Matthew Guzman, candidate for El Paso City Council District 8
Name: Matthew Guzman
Age: 41
Occupation: Executive Director at Mary L. Peyton Foundation
Relevant Experience
I spent the early part of my career serving clients - individuals, families, and corporations - as a financial advisor. In that role I was entrusted with people's hard-earned savings as they sought my guidance on establishing goals and problem-solving ways to attain them. Operating in a fiduciary capacity required that I always put my clients' needs first. I am proud of the fact that I have never had a financial scandal or complaint filed against me - a testament to my integrity.
In 2018 I had the opportunity to shift gears from the corporate world to the non-profit arena where I took the position of Executive Director of a local non-profit. In this role I have been the steward of a multi-million dollar endowment, which I distribute across El Paso County to help community members facing financial hardship. I understand the needs of underserved communities and have established key relationships with several educational institutions that are focused on breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
In 2025 I became Vice President and a founding member of the Friends of Sunset Heights Neighborhood Association. Since our inception we have provided hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to families through the Wiggs Family Resource Center, given back-to-school outfits to children of Lamar Elementary, and executed pedestrian safety projects in Sunset Heights. All while buidling a sense of community and bringing neighbors together.
I have also served on numerous boards and steering committees in El Paso. Most recently I have served on Para Niños, a steering committee working toward getting El Paso designated by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City. Improving El Paso for young people and young families is a core part of my mission.
Personal
I was born and raised in Pasadena, TX - a blue collar suburb of Houston known for its petroleum refineries and manufacturing plants. I grew up in a multi-generational household with my single mom and grandmother, both of whom were social workers. At 18, I moved to northwest Indiana to attend Valparaiso University where I studied Psychology and Business. During my freshman year I lost my mother to cancer and was forced to grow up quickly. That same year I met my wife, a native Chicagoan and first generation Polish-American, whom I have been with for 22 years now. After receiving our degrees, we moved to Chicago, where I worked in financial services while she completed medical school and residency. After enduring more than a decade of grueling midwest winters, I persuaded her to get a Texas Medical License which led us to El Paso in 2015. We are now raising our two beautiful children - both native El Pasoans - and have decided to put down our roots here and do our best to make El Paso a better place for future generations.
What is your position on data centers?
First, I support the City Council's Data Center Policy Framework which precludes the city from offering tax incentives to attract new data center facilities, among other regulations. I think the landscape has shifted from an environment where cities once competed to attract these large facilities and their surrounding infrastructure, to one where cities now hold the leverage in these negotiations given the change in sentiment around data centers. That being said, growth opportunities exist if we create the right environment to attract investment. Industries like advanced manufacturing companies are already moving to El Paso to capitalize on the proximity to data centers in the region. We also have opportunities to attract high wage tech industries as well as aerospace and defense jobs if we can build our energy capacity and execute the build-out of the Advanced Manufacturing District near the airport. We haven't had this type of growth opportunity in a generation, and we need to be strategic in how we handle it.
What would you do differently to reduce property taxes?
Echoing my previous answer, we need to be strategic in growing our commercial and industrial tax base. El Paso is the only major city in Texas where the tax burden is 70% on homeowners, and 30% on the commercial sector. To provide real, lasting tax relief to homeowners, we must bring in more industrial and commercial customers so they can carry the heavier portion of the tax burden. We cannot cut our way to prosperity; therefore, we must capitalize on available growth opportunities to create higher wages and increase commercial taxes. There is no other way to meaningfully reduce property taxes, despite what others may say.
Simultaneously, we need to change our zoning and land use regulations to better fit the needs of today's market. Homeownership has become far too expensive for the average El Pasoan, so we need to change zoning and land use regulations to allow for more vertically-oriented housing with a smaller footprint that will help fill the missing-middle-housing gaps. Increased homeownership means more El Pasoans benefit from the wealth creation associated with owning property. It also means more taxpayers which broadens the tax base and generates more revenue that the city can use for basic services and maintenance. We must combat sprawl, which will become increasingly expensive to maintain, and provide more housing for young people and young families within city limits and our urban core.
What’s your position on the Deck Plaza project?
I have been, and continue to be, an advocate for the Deck Plaza. I disagree with those who label it a "vanity project" because sufficient data exists to draw a clear conclusion about the positive economic impacts of projects like this. As a city we have been seeking ways to reinvigorate our central neighborhoods and bring housing back to the core and I think the Deck Plaza could be that catalyst. Economics aside, there are massive social benefits to having such a large "Third Place" in the middle of our city. Not every return on investment by municipalities should be measured in dollars-returned. Public well-being also needs consideration. One thing our school-aged kids are clamoring for is more free spaces where they can gather with their friends outside of school. I firmly believe that we need to put more effort into encouraging kids to put their phones down and gather. If we do, I think we'll see an improvement in the mental health and physical well-being of our younger generation. It is also clear that we have outgrown San Jacinto Plaza. That space was built in the 1880s and has served this city well. Now it's time for us to build a space that will reconnect downtown to the surrounding neighborhoods and serve future generations for the next 100+ years.
What are your plans to ensure transparency and make sure you are accessible to constituents?
I welcome questions and criticism and have no problem addressing difficult topics with everyday people. I plan to hold office hours, host community meetings, and maintain an open-door policy for anyone who wants to meet with me to improve our city. I also think it's important to reach as many people as possible when major projects are being considered and executed. So I would love to have a monthly column with one of our news providers where I can highlight important topics and provide a behind-the-scenes look at what I am working on. District 8 is the most unique and most diverse district in El Paso and I plan to communicate openly and directly so that everyone has a clear understanding of high-level decision-making that affects our city.
What makes you the best candidate?
My humble upbringing and my work in the non-profit world provide me with the empathy and understanding of the challenges facing our community members. My work in corporate finance has given me proven experience in making sound financial decisions that consider both the present and the future. My community leadership has also shown that I can take ideas and see them through to fruition. Accomplishing goals requires a combination of vision and leadership, and I have a proven track record of leading with integrity and executing with a focus on the future.
