WATCH: Boerne residents discuss the November election on ‘Your Voice, South Texas’

BOERNE, Texas – With its parks, green scenery, and rolling hills, Boerne is a popular tourist destination.

But it’s much more special for locals who call the place home. When KSAT met with people at the Free Roam Brewing Company on South Main Street, unsurprisingly, words like “community” kept coming up during discussions about the upcoming election.

After all, Boerne is the city that rallied around its Little League baseball team as they competed in the Little League World Series. When the team returned from the games in Williamsport, Pa., Boerne held a downtown celebration and parade for the players.

The locals who spoke with KSAT were very concerned with how issues are affecting their community.

Candace Affeldt said she’s worried about the types of jobs that attract people about to enter the workforce.

“We’re so short on any of our blue-collar jobs like plumbers, electricians, mechanics. If you try to build anything, it’s nearly impossible,” said Affeldt.

Affeldt has a point. A recent report showed that the United States is projected to be short 550,000 plumbers by 2027.

Affeldt is a small business owner who runs the brewery with her husband, Jeremy Affeldt. He told KSAT that he’s concerned about the middle class.

“The working class supports us. We want the working class in here. I want them to be able to come in and enjoy the community. Is there going to be an opportunity where they can thrive enough to be able to do that?” asked Jeremy Affeldt.

A retired engineer, B.J. Bridges, said he’s mindful of higher tuition rates and how heavy debt might stifle opportunities for younger generations.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the annual cost to attend a four-year college full-time was $10,231 in 1980. By 2018-2020, that amount increased to $28,775.

“I feel for them now having to pay that tuition. Hopefully, they choose the right profession,” said Bridges.

Bridges also told KSAT he prefers Donald Trump to win November’s presidential election.

“On the foreign policy side, I think we’re just so weak now. That worries me. I don’t want to see my grandkids going to war, but you’ve also got to be careful because you can’t be too far-right,” said Bridges.

Another man spoke about the need for bipartisanship.

“Both sides have to work together. Even when one side wins, you still have to work together, right? So, it’s really about coming together and finding a middle ground and making it work for families that work hard,” said John Grof.

“Your Voice, South Texas” aims to elevate a diversity of voices and drown out some of the hyper-partisanship that keeps people fighting on social media.

So far, KSAT has recorded episodes in Uvalde, Seguin, Pleasanton, Kerrville, New Braunfels, and La Vernia.