Nearly 300 El Pasoans filled the Convention Center at the El Paso Airport
Hilton Hotel last Tuesday, February 17, to hear former U. S. Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development and former Mayor of San Antonio Henry Cisneros
endorse El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez for a fourth
term in office.
"You
can look across Texas, you can look across the nation, but you won't find
a better county attorney than José Rodríguez," Cisneros
told the enthusiastic audience. "Jose is a dedicated public servant who
is not beholden to any special interest groups. He works tirelessly to improve
the lives of the people of El Paso County."
Cisneros praised Rodríguez for his role as chief prosecutor in a Court
of Inquiry conducted in the mid-1990s which resulted in large increases in
state highway and transportation infrastructure funds for El Paso.
"José Rodríguez is not afraid to stand up to the State
of Texas to make sure El Paso gets its fair share of state funds," Cisneros
said, "and he proved his courage again very recently by suing the state
to make sure El Paso's medical practitioners are reimbursed at the same rate
for treating Medicaid recipients as others across Texas. When that suit is
won, less fortunate El Pasoans will get much easier access to healthcare."
In endorsing José Rodríguez, Cisneros said, "In my dealings
with him, I encountered a family man firmly committed to improving his community.
His participation with Judge Marquez in the Court of Inquiry, his efforts
to improve healthcare along the border, and his reputation for integrity and
independence have demonstrated to me and to all Texans that José Rodríguez
really cares deeply about the people he represents. His work has helped thousands
of El Pasoans and border citizens to have more opportunity, better jobs and
a brighter future. For that kind of dedication alone, he should be reelected
as El Paso County Attorney."
Cisneros achieved unprecedented success as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development and as four-term mayor of San Antonio, Texas. He is a living
testament to American diversity and leadership. Formerly the president of
Univision, the nation's fifth-largest TV network and largest Spanish-language
network. Cisneros currently serves as Chairman of American CityVista where
he is leading a movement to strengthen our nation, one neighborhood at a time.
In 1981, Cisneros was elected Mayor of San Antonio, becoming one of the first
Mexican-Americans ever to run a major American city. For four terms, he helped
rebuild the city's economy: attracting high-tech industries, increasing tourism
and creating tens of thousands of jobs through massive downtown improvements.
Following Cisneros' success in his home state, President Clinton appointed
him Secretary of HUD in 1993. Never before had a HUD Secretary so actively
and successfully attacked the nation's housing problems. Cisneros was widely
praised for transforming HUD from a severely mismanaged bureaucracy into an
effective, efficient agency that actively worked against racial segregation
and poverty in inner cities.
The youngest person ever to be named a White House fellow and the youngest ever elected to San Antonio's city council, Cisneros holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard and George Washington Universities, respectively. He also served as President of the National League of Cities.
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