Posted: Mon, 3 May 2010 10:30 PM - 8,111 Readers

By: Mary Tuma

The May 8 Lake Travis ISD board election ballot is highlighted by two contested positions, while position five remains in the hands of incumbent Alan Williams.

Excited about an opportunity to serve again, the restaurant operator said he will continue to influence the Texas Legislature to address and reform school finance laws, one of his key priorities.

In the position four race, engineer David Lovelace faces incumbent Jason Buddin, a finance manager at Tempest Investments.

Lovelace is running to ensure the board holds the district’s administration financially accountable and has sought to fight tax increases, wasteful spending and overcompensation of administrative officials.

“When you see the pay growth of the administration, you wonder where our money is going,” Lovelace said, “especially as we are told we will have a $2.7 million deficit next year.”

Meanwhile, current vice president Buddin takes pride in his role helping manage the 2006 bond package, securing facility locations for future schools and working to improve test scores and UIL success during his term.

“I think that my past experience on the school board is definitely valuable,” he said. “I understand the budget and am able to ask the right questions.”

Position three asks voters to choose between Alex Alexander, Lake Hills Church pastor of family life, and Hamil Cooper, a math and science tutor and retired electrical engineer. Former place three member Susan Tolles opted out of a bid for re-election.

Cooper was motivated to run for school board after attempts to address discontent with outdated information on district schools’ websites failed to make the impact he expected. If elected he will promote science fairs at middle and high school levels and a more responsive, transparent board, he said.

Alexander, encouraged to run by Tolles, said his vested interest is a result of children in Lake Travis schools. If elected, he hopes to promote a fiscally conservative agenda and lobby the Legislature to overhaul school finance programs. With a background in learning technology, Alexander is also interested in proposing digital alternatives to textbooks.