Polo’s reflections
With such a bitter political race left hanging in the air, this is one of those columns that won’t please everyone. Because at this point in time, still so close to the May 9th election, there’s still a lot of bad blood hanging in the air, so to speak over the way the Pharr city commission election ended and the way in which it was fought. No matter, I still had to do an interview with “Polo” Palacios. He’s been on the city commission since 1984; mayor since ’02. Love him or not, Polo’s Polo, and he’s still a force with whom to be reckoned.
So that this interview wasn’t just one sided – Polo’s version of events, so to speak – I tried to bring up questions, criticisms, if you will, of the way he’s behaved, both on and off the commission, which would be addressed to him had his political opponents been able to pose the questions.
If you don’t like the interview, please don’t throw rotten tomatoes.
Who would've ever thought? You may have just helped pull off one of the greatest political coups ever. Going into this election, no one gave Pharr Forward much of a shot at winning three out of the four seats, including that of mayor. Palacios: “Well, I’ll tell you it was a lot of hard work. A lot of people that believe in what was being said.”
Someone told me that when you ran a few years ago, you made the promise that if you had four more years, you would never run for public office again. And then you wanted to renege on your promise. And you got angry that the other side wouldn’t let you atop the slate for another four-year run, so you threw your friends under the bus, so to speak, and switched sides. You didn't make that promise four years ago or did you? Palacios: “I don't recall ever saying that. If I had said that, I probably would've kept my promise because I've never been wishy-washy.”
Why do you think the election turned out the way it did? Palacios: “Well I feel that the people believe in what (Pharr Forward) wanted to do. They wanted to bring back the city to the public. You know, they wanted to bring back public comments (during city commission meetings). They wanted to lower the water rate. They wanted to lower the property taxes. And they feel that it can be done. I believe that they are going to do this. And I don’t think the people believe in some of the salaries (and fees) being paid (to some city staff and consultants)”
To play devil's advocate for a moment, the critics of you have said, you know, Polo agreed with all these pay raises (to city staff, especially the city manager) and all this money being paid (to city consultants) until he decided to switch sides (from the Pharr First candidates to Pharr Forward). In other words, you were all in favor of everything done by the city commission until you decided to switch sides. What do you say to that, mayor? Palacios: “That was one of the biggest problems that motivated me not to support them. I have never gotten any information. We never had an item on the agenda to give anybody (the city manager and/or some consultants more) money. I don't even recall when was the last time (the city manager had a work evaluation). I caught (former Mayor Pro Tem Adan Farias) signing the (increase in salary) form. Giving (the city manager) a salary of $235,000. How come he didn't (first) come to me? I’m the mayor. “They (the city commissioners) were doing things that were uncalled for. To be honest with you, none of these pay raises that were given to him (the city manager), or to other people, were ever brought before anybody to approve or not approve. I think they knew it’s because I would say, that's too (dang) much money. “All of these people got together. They felt that they had a winning team. They had a group of people. A group of attorneys that was supporting them. I didn't have anybody who was supporting me. I got the people (behind me). “There was nothing I could do. If I started to put up a fight, and everything was done in executive session, then we couldn't discuss anything outside.”
Some people will say, look, Polo’s supported the idea of paying his own fair share of consultants over the years. Palacios: Hollis Rutledge is the best consultant we have ever had in Pharr. He can open doors. He can go to Washington. He can go to Austin. He knows those people inside and out. “Now compare that to (Palacios names another consultant). I don’t know how much he’s making now because it was never brought up before the commission (actually, it’s $4,500 per month, based on city records). I’ve never seen him at any meetings. What’s his deal? What does he do as a consultant? He’s made a fortune. Why? The truth has to come out.”
Your critics have painted as you as a sore bitter loser after the loss of your brother (Tito Palacios) last year (in the county commissioner’s race) to Eddie Cantu. They paint you as disloyal to your friends if you don’t get your own way. They paint you as a petty tyrant. They say you knew about the city manager’s salary all along because it was on the agenda, as well as that of the consultants. And to be honest, there are a lot of other people from the other side who remain angry over the way you have behaved. What do you say to them? Palacios: “They can come out with excuses and everything. It doesn't matter to me. What I did, I had to do because my mother and father raised me, not only me, but the rest of my brothers and sisters, the right way. The honest way. We have good values. Good, positive values that were instilled in us growing up. We've kept those throughout our lives. I've never asked anybody for anything else. “The people have spoken, Gregg, and I will just wait and see. I came in, in 1984 as a winner, and I leave as a winner.”