Robert Rizo
Candidate for Mayor of Kyle
“Fifth-generation Kyle resident. Former City Council Member.
More than 30 years of service to the Kyle community.
Robert Rizo is running for Mayor to bring experience and steady leadership to Kyle as our community continues to grow. “ - robertrizoformayor.com
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I believe every citizen who lives in Kyle deserves leadership that will listen to them, regardless of age, background, or perspective. That absolutely includes our younger residents, whose voices and ideas deserve to be heard. I plan to represent everyone in our community. That is one of the reasons I am asking for the endorsement of the Hays County Young Democrats. My promise is simple: I will always keep an open door and be willing to listen, with an open heart, an open mind, and an open ear.
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I am a three-term Kyle City Councilmember and former Mayor Pro Tem with more than 30 years of demonstrated leadership in property management, construction, infrastructure, development, and community advancement.
For more than three decades, I have also been committed to volunteering and giving back to the community. I served as Chair of the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Regional Clean Air Coalition, and I have served on the Board of Directors for the Hays County Food Bank and New Kyle Radio.
I have also helped raise thousands of dollars to support graduating area seniors. Early in my career, I pursued a degree in Liberal Arts before transitioning into commercial property management and construction. That professional experience, combined with my years of public service and community involvement, has given me a broad understanding of local government, infrastructure, development, budgets, and the needs of our residents.
As a councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem, I have worked on issues ranging from roads and infrastructure to parks, public safety, development, and securing state and federal resources for our community.
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During my time on Council, I helped secure lines A involving the Alliance Regional Water Authority and the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer that will provide Kyle with approximately 204 million gallons of water per day.
As Mayor, I will continue working to advance Lines B and C and make sure Kyle is positioned for long-term water security.
I will also pursue additional solutions, including reclaimed water, capturing and storing water, conservation, and other strategies that allow us to make the most of every drop.
Diversifying Kyle’s water supply was something I helped lead as a Council Member, and I will continue that work as Mayor.
My third priority will be protecting and improving the quality of life that makes Kyle a great place to live.
That means investing in parks, trails, connectivity, public safety, responsible development, and city services, while keeping Kyle affordable and planning responsibly for our continued growth.
Kyle is growing, and we cannot stop growth, but we can manage it responsibly, plan ahead, and make sure our infrastructure and water resources keep pace.
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Unfortunately, I was not familiar with ordinance. I will be looking into it, but I I do believe that tenants have rights and we should do all we can as a city to protect those rights and educate.
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Keeping Kyle Affordable Starts With Housing Availability During my time on the Kyle City Council, I was part of a housing study initiated by the City of Kyle.
One of the clearest messages from the data was that housing availability and diversity are important to keeping a community affordable. Entry-level housing is especially important for young families and young people who are looking to purchase their first home and build their future in Kyle.
The same principle applies to rental housing. When there is greater availability and competition among apartments, rents can face less upward pressure.
As Mayor, I will continue to look at the findings of our housing study and use that information to help develop policies that promote a diverse supply of housing, expand opportunities for homeownership.
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The South Side Community Center has proven to be a great partner for our community. I would advocate for ensuring the programs and services they provide remain adequately funded so they can continue the important work they are doing.
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Let’s set the record straight about the City of Kyle’s finances.
First, there is no current $3 million deficit in the City of Kyle. This figure has been repeatedly referenced by city officials, but it does not accurately reflect the city’s current financial position.
Early on, there was a projected deficit of approximately $3 million. Former City Manager Bryan Langley was able to address that issue, and the resolution was communicated to Council Members by email.
That $3 million figure should not now be used to justify depleting staff, canceling projects, or reducing essential city services.
There is also discussion about a $10 million reserve, or “rainy day” fund. Reserves are important for financial stability and unexpected circumstances, but they should not become an excuse to stop investing in Kyle’s future.
Kyle is growing, and we must responsibly invest in the infrastructure needed to support that growth. That means prioritizing:
-Roads and transportation
-Parks and trails
-Water and essential utilities
-Critical infrastructure
-Quality of lifeKyle residents approved major investments in our community, and they deserve to see those projects completed
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truly believe that border enforcement and immigration enforcement are responsibilities of the federal government, not local law enforcement.
Our local law enforcement officers serve our entire community and should treat everyone fairly and equally. Their priority should be protecting our residents, responding to crime, and keeping dangerous individuals off our streets, not targeting hardworking members of our community simply because of their immigration status.
I am a strong supporter of our local law enforcement and the difficult work they do every day to keep Kyle safe. I believe we can support our officers, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that local resources remain focused on public safety while recognizing the distinct role of federal immigration authorities.
Our community is strongest when everyone feels safe calling on local law enforcement when they need help.
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I want to be honest about my early support for Flock.
When we first considered Flock, I truly believed it could be a valuable tool to help keep our community safe and give our police officers another resource to do their jobs.
But what we are seeing today has caused me to take a step back.
Concerns about how data is collected, accessed, shared, and potentially misused are serious. Across the country, communities are reevaluating their use of Flock following documented cases of misuse and questions about data access and privacy.
When we originally voted for Flock, there were a limited number of cameras at key entry points into our community. Today, we are seeing cameras in many more locations, and I believe we need to take a hard pause and reevaluate where this is headed.
I have residents from both sides of the aisle reaching out to me with concerns. I am listening.
As Mayor, I believe we should ask the hard questions: Where are these cameras being placed? Who can access the information? How long is the data retained? Who can it be shared with? And what safeguards are in place to prevent misuse?
It is time for Kyle to take a hard pause on Flock, review the facts, listen to our residents and our law enforcement professionals, and make sure any technology we use reflects the trust our community.
Keeping Kyle safe matters. So does protecting the privacy and trust of the people who call Kyle home.
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When we talk about data centers coming into our communities, we have to ask some very important questions: What impact will they have on our electric grid? What will they mean for our limited water resources? And what are the potential impacts on public health?
Texas continues to face challenges with its power grid, while communities across the state are working to protect and preserve limited water resources. Large scale data centers can place significant demands on both.
For Kyle, we have to think carefully about whether our infrastructure and resources can sustain this type of development without putting additional pressure on our residents, utilities, and quality of life.
I do not believe Kyle can sustain data centers without significant consequences to our community.
As Mayor, I would work within the law and use every legal tool available to protect Kyle’s water resources, electric capacity, taxpayers, and quality of life.
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Water is one of Kyle’s most important resources, and it has always been a top priority for me.
As a Kyle City Council Member, I worked diligently alongside my fellow council members and city staff to diversify our water sources, expand water conservation and reuse initiatives, and research innovative options such as aquifer storage.
I made it a priority to attend regional water conferences and continually expand my knowledge about our water supply, conservation, and the challenges facing Central Texas. Moving forward, I will continue to make every effort to explore every available avenue to protect and expand Kyle’s water resources, from xeriscaping and rainwater collection to water reuse, conservation, and other innovative solutions.
Kyle’s future depends on having a reliable, sustainable water supply. We must plan ahead, think creatively, and use every tool available to protect this precious resource for generations to come.
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If I’m going to answer this honestly, I must start by saying, unfortunately, we don’t have all the facts.
We rely on news sources to understand what is happening in the world, and unfortunately, information can sometimes be incomplete, biased, or manipulated.
So, speaking from the heart, I can tell you this, I don’t believe wars are good for anyone. In war, both sides lose. Innocent people become casualties, families are separated, communities are destroyed, and lives are changed forever.
Regardless of which side someone supports, I believe we should all hope and pray for peace.