that improve everyday life-our library, parks, roads, trails, public safety, and opportunities for connection. My second is planning responsibly for growth. I support development, but we must invest in the infrastructure our growing population needs. My career improving healthcare has taught me to focus on outcomes and value. I bring that same lens to city government: fiscal responsibility means getting the greatest long-term value for taxpayers, not simply the lowest upfront cost, so Kyle remains a place where people at every stage of life can thrive.
The City should follow all applicable laws while keeping its focus on public safety and the services residents depend on. Immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility, and I do not believe limited City resources should be diverted from local priorities unless required by law. At the same time, every resident should feel safe reporting a crime, seeking help, or cooperating with police. Our approach should protect public safety, maintain community trust, respect the law, and keep Kyle focused on the responsibilities of local government.
Throughout my nonprofit career leading state public health initiatives, a core part of my work has been convening stakeholders, soliciting public input, and ensuring that feedback meaningfully influences the final product. I would bring that same approach to City Council. Engagement should happen early enough to shape decisions, residents should have multiple ways to participate, and public comment should be met with respect, even when there is disagreement. Most importantly, we should close the loop by explaining what we heard, what changed as a result, and why. Strong communities are built with residents, not simply for them.
Growth is happening, and our responsibility is to manage it well. We have invested significantly to secure water and infrastructure for a rapidly growing community, and I believe those resources should first support our residents and development that adds lasting value. Given our region’s water challenges, I do not support water-intensive data centers in Kyle. My career has taught me to evaluate decisions by outcomes and value: what do we gain, what does it cost, and who bears that cost? I would apply that same test to growth, considering water, traffic, infrastructure, jobs, tax value and quality of life for the people already here.
Over the last five years, I served Kyle as Chair of the Library Board, Chair of the Economic Development and Tourism Board, and Planning & Zoning Commissioner. I drafted Council-approved policies and advised on economic development and reviewed over 100 P&Z requests. Previously, I worked in the Texas legislature and served as Student Regent for the Texas State University System. Professionally, I consult local governments through their recovery from disasters, and have secured about $500M in external funding while helping governments manage audits, contractors, and public funds.
Priority 1: Grow and diversify Kyle’s economic base while reducing pressure on residents. We should attract industries offering good-paying jobs and career advancement, while supporting local entrepreneurs and modernizing economic incentives.
Priority 2: Invest in community infrastructure and quality of life. A healthier, more diverse tax base will help Kyle keep pace with growth by properly funding our library, parks and recreation, and local arts and culture. A city becomes a community when we invest in the places and experiences that bring people together.
A full list of my top priorities and details are listed at spencercopeland.com.
I have taken the Oath of Office 8 times, requiring me to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. Federal law must be respected, but local government also has a responsibility to protect residents’ Constitutional Rights and ensure due process. My view is that Kyle should provide for the orderly enforcement of federal law while ensuring residents can exercise their Constitutional Rights if federal action conflicts with them. These decisions may require case-by-case consideration, but should always be handled transparently, consistently, and within the law.
The City should continue allowing robust discussion during public comment and ensure residents can speak on published agenda items. Following discussions, elected officials should explain their decisions so residents understand how and why their input was considered, and decisions are made in a transparent manner.
We can also strengthen public participation before issues reach Council by using Kyle’s Boards and Commissions more effectively. As a former member of three Boards and Commissions, I have seen how these bodies can help inform Council and staff. More public feedback will ensure recommendations to Council are as informed as possible
Kyle will continue to grow, so we must ensure infrastructure and water capacity keep pace with development. New development should be evaluated based on its demands on water, roads and other infrastructure, its fiscal impact, and the jobs and opportunities it creates. We should prioritize industries that provide career opportunities for residents and broaden our tax base, while incentivizing water conservation and responsible development. Projects such as data centers do not provide enough community benefit to justify their economic and ecological costs. Growth should improve, not diminish, quality of life for existing residents.
I have more than 20 years of professional experience in local government and I hold a B.S. in Public Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University. My career has focused on development services, compliance, operations, training, and public-sector management. I’ve worked alongside residents, businesses, public servants, and government agencies to address complex local issues that resulted in policy decisions. What is unique about my experience, as a public servant, is I participated on the teams who were charged with the delivery of those services. My biggest takeaway is, local government is ultimately about the people we serve.
Public safety, and infrastructure and mobility.
Kyle needs public safety resources commensurate with our size and population, while ensuring our police, fire, and EMS commitments are met. We also need reliable water, maintained roads, and transportation infrastructure that keeps pace with growth. Both require responsible budgeting and clear accountability for results. It isn't enough to just have ideas and opinions. It requires experience to move those ideas into actionable steps that achieve real results.
The City should focus on its legal responsibilities and the services residents expect from local government. Federal immigration enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility. Kyle should maintain appropriate cooperation with state and federal partners within the law while ensuring local resources remain focused on public safety, infrastructure, utilities, and other core municipal services.
Residents who take the time to participate in their government deserve to be heard and treated respectfully. Public participation should be accessible, orderly, and substantive, while allowing disagreement. Whether it be 3-minutes at the podium in front of an open meeting, or written on message board or email, timely acknowledgment and response to community communication is a reasonable ask for our elected representatives. Public engagement is not a check box. When decisons are made elected officials should clearly explain how public input was considered and why decisions were made. Transparency builds trust, even when we don't agree.
I support responsible growth and investment, but growth must be evaluated against the infrastructure and services required to support it. Before approving major projects, we should ask: What will it require? What will it cost? Who pays? Can our infrastructure and water systems support it? Growth should create opportunity without placing unsustainable costs on residents.
