Welcome to The Inner Loop, a sampling of news, notes and observations.
To start, a question: Assistant County Attorney Ana Perez is announced to run against Commissioner Luis Sarinana. If former City Council Rep. Presi Ortega also runs for that seat, who will the City Council progressives support? State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh was at Perez’s announcement, so he’s on board. Where will the rest fall?
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Who is going to run against County Commissioner Miguel Teran? Stay tuned.
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Speaking of Ana Perez, she has a fund-raiser coming up Aug. 9.
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By the way, for the first time in years, state Rep. Paul Moreno will have a challenger. Too many restless young souls to leave that seat alone … Does state Rep. Norma Chavez have a horse in the race, now that Fernando Parra is out?
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El Paso lobbying Godfather Hector Gutierrez wrote a letter urging people to show up for a fund-raiser for U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes. It mentions Fort Bliss expansion and other developments in El Paso.
“These projects and initiatives represent an investment in our community in the hundreds of millions of dollars. What a great time to be a part of this growing region!
“Our Congressman, Silvestre Reyes, has played a key role in El Paso’s outlook. ... Our future is bright, and I know the Congressman will continue to do his best for the people in our region.
“I recently met with Congressman Reyes and was surprised to learn that all Congressmen have dues to their respective national committees. These dues vary by member and position but are all relatively substantial. If you are like me, the obvious question is why? The primary purpose of these dues is for research, elections, and polling. Because of Silvestre’s position of Leadership in the Congress his annual dues are at a minimum of $250,000.00. This is a large amount but in relation to the benefits El Paso is receiving and will continue to receive, it truly is a small price to pay. I feel our community needs to do its part to help the Congressman meet this commitment,” Gutierrez writes.
The event is Aug. 14 at the Hilton Garden Inn, next to UTEP. Suggested donations run from $250 to $2,300, “which will be an endorsement for the direction El Paso is heading.”
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Adrian Pena no longer works at CF Jordan, the giant El Paso contractor. CF Jordan was the contractor for the El Paso County Parking Garage project. Former County Commissioner Betti Flores pleaded guilty to taking bribes for several actions, including her support of the El Paso County Parking Garage project and subsequent change orders. [link]
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A letter opposing the Children’s Hospital project appeared in the Aug. 1 El Paso Times. It stated, in part, “With all the other tax increases, now Thomason wants to add a pediatric unit to its conglomerate.” The letter raised questions about the need for the project. It’s signed by Phil Sims of East El Paso.
A sharp-eyed reader noticed this county agenda item: “54. Discuss and take appropriate action to appoint Phil Simms, Ph.D . to the Thomason Board of Managers as the at-large appointee. (County Judge Anthony Cobos) attachment”
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Some state campaign finance reports:
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City Rep. Alexandro Lozano is on the edge with city staff and City Manager Joyce Wilson. There has been ongoing tension over the extent of her powers, and his. The question is, when will it go public?
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Question: Who is running against Family Court Judge Alfredo Chavez?
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Help us keep you informed. Keep the tips flowing by contacting us at npt@epmediagroup.com, or our individual email accounts (sito@epmediagroup.com, rene@epmediagroup.com), and we’ll do our best to pass them on to Owen, so he can sort them out and get them published.
