SAN BENITO MAYORAL RACE: Hernandez, Sanchez share opposing views on bettering city

By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

Celeste Zepeda Sanchez

Celeste Zepeda Sanchez

Joe H. Hernandez

Joe H. Hernandez

The San Benito mayoral race is already one for the ages – incumbent Joe H. Hernandez, who has never lost an election for mayor, faces challenger Celeste Zepeda Sanchez, who for three terms served on the City Commission alongside Hernandez and now looks to be elected the town’s first female mayor.

Hernandez said that he plans to continue the work he’s recently helped to implement as mayor while addressing concerns shared with him by citizens.

“One of the biggest issues has always been the streets,” Hernandez said. “In past years, little attention was paid to them. Now we’re faced with a big problem. With the budget that the city has, there’s no way that you’re going to address the problem. We actually have to go out for monies and pay in long terms. I would say that is the biggest issue. We have a state-of-the-art water plant; we have a state-of-the-art sewer plant. We’re actually waiting for growth, and that is already happening.”

Sanchez said that she also sees the streets as a high priority issue, among many others.

“There are several issues that I want to focus on, and one of them is getting a good audit on the budget,” Sanchez said. “I want to sit down with our auditors and try to fully understand our revenues, how much is coming in and what are we prioritizing in the city. I want to make sure that our tax dollars are going into the most effective and efficient places that the community needs. I also want to look at our ordinances. If they have to be the way they are, fine.”

“I want to study our ordinances and I want to compare them to our neighboring cities,” Sanchez continued. “I get a lot of concerns that we’re not a business-friendly community, and I want to check that out. A lot of projects that were started when I was on the Commission I want to see them to fruition.”
Hernandez also discussed attracting and maintaining businesses to the community.

“As far as business, there’s not very much that we can do with downtown,” Hernandez said. “There’s very limited parking. I wish we could take an approach to where we could do the same thing Harlingen did: convert it into antique stores or something like that. I don’t think a name-brand company is going to come into the city.”

“I plan on looking at the ordinances, as far as how are we marketing San Benito and what are we offering for the businesses to come in,” Sanchez said. “Our downtown surely needs a facelift. The EDC started working on that, and I think they’ve done a very good job with the Shop San Benito campaign, but we need to step it up.”

Sanchez shared her plans for the city and what she hopes to accomplish if she is elected mayor.

“My vision for San Benito is that we become a city of choice, that people actually want to live here and that they want to live here because we have safe streets and good schools and amenities,” Sanchez said. “I feel anxious to see that museum go up and that we continue with the cultural events that we have in our city. I’m very pro-preserving our culture and enjoying our culture. I want to see those things come to fruition in our city. I also want to see a clean city. Now that I’ve been campaigning, and I’ve been out on street corners and walking the streets, I see how terrible our sidewalks are and how our city needs to be cleaned.”

In contrast, Hernandez praised the current City Commission and hailed what he has accomplished while in office.

“This commission, the one that I’m working with, I’m very proud to say that we’re aggressively working together and taking every step there is to minimize expenditures and wages. We’re making sure that every cent is spent wisely,” Hernandez said. “We could say that we’ve done a lot in-house. Last week, at the meeting, we just moved four [streets] that are in very bad shaped. We moved them up to the top, and they’re going to be addressed. I would say professional conduct among the elected officials… I think the respect that is needed there has been restored. Everybody respects everybody. I open myself up to them too so they can bring me concerns. Everybody there is important. Everybody is elected by the people. We’re working well. I think communication, respect and trust have been restored.”

Regarding his thoughts on the Place 1 and 2 City Commission races, Hernandez said, “Since I became an elected official, one of the first things I’ve learned is to work for yourself. Whoever were to be elected, I would very much work with them. As far as the governing body, as it is, I am more than happy with it.”
Sanchez said that voters should consider her leadership skills and experience when deciding who to vote for in May.

“I think they should consider my experience and my leadership, my success,” Sanchez said. “They should vote for me because I can do the job. I can bring integrity back to San Benito.”

Hernandez also cited his experience as the main reason why his constituents should consider re-electing him.

“It doesn’t matter how educated you are, this is a job and I take it very serious,” Hernandez said. “You learn as you go along. I’m to the point where I think I’m at the height of it where I understand everything. I am absolutely the most qualified.”

When asked for his thoughts on his opponent, Hernandez said, “I could say a lot of negative things about her like they’ve been doing about me, but I’m a Christian person and I’m not going to speak evil of her. I’m not going to get down to their level. Everybody has a right. This position belongs to the people. It doesn’t belong to me or her. I think it is the right of the people to choose whoever is most qualified and whoever is going to do the job that is required. I won’t speak evil of her.”

“Joe is well-intentioned; however, I firmly believe that San Benito is ready for new leadership that can take good intentions and translate them into good public policy for a better San Benito,” Sanchez said. “I’m running because I have a vision for San Benito, and I want to make that vision come true. I feel that I can pick up the baton and take it to another level.”

Early voting will begin on Monday, April 28 and end on Tuesday, May 6. Election Day is on Saturday, May 10.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/04/22/san-benito-mayoral-race-hernandez-sanchez-share-opposing-views-on-bettering-city/

10 comments

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    • Reform San Benito on April 29, 2014 at 2:24 pm
    • Reply

    Very nice work on the political insert “Vote 2014.” However, I noticed one mistake.

    Joe Hernandez was mayor from 2006-2010, then again from 2011-2014. JACK GARCIA was MAYOR from 2010-2011, when Hernandez forfeited his seat for unpaid property taxes.

    Also not mentioned:

    1. Eliminated the public pool.
    2. Incurred $11+Million debt for the city since 2011.
    3. Criminally charged with Abuse of Official Capacity in 2012.
    4. Criminally charged with Terroristic Threats in 2013 (exonerated).
    5. Failed to institute an Ethics Ordinance, as mandated by the City Charter and approved by voters in 2012.
    6. “Spearheaded” changing the Veteran’s Memorial plaque to remove the name of MAYOR JACK GARCIA.
    7. Asked for and received $2,000 from the City for a trip to China that produced nothing but vacation photos.
    8. Instrumental in the Telemark power plant debacle, then blamed the EDC when the SBNews uncovered irregularities with Telemark.
    9. Led the purchase of the Henry Thomae Funeral Home for $385,000, which now sits idle w/o a plan for its use.
    10. Sales tax revenue flat under his “leadership.”

    When you read “Vote 2014,” one theme is abundantly clear about Mayor Hernandez’ claim to fame — everything he claims as accomplishments cost the taxpayers money. There is no mention of revenue generating accomplishments. There is no mention of strong business creation; the evidence supports that with flat sales tax revenue.

    San Benito needs new direction. San Benito needs a new voice. San Benito needs Celeste Zepeda Sanchez.

    • WeThePeople on April 29, 2014 at 1:13 pm
    • Reply

    WOW check out the post from Mr. Joe Rodriguez here:

    sbnewspaper.com/2014/04/26/consider-this-the-end-of-the-beginning/

    • Reform San Benito on April 26, 2014 at 4:56 pm
    • Reply

    VOTE CELESTE SANCHEZ and JOSE “JOE” RODRIGUEZ For a Better San Benito!

  1. IS our MAYOR smoking the WAKI TABAKI ? Must live in his own little WORLD. They know nothing about HONOR ,INTEGRITY OR ANYTHING ELSE. VOTE FOR A CHANGE PEOPLE .

    • Taxpayer on April 25, 2014 at 8:48 pm
    • Reply

    Celeste Sanches is the person to vote for mayor, we need a change and let’s not forget San Benito on the grow and I believe she can do this.

    • WeThePeople on April 23, 2014 at 7:36 pm
    • Reply

    Hats off to the San Benito News. The links above provided by Senor Taxpayer reference great stories covered by the News. We are lucky to have such a great hometown paper. They take a lot of heat (even to the point of being threatened), but print the News in spite of everything. Kudos, Mr. Editor and the News Staff!

    • Enlightened on April 23, 2014 at 4:18 pm
    • Reply

    It seems to me that through all of these election choices, we are no longer voting for the “best” candidate or the “right” one for the job…. We are voting for the one that has done or will do the least amount of harm to the existing system, whether municipal or educational.

    I, frankly, have no confidence in any of the candidates currently running for school board, mayor, or city commission. There has been so much talk but no action from any. My street is still full of pot holes and there is no relief in sight. Waste is rampant in both the city and school systems. No one seems to be held accountable for anything and everyone is quick to lay blame. The status quo is to be quiet and hope that the next scandal/problem is bigger and will shift the attention to that crisis. City and school leaders don’t seem to have any answers to anything but yet they are the ones that are supposed to be answerable to their constituents.

    And you wonder why the educated and well rounded work force doesn’t want to reside in San Benito? Why would they want to when you can’t get a straight answer from anybody around here. San Benito has NOTHING to offer a potential resident. Sales taxes collected are flat (no growth), new businesses are nowhere on the horizon, home values are dropping (at least in my area where the lack of police patrols is readily apparent will all the new graffiti popping up all over).

    So an open challenge to all candidates, don’t tell me what you stand for or what you believe in, tell me what you are going to do for the citizens of San Benito. Please don’t fill us with talk of bringing integrity back to the position for which you are hoping to keep or attain. Tell us what you are going to to about the aging infrastructure of the city, how are you going to attract new businesses to the area, how are you going to support struggling schools and help them meet the grade?

    These are the questions we need answers to….. So, candidates, what say you?

    • Senor Taxpayer on April 23, 2014 at 11:23 am
    • Reply

    Mr. Joe Hernandez has made playing the victim card into an art.

    Remember these………Shenzhen China………and the San Benito News “Excellence in Reporting”…..Electric Power Plant…….Taxes……..and of course……San Benito’s legal fees up $100,000….

    Mr. Joe “the People’s Mayor” Hernandez would rather prefer SILENCE

      • WeThePeople on April 23, 2014 at 1:55 pm
      • Reply

      Well said. If readers will just click on the links you shared then their decision should become very clear.

      • Reform San Benito on April 23, 2014 at 4:33 pm
      • Reply

      Do not forget the more than $11,000,000 in debt the city has incurred under this mayor.

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