By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
There are five people running for the three open positions on the Hays city commission in the Nov. 7 general election.
The candidates are Chris Dinkel, incumbent Sandy Jacobs, John Mayers, incumbent and current mayor Shaun Musil, and Dustin Roths.
The two people with the highest number of votes will be elected to four-year terms. The person with the third highest vote total will serve a two-year term. The mayor is selected by the commission members.
Hays Post has talked to each candidate, asking why they are running and what they consider to be the most important issues facing the city of Hays.
Political newcomer Dustin Roths, 32, is a “conservative Republican.” He and his wife Laney have a six-month old son, Nolan. He is the owner of Diamond R Jewelry, now in its third location as the business has grown the past six years.
Roths likes to jokingly refer to himself as “The Skinny Jeweler on Main Street.” He’s not joking when he talks about his desire to draw on his retail and entrepreneurial experience if elected to the city commission.
“The biggest concern of the community is the downturn in the oil and agricultural commodities markets the past few years,” Roths believes. “We need to diversity our economy and continuing to build our retail sector. Hopefully, I can use my experience and perspective as a retailer To draw more retail businesses, and what can be done to lower tax burdens on companies.”
He’s always been interested in politics, particularly at the national level. Roths is running his campaign for local office on “conservatism, growth and liberty. I hope to be elected by people who want those kinds of things.” Whether elected or not, Roths hopes to get “a lot of people to show up at the polls.”
“I think conservatism just lends itself toward growth,” Roths said. “If you can be fiscally conservative as a government, such as you see with the economies in Texas, Florida and Utah growing above and beyond the states around them, it’s mainly because it attracts business.”
“It’s always been my contention people spend their money better than government ever would. As long as we can keep as much as possible in the pockets of people in Hays, the better our economy will do.”
With his libertarian philosophy, Roths believes in “leaving people alone to do what they want to do with their own stuff is the best way to go. I definitely would like to get rid of some regulations in city zoning and things of that nature. Maybe some of that regulation is keeping people and businesses away from Hays.
“That growth and prosperity (portion of my campaign slogan) is important for all of us, in our homes and businesses.”
In his interview, Roths also talks traffic roundabouts on north Vine Street and the possibility of diverting more traffic to the other two Interstate 70 exits, the R9 Ranch water supply project, the city budget, and why he wanted to become a “part of this great community.”
More information about Roths and his campaign is on available on his website: https://www.dustinroths.com/
Advance voting begins Mon., Oct. 23 in the Ellis County Administrative Center, 718 Main, Hays, through noon Mon., Nov. 6. Polls for the Tue., Nov. 7 general election are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout Ellis County.