Getting loopy this week with Richardson, Esparza, Shapleigh, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Tenet, Parra, Aguilar and Moreno, just to name a few. Is there a voter rollback in Ysleta? How about candidates for district courts? Read on for questions, answers and mass confusion.
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Some people think the city has an agenda. But if so, how to explain this, from the city's Website? "THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2007 MEETING OF THE MASS TRANSIT DEPARTMENT BOARD HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF AN AGENDA." [link]
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If Gov. Bill Richardson does not get the nomination for Democratic candidate for president, will he run against N.M. Sen. Pete Dominici?
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Seen at District Attorney Jaime Esparza's fund-raiser at Camino Real Thursday:
Rick Francis, Paul Foster, Bob Wingo, county commission candidate Anna Perez and husband Art Fierro, Victor Flores, Chuy Reyes, Joe Tellez of the Fire Department union, Democratic Party County Chair Danny Anchondo, Elvia Hernandez, county sheriff candidate Carlos Leon and "a whole bunch of judicial candidates."
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Seen at state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh's fund raiser at Café Nortena Thursday: the Brothers Haggerty, Commissioner Veronica Escobar, Council members Steve Ortega and Beto O'Rourke, Pauline Dow, Socorro Mayor Trini Lopez, Anna Perez and Art Fierro (busy night for the couple), Danny Anchondo, Elvia Hernandez, Joe Tellez, Carlos Leon (again, some busy people), County Attorney Jose Rodriguez.
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El Pasoans are getting a mailer from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility urging them to send a message to elected officials about keeping taxes down. [link] Interesting timing, as there is a $400 million bond election for the Socorro school district, a tax rollback election in Ysleta, and the $120 million bond election for the children's hospital. Tenet, which owns Providence, has been the main opponent of the children's hospital. [link]
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility is a not-for-profit organization based in Austin. Michael Quinn Sullivan is registered as a lobbyist for the group, and his name is on the mailers, which also have a website listed as www.empowertexans.com.
Sullivan expressed surprise at hearing of the bond issues, but said he'd be sending out more mailers and that he'd be in El Paso at the end of the month, "so I'll be sure to mention it (bond issues)."
He declined to say who was funding his campaign in El Paso, and when asked whether he had received money from Tenet, he said, "I don't know what Tenet is."
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Speaking of Tenet, did you catch the Bloomberg news report a couple weeks ago after Tenet shares fell following a report from Credit Suisse Group that Tenet may have to file for bankruptcy in three years?
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Update on city Rep. Melina Castro appeal: It's due Oct. 1. [background]
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Speaking of judicial candidates: Four new courts (448th District and 1st Criminal District Court of El Paso County, and El Paso County Criminal Courts at Law 3 and 4), many potential judges.
Among the potential or actual candidates: Municipal Court Judge Rick Olivo, a former candidate for county commission, Don Minton, assistant District Attorney Jose Castillo, lawyer Manny Barraza, Municipal Court Judge Danny Robledo, attorney Carlos Carrasco, Municipal Court Judge Regina Arditti.
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Like DavidK, Fernando Parra, who used to work in District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez's office, is available for work this campaign season. In fact, one highly placed public official is recommending him to others for work. His specialty is breaking down lists of prospective voters for candidates, so the candidate doesn't waste their time and money sending mailers to, or knocking on doors of, disinterested or hostile voters. Political insiders know Parra as a top-notch numbers guy who has been associated with such successful campaign strategists as Luther Jones.
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Last week was this question: Is this Jaime Perez recruiting ground troops for the next election? People said old Owen was just paranoid. Nope. Check this out. The Perez school of government. link
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Speaking of being cynical: The Ysleta Board of Trustees combines polling places for election day, cutting the number of voting sites in less than half, denies they're doing it to limit voter turnout for the tax rollback election, and then says to help voters they'll be going door-to-door to let people know where the voting sites are. Right. Move along. Nothing to see here.
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Former El Paso County Commissioner Carlos Aguilar against state Rep. Paul Moreno? Already in the race against Moreno: Marisa Marquez. [link ]
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Well, at least he spelled the name right. In his Texas Monthly blog, political reporter Paul Burka calls The Inner Loop the politics section of a local blog. First, this is a column. And, NPT a blog? Yeah, and he's a clerk for a little city magazine. Anyway, among his bits of intelligence: He addressed a rumor that state Rep. Pat Haggerty would switch to Democrat; noted NPT's comment from Dee Margo on running against Haggerty (although he incorrectly reported that this column said Margo lives in Haggerty's district, which he does not); and commented on the influence of House Speaker Tom Craddick on El Paso races. [link ]
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Speaking of Margo: He told NPT he is not running against Haggerty. But the rumor persists that Speaker Craddick's Stars Over Texas PAC, big money guy James Leinenger of San Antonio, and builder Bob Perry of Houston are trying to take out Haggerty, who is more than willing to talk about the friends of whoever takes him on.
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Previous Inner Loops
-- 8.3.07: Notes and quotes about Reyes, Perez, Teran, Moreno, Lozano and more. Plus tidbits about CF Jordan, the Children’s Hospital, and finance reports. A new NPT feature.
-- 8.10.07: Moreno’s challengers emerging, and a few other answers about candidates for Chavez’s judge seat and Teran’s county seat. Also, an intriguing City Council board appointment, a high-level Hunt resignation, a major Margo move, and more morsels for you political junkies.
-- 8.17.07: It's election season, and here are a few dates to keep. Also, some fund-raiser updates, a TIRZ tidbit, some FBI fallout, a lawsuit over construction at the UTEP Garden Inn, Glass Beach and more.
-- 8.24.07: Pushing the polls has begun, the city is facing "one tough lawyer" (but not that one) in the Elizondo case, a city appointment dilemma (hint: Holguin wins on one, but will the mayor get his Jobe?), and Shapleigh, Chavez, the Republicans and more. By the way, where'd Ann Lilly get off to?
-- 9.7.07: Theresa Caballero and Jaime Esparza, plus other campaign contributions. Margo and Haggerty, Tilghman and Reyes, Rosenbaum and Quintana, Samaniego, Cobos, Perez, Friends of the El Paso School District, Hunt, Hicks and Pickett, Marquez and Moreno, and so on. To paraphrase a comic genius, El Paso, we have met the enemy, and we is us.
Help us keep you informed. Keep the tips flowing by contacting Owen at owen@epmediagroup.com, or send them to npt@epmediagroup.com and we'll pass them along.
