NEWS Staff Report
The South Texas Adult Resource and Training (START) Center will once again host a candidate forum for the City of San Benito elections.
The forum is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, 2011 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event will take place at the San Benito Community Building, located at 210 E. Heywood in San Benito.
The public is invited to attend the forum, which organizers hope to confirm the attendance of candidates running in city elections, including Mayor Jack Garcia and challenger Joe H. Hernandez, Place 1 City Commissioner Antonio “Tony” Gonzales and challengers Joe F. Rodriguez and Roel Villarreal, and Pl. 2 City Commissioner Rene Villafranco and candidate Gavino Sotelo.
A forum moderator has yet to be decided upon.
As is the case with the San Benito News “Meet the Candidates” community forum, scheduled in Rio Hondo on April 14 and in San Benito on April 21, events to focus primarily on school board elections in those cities, the START Center has requested that citizens of San Benito log on to www.sbnewspaper.com and comment on this story with ideas for questions to be posed to the candidates in attendance.
For more information, call the START Center at (956) 399-7818.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the April 10 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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The newspaper ads and flyers with the former mayor saying “they done me wrong” is just sour grapes. Had he not been delinquent on his taxes and violated city rules, then there would have been no need for court. Anyway, who filed the suit? Now that he wants to run again, he drops his appeal suit? When it’s convenient for him? That makes no sense to me.
I guess I forgot to ask a question I’m sorry!
I’d like to know what the candidates would do to make sure the fire department and police department are not above the law and adhere to the same safety precautions that pedestrians and civilian motorists are obligated by law to follow. Otherwise they don’t set a very good example. Now if there’s a murder, assault or fire threatening a structure and human life? Okay. But if ma and pa are burnin a taquache in their trash can there’s no need to drive like crazed maniacs blaring your sirens! I know San Benito is a small town and it’s not necessarily what people might call exciting, but wow you guys should really put into priority what’s considered an emergency and what’s just your average, ordinary, everyday situation.
Speaking of fires, what’s up with those fire engines speeding down the downtown area in broad daylight? I mean their sirens are BLARING as loud as possible and there’s at least two of them speeding 60 to 70 mph it seems like. I know a friend with the fire department who tells me that most of the time these are small grass fires and responses to calls for assistance from other agencies! I’m not discrediting the need for firemen at ANY emergency, but my God why all the hoopla making it look as if the entire city is going up in flames? That’s the way it looks and sounds when these guys are making all sorts of commotion all over God’s country, and for someone who lives in downtown area it can be not only an annoyance but a safety hazard. What if some poor schmo happens to be walking across the street at that exact time? I doubt those huge fire engines would be able to break in time.
ok…ummm if there is a grass fire close to your house…would you like the fire dept. to take its time and follow the speed limit or go faster with the sirens blasting so cars can get out of the way and save your house from burning to the ground.if the poor schmo can not hear thoses sirens he either need hearing aids or pay attention and look before crossing the road
How many more precautions can the city take to prepare for hurricane season (i.e. coordinating with AEP to ensure quicker power restoration in the event of outages) and what will you do to guarantee the implementing of those precautions?
you cant guarantee something like that…a hurricane does wide spread damage all over the valley and you think aep gonna stop everything and do the city of san bene first
What about firemen incentives? I know this has been an issue dating back to last year. In an older San BEnito News story I remember reading that commissioner Gonzales did not want to comment on whether or not he’d support or cut firemen incentives. This is an important issue during an important election. Every election is important now is not the time to NOT answer questions.
Sorry, I don’t konw if this is really a question, more like a comment because I doubt commissioner Gonzales will event show up to this forum. But if he does, I would like commissioner Gonzales to answer this specific question. Do you or do you not support firemen incentives.
if he doesnt…let his house burn down cause he short change the firemen …simple as that….lets see if he complains after that
This is for all the candidates. With the exception of Commissioners Villafranco and Gonzales, in nearly every campaign advertisement I’ve seen the phrase “Proven Leadership” used. Tell us how exactly your leadership has been proven and I’m not just talking about the number of years you happened to spend in a leadership role but actual decisions you’ve made that have earned you the right of being called a true leader.
I’ve been waiting for this one! For Joe Hernandez, how can you expect the community to ever trust you again as mayor after suing the town you want to represent and only dropping the lawsuits during election time?