On October 28, Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder visited Southwestern University to talk to students and the Student Government Association about local government and its importance. Georgetown, having recently crossed 100,000 in population, is rapidly expanding– and he emphasized the importance of students and their community involvement. Schroeder highlighted several key issues worthy of discussion, including traffic and parking, public safety, and a dwindling water supply.

For transportation, Schroeder elaborated that Georgetown would be building its first public parking garage in the square, aiming to create a dense, walkable urban environment.

For public safety, Schroeder explained how the police budget is the largest line item in the city, with property taxes alone not covering the entirety of their funding. This underscored the perspective that increasing patrols lead to decreased crime while still acknowledging the importance of de-escalation tactics, dealing with those with drug problems, avoiding incidents, and building relations with the community.

On water, Schroeder focused on the dwindling supply, outlining how Texas’ surface water infrastructure is man-made reservoirs created for domestic consumption– with nearby lakes Georgetown, Belton, and Stillhouse “spoken for”– and the future of alternative water resources coming from groundwater, at a lucrative price he likened to being sold like oil. In other words, he simplified it to “Surface water is communism, groundwater is capitalism.” He predicted a revolutionary change in water bills, asserting that there would be no big, green, and maintained lawns/yards in the future due to the price.

Schroeder then detailed economic development in the Georgetown area, arguing that incoming data centers provide significant economic benefits to the community. He highlighted his perspective on bringing jobs and a tax base to fulfill a “complete community” composed of good neighborhoods, schools, a unique city identity separate from Austin, and places to socialize.

Students then participated in questions and answers to learn more about the community and the mayor’s responsibilities. Schroeder described how federal politics often distracts attention from local issues and creates a focus on party politics unneeded to deal with local non-partisan problems, such as fixing potholes.

One student asked Schroeder what types of businesses should be prioritized in Georgetown. He responded that the city council does not get to decide what businesses go anywhere outside of zoning for traffic concerns and that we can’t force Trader Joe’s to move to Georgetown (even though his colleague Councilor Amanda Park is a big fan of Trader Joe’s).

Another student asked Schroeder what local water policies Georgetown is implementing. He outlined that water conservation is a top priority and that the biggest hypocrite in high water use was the city itself, detailing how the city council had to repeal mandates requiring lawn and landscaping in development. He also explained how watering more frequently will cost more utility bills, disincentivizing overuse, especially when water use is off the charts during hot summers.

Another question asked to Schroeder was about what influenced him to get involved as mayor. He elaborated that city officials are part-time volunteers and that he works at Sneed, Vine & Perry, P.C. Before running for mayor, he litigated against the city, and eventually, since he couldn’t convince others to run, he drew the “short straw” and decided to run himself.

Student Question: “How do you keep a healthy work/life balance?”

Mayor Answer: “I don’t; I’m horrible at it.”

A final takeaway from the Mayor is to get involved, even if you’re only briefly in Georgetown as a student. Local government profoundly impacts daily interactions within the community, and while federal elections take attention, local decisions are the most paramount in their effect.