James MacKay (Texas)

James (Jim) MacKay is a First Sergeant and senior military planner with Joint Task Force, TX, serving in support of COVID vaccinations with the National Guard. As a certified firefighter and first responder as well as a twice-elected member of the school board, Jim has proudly served his community, state, and nation for nearly forty years. Jim holds Associates degrees in Education and Training Management, and Fire Science, and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Human/Social Services. He is currently enrolled in a Master's degree program in Psychology with concentrations in Forensic, Developmental, and Organizational psychology. Jim has a well-documented record of including all voices and perspectives into the discussion during his tenure on the Leander ISD Board of Trustees and has formal training in Human Relations I/II, Social Psychology, Diversity, Suicide Awareness & Prevention, Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention, Victim Advocacy, and Bystander Intervention. Jim is certified as a Master Resiliency Trainer and is also Central Registry Board certified (family violence). A former Drill Sergeant, Jim MacKay spent more than four years transforming young men and women into tomorrow's military leaders. Jim is most proud to have received the Meritorious Service Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal for his efforts during Hurricane Harvey.

• As JP, I want to create alrenative remediations for first offenders, youth offenders and those whose interaction with the legal system has largely created or exascerbated by poverty. Jobs, not jails.
• Equal access to Justicebegins with intentionally meeting people where they are at in order for them to truly take ownership of their outcomes.
• Treat each person with dignity and respect so they may beleive in themselves enough to overcome any obstacle.

My adult life has been devoted to service to others and I am at my best when I can help others in a time of need. My education and experience have prepared me to serve my community as a Justice of the Peace. I want to be part of the solution that eliminates the criminalization of poverty and criminalization of mental illness. Too many times the economically disadvantaged and historically underserved communities become trapped in the undertow of fines, jail, rinse and repeat, with little focus on addressing the root causes of their situation such as skills deficits, lack of affordable daycare, and lack of access to the resources available to help them create a better life for themselves and their families. Even minor convictions make securing high-paying employment an order of magnitude more difficult which often becomes an insurmountable obstacle to success. Let's alter that trajectory with non-traditional sentencing for minor infractions that put offenders in contact with job skills and life skills training that empowers them to take ownership and control of their outcomes. We can hold accountability while simultaneously allowing the person to recover from minor infractions with enhanced skills and abilities to break the cycle. It's out there and we can do it. Justice. For All.

I find inspiration all around me. From the men and women that I serve with who proudly wear the fabric of our nation, to the frontline healthcare workers who continue to so gallantly serve during this protracted pandemic, "heroes" are everywhere. All you have to do is look for them. They are the single parents working two jobs to build a better life for themselves and their families. They are the service industry workers doing all that they can to take care of us all in the stores and restaurants. They are the teachers going to Herculean lengths to educate our children both in-person and remotely during COVID. But the ones I really look up to are the ones who offer a smile, a kind word, and a shoulder to perfect strangers.

Having been twice elected to a non-partisan school board position, I understand how to serve a diverse community. When listening to the concerns of parents and community members, I listened with intent to the content of their messages and weighed their concerns against what would ultimately be in the best interest of the greatest number of students, while also being mindful of how those decisions may impact economically disadvantaged and historically underserved populations. I believe that the same standards MUST apply in a courtroom. I will never place partisan politics ahead of service to the community. As a Drill Sergeant, First Sergeant, senior military leader, and elected school board official, I have demonstrated time and again my unwavering belief in people over politics. Today's hyper-politicized society pits neighbor against neighbor and Republican against Democrat. Somewhere along the way we've adopted an "all or nothing" mindset with those who look to find compromise being battered by both parties. Look no further than the blatant politicization of our Supreme Court. I will remain true to my conviction of ensuring People over Politics - always. That is the only way to ensure Justice. For All.

Fairness and impartiality are hallmarks of my character. As a Drill Sergeant and First Sergeant, I have honed my craft of holding individuals accountable for their actions while treating them with dignity and respect. Those who are charged with holding others accountable must be adept at offering corrective guidance and a measure of support to those being held accountable if we are to see people recover from mistakes. A minor infraction or misstep should not begin an unrecoverable path thru the legal system. As your Justice of the Peace, I am ready, willing, and equipped to guide first offenders and youth offenders towards recovery from minor mistakes.

I lived in Detroit in the late 1960s and the first historical events I remember were the riots of July 1967 and then again in April 1968. The '67 riot saw more than 40 persons killed and more than 400 buildings destroyed, most by fire. In 1968, the city erupted in violence for a second time following the news that Dr Martin Luther King Jr had been assassinated. I still remember the sirens of the police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks as they screamed past our house. It left an indelible mark on me. Now, fifty years later, we still have much work to do in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, and acceptance. And the crazy thing is - we each have the ability to be part of the solution. All we have to do is look with our hearts and not with our hate.

As a kid, I used to drag my lawnmower behind my bicycle and mow yards for $5. My first "official" job was shoveling snow at the apartment complex I lived at during my early teens. I was paid $1.50 per hour. Eventually, I became a floor guard and then the disc jockey for the local roller skating rink while also working as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. After high school, I joined the Air Force. That was 1983.

Over the years I have amassed a nice collection of reference books ranging from the DSM-V to the Manual for Courts-Martial and Military Law. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., is one of the most important works I own. Dr van der Kolk is considered one of the leading experts in the study of how the brain is physically altered from trauma, and PTSD. As a military veteran and father of a military veteran who survived combat-related trauma and PTSD, this book is an essential part of my library.

I believe having a wealth of experience in the areas of health and human services, social services, disaster preparedness and response, and a strong background in progressive discipline can greatly benefit the office. As a First Sergeant, my role includes being part of the discipline process from advising the Commander on available options and applicable regulations to recommending adverse or administrative actions. I weigh the facts, consider the likelihood of rehabilitation and impact on the mission before discussing the case with the Commander. My formal training covers a wide range of human and social services as well as first response and disaster planning. Coalition building and connecting those in need with available resources is another area in which I have a great deal of experience. Finally, I envision the JP role as more "hands-on" with more time devoted to working in the community.

I have written about this subject and devoted an entire semester of my undergraduate degree program to studying equal access to justice. Is it “justice” if we trap the poor in an undertow of fines, jail, rinse, and repeat? Each person, each situation, and each case are unique. Therefore, a one size fits all approach to fines and punishment disproportionately impacts economically disadvantaged persons and does little to address root cause issues such as poverty or skills deficits. Equal access to justice begins with intentionally meeting each person where they are if we want to truly help them take ownership of their outcomes. A $100 speeding fine for one person may have little impact on them but may devastate another person’s ability to feed their children. Using my vision for skills training in lieu of fines as an example, those struggling to make ends meet could receive far greater benefits from low-cost or free certificate training that enables them to obtain higher-paying employment. This approach might be less appealing or not as effective for someone in a different position in life. Being a Justice of the Peace is so much more than “a job” - it is a position that can allow the right person an opportunity to help change lives for the better. Finally, in my current role as a First Sergeant, knowing what resources are available to assist military members and their families and then ensuring they are connected to those resources is a large portion of my day-to-day role. I see the JP role similarly, and this is where my specific education in Human and Social Services will enable me to better understand how to most effectively assist. The more we can connect people with available community services, the better chance we have for success.

I firmly believe in “Justice. For All.” Easy words, I know. My military career has been largely devoted to ensuring all voices are heard and that each person is treated with dignity and respect. As a Drill Sergeant for Air Force basic training, I spent more than four years bringing young men and women from all walks of life and all corners of the nation together as a cohesive team. Creating an atmosphere of true diversity and acceptance in a team setting is something I am exceptionally familiar with. Additionally, I served as a member of the City of Austin’s Regional Affordability Committee during my time on the Leander ISD Board of Trustees. As a member of the LISD Board, I was an initial member of the district’s equity and diversity committee. As a First Sergeant, I am a primary member of the Commander’s equity and diversity task force. As JP, my role is to apply written law to the cases that come before the court. Application of the written law is inherently impartial in my opinion. Being mindful of implicit and explicit bias, however, as well as any potential conflicts of interest, must always be top of mind for the JP. My record of fairness and impartiality has been well-documented during my years of service on the school board where every decision was sure to please as many in the community as it displeased others. In that setting, I had to focus on what was in the best interest of the greatest number of students. As JP I will focus on what is in the best interest of those standing before the court, and our community.