A question for Lago Vista City Council.

Yes, I would voluntarily take a lie detector test. I understand the question and the desire behind it. Residents want elected officials and City employees they can trust. I want that too. But I think we need to distinguish between someone's willingness to take a polygraph and whether a polygraph is a reliable measure of honesty. Polygraphs measure physical responses, not honesty itself. Research has shown that truthful people can fail and dishonest people can pass. So while I'm personally willing to take one, I wouldn't want us to assume that passing a test proves someone's integrity. As for requiring applicants to take one, the law makes some important distinctions. Federal law generally prohibits private employers from requiring polygraphs, with certain exceptions. Government employers have more flexibility, and polygraphs may be appropriate for some public safety positions. But requiring them for every City job would deserve careful consideration, including legal requirements, the nature of the position, cost and reliability. Candidates for elected office are a different matter. We cannot simply add new qualifications for public office without considering the legal limitations. I believe integrity is demonstrated over time through a person's actions, decisions, willingness to answer questions, and how they conduct themselves when faced with difficult circumstances. That is also why I support examining an independent ethics review process. Residents deserve meaningful accountability, not just assurances that someone is trustworthy. So my answer is yes, I would take one voluntarily. But I would not support making polygraphs a blanket requirement without first establishing that doing so is lawful, fair and genuinely useful. Ultimately, I believe the strongest test of integrity is how we conduct ourselves and whether we're willing to be held accountable for our actions.

Written by the candidate