Pick a side FINAL THOUGHTS: THE PHARR RACE
Wed, 2015-05-06 06:47
News Staff
By G. Romero Wendorf
This year, two political slates are vying for four seats on the Pharr City Commission, including the mayoral seat. If you live in Pharr, you already know this unless you live in some dark cave. All the political signs should be your first clue. Not to mention the ads in this newspaper, the flyers, the commercials. If you don’t live in Pharr, you’ve probably heard about it anyway, so heated has this race become. Most people have already taken advantage of early voting. But for those who have not, and are still unsure of for whom to vote, we offer a run down this week on final thoughts from the eight candidates. The incumbents, Adan Farias, Arturo Cortez, A. Jimmy Garza, along with newcomer Mario Bracamontes, have teamed up under the banner: Pharr First. The rest of the Pharr city commission – Carrillo, Eduardo Maldonado and Elizondo – is backing it. Farias is running for mayor; Cortez, city commissioner place 1; “Jimmy Garza, place 5; and Mario Bracamontes, place 6. Farias, now retired, has enjoyed a long career in public education, including several stints as school principal. Cortez is a retired postmaster who served 31 years with the USPS. Both Farias and Cortez were first voted to the city commission in 2006. Garza is a successful businessman in the family’s Pharrbased produce business. He was voted on to the city commission in 2010. Bracamontes, the political newcomer, is principal at Buell Central High School (PSJA).In opposition to them stands the Pharr Forward slate, which includes two political newcomers as well, both successful physicians, both raised in Pharr – Ambrosio “Amos” Hernandez (for mayor) and Ramiro Caballero (city commissioner, place 6). Teaming up with Hernandez and Caballero are two seasoned politicos: Ricardo Medina (place 5), who has previously served as both Pharr mayor and city commissioner, and Eleazar Guajardo (place 1), who has run before in prior political races (school board and the city). Professionally, Medina served as laboratory director at Knapp Medical Center for many years before he retired; and Guajardo has spent his career as a secondary math teacher in public education (Valley View ISD). Dr. Hernandez currently serves as medical director of surgical services (pediatric surgeon) in the Rio Grande Valley for Driscoll Children’s Hospital and is the chief medical compliance officer for DHR. As a general surgeon, he’s also associated with DHR’s Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. Dr. Caballero is a neonatologist. He practices at McAllen Medical Center, Rio Grande Regional, and at hospitals in Mission, Edinburg and Weslaco. Pharr Forward is being backed by outgoing Pharr Mayor “Polo” Palacios. Early voting ended this Tuesday. Election day is May 9th. For voters who are still undecided, we asked each candidate this week two questions: Why should voters choose your respective slate? And what has been the biggest piece of misinformation spread about you and your slate emanating from the other side? The mayor’s position: Pharr First’s Adan Farias: As to why Pharr First is the best slate, Farias said, “I think we’ve been moving in the right direction for the last few years, and we’ve seen the transformation of our community, from the sales tax to the bridge to the hotel/motel tax; everything is positive. I think we’re at a point where we’ve kind of stabilized the city in terms of finances. These people (Pharr Forward) are talking about lower (tax and utility) rates. Well, that’s something we’ve decided to do also. But it has to be at the right time. As those sales taxes go up, we need to look at the possibility of bringing down some of those taxes. I don’t know at what point that will happen. But that’s certainly something that’s important.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread by the other side (by Pharr Forward), Farias said, “Look at all the negativity. Everything they do is negative. Very little about their platform or what they’re going to do to make things better. I haven’t seen it yet. False promises. Pharr Forward’s “Amos” Hernandez: As to why Pharr Forward is the best slate, Hernandez said, “In my opinion, the first thing that we said at the beginning of the campaign still stands. If you want accountability and transparency and no favors being done to run the city, or abuse of power at the top, then we’re the (right) team. If you want the status quo, then we’re not the team.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread by the other side (by Pharr First), Hernandez said, “Pharr Forward the Truth Facebook Page. Nothing by lies spread by them. If they have something to say, say it to my face. Everything I have put out that could be considered negative, could be, I’ve put my name on it. I don’t spread lies. They do. Everything I’ve put out, I’ve owned it. If you disagree with me, I’d be more than happy to challenge you at any place or time or location and debate, but they’ve never said yes. They’re getting crazier and crazier with the stuff they make up. It’s just childish. Now they’ve even got me (on the Facebook page) smoking and drinking in a doctor’s suit. I don’t do either one. So it’s stupid. Our team hasn’t created a negative Facebook page. Everything I’ve done, I’ve put my name on it.” Place 1 City Commission: Pharr First’s Arturo Cortez: As to why Pharr First is the best slate, Cortez said, “Because I think, since I’ve been here for the past nine years, I've seen such a big change. I can remember when Pharr was in shambles, over $6 million in the hole. The way the city commission was behaving in front of the cameras was terrible. The image of Pharr was terrible. Sales taxes in all the cites were up except for Pharr. Nobody wanted to come to a town where the city commission was bickering. And I’ve seen that change completely turn around for the betterment of Pharr.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread by the other side (by Pharr Forward), Cortez said, “All of it. They have been so negative and spread half-truths – we’re not managing our money right; wrong about the person our city manager is. In my book, they have lied to the people of Pharr completely about our slate. The good thing is, the people of Pharr know us, and that’s what’s going to makeus prevail.”Pharr Forward’s Eleazar Guajardo:As to why Pharr Forward is the best slate, Guajardo said, “Our slate is the only one that is proposing changes that will have a positive affect on everyone. Everyone will benefit. Lowering the water bills, property taxes. Those are proposals that will benefit everyone. The other group isn’t planning on doing anything that will benefit the community. I would ask the electorate to consider whether they want to have a reduction in their rate.But that’s our proposal. And we already have a plan to do so. The other side just wants to keep things the way they are. That’s what the people are voting for. The property rates are going to vary on the extra revenue that the city has. So it’s going to be a varying amount. But it’s still going to be a benefit. Any reduction will be a benefit.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread from the other side (by Pharr First), Guajardo said, “I’d say the biggest misinformation has been the attacks on the doctor (Amos Hernandez). They are saying that we are raising property taxes, when we are proposing the opposite. They’re saying the opposite of what we’re saying to attack us. And they’re attacking the character of the doctor (Hernandez) as a person of bad will. I think something is being hidden that they don’t want out there once we win the election.” Place 5 City Commission: Pharr First’s A. Jimmy Garza: As to why Pharr First is the best slate, Garza said, “I would say very easily that we have proven leadership and results that you can go back to. We have a proven resume, and proven work ethic and proven leadership. And people have seen the results of that over the last five years. Look around the city at our fiscal strength, our initiatives we’ve done with PAL (police athletic league), and through a greener, cleaner city, and vote for us if you like re-branding of the city and the direction it’s going, then you vote for the incumbents.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread bythe other side (by Pharr Forward), Garza said, “The one I’ve been personally asked to explain has been the city manager’s salary. And when people understand that it’s the truth that we’ve actually saved taxpayer money using the model we’re under for the last four or five year – (Fred Sandoval) shares the duties of city manager and EDC director – and so Pharr actually saves money compared to cities around us who have two high-paying positions. You know, if Pharr were stagnant, or if we had had only eight percent growth per year, then I’d take a second look at splitting those roles (city manager and EDC director) and bringing on someone else. But when you have 42 percent increase in sales tax over the past five years, then, man, it’s hard to claim that that system isn’t working.” Pharr Forward’s Ricardo Medina: As to why Pharr Forward is the best slate, Medina said, “I think we’re the best candidates running. We are going to reduce (property) taxes and water rates and improve our streets. I know that they’re now just doing streets at the last minute because the election is upon them (ed. note: the city refutes this). But we’re going to have a comprehensive plan on how to do the worst ones first and then continue to do all the streets, because it’s a mess. We are going to be doing some improvements as far as the parks are concerned. And I think that the leadership we have with Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez is a great candidate with excellent leadership as opposed to his opponent. As well as the rest of the commissioners who are running.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread from the other side (by Pharr First), Medina said, “Well, it seems like everything they’ve been sending out has been misinformation. Everything we send out, we can support with facts. As opposed to the opposition, nothing we have said has been fabricated. That’s the biggest difference between the campaigns. Ours is based on facts, and theirs is based on lies.” Place 6 City Commission: Pharr First’s Mario Bracamontes: As to why Pharr First is the best slate, Bracamontes said, “When you look at our 42 percent sales increase, when you look at everything that’s coming in, our record for what we’ve done with kids, which is more preventive than being reactive and putting money into buying more weapons and guns. When I look at what’s going on in Ferguson, we’re one of the few places where people look at the cops and say, we trust them. At first, I was very respectful of all the candidates, and I still am. But people who were on the fence automatically jumped on our side when they saw all the vandalism going on. They decided this is our city and this isn’t going to happen (ed. note: Pharr Forward has denied they played any part in the vandalism).” In terms of alleged misinformation spread by the other side (by Pharr Forward), Bracamontes said, “Everything that’s come up about our city manager, Costco, people ask us about it, but once we explain to them what we’re doing, and how we’re doing it, what’s really behind it, they say, wow, it makes so much sense. Smart people who know what’s going on can figure it out. But what I do not like is that these people are taking advantage of a lot of people that are probably in need of this (lower property taxes and utility bills). But it’s not fair that they go out there taking advantage of these people, knowing they can’t do it.” Pharr Forward’s Ramiro Caballero: As to why Pharr Forward is the best slate, Caballero said, “Basically, the people who are running. I think we have a better vision for Pharr. And we have learned a lot of what Pharr’s needs are, and ranges from people from all over the city, including Las Milpas, as well as the business people. We understand their concerns. And I think we’re the best team that can carry out those concerns.” In terms of alleged misinformation spread by the other side (by Pharr First), Caballero said, “I think there have been several. I think number one, the idea that Doctors Hospital at Renaissance has influenced us. Also the hospital district idea that they’ve been throwing at us. That’s also misinformation. I know I oppose a new hospital district tax. And Amos has said the same thing. So most of the misinformation has been related to the hospital area. They’ve also called me a Republican. (ed. note: Caballero says he’s a Democrat). I mean, it doesn’t matter, this is a local race. But it’s interesting, they quickly associate a physician with being a Republican. And I can tell you, Ambrosio and I have never discussed anything to do with Alonzo Cantu or DHR or anybody taking over anything. I don’t care which hospital wants to come to Pharr or set up clinics. If it’s good for Pharr, it’s good for Pharr.”