Caller-Times 2016 Voters Guide

2016
Election
Guide
Find out what you need to know.
2 / President / Congress District 27

3 / State District 20, House District 43
4 / See whos on area ballots
5 / Find out where to vote, what to bring
Thursday
October 20, 2016
CO R PUS C H R I ST I
CA L L E R -T I M ES
6 / Nueces County district attorney race

7 / 13th Court, 214th District Court
8 / Nueces County sheriff, commissioner races
10 / The mayors race
11 / Council District 1 and 2
12 / Council District 3 and 4
13 / Bonds: What you need to know
13-14 / Council At-Large
15 / CCISD board
16 / Del Mar board, San Patricio top races
caller.com
Learn more about the candidates,
see videos, district maps and more.
2 Thursday, October 20, 2016
C A L L E R -T I M E S
2016 Election Guide
President
The candidates
Where they stand
By Associated Press
emocrat Hillary Clinton is facing

Republican Donald Trump in the
race for the White House.
Heres a selection of issues at
stake in the presidential election
and where each candidate falls on
key issues:
HOMEGROWN EXTREMISM
Radical Islamic militancy has inspired a series of
deadly attacks on U.S. soil, shaking the American
psyche and leaving the presidential contenders at
odds over how to respond.
The culprits typically have no ties to foreign terrorist organizations, no explicit directions from
overseas and no formal training.
Instead, theyve blended into American society
and skated beneath the radar of federal investigators grappling with a frenetic threat landscape and
hundreds of investigations across the country.
The bombing in Manhattan in September that
injured more than two dozen people crystallized
concerns: A journal found with the Afghan-born

U.S. citizen accused in the explosion praised terrorists like Osama bin Laden, prosecutors say.
Donald Trump has proposed various means of
choking off a terrorist influx, though that would do
little to stop self-radicalized Americans.
Hillary Clinton says Muslim-Americans help the
struggle against homegrown extremism because
they can prevent young people from joining jihadis
and notify authorities when they suspect radicalization. Shed prohibit people on terrorist watch
lists from being able to purchase weapons.
ENERGY
Energy independence has been a goal of every
president since Richard Nixon. Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump have very different ways to get
there. How energy is produced and where it comes
from affect jobs, the economy and the environment.
Domestic production of all types of energy except coal has boomed in recent years, spurred by
improved drilling techniques such as fracking and
discoveries of vast oil supplies in North Dakota and
natural gas in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio,
New York and West Virginia.

Hillary Clinton vows to continue the boom while
ensuring the U.S. generates enough renewable energy to power every home in America within 10
years.
Donald Trump vows to unleash American energy, allowing unfettered production of oil, coal,
natural gas and other sources to push the U.S. toward energy independence and create jobs.
Both Clinton and Trump support natural gas,
a cleaner alternative to coal. Trump calls for rescinding the Clean Power Plan, a key element of
President Barack Obamas strategy to fight climate
change. Clinton is committed to Obamas climatechange goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
by up to 30 percent by 2025.
LGBT
Same-sex marriage is now the law of the land,
but there are other battlegrounds related to civil
rights and nondiscrimination protections for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people. Two
CONTINuE ON PAGE 6
Congress District 27
Working across the aisle key in Congress race

By Chris Ramirez
chris.ramirez@caller.com
361-886-3667
Votes, fundraising and hand

shaking all matter in the race to
represent the Coastal Bend in
Congress.
This year, a persons ability
to work with others not in their
party may also factor into how
things play out.
Three-term congressman
Blake Farenthold, a Republican, is facing Democratic
challenger and political newcomer Raul Roy Barrera in
the General Election.

In recent weeks, the pro-life
incumbent has worked to update
language in key federal aimed at
fermenting and improving economic development in South
Texas.
Farenthold also wrote an
amendment to the Water Resources Development Act of
2016 that called for multiphase
projects previously authorized
by Congress to not require a
new start or new investment decision in order for
work to continue. The amendment, he feels, may ultimately
help remove government red

tape from such efforts as the
Port of Corpus Christi Channel
Improvement Project. He also
reached across the aisle to U.S.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D- Laredo,
to craft language for the project
in the Fiscal Year 2017 House
Energy and Water Appropriations Bill.
Barrera, a security guard at
the federal courthouse in Corpus
Christi, said he also would embrace bipartisanship, if elected.
In the March primary, Barrera defeated Reynaldo Ray
Madrigal, a retired photographer
RaulRoyBarrera
BlakeFarenthold
Party: Democrat
Age: 65
Occupation: Security
Party: Republican
Age: 54
Occupation: Member of
Political experience: None
Political experience:
guard
Q. What is your plan to help

stimulate job growth in your district?
BARRERA A. My plan is to lower
taxes on small businesses, this

way they can keep more of their
money and hopefully create more
better paying jobs and resolve
some of the nations challenges.
Give businesses a federal tax
break for hiring veterans. I have
never held a publicly elected position, but have served in numerous
nonprofit organizations, i.e., Red
Cross volunteer, Knights of Columbus, Little League coach, civil
defense and emergency management.
FARENTHOLD A. I will continue to work with local officials

and industry to bring economic
growth and development to
our area. We must reduce jobdestroying regulations, oppressive taxes, and outrageous health
Congress
Current U.S. House

of Representatives
insurance costs. The federal

government needs to get out of
the way and allow businesses
and entrepreneurs to meet the
demands of the marketplace,
grow and provide good-paying
jobs. Our infrastructure, like
roads and ports, as well as our
military must be strengthened.
I am committed to our community and our country. Its why I

work so hard listening to Texans who elected me by returning
home almost every weekend, attending community events, hosting live and telephone town halls
and helping people cut through
D.C. red tape.
Q. What can you do to restore

voter confidence in Washingtons
ability to resolve the nations
challenges?
BARRERA A. To make sure that
Q. What distinguishes you from

your opponent(s)?
BARRERA A. For the passed
we keep the government open

and reach across the aisle and
vote bipartisan to resolve issues
that would help all Americans.
FARENTHOLD A. Washington is
broken and Americans are tired
of being lied to. We need leaders
who are more concerned about
whats best for the country, not
whats best for their re-election.
40 years I have served the

American public and never for
personal gain or prestige. Constituents deserve the right to be
represented with high moral
standards. Also, I will represent
all interests in the region effectively and professionally.
FARENTHOLD A. We need elected officials committed to honesty

and service, putting the country
before themselves. We need
from Corpus Christi, and Wayne

Raasch, a computer science
teacher from Wharton County.
Barrera, 65, would be the first
to admit his campaign strategy
is anything but elaborate. He
has spoken at town halls and
barbecues, while also putting
thousands of miles on his SUV
driving throughout the district
since his primary win to meet
constituents. At a Dairy Queen
in Bay City, he met with veterans, who he believes are among
his core supporters.
If I win it, Ill tell people
youre my boss. I work for you,
he said. You have to be bipartisan. If an idea comes from a

Republican or a Democrat or
whatever ... and its good for
everybody, then thats what we
have to do.
The district includes all of
Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas,
Refugio, Calhoun, Matagorda,
Jackson, Wharton, Lavaca, and
Victoria counties. Also included
are parts of Gonzales, Bastrop,
and Caldwell counties.
Members of congress earn a
salary of $174,000.
business-smart people to restore

a healthy economy, balance the
budget, create jobs, lower taxes,
secure the border, destroy ISIS
and restore the American dream.
Im a seventh-generation Texan
and business owner who knows
the value of hard work, the importance of a good education and
caring for others.
responders.
Q. What do you see as the three

major issues you would tackle, if
elected?
BARRERA A. Maintain efficient
services for veterans, maximize

educational programs for all and
protect the Second Amendment.
FARENTHOLD A. My priorities are keeping America safe,

improving the economy and
bringing honesty back to government, making it more efficient,
effective and transparent. Safety starts with secure borders,
defeating ISIS and protecting
the Second Amendment. For a
healthy economy, we need to get
rid of excessive government regulation (including Obamacare
and regulations from an alphabet soup of agencies), reform tax
law and meet our transportation
needs to create jobs. We must
support our veterans and first
Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam
Q. What is your solution to ending the impasse on immigration

law changes? Do you support
building a wall along the U.S.Mexico border?
BARRERA A. If any individual
wants to come in into the United

States, he must be screened to
be sure he does not have any
kind of criminal record. If that
person is clear, provide him/her
with a visa to stay and work in
the U.S.A. for five years. If that
person does not commit any
crimes, he can apply for citizenship, provided that he has
a Social Security card and his
paper work in order.
FARENTHOLD A. First, we
must secure the border. Americans were promised a secure
border in exchange for amnesty
by President Reagan. There is no
point changing immigration law
if we do not enforce it. We need a
wall in urban areas. In rural areas, a virtual wall of sensors,
aerostat balloons, unmanned
aerial vehicles and other assets
will work. Both physical and
virtual walls must be supported
with adequate manpower empowered to do their job.
Thursday, October 20, 2016 3
2016 Election Guide
District 20
JuanChuyJ.Hinojosa
VelmaArellano
Party: Democrat
Age: 70
Occupation: Attorney
Party: Republican
Age: 56
Occupation: Court
Texas state senator, January

2003 to present; Texas state
representative, January 1997
to January 2003; Texas state
representative January 1982 to January 1991.
Q: What are your top three

goals for the office?
HINOJOSA A: 1. Put South
Texas at the forefront of critical

discussions and secure funding
that will help stimulate our local
economies. 2. Protect funding
for our local communities and
increase crucial services to our
most vulnerable populations
the young, elderly, sick, and poor.
3. Fight to better our South Texas
communities by successfully
passing important legislation
reporter Political experience

(this is any appointed political
boards as well as offices held):
None
related to education, health care,

water, transportation, jobs and
workforce development, veterans, and criminal justice.
Q: What distinguishes you from
your opponent?
HINOJOSA A: As a Vietnam
USMC veteran, an attorney practicing law, and your state senator

since 2003, I have the experience
necessary to continue leading
District 20 toward a successful
and prosperous future. As vice
District 43
chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I have put South Texas at

the forefront of critical discussions and secured millions of
dollars in funding that has helped
stimulate our local economies.
Experience matters. Leadership
makes a difference.
Q: How should the Legislature
address changes to the states
funding of public schools?
HINOJOSA A: Education is the
best equalizer. It is knowledge
J.M.Lozano
MarisaY.Garcia-Utley
Party: Republican
Age: 36
Occupation: Wingstop
Party: Democrat
Age: 41
Occupation: Owner, In
Political experience: (this is
Political experience
franchisee
Motion fitness studio
any appointed political boards

as well as offices held): State
Representative District 43, 2011 to
present
Q. What are your top three

LOZANO A. I will continue my
advocacy for public education,

including more funding in the
classroom, eliminating the STAAR test and expanding career and
technology programs. Secondly,
I will continue to vigorously oppose TWIA rate hikes and fight
for fairness. Third, I will continue
to advocate for more funding for
STEM programs at Texas A&MKingsville and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. With the tremendous
economic growth on the Port of
Corpus Christi, we need more
STEM graduates.
GARCIA-UTLEY A. My first
goal in office is simply establishing a presence in each county in
District 43. This means being in
(this is any appointed political

boards as well as offices held): Jim
Wells County Democratic Party
chairwoman
communication with all county,

city, civic and school leaders and
have an on going working relationship with their boards. Getting to know each communitys
strengths, weaknesses and needs
would ensure a true and proper
representation of the constituents in that county. I would also
hold town hall meetings where
citizens of each county could
voice their opinions and concerns, where their voices could
be heard and their ideas would
be welcomed to find solutions.
your opponent(s)?
LOZANO A. I believe in bring-
ing people together and working

through any differences. With
my background building, owning
and operating four businesses
in Kleberg, Jim Wells, Kleberg,

Nueces and San Patricio County,
I know how to balance a checkbook, eliminate wasteful spending and maximize the taxpayers
return on their investment. As
a Chairman and member of the
leadership team in the House, I
bring results. I listen and learn
from my constituents and experienced community leaders.
GARCIA-UTLEY A. I was raised
on a ranch in the small community of Ben Bolt with both of my
parents working as school teachers. We lived a very modest and
simple country life. My parents
worked very hard, even second
jobs and summer jobs to make
ends meet. They struggled just
like most of us do today. I grew
up knowing how important it
that empowers our children to

succeed. We cannot continue to
cut school funding that results
in decreased academic performance. We must make smart
investments in our students,
teachers and schools. Our current school financing system is
inadequate and fails to distribute funds fairly among school
districts in wealthy and poor areas. I will work toward creating
a system that provides equitable
funding for all students.
Q: What changes should the
state make to reduce domestic
violence in your district and the
rest of South Texas?
HINOJOSA A: Since the 1980s,
the prevention of domestic violence in Texas has been a top

priority and I have authored and
supported legislation to overcome domestic violence. We can
achieve better responses from law
enforcement by amending current
was to work hard and be extra

conservative with spending (as
there was not room for luxuries).
As an adult I experienced two
divorces, being a single parent
(twice), living with little or no
extra money and did my best to
learn from unfavorable choices
and negative consequences.
I later owned and operated a
large commercial landscape and
maintenance business, a Subway
franchise and presently a fitness
studio for women that I started
from the ground up with my 2011
tax return.
After overcoming multiple
adversities, I now am running
this campaign with the support
of my loved ones, true friends
and those I have met along the
way who believe in me and my
fight for this seat. I do not have
wealthy parents who can write
large checks. I do not have special interest groups backing me
with thousands of dollars. I do
not own three franchise eateries
that set me in the upper income
level. Nor do I have wealthy acquaintances with deep pockets.
I am a small-business owner
with an establishment that has
been affected by the economic
downfall that transpired when
statute to allow the arrest of abusers based on reasonable suspicion.

It will take more than one person,
one agency, or one government
entity to curb domestic violence.
Q: What are your state spending priorities? Where are you willing to cut spending?
HINOJOSA A: Writing the next
budget will not be an easy task.

We need to invest in our future
by properly funding our public
schools and keeping college affordable for our working families. We must continue to prepare for growth and to increase
infrastructure funding so that
more projects may be supported.
Dedicating critical investments
to both our seaports and land
ports is dedicating ourselves
to a competitive and profitable
economic future for all Texans.
ARELLANO did not respond to
the questions.
the oil and gas industry disappeared. I am a single parent

who tries to balance work, a
campaign and time with my
children and being involved in
their extracurricular activities.
Instead of throwing money at
media and marketing through
extravagant billboards, thousands of mail-out flyers to every
mailbox, negative phone polling
methods and writing checks at
every public event, like my opponent, I am working tirelessly
to meet as many people as I
can at community District 43.
I have been working diligently
since December 2015 to attend
community events, school board
and council meetings, Commissioners Court, churches, sporting events, luncheons, coffees,
teas, veterans meetings, family
reunions, door-to-door block
walking and on and on. I believe
that my hard work, determination and Gods favor will allow
me to be the representative and
voice of the underserved, underprivileged and those who just
need hope to continue and rise
from their unfortunate circumstances.
Continue on page 7
VOTE
YES! for
KIDS SAKE
$194 million
CCISD bond election
EDUCATION. TECHNOLOGY.
ATHLETICS
SAFETY. INNOVATION.
WHATS INCLUDED
HIGH SCHOOLS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
CARROLL:
MIRELES and WEBB:

New 10 classroom additions for each campus to
accommodate student population growth
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
RAY:
Safety and security upgrades

New ROTC facility
Culinary Arts renovation; add stage to
cafeteria
Main eld articial turf, locker room and
other athletic renovations
Window replacement and remodel and
re-plumb restrooms
BAKER:
New state of the art middle school campus
1,000 student capacity, expandable to 1,200
Next Generation learning spaces
Land swap with the City of Corpus Christi to relocate public
park
SOUTH PARK AND CUNNINGHAM:

New state of the art consolidated middle school campus
MOODY:

New ROTC facility and robotics lab
Next Generation learning spaces

1,000 student capacity, expandable to 1,200
expansion
New computer labs and science labs
Replace portables with classrooms
Main eld articial turf and other athletic
renovations
MILLER:

Gymnasium addition
New law enforcement and CTE Facilities
Athletic upgrades
New ROTC facility and computer labs
KING:
Safety and Security Upgrades

Renovations to ne arts areas and
computer labs
Locker rooms and weight room
renovations and new wrestling area
Cheer and dance area renovations
Main eld articial turf and other athletic
renovations
CABANISS ATHLETIC COMPLEX
CULLEN AND HAAS:

19 classroom addition to consolidate middle school
campuses
New track and eld, tennis courts and boys and girls locker
room additions
CC-1310002

Parking and bus drive reconguration
Upgraded main entry
New ROTC, ne art expansion/renovation
Main eld articial turf and athletic
renovations
Visitor press box expansion

New video board
New turf elds for baseball, softball and
soccer
New middle school competition elds and

natatorium renovations
Additional parking
EARLY VOTING
ELECTION DAY
Oct. 24-Nov. 4
Nov. 8, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.CCISD.US

Political ad paid for by the K.I.D.S. Bond Program, Catherine Susser, Treasurer
2016 Election Guide
2016 General
Election
Federal, State
and Judicial
Federal
President and Vice President
Donald J. Trump and Mike Pence (R)

Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine (D)
Gary Johnson and William Weld (L)
Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka (G)
U.s. rePresentatiVe, district 27
Blake Farenthold (R)

Raul Roy Barrera (D)
U.s. rePresentatiVe, district 34
Rey Gonzalez Jr. (R)

Filemon B. Vela (D)
state and JUdicial
railroad commissioner
Wayne Christian (R)

Grady Yarbrough (D)
Mark Miller (L)
Martina Salinas (G)
state senator, district 18
Lois W. Kolkhorst (R)

Kathie L. Stone (L)
Velma A. Arellano (R)

Juan Chuy Hinojosa (D)
Judith Zaffirini (D)

Eddie Lucio Jr. (D)

state rePresentatiVe, district 30
Geanie W. Morrison (R)

Todd Hunter (R)

Abel Herrero (D)

J.M. Lozano (R)

Marisa Yvette Garcia-Utley (D)
JUstice, sUPreme coUrt, Place 3
Debra Lehrmann (R)

Mike Westergren (D)
Kathie Glass (L)
Rodolfo Rivera Munoz (G)
Paul Green (R)

Dori Contreras Garza (D)
Tom Oxford (L)
Charles E. Waterbury (G)
coUnty commissioner, Precinct

no. 1
Mike Pusley (R)

Robert G. Hernandez (D)
no. 3
John Marez (D)

JUstice oF the Peace, Precinct 1,
Place 1
Manuel Manny Rangel (R)

Joe Benavides (D)
Place 1
Jo Woolsey (R)
Alex Garcia (D)
Place 1
Robert Bobby Gonzales

constaBle, Precinct 1
Robert Bobby Cisneros (D)

Mitchell Clark (R)

Jimmy Rivera (D)

Robert W. Sherwood (R)

Frank Flores III (D)

nUeces coUnty
drainage district. 2
commissioner (Vote none, 1, 2,
or 3)
Daniel Trevino
Jesse Rojas III
Carlos Pena
Juan Johnny Ochoa
Ruben De Leon
Emma Burleson-Villanueva
Balde Torres III
Sam Santos
Rodney Flores
Rosie Ruiz
Celestino Pingo Ramos
Robert Bobby Ramon
Edward WaldoGarza
BanqUete isd
Board oF trUstees Vote For none,
1, 2, 3, or 4
Lilliana Nash
Carla Ramirez
Ofelia Pena
Alex Cavazos
Jose Angel Arce
Lorena Morales
Hernandez
Tracy N. Wright
Abbi Lyn Pena
corPUs christi
Eva Guzman (R)

Savannah Robinson (D)
Don Fulton (L)
Jim Chisholm (G)
JUdge, coUrt oF criminal aPPeals,
Place 2
Mary Lou Keel (R)

Lawrence Larry Meyers (D)
Mark Ash (L)
Adam King Blackwell Reposa (G)
Place 5
Scott Walker (R)

Betsy Johnson (D)
William Bryan Strange III (L)
Judith Sanders-Castro (G)
Place 6
Michael E. Keasler (R)

Robert Burns (D)
Mark W. Bennett (L)
JUstice, 4th coUrt oF aPPeals,
Place 6
Jason Pulliam (R)

Irene Rios (D)
JUstice, 13th coUrt oF aPPeals,
Place 3
Greg Perkes (R)

Leticia Hinojosa (D)
district JUdge, 79th JUdicial
district (Jim Wells, Brooks)
Richard C. Terrell (D)

district JUdge, 343rd JUdicial
district (aransas, Bee, san
Patricio)
Janna K. Whatley (R)

district attorney, 36th JUdicial
district (aransas, san Patricio)
Sam Smith (R)

district (Jim Wells, Brooks)
Carlos Omar Garcia (D)

coUrt (Bee, liVe oak and mcmUllen)
Jose Aliseda
district attorney (kleBerg,
kenedy)
John T. Hubert (R)

Nathan P. Fugate (D)
Nueces County
district
Nanette Hasette (D)

district
Inna Klein (R)

Jose Longoria (D)
district
Missy Medary (R)

district attorney
James O. Gardner (R)

Mark A. Gonzalez (D)
coUnty attorney
Laura Garza Jimenez (D)

sheriFF
Jim Kaelin (R)

Larry Olivarez (D)
tax assessor-collector
Kevin Kieschnick (R)
mayor
Dan McQueen
Nelda Martinez
coUncil memBer, at large (Vote
For none, 1, 2, or 3)
Reynaldo Ray Madrigal

Margareta Fratila
Michael Hunter
Joe McComb
Paulette Guajardo
Chad Magill
John Garcia
Jimie Owsley
coUncil memBer, single memBer
district 1
Carolyn Vaughn
Ryan Schroeder
district 2
Ben Molina
Brian Rosas
district 3
Lucy Rubio
Rick Gomez
district 4
Greg Smith
Lloyd Stegemann
district 5
Rudy Garza Jr.

ProPosition 1
Replacing the portion of the

Type A sales tax that expires in
2018 with the adoption of a oneeighth of one percent sales and
use tax (maintaining the current
level of sales and use tax) to
be administered by a Type B
Corporation under Chapter 505 of
the Texas Local Government Code,
to be effective for 20 years, with
the use of the proceeds for: 1) 50
percent for economic development,
specifically the promotion and
development of new and expanded
business enterprises to the full
extent allowed by Texas law; (2) Up
to $500,000 annually on affordable
housing; and (3) Balance of proceeds
to be used for construction,
maintenance and repair of arterial
and collector streets and roads. (Yes
or No)
ProPosition 2
Whether the Corpus Christi Crime

Control and Prevention District
should be continued for ten years
and the crime control and prevention
district sales tax should be
continued for ten years. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 3
Amending the City Charter to

establish a dedicated fund to be
used solely for residential street
reconstruction and authorizing the
City Council to levy, assess and
collect a property tax not to exceed
six cents per one hundred dollars of
assessed value for the purpose of
residential street reconstruction, to
be gradually implemented at a rate
of not more than two cents per one
hundred dollars of assessed value
per year. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 4
Port aransas
Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco isd

provide that in the event of disability
of the Mayor for more than 30 days,
the Council Member elected at large
who received the highest number of
votes shall become the Mayor Pro
Tem and act as the Mayor during the
period of disability. (Yes or No)
ProPosition
school Board memBers, Place 1

(Vote For none or 1)
ProPosition 5
Amending the City Charter to allow

for procurement of contracts for
independent auditor with terms up
to five years. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 6

provide for the appointment of
two alternate members to the Civil
Service Board. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 7

eliminate the prohibition on City
employees filing for nomination
or election to municipal public
office to comply with Texas Local
Government Code Section 150.041.
(Yes or No)
ProPosition 8

provide authority to issue bonds
in accordance with the laws of the
State of Texas. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 9
Amending the City Charter to clarify

the approval process for leases,
update the statutory reference, and
eliminate the waiting periods for
leases and lease amendments which
do not exceed 5 years. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 10
Amending the City Charter to update

legal references in the General
Powers section and clarify the
General Powers. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 11
Amending the City Charter to clarify

the procedures regarding purchases
and contracts in conformity with
state law. (Yes or No)
ProPosition 12
The issuance of bonds for

designing, constructing, renovating,
and making permanent street,
sidewalk, and drainage, and any
related improvements in the
aggregate principal amount not to
exceed $18,350,000, and levying a
tax in payment thereof, with priority
given to the following:
Residential Street Rebuild
Program
Americans with Disability Act
(ADA) improvements
Projects receiving external
funding for all or part of
their costs (including Texas
Department of Transportation
Participation Projects and
Developer Participation Projects
under the Unified Development
Code). (Yes or No)
corPUs christi isd
trUstee, at large (Vote For none,
1, 2, or 3)
Robert Hinojosa
Marty Bell
Totsy Armadillo
Alice Upshaw-Hawkins
Jose Cavazos Jr.
John Stearns
Janie Bell
Hector Salinas
S. Jaime Arredondo
Jim Gold
trUstee, district 2
Tony Elizondo
ProPosition
The issuance of $194,565,000 of

school building bonds for acquiring,
constructing, renovating, and
equipping school buildings in the
district and the purchase of the
necessary sites for school buildings,
and the levying of a tax, sufficient
without limit as to rate or amount,
to pay the principal of and interest
on the bonds and to pay the costs
of any credit agreements executed
or authorized in anticipation of, in
relation to, or in connection with the
bonds. (Yes or No)
del mar college
regent, at large
Trey McCampbell
Laurie Turner
regent, district 2
Susan Hutchinson
regent, district 5
The issuance of not to exceed

$4,500,000 of City of Port Aransas,
Texas general obligation bonds for
streets, bridges, and sidewalks
improvements, and the levying of a
tax in payment thereof (Yes or No)
roBstoWn
Utility Board trUstee, Position 3
Lily Garza
Victor Orona Jr.
Robert J. Gonzalez
Cezar Martinez
roBstoWn isd
school trUstee, Place 1
Adolfo Ramon Jr.

Oscar M. Lopez
Eva Elizondo Orona

James B. Zavala
Ramiro Ram Alejandro Jr.
Emily Roldan
Beatrice Salinas Marines
Richard Gonzalez
Hector Marez Lopez Jr.

Ismael Smiley May Gonzalez
West oso isd
trUstees, FoUr year term Vote
For none, 1, 2, 3, or 4
Michael Frank Rodriguez

Juan J.J. Canales
Shirley Jordan
Mario Rincon Sr.
Rose Marie Soto
Velma Rodriguez
Liz Gutierrez
Aransas County
ProPosition
The issuance of $139,000,000 of

Bonds to construct and equip school
buildings and levying the tax in
payment thereof. (Yes or No)
FloUr BlUFF isd
trUstee, Place 1
Steve Ellis
trUstee, Place 3
Flo East
Jeff Rank
sheriFF
Bill Mills (R)

Jeri D. Cox (D)

no. 1
Jack Chaney (R)

no. 3
Brian C. Olsen (R)

constaBle, Precinct no. 1
Doc Thomas (R)

Charlie Phillips (R)
Bee County
coUnty attorney
Mike Knight (R)

sheriFF
Stephen Phipps (R)

Aiden E. Southmayd III (D)
Linda G. Bridge (R)

coUnty commissioner, Precinct 3
Sammy G. Farias (R)

Santiago Jimmy Martinez (D)
Jennifer Welp
trUstee, Place 7
Michael Morgan
london isd
trUstee, at-large
Javier Huerta
Gayle Neessen
Carter K. Green
Scott Humpal
Julie Garcia Ramos

Rolando Ramirez (Bullet)
Sharon Swisher Daniels

Noe Chato Cadena
Maria Saenz Garza

Higinio Garcia
san diego
mayor
Rupert Canales III

David Ramos
Alonzo Lopez Jr.
Araseli Sally Bernal Lichtenberger
city coUncil Place 4
Maria Agapita Luna

Araceli Shelly Gaitan
city coUncil Place 5
Margarito Maldonado III

Jose Frankie Briones III
san diego isd
Manuel Molina
Ruperto Canales Jr.
Carlos Cale Espinosa

Pete A. Guerra
Rene Valerio
Antonio Trey Contreras III
Tomasita C. Tommie Salinas
Kleberg County
JUdge, coUnty coUrt at laW,
UnexPired term
Christian Pineda (R)

Jaime E. Carrillo (D)
coUnty attorney
Kira Talip (D)

sheriFF
Richard Kirkpatrick (R)

Juan J. Gonzalez (D)
coUnty tax assessor-collector
Melissa T. De La Garza (D)

no. 1
David Rosse (R)

Mario A. Mendietta (D)
no. 3
Roy Cantu (D)

Matthew D. Walbeck (R)

Bill Hack (D)
Omar Rosales (D)

Grace Moya Garcia (D)

Amando O. Vidal
PettUs isd
trUstees (three oPen seats*)
You are permitted to vote up to

three times for one candidate but no
more than three votes may be cast.
Brittney Constante Martin
Danny Foley
Craig Oliver
Mary Helen Utley
Jaime Rodriguez
John Hodge
Jennifer L. Arismendez
Victoria (Tory) Harris ore-tynan isd
school Board trUstees Vote
none, 1, 2, or 3
Rick Olivares
James Bennett
Edward Polasek
ProPosition
The issuance of not to exceed

$4,500,000 of Skidmore-Tynan
Independent School District school
building bonds for the purposes of
designing, constructing, renovating,
improving, acquiring, and equipping
school facilities and the levying of a
tax in payment thereof. (Yes or No)
San Patricio
County
sheriFF
Leroy Moody (R)

coUnty tax assessor-collector
Dalia Sanchez (R)

Alma Aleman-Guerra (D)
coUnty commissioner Precinct 1
William E. Ski Zagorski Sr. (R)

Nina G. Trevino (D)
coUnty commissioner Precinct 3
Alma Villarreal Moreno (D)

coUnty commissioner Precinct 4 UnexPired term
Howard J. Gillespie (R)

Jacobo Jacob Lopez (D)
Joe Gaitan (D)

Steve B. Garcia (D)

Parnel D. Haynes (R)
Jim Wells County

coUnty attorney
Michael Guerra (D)

Adan Caro (R)
Danny J. Bueno (D)
Juan C. Gonzales (D)

Ronald Ron Howe (R)

JP Easley (R)
Terry Gonzales (D)
Mary C. Lozano (D)

no. 1
Margie H. Gonzalez
no. 3
Richard R. Miller (R)

Carlos Coach Gonzalez (D)
trUstee, Place 6

coUnty attorney
Kristen Barnebey (R)
sheriFF
Ed Bennett
Jim Boggs
Mario Escobar
Jesus Chuy Salinas Jr. (D)

Jim Long (R)

Mateo Clark (D)
Frank Davila Jr. (D)

Robert Vasquez Sr. (D)

Edward Eddie Valdez (R)

Bartolo V. Guajardo Jr. (D)
mathis
ProPosition
The legal sale of all alcoholic

beverages including mixed
beverages. (Yes or No)
taFt
alderPerson Ward 1
Martin Salcido
Leonard Vasquez
alderPerson Ward 2
Lolo Hernandez
Anita Adams
groUnd Water conserVation
BoardmemBer, at large
Clarence Chopelas
Richard Dupriest
BoardmemBer, Precinct 1
Charles Ring
BoardmemBer, Precinct 4
Stephen Thomas
2016 Election Guide

#votingbecause
The Caller-Times and the
USA TODAY NETWORK are
asking readers to tell us
why theyre voting. And as
long as you are voting, there
is no bad because. Visit
VotingBecause.com and
share your because.
VOTER ID
What you need to know
CALLER-TIMES FILE
Nueces County voters can

vote at any polling location
By Julie Garcia
julie.garcia@caller.com
361-886-3774
For the first time ever, Nueces

County registered voters can go
anywhere.
In August, the county was approved to participate in the countywide election precinct polling place
program just in time for the Nov. 8
general election. The program was
put forth by the Texas secretary of
state in 2014.
The program will give county

residents the option to vote at any
polling location, regardless of what
their designated election precinct
is, on Election Day.
For example, if you live in Flour
Bluff, but work downtown, you can
cast a ballot at any vote center in the
county with proper identification or
an alternative form of identification.
Nueces is one of six Texas counties with at least 100,000 residents
to do away with requiring residents to vote in their precincts. The
Nueces County
Early Voting
Dates: Oct. 24 - Nov. 4
Times:
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 24-28
7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 29
Noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 30
7 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 31-Nov. 4
*Curbside voting will be available at all
locations. Information: 361-888-0303
Locations:
Nueces County Courthouse, 901 Leopard St.
Bishop Community Center, 102 W. Joyce St.
Bishop
Calallen ISD (Administration Building), 4205
Wildcat Drive; Closed 10/30
City Hall (1st Floor Utility Section), 1201
Leopard St.; Closed 10/29 and 10/30
Christian Fellowship, 6602 S. Staples St.;
Closed 10/29 and 10/30
CCISD (Administration Building), 801
Leopard St.; Closed 10/29 and 10/30
Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Center, 5151
Mcardle Road
Del Mar College (Heldenfels Administrative
Building), 101 Baldwin Blvd.
Ethel Eyerly Senior Center, 654 Graham
Road
FBISD (Maintenance Building), 2510 Waldron
Road; Closed 10/29 and 10/30
Greenwood Senior Citizens Center, 4040
Greenwood Drive
Hilltop Community Center, 11425 Leopard
St.
Johnny S. Calderon County Building, 710 E.
Main St. Robstown
Petronila Elementary (Cafeteria), 2391
County Road 67 Robstown; Closed 10/2410/26 and 10/30
Port Aransas Community Center, 408 N.
Alister St. Port Aransas
Robstown City Hall, 101 East Main
Robstown; Closed 10/30
RISD (Administration Building), 801 N. First
St. Robstown; Closed 10/29 and 10/30
Schlitterbahn, 14353 Commodores
Drive
TMISD (Adminstration Building), 9768 La
Branch St.; Closed 10/29 and 10/30
Valencia Hall, 6110 Ayers St.
Veterans Memorial High School, 3750
Cimarron Blvd.
Temporary Early
Voting Locations
Army Depot (Building 8), 308 Crecy St.; 8
a.m.-5 p.m. 10/24 and 10/25; 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
11/2 and 11/3
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christis
University Center (Legacy Hall Room 124),
6300 Ocean Drive; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 10/26 and
10/27; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 10/31 and 11/1
Banquete ISD (Admin Building), 4339 Fourth
St., Banquete; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 10/27 and
10/28; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 10/31 and 11/1
David Berlanga Community Center, 1513 2nd
St., Agua Dulce; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 10/28; 7 a.m.-7
p.m. 10/29, 11/3 & 11/4
London High School, 1306 Farm-to-Market
Road 43; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 10/31 & 11/1
Election Day
7 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 8
Voting Locations:
Antonio Garcia Arts & Education Center,
2021 Agnes St.
Baker Middle School, 3445 Pecan St.
Banquete Isd, 4339 Fourth St., Banquete
Ben Garza Gym, 1815 Howard St.
Bishop High School, 100 Badger Ln., Bishop
Bishop Primary School, 705 W. Main St.,
Bishop
Blanche Moore Elementary, 6121 Durant
program is seen as a solution to the

number of polling locations that
were deemed incompatible, therefore unusable, with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
There will be 92 vote centers
across the county. Curbside voting
will be available at all locations.
The move was backed by the
countys Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the League of
Women Voters.
Twitter: @Caller_Jules
Drive
Brooks A.M.E. Worship Center, 2101 N Port
Avenue
Calallen East Elementary, 3709 Lott Avenue
Calallen Middle School, 4602 Cornett Road
Cimarron Senior Apartments, 2802 Cimarron
Blvd.
Club Estates Elementary, 5222 Merganser
Drive
Cullen Middle School, 5224 Greely Drive
Cunningham Middle School, 4321 Prescott
St.
David Berlanga Community Center, 1513 2nd
St., Agua Dulce
David Crockett Elementary, 2625 Belton St.
Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Center, 5151
Mcardle Road
Del Mar College, 101 Baldwin Blvd.
Driscoll I.S.D., 410 W. Ave. D, Driscoll
Driscoll Middle School, 3501 Kenwood Drive
Ella Barnes Elementary, 2829 Oso Parkway
Ethel Eyerly Senior Center, 654 Graham
Road
Fannin Elementary, 2730 Gollihar Road
Fire Station #7, 3722 S. Staples St.
Fire Station # 9, 501 Navigation Blvd.
Fire Station # 11, 910 Airline Road
Fire Station #12, 2120 Rand Morgan Road
Flour Bluff Isd (Maintenance Bldg.) , 2505
Waldron Road
Galvan Elementary, 3126 Masterson Drive
Gibson Elementary, 5723 Hampshire Road
Gloria Hicks Elementary, 3602 Mcardle Road
Grace Presbyterian Church, 6301 Yorktown
Blvd.
Grant Middle School, 4350 Aaron Drive
Hamlin Middle School, 3900 Hamlin Drive
Harold T. Branch Academy, 3902 Morgan St.,
Hilltop Community Center, 11425 Leopard
St.,
Island Presbyterian Church, 14030 Fortuna
Bay Drive
John F. Kennedy Elementary, 1102 Villarreal
Road
Johnny Calderon Building. , 710 E. Main St.,
Robstown
Keach Family Library, 1000 Terry Shamsie,
Robstown
King High School, 5225 Gollihar Road
Kiwanis Recreation Center, 3933 Timon Blvd.
Kolda Elementary, 3730 Rodd Field
Korean Presbyterian Church, 4326 Mcardle
Road
Kostoryz Elementary, 3602 Panama Dr.
La Retama Central Library, 805 Comanche
St.
Lindale Senior Center, 3135 Swantner Drive
London Isd Middle/High School, 1306 Farmto-Market Road 43
Lotspeich Elementary, 1000 Ruben Chavez
Rd., Robstown
Lulac West Apartments, 10702 Interstate
Highway 37
Luther Jones Elementary, 7533 Lipes Blvd.
Magee Elementary - Star Annex, 4201
Calallen Drive
Menger Elementary, 2401 S. Alameda St.
Metro E Elementary, 1707 Ayers St.
Mg Building Materials, 7406 S. Padre Island
Drive
Mireles Elementary, 7658 Cimarron Blvd.
Montclair Elementary, 5241 Kentner St.
Moody High School, 1818 Trojan Drive
Nueces County Esd #4, 5781 Farm-toMarket Road 666, Robstown
Oak Park Recreation Center, 842 Erwin
Avenue
Our Lady Of Mnt. Carmel Mission, 1080 S.
Clarkwood Road
Oveal Williams Senior Center, 1414 Martin
Luther King Drive
Parkway Presbyterian Church, 3707 Santa
Fe St.
Peerless Cleaners, 2806 Santa Fe St.
Petronila Elementary, 2391 Cnty Rd. 67,
Robstown
Port Aransas Community Center, 408 North
Alister, Port Aransas
River Hills Baptist Church, 16318 Fm 624,
Robstown
Robert Driscoll Elementary, 122 W. Ave. H,
Robstown
Ronnie H. Polston County Bldg. , 10110
Compton Road
Rose Shaw Elementary, 2920 Soledad St.
Voters in Texas without a photo ID will be able to cast

their ballots in the November election as long as they sign a
declaration stating they have a reasonable impediment to
obtaining one of the types of photo identification required in
Texas voter ID law.
Voters may show an alternative form of identification
such as a utility bill or government check that displays the
voters name and address. Voters may also use photo IDs
such as a drivers license or personal ID card from any state,
expired or not. However, those who do have one of the forms
of ID are still required to show it.
Acceptable forms of photo ID:
Texas driver license issued by the Texas Department of
Public Safety (DPS)
Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS
Texas personal identification card issued by DPS
Texas license to carry a handgun issued by DPS
United States military identification card containing the
persons photograph
United States citizenship certificate containing the
persons photograph
United States passport
Alternative forms of ID that will allow voters to sign a
reasonable impediment declaration:
Valid voter registration certificate
Certified birth certificate (must be an original)
Copy of or original current utility bill
Copy of or original bank statement
Copy of or original government check
Copy of or original paycheck
Copy of or original government document with your
name and an address (original required if it contains a
photograph)
Source: Texas Secretary of State
Saint Johns Baptist Church, 5445

Greenwood Drive
San Pedro Elementary, 800 W. Ave. D,
Robstown
Schanen Estates Elementary, 5717 Killarmet
Drive
Schlitterbahn, 14353 Commodores Drive
Scott Vetters Scout Hut, 3221 Mckinzie Road
Smith Elementary, 6902 Williams Drive
South Park Middle School, 3001 Mcardle St.
St. Anthony Violet Catholic Church, 3918
County Road 61, Robstown
T.G. Allen Elementary, 1414 18th St.,
The Peoples Baptist Church, 1355 Farm-toMarket Road 665,
Tom Browne Middle School, 4301 Schanen
Blvd.
Travis Elementary, 3210 Churchill Drive

Tuloso-Midway High School, 2653 Mckinzie
Road
Tuloso-Midway Middle School, 9768 La
Branch St.
Valencia Hall, 6110 Ayers St.
Veterans Memorial High School, 3750
Cimarron
Villa Of South, 4834 Yorktown Blvd.
West Oso Junior High School, 5202 Bear
Lane
Windsor Park Athena School, 4525 S.
Alameda St.
Woodlawn Elementary, 1110 Woodlawn
Drive
Yeager Elementary, 5414 Tripoli Drive
Zavala Senior Center, 510 Osage St.
Endorsed by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times

I believe CCISD can be the best school district in the state. This is a
very pivotal time in our district. I want to keep the momentum moving
forward to insure our teachers have the tools and resources to educate,
motivate and graduate our children to reach their greatest potential.
The knowledge and experience gained over the past four years as a
Trustee is the expertise I carry into the next four years to move this
district forward to be exceptional. - Janie Bell
Keep education
dollars in the classroom
Balance innovation and
accountability to measure
student growth and achievement
Encourage parental participation in schoolss
and education
Graduate students prepared for college
or the workforce
#7 ON THE BALLOT
#1 FOR EDUCATION
Early Voting: October 24 November 4
Election Day: Tuesday, November 8
Pol. Adv. Pd. for by the Jane Bell Campaign, Terrie Steen,
Treasurer, 217 Bayridge Dr. Corpus Christi, Texas 78411
2016 Election Guide
Nueces County District Attorney

JamesGardner
MarkA.Gonzalez
Age: 51
Party affiliation: Republican
Political experience: No
Age: 37
Political affiliation: Democrat
previous political board

position or offices held
Q: What are your top three

GARDNER A: Implement a
sustainable training and mentoring program for prosecutors

and staff.
Implement a Domestic Violence Prevention program and
prosecution strategy that does
not re-victimize the victims of
domestic violence and that incorporates drug and alcohol
counseling along with victim
assistance.
Change/Innovate the case
intake process to eliminate
backlogs, save taxpayer dollars,
and eliminate the Friday Misdemeanor Arraignment docket.
GONZALEZ A: My top three
goals for the office are to 1. Ensure that cases are prosecuted
and the community is protected
ethically, professionally, and
transparently; 2. Improve office
morale and foster an environment where talented, committed prosecutors feel invested in
Candidate for 148th District

Court in 2014
the community theyre serving;

and 3. Foster a greater presence
in and bond with the community.
Q: What distinguishes you from
your opponent(s)?
GARDNER A: I am the only can-
didate who has honorably served

in the U.S. Armed Forces. I am
endorsed by the Coastal Bend
Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Corpus Christi Police Officers Association, Nueces County Sheriff Officers Association, and the
Fraternal Order of Police. I am
the only candidate who has prosecuted and defended individuals who have been charged with
committing crimes, both misdemeanors and felonies. Being on
both sides of a criminal case gives
me a unique perspective that my
opponent does not possess.
GONZALEZ A. Im distinguished from Mr. Gardner by
the fact that for 10 years, Ive
tried high level cases as a defense attorney nearly week in
President (cont.)
From Page 2
polarizing questions: What sort of access

should transgender people have to public bathrooms? And are the advances for
LGBT rights infringing on the religious
freedom of some Americans?
Whoever wins the presidency will be
somewhat limited in his or her ability to
influence national LGBT-rights policies.
A pending LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill is unlikely to advance through
a Republican-controlled House. And the
nationwide legality of same-sex marriage
is unlikely to be threatened.
However, the election outcome could
determine how aggressively federal agencies work to expand LGBT rights. Hillary Clinton would probably press efforts
to bolster transgender rights. Thus far,
federal judges have generally been unsympathetic to arguments that certain
types of anti-LGBT discrimination are
permissible if in accordance with a persons religious beliefs. Donald Trump has
told conservatives hed place a high priority on religious liberty.
RACE AND POLICING

The continued deaths of unarmed
African-American men women and children at the hands of police are turning
into one of the most consequential civil
rights issues of the new millennium. Since
the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson,
Missouri, the sharing of video-recorded
deaths of African-Americans at the hands
of law enforcement has sparked unrest
in many cities around the country, and
prompted calls for additional training and
more monitoring of police forces.
Hillary Clinton has offered specific
proposals, including legislation that
would help end racial profiling, providing
federal matching funds for more police
body cameras and overhauling mandatory minimum sentencing.
Donald Trump has described himself
as the law and order candidate, and has
not specifically addressed plans on race
and policing. He endorsed a former New
York City police policy called stop and
frisk after unrest in Charlotte, North
Carolina, over the police shooting of
Keith Lamont Scott.
ISLAMIC STATE
As Islamic State militants suffer setbacks in Iraq and Syria, they are becoming more intent on inspiring lone-wolf attacks, already seen in the U.S. and Europe.
The group seized swaths of land in Iraq
and expanded its territory in Syria in a
dramatic blitz in 2014. The militant group
slaughtered civilians in its march to try
and establish a radical caliphate, and has
spawnedastringofdeadlyattacksacrossEurope, the Middle East and the United States.
Besides holding major cities in Iraq
and Syria, the group has either claimed
responsibility or been linked as a possible inspiration for the November attacks in Paris; the mass shootings in San
Bernardino, California; the subway and
airport bombings in Brussels; the Orlando
nightclub shootings; and the Bastille Day
truck attack in Nice, France.
Hillary Clintons plan to deal with
the IS threat abroad and at home mostly
embraces what President Barack Obama
is doing. Donald Trump has vowed relentless bombing and expressed support
for enhanced interrogation techniques.
Other details are lacking.
TAXES
Presidents like to try reshaping the tax
code to make substantive changes in fiscal
policy and to show voters their priorities.
Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton
have made clear that thats just what they
want to do. Theres an enormous difference between their approaches and goals.
Trump, the Republican, is intent on
cutting taxes. Hed collapse the current
and week out, trying more than

150 jury trials during that time.
My trial experience makes me
uniquely equipped to know how
to build a successful case alongside the investigating agencies
and how to anticipate the defenses that may be mounted.
Q: Whats your strategy for improving prosecutors salaries and
maintaining morale?
GARDNER A: First, I would like
to create incentive pay for prosecutors who become board certified in criminal law or criminal
appellate law. Second, properly
supervising, training, and mentoring prosecutors will improve
their trial skills, self-confidence,
and morale. Current feelings of
being overwhelmed and undersupported will be things of the
past. Finally, appreciate and value
the prosecutors, and the work they
do, and turnover will decrease and
workplace morale will increase.
GONZALEZ A: I intend to lead
seven income tax brackets, which peak

at 39.6 percent, into just three tiers with a
top rate of 33 percent, slice the corporate
income tax and eliminate the estate tax.
Analysts say the wealthy would benefit
disproportionately.
Clinton, the Democrat, is proposing tax
increases on the rich, including a minimum
30 percent tax on incomes over $1 million
and higher taxes on big inheritances. Most
taxpayers would see little or no impact on
their tax bill, but the government might
look different. Shed use the added revenue
to expand domestic programs.
GUNS
The right to bear arms is carved into the
Constitution and seemingly embedded in
the national DNA. But after a seemingly
endless stretch of violence, Americans are
confronting how far those rights extend.
Do Americans have the right to have
AR-style firearms, the long guns with a
military look used in the past year in several mass shootings? Should they be able
to buy magazines that hold 10 or more
bullets? Should every gun buyer have to
pass a background check?
Donald Trump casts himself as an ardent protector of gun rights and proclaims
that if more good guys were armed there
would be fewer gun tragedies.
Hillary Clinton wants to renew an expiredbanonassault-typeweaponsinstituted
when her husband was president. Shes also
called for measures to ensure background
checks are completed before a gun sale goes
forward, mandating such checks for gunshow sales and repealing a law that shields
gun manufacturers from liability.
JOBS
Tepid income growth and a smaller
share of the population at work have kept
many Americans anxious about jobs and
the economy, seven years after the Great
Recession ended.
And most jobs that pay decent wages
require more education than in the past,
leaving many workers feeling left behind.
Donald Trump says he would cut regulations and taxes to spur more hiring,
and renegotiate or withdraw from trade
agreements to bring jobs back to the U.S.
Hillary Clinton says she would spend
more on roads, tunnels, and other infrastructure and make state colleges and
universities tuition free to most students.
Even though hiring has been healthy
for the past six years, incomes have
lagged. A typical household didnt see its
income recover to pre-recession levels
until just this past July. And the proportion of Americans working or looking for
work remains below pre-recession levels,
as some of the unemployed have given up
searching for jobs.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Big changes are coming to Social Security, sooner or later.
If left to later, those changes promise
to be wrenching.
The trustees who oversee the program
say it has enough money to pay full benefits until 2034. But at that point, Social
Security will collect only enough taxes
to pay 79 percent of benefits. Unless Congress acts, millions of people on fixed incomes would get an automatic 21 percent
cut in benefits.
Social Securitys financial problems
might seem far off. But the longer Congress waits to act, the harder it will be
to save Social Security without dramatic
tax increases, big benefit cuts or some
combination.
Hillary Clinton has proposed expanding Social Security benefits for widows
and family caregivers. She says she would
preserve Social Security by requiring the
wealthiest to pay Social Security taxes
on more of their income. Republican Donald Trump has promised not to cut Social
Security. Hes suggested hed revisit the
program after his tax-cut plan boosts economic growth.
by example and get back into

the courtroom at least once a
month, requiring my supervising
attorneys to do the same. That
will ensure prosecutors feel
supported and led by the office
leadership. I will also lobby the
Commissioners Court for pay
increases for office personnel
and review the office budget to
determine how resources might
be reallocated to support more
competitive salaries.
Q: Would you consider reallocating funds to create a domestic
violence unit? If not, why not? If
yes, how would you make it happen?
GARDNER A: Creating a domes-
tic violence unit can be costly.

Before taxpayer dollars are spent
I would like to see what other jurisdictions are doing to combat
domestic violence. The 34th Judicial District Attorneys Office
in El Paso has a very interesting
domestic violence program. I
would also like to visit El Paso,
Bexar County (San Antonio),
and Harris County (Houston)
to see how these offices address
domestic violence cases. I do
not like reinventing the wheel,
especially with very limited
taxpayer dollars. I would like
to implement different parts of
these programs and tailor them
to the needs of this community.
MINIMUM WAGE
Modest income gains, strikes by fastfood workers, the rapid growth of lowpaying jobs while middle-income work
shrinks. These factors have combined to
make the minimum wage a top economic
issue for the 2016 campaign.
Millions would benefit from higher pay,
of course. But an increase in the minimum wage would also boost costs for employers and may slow hiring.
Hillary Clinton supports raising the
minimum wage at least to $12 an hour,
even higher at state and local levels.
Donald Trump has said he supports an
increase to $10, but thinks states should
really call the shots. Its $7.25 now.
Why the momentum for higher minimums? The typical households income has
fallen 2.4 percent since 1999. Low-paying industries, such as retail, fast food and home
health care aides, are among the largest and
fastest-growing. And many low-wage workers are older, have families and are probably
more willing to demand higher pay.
WALL STREET REGULATION
The debate over rules governing banks
and the markets comes down to this: how
to prevent another economic catastrophe
like the Great Recession ignited by the financial crisis in 2008. The worst upheaval
since the 1930s Depression wiped out $11
trillion in U.S. household wealth and
about 8 million jobs. More than 5 million
families lost their homes to foreclosure.
The economic recovery over eight
years has been halting and slow.
The goal behind the most radical overhaul of financial rules since the 1930s was
to rein in high-risk practices on Wall
Street and prevent another multibilliondollar taxpayer bailout of banks. In the
package of rules Congress enacted in
2010, regulators gained new tools to shut
banks without resorting to bailouts. Risky
lending was restricted and a new federal agency was charged with protecting
consumers from deceptive marketing of
financial products.
Republicans and many in the business
community say the restrictions have
raised costs for banks, especially smaller ones. They want the overhaul law repealed. Donald Trump calls it a disaster,
saying he would dismantle most of it.
Hillary Clinton says the financial rules
should be preserved and strengthened.
REFUGEES
With millions of Syrians displaced by
a years-long war and hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to Europe, countries around the world are being pressed
to help resettle people seeking refuge.
The United States pledged to accept
10,000 such refugees by the end of the
budget year in September and did so, a
month early.
Republicans have balked at the idea
of allowing people from Syria into the
United States and Donald Trump has
called for a halt on refugee resettlement
for them. He says vetting of these refugees is inadequate.
Hillary Clinton has pledged to expand
the Syrian refugee program and allow as
many as 65,000 such refugees into the
United States.
The fate of the program almost certainly hinges on the outcome of the November
election.
CHILD CARE/PAY EQUITY
In much of the U.S., families spend
more on child care for two kids than
on housing. And if youre a woman, its
likely you earn less than your male colleagues. Thats according to the latest
research, which suggests that while the
U.S. economy has improved, women and
their families are still struggling to make
the numbers work.
Women comprise about 57 percent of
the labor force and many of them have
young children. If they arent getting paid
enough to make ends meet, more families
I would also work closely with

the Womens Shelter of South
Texas and take a message of prevention to all of the middle and
high school students in Nueces
County. Prevention must be part
of prosecution. NO TE DEJES!
(Dont let it happen to you).
GONZALEZ A: I will consider
not only reallocating funds but
also reallocating manpower to
more effectively address domestic violence. There are a few
ways I intend to do this. First,
cases will be filed and staffed
within 30 days to ensure the victim and defendant are contacted
very shortly after the offense.
This is important to ensure that
the victim is safe and secure immediately, and not returning to
the same environment without
contact from victims advocates
and law enforcement. Second,
two assistant district attorneys
will be assigned on the weekends to make sure that victims
hurt over the weekend will not
have to wait until the workweek to make contact with law
enforcement and make a complaint. Third, I am considering
creating a dedicated domestic
violence unit comprised of experienced prosecutors to build,
staff, and try domestic violence
cases at both the misdemeanor
and felony levels.
will seek out government aid programs

or low-quality, unlicensed daycares for
their children.
Clinton wants a 12-week governmentpaid family and medical leave program,
guaranteeing workers two-thirds of their
wages up to a certain amount. Trump proposes six weeks of leave for new mothers, with the government paying wages
equivalent to unemployment benefits.
Both candidates propose tax relief for
child care costs. Trumps plan provides
for a new income tax deduction for child
care expenses, other tax benefits and a
new rebate or tax credit for low-income
families. Clinton says no family should
spend more than 10 percent of its income
on child care. She would double the child
tax credit for families with children 4 and
younger, to $2,000 per child.
EDUCATION
Education is a core issue not just for
students and families, but for communities, the economy, and the nation as a
global competitor.
The country has some 50 million K-12
students. Teaching them, preparing them
for college and careers, costs taxpayers
more than $580 billion a year, or about
$11,670 per pupil per year. A better education usually translates into higher earnings.
And while high school graduations are
up sharply and dropout rates down, the
nation has a ways to go to match the educational outcomes elsewhere. American
schoolchildren trail their counterparts in
Japan, Korea, Germany, France and more.
For students seeking higher education,
they face rising college costs and many
are saddled with debt.
Hillary Clinton has proposed free tuition at in-state public colleges and universities for working families with incomes up to $125,000 free for families,
that is, not for taxpayers. Donald Trump
has focused on school choice, recently
proposing to spend $20 billion in his first
year in office to expand programs that
let low-income families send their children to the local public, private, charter
or magnet school that they think is best.
IMMIGRATION
The future of millions of people living
in the U.S. illegally could well be shaped
by the presidential election. The stakes
are high, too, for those who employ them,
help them fit into neighborhoods, or want
them gone.
Republican Donald Trump at first
pledged to deport the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.
Not only that, hed build a wall all along
the Mexican border. But his position has
evolved. Hes sticking to his vow to build
the wall and make Mexico pay. But hes
no longer proposing to deport people
who have not committed crimes beyond
their immigration offences. Still, hes not
proposing a way for people living in the
country illegally to gain legal status.
Democrat Hillary Clinton, in contrast,
would overhaul immigration laws to include a path to citizenship, not just legal
status.
Illegal immigration has been at nearly
40-year lows for several years. It even appears that Mexican migration trends have
reversed, with more Mexicans leaving
the U.S. than arriving. Billions of dollars
have been spent in recent years to build
fencing, improve border technology and
expand the Border Patrol.
Nonetheless the Mexican border remains a focal point for those who argue
that the country is not secure.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Its as if Donald Trump and Hillary
Clinton live on two entirely different
Earths: one warming, one not. Clinton
says climate change threatens us all,
while Trump repeatedly tweets that
CONTINUE ON PAGE 8
2016 Election Guide
13th Court of Appeals

GregPerkes
LeticiaHinojosa
Age: 56
Occupation: Justice 13th Court
Age: 59
Occupation: Lawyer
of Appeals, Place 3
Political Experience:
n Six years as a justice on the
13th Court of Appeals
n Texas Center for the Judiciarys
Board of Directors
n State Bar of Texas Judicial Sections Legislative
Committee and Appellate Council
n Texas Board of Legal Specializations Civil Appellate
Law Advisory Commission

PERKES A. My top three
goals are managing caseload,

timeliness and equal access.
Caseloads have increased dramatically over the years in the
n Judge, Hidalgo County Court

at Law #4, Edinburg, August
1989 to 1994
n Judge, 139th State District
Court, Edinburg, 1996 to 2004
n Preside over felony criminal cases including capital
murder cases and civil trial matters with unlimited
jurisdictional limits.
appellate courts, including the

13th Court, but no appellate justices have been added in Texas.
These increased caseloads impact timeliness of our dockets. I
emphasize that parties need to
adhere to deadlines. Providing
appropriate time to all parties

is the only way everyone has
equal access to the court system and justice.
HINOJOSA A. 1. Assure that
all people have received a fair
trial and that any errors made

by the lower court are corrected.
2. Make decisions in an expeditious manner. As a lawyer, I
know that justice delayed is justice denied. My last case that was
appealed was two years that my
client had to wait for a decision.
This is not fair!
3. To save taxpayers money by
keeping the 13th Court as it is.
your opponent?
PERKES A. My appellate ex-
perience distinguishes me from

my opponent. My entire career
has focused on appellate law,
from my first job at the 13th
Court of Appeals as a briefing attorney, to more than 20
years as a practicing appellate
attorney, to my board certification by the Texas Board of

Legal Specialization in civil
appellate law, to my current
position as justice on the 13th
Court. Also, my service to multiple statewide judicial boards
and committees.
HINOJOSA A. My extensive
and broad legal experience as
a judge and a lawyer. This is
extremely important in that
as an appellate court your job
is to review the rulings of the
trial court and assure that the
law was followed. Also, my opponent is in favor of splitting
up our court into two courts.
This would cost the Texas taxpayers an additional $400,000
a year. I believe this is unnecessary and inefficient.
214th District Court

JosLongoria
InnaKlein
Party: Democrat
Age: 73
Occupation: Attorney, Judge
Party: Republican
Age: 39
Occupation: Judge, Corpus
of the 214th District Court,

Husband, Father, Grandfather
Political experience (this is
any appointed political boards
as well as offices held):
n Presiding Administrative
Judge of the Council of Judges
n Judge of Divert Court (nonviolent first-time
offenders)

LONGORIA 1. Integrity. I will
maintain and reinforce the 214th

District Courts legacy of integrity, professionalism, civility,
and respect.
2. Hard work. I will continue
to enthusiastically address the
hard work of presiding over an
ever-expanding District Court
docket of criminal, civil, and
family cases.
3. Fairness. I will work to see
that justice is administered, case
by case, with wisdom, compassion, and firmness.
KLEIN A. 1. My first goal is to
restore fairness and respect for
Christi Municipal/Juvenile
Court
Appointed to Corpus Christi

Municipal Court and Nueces
County Truancy Committee

your opponent?
LONGORIA Experience. With
16 years of service as a judge

and 39 years as a lawyer, I am
by far the most experienced and
qualified candidate.
Wisdom. Wisdom comes
from successfully handling over
20,000 cases as a Judge. I do
what is right and follow the law,
regardless of the consequences.
Hard work. I have put in countless hours of work as a judge and
have successfully managed this
courts complex docket.
KLEIN A. I have been a public
servant for most of my professional life. I am seeking this office because I want to continue
to serve Nueces County. I bring
new ideas, a unique background,
and enthusiasm to the court. I
am raising my family here so I
am invested in the well-being
District 43
From Page 3
bill which would have increased funding to every single student in my district
and nearly 98% of school districts in
Texas. Thirty years ago, approximately
65% of school funds came from the state
and 35% from local property taxes. Today, the opposite is the case. For every
$1 we invest in education, we get back
$7 to $10 in the future. It is a wise investment.
GARCIA-UTLEY A. Public school funding needs to be equitable for every district and every student. This would
mean that the state would allot a daily,
per pupil cost and make sure every student is covered with the districts portion plus the difference is covered by
the state.
If we can have a uniform highway
system, we can surely have uniformity
and equity in our schools. On a personal level, my children have experienced
firsthand the inequity in schools moving
from the Southside of Corpus Christi to
my rural hometown of Ben Bolt. During
their attendance these past four years,
they have gone with broken water fountains, bathroom stalls, mold in the band
hall, collapsing ceilings in the cafeteria,
severe water leaks that have forced us
to run on a single gym for both middle
and high school athletes and many other
poor conditions that require funds. Every child deserves a fair and even start
despite the economic status their family falls into. It is what our country and
state are founded on, fairness and equal
opportunity!
Q. What changes should the state make
to reduce domestic violence in your district and the rest of South Texas?
LOZANO A. The vast majority of do-
mestic violence victims bury the pain

and live hoping time will change people. I believe part of the reason is because with social media and texting,
we directly communicate less with our
neighbors. Also, abusers have varying
degrees of mental illness. If we do more
to eliminate the stigma associated with
mental illness, I believe many abusers
can be saved. I support providing more
funds to local entities to identify and
address mental health problems. For
those who cannot change their ways,
we must have the resources ready to
lock them up.
GARCIA-UTLEY A. Domestic violence
is a very serious issue affecting our
district and South Texas. We have seen
multiple deaths and serious injuries
suffered in the past months due to this
Q. What steps are needed to

address the issue of domestic
violence in our community?
LONGORIA Raise awareness.
everyone before the court. Both

sides to disputes will be given
the opportunity to be heard;
2. I would like to create a specialized domestic violence court
to address our local domestic
violence epidemic; and
3. We should continue to
update the technology in the
court room to conserve already
strained county resources and
aid in the presentation of cases
to our juries.
Q. How should the Legislature address

changes to the states funding of public
schools?
LOZANO A. Last session, I supported a
of this community. As an immigrant, I have seen the tragic

consequences of the absence of
rights, especially pertaining to
women and minorities.
epidemic. We must start at our schools

and educate our children on right behaviors and model love, compassion and
empathy. Domestic violence is most always a vicious cycle that is witnessed
and often repeated from generation to
generation. As a victim of domestic
violence, I cannot stress the need for
resources to fund agencies that open
their doors and provide a sanctuary to
these individuals and their children.
The state must pass more stringent
laws that make an offender think twice
before committing an act of violence.
Our local law enforcement officers
also need proper equipment such as body
cameras and GPS trackers to do their job
of combating domestic violence in a safe
and effective manner while protecting
those being tormented by threats and
abuse. Domestic violence has become a
pertinent issue in our region but working together we can surely do our best
to prevent any more innocent lives from
being taken.
Q. What are your state spending priorities? Where are you willing to cut spending?
LOZANO A. Our spending reflects
what we value as Texans. For me, thats

public education, health care, public
safety and transportation infrastructure. Ive consistently supported those
during my time in office. Texas has the
equivalent of a balanced-budget amendment. We cannot spend more than we
bring in. We are blessed to not have a
state income tax. All of these combined
have made Texas No. 1 in job creation
nationwide for almost 10 years. We
must identify and eliminate inefficiencies and maximize our taxpayers return on their investments.
GARCIA-UTLEY A. It is not a matter of
cutting spending from an already conservative state budget, but about the unfair tax breaks, lax fines to those who
fail to keep the environment and our
resources from being contaminated and
conserved. It is about using our reserves
or Rainy Day fund for filling the gap in
proper public school funding and adequate health care for every individual
in our state. Money is the root of all
evil only if used improperly or for selfserving and self-gain. But money should
be spent conservatively and wisely on
vital aspects of society such as health
care, education, sufficiently paid school
teachers, safety equipment for our law
enforcement officers, unfunded mandates and funds for road and bridge repairs in our counties and mental and
health care services for our male and
female veterans. Ultimately, we would
improve the quality of life for every citizen of our state.
By publicizing domestic violence

as an issue, we have decreased
the frequency of family violence.
But much more needs to be done.
Work hard. I have adjudicated
thousands of domestic violence
cases. It is difficult work, and
justice must be applied evenly
and sensibly. The criminals who
commit such heinous crimes
know I am going to punish
them. The police and prosecutors know Im going to require
thorough and professional work
to make sure any punishment is
appropriate.
Create a Domestic Violence
Court. By creating a court de-
voted exclusively to family

violence cases, we can (1) deal
swiftly with instances of family violence, (2) help ensure the
safety of victims, (3) hold those
convicted of domestic violence
accountable, (4) consistently
adjudicate these cases, (5)
coordinate with criminal justice

and community agencies that
address domestic violence, and
(6) customize and implement appropriate technology to address
domestic violence issues.
KLEIN A. Our past efforts have
not been successful. We must
first recognize how domestic
violence is unique from other
types of crime, and we must
break the cycle of violence that
passes to each new generation.
According to my research, to
break the cycle of domestic violence, we must create a team
of educators, legislators, lawyers, judges, police, and private
citizens to educate our young
people across all zip codes and
socioeconomic classes about the
impact on families and society
created by domestic violence.
We must also educate our young
people that they do not have to
live in these abusive situations
and that there is help available
for them. We must be able to deliver services to those in need
and protection to those who are
vulnerable. I have begun this
process by meeting with local
professionals in these fields and
am ready to bring these ideas to
Nueces County.
NEW VISION NEW DIRECTION

Working
Working ttogether
ogether tto
oe
end
nd D
Domestic
omestic V
Violence.
iolence.
Domestic Violence Task Force Plan of Action

As Your District Attorney, I will
Seek Justice for Victims

Pursue jail punishment in every domestic violence conviction.
File Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault cases immediately.
Fight for Victims
Prioritize Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault cases
(misdemeanor and felony levels) with Domestic Violence Special
Prosecutors and Coordinators for Crime Victims Assistance to
help victims nd a safe and secure shelter, receive necessary
medical treatment and nancial support from Crime Victims
Assistance Funds.
Work with Law Enforcement
Work diligently with Police and Sheriffs Department, State and
Federal law enforcement agencies to ensure proper, ethical
investigation training and crime scene assessment to le strong
criminal
cases immediately.
Partner with Community Outreach
Work with Womens Shelter 24 hour hotline emergency response.
Pretrial Supervision and Specialized Community Supervision in all
Domestic Violence and Sexual cases for thorough, extensive and
effective monitoring of all offenders.
Seek Financial resources (grants, criminal assessment fees) to
provide nancial help to victims and fund task force programs.
Protect Families and Our Children
Expedite Protective Order process.
Implement GPS Monitoring in every Domestic Violence case.
Implement Outreach Programs to work with the Childrens
Advocacy Center, Womens Shelter, counselors and schools.
VOTE
MARK A. GONZALEZ
Nueces County District Attorney
District Attorney, 105th Judicial
District
Vote for none, or one
Fiscal del Distrito Judicial

Num. 105
Vote por ninguno, o uno
Mark A. Gonzalez
James O. Gardner
CC-1312944
Pol. Ad Paid by the Campaign to Elect Mark A. Gonzalez,

District Attorney
John Gilmore, Treasurer, 924 Leopard St., CC TX. 78401
2016 Election Guide
Nueces County Sheriff
The sheriff earns an annual salary of about $86,900, plus an assigned county vehicle. The sheriff oversees a staff of 327 employees and a budget of about $20.5 million.
JimKaelin
LarryOlivarez,Sr.
Party: Republican
Age: 74
Occupation: Nueces County
Party: Democrat
Age: 62
Occupations: Former Nueces
Q. What ways will you/have

you tried to address domestic
violence cases sheriffs deputies
handle?
KAELIN A. As I suggested
Sheriff
County Sheriff
of Nueces County 10 years
County Sheriff 1996-2005.

Former Chairman of the Gulf
Coast Law Enforcement Alliance
Project (LEAP) with the U.S.
Attorneys Office, Texas Attorneys Office and U.S.
Department of Justice and NCIS.
Political experience: Sheriff
Q. How important is it for the

sheriffs office to maintain a close
relationship with the community?
KAELIN A. The sheriff is elect-
ed by the citizens of the county

they serve. The sheriff is also
the chief law enforcement officer of that county as set out in
the Texas Constitution. With
this understanding it is critical
the sheriff be accessible to the
citizens who have placed you in
this high office. My record shows
I have and will continue to maintain a close relationship with our
citizens.
OLIVAREZ A. Advocating
Community Policing concepts,
identifying sensitive issues
Political experience: Nueces
plaguing the community and

empowering the community to
assist law enforcement in finding
resolution is critical.
your opponent?
KAELIN A. The best word is
integrity. The citizens have had

the chance to make comparisons between me and my opponent. I took over a failed jail and
brought it back to respectability.
I have reestablished lost connections between the sheriffs office
and other law enforcements
agencies. Prior to taking office
the previous elected sheriff created a wall between his office
and the city police department.
That is why (city police have)

endorsed me again for sheriff.
OLIVAREZ A. I am the only
candidate that has put out a comprehensive plan for this community and jail.
A former three-term sheriff
and a graduate from the National
FBI Academy and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Training in Crisis Management.
I have an urgency in addressing the growing crisis in the jail
and have a plan to elevate this
jail and department from a minimum standard operation to a
national standard of excellence.
in a Caller-Times article, use

the team concept. Just like the
marshals fugitive apprehension task force we need to do
the same with our domestic
violence cases. Video recording
the injured party at the scene
with the understanding the DA
will prosecute. You will not be
able to come in and get the case
dismissed. So just how do we
stop this violence ... one case at
a time.
management classes;
Work with state representatives and senator to modify family code and penal code.
Q. Whats your strategy to deal
with jail overcrowding?
KAELIN A. I have been work-
ing on that now for several years.

Construction will begin soon at
the McKenzie Annex to add 144
new beds. This will help but it is
only the start. As sheriff I must
lead the charge to get the commissioners to start planning now
for the population which will
increase even more in the days
and years to come. The key is effective planning. We start now.
OLIVAREZ A. I am the only

candidate who has made Domestic Violence part of my written
platform. The community needs
a comprehensive plan that will
address current and future victims of domestic violence now.
Ankle monitoring for first offenders;
Work to localize Texas Victims Notification program;
Collaborate with board of
judges on domestic violence
sentencing and court mandated de-escalation and anger
OLIVAREZ A. Utilize the Federal Forfeiture Drug Fund to hire

two assistant DAs to work exclusively inside the jail with judge to
quickly move out presentenced
nonviolent drug offenders. PR
bonds for all Class A & B nonviolent, non-gang misdemeanor
offenses, not involving children
or females. Meet with judges to
allow jail magistrate or assistant
DAs to lower or remove bonds
from presentenced prisoners as
needed.
areas and Agnes Street and

Leopard Street corridor, Annaville, Tuloso-Midway, Calallen and Bluntzer. The precinct ends at County Road 70.
The proposed salary, plus car
allowance, for Precinct 1 commissioner is budgeted at $90,590
for fiscal year 2016-17. The term
is four years.
Democrat John Marez is
running unopposed in the Precinct 3 race. Commissioner Oscar Ortiz has held the position
for 22 years. The salary, plus
car allowance, is $94,688. The
term is four years.

Currently there are two
Democrats and three Republicans on the Commissioners
Court, including Republican
County Judge Loyd Neal.
The Commissioners Court
sets and oversees the county
budget and policy-making for
each department, according to
the AgriLife Extension, which
is part of the Texas A&M University System. County commissioners also oversee their designated precincts and find funds
to pay for projects in them.
Commisioner District 1
Election could
change courts
party majority
By Julie Garcia
361-886-3774
One Nueces County Commissioner seat could shake up

the predominately Republican
court.
Republican incumbent Mike
Pusley will face Democrat Robert G. Hernandez for the Precinct
1 commissioner seat. Pusley has
held the seat for eight years.
Precinct 1 includes North
Beach, downtown Corpus
Christi, Del Mar and Lindale
MikePusley
RobertG.Hernandez
Party: Republican
Age: 65
Occupation: Nueces County
Party: Democrat
Age: 66
Occupation: Retired from
Commissioner
Political experience: County
commissioner since 2009; board

member Texas State Aquarium
since 2012; Corpus Christi Planning
Commission 2001-2007; Corpus Christi Storm Water
Advisory Committee 1997-2001; Board of Trustees
Tuloso-Midway ISD 1986-1994

goals for the office?:
PUSLEY A. To continue bring-
ing good, conservative government to Nueces County taxpayers by keeping their taxes as low
as possible; improve drainage
issues in my precinct, I will be
working on a number of drainage projects in my precinct during the 2016/2017 budget year;
continue my work with implementing online jury impaneling
in all Nueces County Courts;
continue the upgrades to our
Nueces County Airport.
HERNANDEZ A. The budget
has to be managed in a way that
stops the accumulation of debt
and properly estimates costs
Nueces County/Owner R.G.

Janitorial
Political experience: Have
been involved in grass roots
campaigns in the Democratic
Party, Republican Party, and the tea party for over 30
years.
for ongoing projects. Restoring

raises to the employees across
the board on a yearly basis, and
not just a select few must be a
priority. Another goal is to stop
wasteful spending such as the
hundreds of thousands spent on
an airport which runs negative
and donating county money to
organizations/events for personal publicity.
your opponent(s)?:
PUSLEY A. I strongly believe
that my experience and education distinguishes me from my

opponent. I have a BS degree in
geology and I worked for almost
40 years in the energy industry
serving in different management
President (cont.)
From Page 6
global warming is a hoax.

Measurements and scientists say Clintons Earth is much closer to the warming
reality. And it is worsening.
The world is on pace for the hottest
year on record, breaking marks set in
2015, 2014, and 2010. It is about 1.8 degrees
warmer than a century ago.
But its more than temperatures. Scientists have connected man-made climate
change to deadly heat waves, droughts
and flood-inducing downpours.
Studies say climate change is raising
sea levels, melting ice and killing coral.
Its making people sicker with asthma and
allergies and may eventually shrink our
bank accounts.
The American Association for the
Advancement of Sciences says warming
can be highly damaging to people and the
planet and potentially irreversible.
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
Its the Goldilocks conundrum of
American politics: Is the government
too big, too small or just right? Every four
years, the presidential election offers a
referendum on whether Washington
should do more or less.
Donald Trump favors cutting regulation and has promised massive tax cuts,
but his plans are expected to add trillions to the national debt. Unlike most
conservatives, he supports eminent domain and has spoken positively about
government-run health care. And dont
forget that massive border wall. Hillary
Clinton has vowed new spending on education and infrastructure that could grow
positions. I have served in numerous appointed and elected

positions in Nueces County
including almost eight years as
county commissioner. My opponent has never served in any
appointed or elected offices.
HERNANDEZ A. My opponent
is part of a system that has increased Nueces County debt by
tens of millions of dollars and
plays politics. I am not beholden
to any special interest groups or
businesses. I will think and act
independently and truly vote
my conscience for the benefit of
Nueces. My opponents finance
reports show donations from
many individuals who have an
interest in significant business
government, too. She strongly supports

Obamacare, which most small government proponents see as overreach.
At its heart, the debate about governments reach pits the desire to know your
basic needs will be cared for against the
desire to be left alone. For the last few
decades, polls have found Americans generally feel frustrated by the federal government and think its wasteful. A smaller
government sounds good to a lot of people
until theyre asked what specific services
or benefits they are willing to do without.
opportunities with the county.
and a cracking parking lot
Q. Define your strategies for

the precincts economic development.:
PUSLEY A. Economic develop-
Q. Whats your strategy to deal

with potential gridlock and partisanship on the Commissioners
Court?:
PUSLEY A. To my knowledge
ment is not just a Precinct 1 goal

but a goal for our entire county
and surrounding areas. This
Commissioners Court works
closely together to support projects in each of our respective
precincts that will bring both
temporary and permanent jobs
to our community. We also work
closely with the Port of Corpus
Christi and the Corpus Christi
Economic Development Corp. to
bring jobs to the entire coastal
bend region.
HERNANDEZ A. This precinct
must embrace and correct the

opportunities which already
exist. We have to attract revenue from the patrons of the outlet mall. Making sure projects
are done properly is very important. For example, Lyondell
Park until I brought attention to it during the campaign,
the youth football field could
not be used because of uneven
ground, huge fire ant mounds,
no restroom facilities, no lights,
benefit programs like Medicare.

Clinton, by contrast, is proposing tax
increases on the wealthy. But she wouldnt
use the money to bring down the debt. Instead, shed turn around and spend it on
college tuition subsidies, infrastructure
and health care.
SUPREME COURT
The ideological direction of the Supreme Court is going to tip one way or
the other after the election. The outcome
could sway decisions on issues that profoundly affect everyday Americans: imDEBT
migration, gun control, climate change
The federal government is borrowing and more.
about one out of seven dolThe court has been oplars it spends and steadily
erating with eight justices
Visit Caller.com to
piling up debt. Over the
since Antonin Scalia died
learn
more about:
long term, that threatens
in February. His successor
the economy and peoples
appears unlikely to be con-Income inequality
-Infrastructure
pocketbooks.
firmed until after the elec-Russia
Most economists say ristion, at the earliest. The
-Money in politics
ing debt risks crowding out
court is split between four
-Trade
investment and forcing inDemocratic-appointed,
-China
terest rates up, among other
liberal justices and four
-America and the world
problems. At the same time,
conservatives who were
-Voting rights
rapidly growing spending
appointed by Republicans
-Iran
on federal health care pro although Justice Antho-Executive authority
grams like Medicare and
ny Kennedy has sided with
the drain on Social Security
the liberals on abortion,
balances caused by the rissame-sex marriage and
ing tide of baby boomers could squeeze affirmative action in the past two years.
out other spending, on roads, education,
The ninth justice will push the court
the armed forces and more.
left or right, depending on whether
It takes spending cuts, tax increases or Democrat Hillary Clinton or Repubboth to dent the deficit. Lawmakers in- lican Donald Trump becomes presistead prefer higher spending and tax cuts. dent. President Barack Obama has
Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald nominated Merrick Garland to take
Trump has focused on the debt.
Scalias seat, but the Republican SenTrump has promised massive tax cuts ate has refused to consider Garlands
that would drive up the debt and hes nomination, in an effort to prevent a
shown little interest in curbing expensive liberal court majority.
we have not had an issue with

gridlock on the Commissioners
Court. We dont always agree on
every issue but for the most part
we work together to do what is
best for this community. There
is no doubt that the court is more
conservative now than in previous years but that is good for
taxpayers. We are all working
together to bring good government to Nueces County.
HERNANDEZ A. My strategy
is to refuse to be part of it. I
am not beholden to any special
interest group or business. I
will vote my conscience after
diligent research and deliberation. I will make sure all the
board appointments are also
done in a fair and neutral manner. Boards, such as the Civil
Service Board, should not be
stacked with political cronies.
I will respect every commissioners opinion regardless of
their political affiliation.
HEALTH CARE
About 9 in 10 Americans now have
health insurance, more than at any time
in history. But progress is incomplete, and
the future far from certain. Rising costs
could bedevil the next occupant of the
White House.
Millions of people previously shut out
have been covered by President Barack
Obamas health care law. No one can be
denied coverage anymore because of a
pre-existing condition. But Obamacare
remains divisive, and premiums for next
year are rising sharply in many communities.
A recent study found that Donald
Trumps proposal would make 18 million people uninsured. GOP congressional leaders have a more comprehensive approach, but key details are still
missing. Overall health care spending
is trending higher again, and prices for
prescription drugs new and old are
a major worry.
Medicares insolvency date has moved
up by two years to 2028.
Hillary Clinton would stay the course,
adjusting as needed. Republicans are
united on repealing Obamas law, but its
unclear how they would replace it.
WHERE THEY STAND: ABORTiON
Democrat Hillary Clinton supports
access to abortion and is an outspoken
defender of Planned Parenthood, which
is the largest provider of abortions in
the U.S. and also offers other health
services.
Republican Donald Trump, who in the
past was a supporter of abortion rights,
now says he isnt. His choice of Mike
Pence, a staunch abortion foe, as his running mate.
LETS CUT THROUGH

THE RED TAPE
Early
Voting Is Open
10/24-11/4
All Voters
Are Eligible!
ITS TIME FOR A NEW DIRECTION:

Spend Our Education Dollars
in the Classroom
Less Bureaucracy More Learning
Marty Bell, Totsy Armadillo and
Alice Upshaw-Hawkins will make sure
our resources are spent in the classroom
not on administration by hiring good,
experienced teachers and giving them the
tools they need to make sure our children
are prepared for the future.
On November 8,
NewDirectionCorpusChristi.com
for Corpus Christi ISD School Board Vote:
MARTY
BELL
TOTSY
T
ARMADILLO
ALICE
UPSHAW-HAWKINS
ENDORSE
D by
Teacher
s
and THE
COR
CHRISTI A PUS
FT
Pol. Adv. Paid for by CCAFT COPE. 4455 SPID #48 C.C. Tx. 78411
CC-1312936
2016 Election Guide
City Council/Mayor
The mayors race
Incumbent competes against returning candidate

By Kirsten Crow
kirsten.crow@caller.com
361-886-4316
Who leads the city and the nine-member council

the mayor will steer the direction of the community
both in governmental policy and in relations with the
public he or she serves.
Like the previous election, Corpus Christis rapidly deteriorating infrastructure remains a ashpoint, including
questions about the quality of its a water system, failing
roads riddled with potholes and continuing negotiations
with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over the
wastewater system.
In November, there will be two options on the ballot:
incumbent Nelda Martinez, president of a real estate
asset company; and Dan McQueen, a Navy veteran and
engineer who ran against Martinez in 2014.
The position has a two-year term.
Two-year terms are short, McQueen said. Still, a mayoral
position offers an opportunity for signicant groundwork
within that time in setting the foundation for the direction of our city, having the communication and vision and
network to move the city in a forward in a positive direction
and move everyone forward, not just select individuals,
he said. In part, that means pursuing high-paying technical
jobs in the community, McQueen added.
The mayors role is to carry the council priorities and
leading a vision that has results, Martinez said. It means
communication with constituents, and team-building
Nelda Martinez
within the council as well as city staff.

Another two-year term would mean building on the
momentum of good-paying jobs and unprecedented investment in our capital improvement program for the
aging infrastructure under the streets and above the
streets, she added.
In terms of infrastructure, residents have seen a trend
of deterioration, McQueen said. Taking the helm, a mayor
should focus on process improvements, along with the
repair of infrastructure, he said, instead of continually utilizing crisis management and not being forward-thinking.
Progress has been made by investing in capital
NeldaMartinez
Age: 55
Occupation: President, Adlen Enterprises, Inc.
Political experience: Elected mayor 2012 -present;
City Council member at-large 2007-2012; past president
of Texas Municipal League 2015; United States
Conference of Mayors Water Council 2013-current;
appointed to State I 69 Alliance Board 2007- current;
appointed to state board Gulf Coast Strategic Highway
Coalition 2009- current; appointed to Corpus Christi International Airport
Advisory Board 2000-2008; appointed by Gov. George W. Bush to Texas State
Board of Plumbing Examiners 1996-2001; appointed to Texas Municipal
League, chair, Legislative Policy Committee on Utilities and Transportation
2009 Legislative Session; appointed member of National League of Cities,
Transportation and Infrastructure Services Committee 2015; vice chair of
Corpus Christi Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), 2016-current,
MPO member since 2013.
DanMcQueen
Age: 56
Occupation: Engineer
Political experience: Flight Safety board member,
STEM advisory board member
Q. What are your top three goals

for the ofce?
MARTINEZ A. Restoring our ag-
ing infrastructure after 40 years

of deferred maintenance, with
a special emphasis on identifying resources for reconstructing
residential streets; stabilizing
our utility rates through strategic planning of investments in
capital improvements to minimize the impact on ratepayers;
and building and retaining our
staff, including public safety,
through employee retention efforts, competitive recruitment of
new employees, and continued
Dan McQueen
assessment of each department.

McQUEEN A. Value for Corpus
Christi is comprised of three
targets. Promote high-paying
quality business entrepreneurialism, startup and growth in
the technology industries. Use
my military Experience as a
veteran to expand relationships
with Navy, Army and grow our
military business. Focus on efciency in the management of
our tax dollars.
your opponent?
MARTINEZ A. My proven
leadership roles have distinguished me as your mayor, council member at-large, in various
statewide leadership positions,
and through years of volunteerism. These experiences
enable me to build consensus
on a broad range of initiatives.
I have in-depth experience in
balancing budgets and leveraging cost efficiencies, planning
for long-term water supplies
and transportation needs, and
establishing a track record for
bringing in good paying jobs for
our community.
McQUEEN A. Key experience and education which will
enhance the value of Corpus
Christi Leadership. My strong
military experience as both a
combat military veteran and
aircraft engineer. In addition to
my involvement in community
development through youth
martial arts programs. I also
hold my masters in computer
science and two BS degrees in
engineering and management. I
am not a politician or in the real
estate business.
Q. Do you support the councils
package, including current bond
and ballot propositions, to fund
residential road construction? Why
or why not?
MARTINEZ A. Yes, I support
the package that will complete

the broad-based strategy we are
implementing for residential
street reconstruction. We identied savings from the general
fund for dedicated resources, we
targeted a portion of funds from
the renewal of the Industrial
District contracts to add to the
improvements and initiatives such as the Street Preventative Maintenance Program, Martinez said. Work
is still ahead for a residential street reconstruction program, she added, but weve been the rst to put a plan
together to put pipes in ground for water distribution.
The largest project in the city is almost inarguably the
continued construction of a new Harbor Bridge.
Although it is an endeavor led by the Texas Department of Public Safety, it will change the face of the downtown area, Northside and North Beach.
The city should be laying down the foundation of
what the city will look like in the future, McQueen said.
There should be a clear path for newly generated jobs,
as well as ensuring care for the residents who will be
displaced by the project, he said, adding that there is
both an economic opportunity and a humanitarian opportunity.
There is also opportunity to optimize our success,
but there needs to be a cohesive plan, he said.
The city has been preparing for the new bridge, both
in land-use development and working with a new planning process for the North Beach area, Martinez said,
knowing we have a great deal of opportunity.
The city must also work with residents of the Hillcrest
and Washington-Coles areas, she said, and ensure it
holds up its end of a four-party agreement for the voluntary relocation of residents.
The mayoral position has an annual salary of $9,000.
Twitter: @CallerCrow
effort, and, with voter approval,

we prudently can establish a
long-term, dedicated funding
source through the creation of
a charter-restricted fund exclusively for residential street reconstruction.
McQUEEN A. The council has
continued to divide the street
system with less production in
solving the issues. We now have
a four part division in our street
issue and residential is the last
priority. The bond package will
maximize the city debt, create
a higher cost and will only address a minuscule street program. Citizens have been bated
into fees and bonds that do
not address the current rate of
street decay.
Q. What should the council do
to assess water and storm water
issues?
MARTINEZ A. Water supply
is a critical role in city policymaking and has been one of my

top priorities. Our long-term
strategic water planning has
been the reason for our competitive position in the global
economy. Water resources have
been the catalyst for our tremendous job growth. We also
should continue in our efforts
to address storm water issues,
ood control, environmental
protection and developing a
reliable funding mechanism
for implementation of related
capital projects.
McQUEEN A. The council and
economic development process
has been remiss in addressing
the major cause of the issues.
Land development without

quality infrastructure and lack
of primary focus on high paying
business development have created this issue. Changing Ocean
Drive is a major example of an
imbalance in city priorities. We
continue to focus on single point
issues without regard for the
cost and impact to the citizens
of Corpus Christi.
Q. What is your assessment of
city staff and what steps are needed to retain or attract top performing government employees?
MARTINEZ A. Our staff va-
cancy rate is reective of the

challenges in recruiting and retaining qualied city staff. We
need to implement the recommendations from the engineering department management
review completed this year and
work with the water department
through peer group guidance to
recruit staff with specic water
expertise and technical certications. Best practices in employee-retention efforts and market
competitiveness in recruitment
are central to having right employees throughout the organization.
McQUEEN A. In any business,
City of Corpus Christi included, it
is important to provide the tools
and knowledge for the success
of staff. We need to ensure value
business practices which will
increase efficiency and promote
professional growth of our key
personnel. Currently our staff
rely on the outside inuences of
consultants and contracted personnel. Focus needs to be placed
on internal development.
2016 Election Guide
City Council, District 1
Schroeder,
Vaughn vie
for District 1
By Matt Woolbright
matt.woolbright@caller.com
361-886-3678
Ryan Schroeder is ready to make

his mark on politics, and his opponent City Councilwoman Carolyn
Vaughn is glad hes in the race.
Schroeder, 29, is the youngest
candidate running for a district
seat on the City Council and knows
beating out Vaughn, who currently
RyanSchroeder
CarolynVaughn
Age: 29
Occupation: Core
analyst
None
Age: 63
Occupation: Business
owner
Two years on the City
Council
Q. What are your top

three goals for the office?
SCHROEDER A. First goal
you from your opponent?

SCHROEDER A. I am not a
is a more efficient budget

and a better way of spending the tax payers money
on projects that will make
good returns for the city.
Second is to have a stable
water infrastructure in
place from the supply to
the wastewater treatment
plants. Third will be to
pick a 10-year city plan and
stick to it.
rich person, nor do I own

or have ties with land developers. I am not looking
at expansion for a way to
increase revenue, instead,
work on the existing infrastructure to make it more
optimal. Create a better
town for all and not for select groups. Have and stick
to long-term goals and not
be shortsighted with just
the two-year term.
VAUGHN A. Infrastruc-
VAUGHN A. I financed my
ture (streets), wastewater

plants and water and public safety.
Q. What distinguishes
own campaign. I have no

ties with any business that
would affect my decisions
on the council. I dont consider myself a politician. I
represents the district that stretches

from North Beach along Interstate
37 and to the Calallen area, is a tall
order.
If Vaughn does win, Schroeder
plans to seek other positions of
public service. Some of the districts chief concerns deal with development issues in the Calallen and
North Beach areas, as well as the
new Harbor Bridge projects effects.
Council members are elected to
infrastructure without increasing taxes or making

a new fee on residents and
businesses.
want to serve the community and help solve problems.

Q. Do you support the
councils package, including current bond and ballot
propositions, to fund residential road construction?
Why or Why not?
SCHROEDER A. The road
proposition is a huge one.

Raising property taxes is
no good but having another bond on the block has
its drawbacks with people
being discouraged on how
many of them it takes to
complete one project. Repurposing funds to help
alleviate the roads can
go a long way in a better
VAUGHN A. I dont support the proposition that

will give the council authority to raise property
taxes to fund residential
streets. I will be voting
no on this proposition because I dont believe property owners should be the
only ones to pay for our
streets. We all use them
but I think voters should
be given that choice. I
think we should find other
sources of funding.
Q. What should the council do to address water and

stormwater issues?
SCHROEDER A. The wa-
ter supply needs to start

at the lake with a new
assessment of the dams
structure and dredging
of the soil deposits to
maintain the maximum
cubic foot for fresh water.
two-year terms and the position pays

$6,000 annually. This year, district
representatives are set to begin their
terms in mid-December because
there will be no runoff elections at
the district level (no race has more
than two candidates).
Early voting begins Oct. 24 and
concludes Nov. 4. Election Day is
Nov. 8.
Twitter: @reportermatt
Stormwater and treatment

plants need an overhaul.
Many of the facilities were
never designed to handle
the volume that currently
flows through. With the
addition of more homes
and businesses tying into
the system, newer and
more efficient plants are
required.
stormwater issues?
VAUGHN A. We need to
look at all of the information on any new water supplies including desalination and determine if it is
affordable. Need to look at
ground water as well.
Q. What is your assessment of city staff and what

steps are needed to retain
or attract top-performing
government employees?
SCHROEDER A. Its a
tough job. Continued education and retraining is

essential to keep a high
quality staff. High standing ethics on a professional and personal level go a

long way. Holding quarterly seminars, monthly
meetings, and semiannual evaluations can have a
huge impact on the working efficiency within the
city. Having accountability for decision-makers as
well as the people who execute the work will narrow
down the weaker links.
VAUGHN A. We are understaffed and need to
pay more for quality engineers to add to existing
staff. You get what you
pay for and repairing our
roads is expensive and
one of our priorities so
it is imperative that staff
knows and understands
all of the issues pertaining
to repairing the roads and
understanding utilities. I
believe we have the staff
we need with the expertise. It will save the city
money in the long run.
District 2 race
includes Ben Molina
and Brian Rosas
BenMolina
BrianRosas
Age: 36
Occupation: Small
business owner
None
Age: 42
Occupation: Sales
manager and business
development
Two years on City Council

MOLINA A. 1. Effective
leadership in District 2:
constructive communication among council, staff,
and stakeholders. 2. Economic development. 3.
Infrastructure residential streets, water supply &
quality, wastewater
ROSAS A. Streets, water/wastewater and infrastructure (to include public safety)
MOLINA A. Im a small-
business owner. Ive been

engaged in our community through service on
boards including president
of Habitat for Humanity,
vice-president of Zoning
Board of Adjustments,
Young Business Professionals, and currently
president of the Westside
Business Association.
Im a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi, and
served on the steering
committee for Class 44.
Im experienced in team
environments with people
from diverse backgrounds,
as well as setting budgets
and reviewing financial
policies.
ROSAS A. I have almost
two years of experience in
budget and fiscal responsibility as a current council
member. I will continue
to ensure tremendous
high transparency of information shared to the
voters of District 2 as well
as the city. I will continue
to envision prosperity of
Corpus Christis economic
development and enticing
future businesses to retain
the talent pool we have
here locally.
Why or Why not?
MOLINA A. Im in sup-
port of propositions except Proposition 3, which

increases property taxes
by 10 percent for residential streets. I support
evaluation of our current
financial policies regarding our general fund. Two
propositions which I feel
are essential are the continuation of the Crime
Control District and the
economic development
sales tax. Both have proved
to be good investments in
our community.
ROSAS A. Yes. I will

remain a steward for my
district and all of Corpus
Christi and it is important
that we vote for all packages except the raising of
taxes. It is imperative that
we vote for the Type A and
Type B moneys. These
types of boards are vital
for local education and
industry.

stormwater issues?
MOLINA A. With our
coastal location and

strong industrial ties, we
should be at the forefront
of desalination. We should
Find an auto now!

Point, click and choose...
from local auto dealers.
By Matt Woolbright
361-886-3678
Just two years after District

2 elected a new representative,
theres a challenger who believes change is needed.
City Councilman Brian Rosas and small-business owner
Ben Molina, of the Westside
Business Association, are
continue to work with our

industrial partners to evaluate the feasibility of this
drought resistant water
source. Proactive maintenance of water supply and
drainage are crucial to the
quality of service provided
by the city to our residents.
ROSAS A. We need to
continue working with
the experts and wait for
the study of Desal and
other reports to really reevaluate all water issues.
Understanding that water
is very vital and is priority
to me on council.

steps are need to retain
MOLINA A. I look for-
ward to supporting our

new city manager, Margie
Rose. I am confident that
the city will benefit from
the organization/staff she
assembles and leads. Ill be
looking to her for what she
needs the council to provide her with so she can retain and attract top-quality
individuals.
ROSAS A. To be truly
balanced across the board
with governmental employees we need to offer incentives and merits
based on performance.
Some departments need
to be based only on performance to ensure that we
are getting the best results
from each employee. Zero
based budgeting will also
help with retention and recruitment.
competing to represent District 2, which includes some

of the oldest sections of the
city. The area is north of South
Padre Island Drive, east of the
Crosstown Expressway and
west of Airline Road (excluding the area just along Ocean
Drive.
Because of its age, street
condition is among the chief
concerns in the district.
Council members are elected to two-year terms and the

position pays $6,000 annually.
This year, district representatives are set to begin their
terms in mid-December because there will be no runoff
elections at the district level
(no race has more than two
candidates).
JIM GOLD
elect
for CCISD School Board At-Large
Jims Priorities
Prepare all graduates to

successfully seek a job, career or
further education.
Provide all staff needed resources
and a quality work environment.
Ensure both academic and scal
accountability.
Establish Community Schools
to provide needed services for AtRisk students.
Make sure all communications
between the District and
students, parents, staff and the
public are clear, accurate and
timely.
Ensure the safety and security of
all students, staff, and visitors.
My vast experience
has prepared me to
analyze, understand
and resolve school issues
from both a business and
educational perspective.
This approach results
in educationally sound
and scally responsible
decisions, which is my
goal as a School
Board member.
Jims Experience
Jim is known as the numbers

man who knows making good
educational decisions requires
both understanding data and the
educational needs of the children.
Jim has 35+ years experience
in educational planning, research,
and evaluation working with
National, State, and local
agencies. He has assisted
policymakers at all levels by
providing and interpreting
data, developing policies and
implementing comprehensive
evaluation and
accountability systems.
Jim retired as Executive Director
for Assessment and Accountability
after devoting 16 years to CCISD.
During his tenure he worked
in-depth with the School Board
and all CCISD campuses and
departments producing data,
reports and research critical to
quality decision-making. He
knows curriculum and instruction,
facilities, enrollment projections,
technology, school nance,
and program evaluation. Most
importantly Jim is a proactive
advocate for students,
teachers and staff.
Political ad paid for by the Elect Jim Gold campaign.

Treasurer-William Skrobarczyk, 248 Circle Dr. Corpus Christi TX 78411
2016 Election Guide
District 3 race pits

Rick Gomez against
Lucy Rubio
By Matt Woolbright
361-886-3678
City Councilwoman
Lucy Rubio and Rick Gomez, a real estate broker,
are battling to represent
the citys southwest corner
this November.
Rubio is a two-year veteran of the City Council
and Gomez is well-known
within the Republican
RickGomez
LucyRubio
immediately.
Age: 37
Occupation: Real estate
broker and business
owner
Vice president for the
Third Coast Young
Republicans, board
member for the Coastal Bend Republican
Liberty Caucus, precinct chair for District 70
Age: 54
Occupation: City Council
member
Currently City Council
member, District 3 (1 year,
10 months), CCISD Board
of Trustees, District 2 (14
years, 8 months), Nueces Democratic county
chairwoman (2 years)
RUBIO A. Thirty years

of public service to my
community, being honest,
trustworthy, transparent,
and hardworking.

GOMEZ A. My top 3 goals
for office are 1. To be available and reachable by all

my constituents when
they have problems or
concerns in the District. 2.
To be transparent by sharing what votes are coming up and how I intend
to vote. 3. To give Corpus
Christi the reputation of
a city that welcomes new
business and is open to
free market growth.

RUBIO A. PIE (which was
shared at the TML Conference). 1. Public safety;
2. Infrastructure (water,
wastewater, streets); 3.
Economic development
(Advocate for new business to District 3 and to
other areas of the city and
remember District 3 is
open for business.).

GOMEZ A. I am a busi-
ness owner and entrepreneur. As a young professional in the community I

will focus on making District 3 a vibrant, clean,
place to invest and live in.
I will devolve power back
to the citizens in the community so they have the
choices in what businesses come and what projects
they would support. I will
focus on reducing our debt

Why or Why not?
GOMEZ A. I do not
support the councils

bond package as it currently stands. I believe
by grouping these bonds
together they create unnecessary, long term
debt, that will eventually
cripple our economy. We
are currently spending
37 percent of our ad valorem tax revenue just
paying our debt service
yearly. I think we can do
Party having run for the

county chairmanship in
2013.
The district, which is
mostly west of Everhart
Road, is home to some of
the citys most well-documented wastewater issues.
Gomez briefly considered
dropping his candidacy
earlier this year after a
civil trial over a past real
estate deal went against
him, but later decided to
keep running.
Council members are
elected to two-year terms
and the position pays
$6,000 annually. This year,
district representatives are
set to begin their terms in
mid-December because
there will be no runoff
elections at the district
level (no race has more
than two candidates).
a better job managing the

repairs to our infrastructure without immediately
reverting to debt as our
go-to fix.
storm water issues will not

be quick resolutions, but
the first thing the council
must do is to work with
the city manager and one
another to tackle the problem head on. Before taking on other major issues
we should have a plan in
place that meets with the
citizens approval on the
ballot. Im also excited to
explore desalination as a
viable option for our region.
RUBIO A. I am supportive
of this 2016 Bond because
it is very important to
bring back Type A. Type A
will become Type A/Type
B and this board would be
supportive of education,
housing, and skilled labor.
Type B will include streets,
which Type A does not. I
am also very supportive of
the Crime Control District
proposition because it currently funds 63 officers. I
will continue to support
any bond that keeps taxes
low.

stormwater issues?
GOMEZ A. The water and
RUBIO A. We have been

asking for a request for information regarding all
water resources available
so the council can make
a decision based on data
and of which we have not
received. The council
still needs to evaluate a
plan regarding storm water, which the staff has not
completed yet.
Smith, Stegemann
compete for Flour
Bluff, island disrict
GregSmith
LloydStegemann
Age: 64
Occupation:
Campground operator
Island Strategic Action
Committee (past
chairman), Coastal
Windstorm Task Force
(vice chairman), Nueces County Beach
Management Advisory Committee (chairman),
Nueces County/city of Corpus Christi Erosion
Response Plan Working Group (chairman)
Age: 47
Occupation: Bariatric
and metabolic surgeon
None

SMITH A. Growing the
economy, we have to increase revenue to the city

to maintain and improve
service to our citizens.
Put residential streets on a
sustaining reconstruction/
maintenance program, our
residential streets are a liability to attracting new
residences and businesses.
Spend our money wisely.
Projects that provide the
greatest benefit to the
community should be the
priority.
STEGEMANN A. If elected to the position, my top
three goals will be to restore trust and confidence
in our city government
through transparency of
action and effective communication, definitively

address our most pressing infrastructure needs
with actionable plans,
and continue efforts to
strengthen and diversify
our economy.
SMITH A. I have worked
on numerous boards,
committees and with
public officials at the city,
county and state levels
on issues facing our area.
Windstorm reform, beach
cleaning, water supply
and desalination, tourism,
transportation, tax equality, dune protection, area
development plans, historical preservation, art
education and public pool
access are community

areas that I have focused
on in the last decade. This
gives me the knowledge,
understanding and working relationships to help
move our city forward.
STEGEMANN A. As a former teacher and Naval
officer and now a smallbusiness owner and physician, I have accumulated a
wealth of experience that I
believe can bring a unique
voice to City Council. I
also have no political, business, or personal ties that
can benefit from Council
actions so residents can be
assured my vote is based
on my research into the issue and discussions with
city staff and District 4
residents.
By Matt Woolbright
361-886-3678
Theres only one race

for a City Council seat
without an incumbent
running, and thats the
District 4 contest.
District 4, which was
represented by City
Councilwoman Colleen
McIntyre, includes Padre Island, Flour Bluff
Why or Why not?
SMITH A. Residential
streets maintenance and

reconstruction are a top
issue facing the city. It
should be placed on a selfsustaining basis. I support the multiple lines of
financing that redirect
current revenues and the
proposed sanitation fee
for funding to the level
proposed by the Street
Committee rather than
a property tax increase.
I support the residential
street bond initiative only
as a jump-start. Bonding
should not be a long-term
solution.
STEGEMANN A. I do support the bond and ballot

propositions as they represent a great start to what
is one of our most pressing
infrastructure needs, but
they do not represent a
long-term fix. It will be my
goal to find savings or new
revenue streams each year
so we do not attempt to fix
our street problem solely
on the backs of property
owners or by going further
in debt.
and the Ocean Drive and

Pharaoh Valley neighborhoods.
Greg Smith, the CEO of
Pioneer RV, and Dr. Lloyd
Stegemann, a surgeon, are
competing for the seat. McIntyre announced in the
spring she would not seek
re-election to focus on a
new job.
Council members are
$6,000 annually. This

year, district representatives are set to begin their
terms in mid-December
because there will be no
run-off elections at the
district level (no race has
more than two candidates).
Early voting begins Oct.
24 and concludes Nov. 4.
Election Day is Nov. 8.

stormwater issues?
SMITH A. The current

steps are needed to retain
SMITH A. I applaud City
council has addressed the

operational issues that
resulted in the water boil.
With the EPA litigation
concerning our wastewater system moving forward
the city should look at the
capital requirements of
both wastewater and potable water together. It
should not move forward
with large capital projects
that would impair our ability to finance the needed
wastewater improvements.
STEGEMANN A. The city
appears to have done an
admirable job in temporizing the issues that
led to the disastrous water boils. While these
measures arent going
to provide a definitive
long-term solution, they
should prevent further
water boils and allow
us to prioritize the more
pressing infrastructure
needs, that being roads
and wastewater. Certainly as roadwork is being done we should try
to address drainage and
underlying infrastructure
needs as well.
Manager Margie Roses

leadership in improving
City Hall morale. A good
working environment is
essential for a well run
city. The city should both
promote from within to
encourage the best out of
our staff and also bring in
outside hires providing
diverse experience. There
are a number of retired employees who could be considered who would provide
the critical institutional
knowledge that has been
lost in the last few years.
STEGEMANN A. We have
many talented and dedicated city employees, but
morale has certainly been
an issue. Poor morale
stems from poor leadership. Our new City Manager Margie Rose is providing the type of leadership
that can turn this situation
around. I pledge to support her efforts and while
I certainly will hold her accountable for the results of
her work, I will also allow
her the freedom to do the
job as she sees fit.
Garza seeks second

unopposed term
for District 5
RudyGarzaJr.
Age: 61
owner
Four years City Council,
eight years City Planning
Commission, four years
Appraisal District, three
years Building Standards Board, four years
Economic Development Council
Q. What are your top three goals for the

office?
GARZA A. 1. Resolution of the Wastewa-
ter Plan. 2. Resolve the final component

of the residential street reconstruction
plan. 3. Continued economic development
initiatives.
Q. What distinguishes you from your opponent?

A. N/A
Q. Do you support the councils package, including current bond and ballot
By Matt Woolbright
361-886-3678
For the second election

in a row, City Councilman
Rudy Garza has no challenger for the City Council
District 5 seat.
Voters on the citys
Southside elected Garza,
a real estate investor, in
2012, and he has ran unopposed since. Garza has

attributed that fact to voters deciding hes done a
good job representing
them.
The district generally
includes everything south
of Holly Road and east of
Everhart Road.
Council members are

$6,000 annually. This
year, district representatives are set to begin their
terms in mid-December
because there will be no
runoff elections at the
district level (no race
has more than two candidates).
propositions, to fund residential road construction? Why or Why not?

GARZA A. Yes, although residential
progress. As for stormwater, we need to

further discuss potential fixes.
Q. What should the council do to address

water and stormwater issues?
GARZA A. In regards to water, I believe
just as important as streets, water, etc.

I think we need to continue to evaluate
and reward top performing employees.
We also need to provide the proper tools
and training to improve the performance
of all employees.
road reconstruction will require a more

sustainable funding strategy, it is a good
place to start.
we need to follow the recommendations

of the city committee and get quarterly
updates from staff on improvements and
Q. What is your assessment of city staff

and what steps are need to retain or attract
top-performing government employees?
GARZA A. Our human infrastructure is
2016 Election Guide
Bonds
How do you want your taxpayer money spent? This election the ballot will have millions in proposed
bonds. Three entities -the city of Corpus Christi, CCISD and Del Mar College- are asking voters to approve
packages that would fund a variety of projects. Heres what you need to know before casting your ballot:
The proposed amendment to

the citys charter would permit
the council to create a fund that
would be solely used for residential street reconstruction. It
would also authorize the council
to use dedicated property taxes
for the fund.
The tax could be raised by no
more than 2 cents per $100 property valuation per year, with a 6
cent cap.
If approved by voters, it would
be up to future councils to implement the increase.
To reach full funding, it would
take at least three years of the
council voting to raise taxes by
the maximum amount two
cents each year.
Full funding would stock the
fund with about $10 million per
year. It has been estimated reconstructing 1 mile of a street
costs about $1 million. In 2014, it
was estimated the total cost of
repairing all residential streets
to a good condition would be
$881 million.
The largest portion of the

proposed $18.35 million bond
program would go to a new residential street reconstruction
program, at $11 million.
In the past, bond funding has
primarily been used for the reconstruction of arterial and collector streets.
It has been estimated it costs
$1 million to reconstruct 1 mile of
a street. A 2014 estimate showed
the total cost of repairing all residential streets to a good condition would be $881 million.
The remaining $7.35 million in
bond funding would go to unrelated road initiatives.
About $2.35 million would be
allocated to matching federal
and state funds for various transportation projects and about $2.5
million would go to continued
ADA improvements.
The remaining $2.5 million
would help cover the citys portion of street construction funding related to new development.
It is the only bond program
proposed by the city on the ballot.
Del Mar College is seeking

voter approval for a $139 million
bond package that would fund
the first of three construction
phases for a new campus on the
Southside of Corpus Christi.
The projected tax rate impact
on a resident with a home valued at about $100,000 would be
about $12 per year.
The plan for the campus has
been in the works since the more
than $6 million purchase of 96
acres at the corner of Yorktown
Boulevard and Rodd Field Road
in 2013. A $1.8 million planning
phase was funded with a $157
million bond package approved
by voters in 2014.
If enrollment reaches specific
milestones, the campus would
ultimately serve up to 20,000
students and have about 5,000
parking spaces. The parking
ratio 1 to 4 is smaller than
east and west campus ratios of 1
to 2.2 and 1 to 3.6, respectively.
It would offer instructional and
laboratory space for specialized
signature programs such as architecture, biotechnology, culinary arts, engineering, hospitality and tourism management and
science, technology, engineering
and mathematics, or STEM, emphasis. The campus also will offer core courses for liberal arts
and transfer students, developmental education, Adult Basic
Education, English as a Second
Language and Early College or
Dual Credit programs.
The Corpus Christi ISD is

seeking voter approval for a $194
million bond package that will
impact 12 campuses and the Cabaniss Athletics Complex.
There will be no tax increase
for the first two years and the
maximum tax rate impact is projected to be no more than 4.07
cents per $100 property valuation.
Much of the bonds focus
would be on improving middle
school campuses. If approved,
about $111.7 million of the
package will fund a new Baker
Middle School and consolidate
Cunningham with South Park as
well as Haas with Cullen. Bakers
replacement and expansion is
expected to cost more than $51
million.
If voters approve the bond,
Mireles and Webb elementary
schools will get 10 new classrooms and more than $21 million
will be used for additions and
upgrades at Cabaniss Athletics
Complex.
Upgrades and additions at all
high schools, except recently
built Veterans Memorial High
School, range from about $6 million to $13 million at each site.
Voters approved Corpus
Christi ISD bond packages in
2008, 2010 and 2014 that totaled
about $417 million. A bond proposal was rejected in 2004. Before that year, the last time a
bond proposal was approved by
voters was in the mid-1990s.
The 2014 bond is paying for a
new Windsor Park Elementary
and Los Encinos Special Emphasis School, the consolidation of
Calk and Wilson elementary
schools, an eight-classroom addition at Oak Park Special Emphasis School, four-lane tracks at
all middle schools, districtwide
security enhancements and
maintenance upgrades at the
five high schools.
Kirsten Crow
Kirsten Crow
Beatriz Alvarado
Beatriz Alvarado
DMCbond2016
TYPEB
This proposition would replace
the 1/8-cent sales tax currently
authorized by voters for a Type A
fund and direct the 1/8-cent sales
tax instead to a Type B fund.
What is known as the Type A
program uses its revenue for affordable housing and economic
development projects, including generating jobs, supporting businesses and investing
in programs that teach workers skills.
A Type B program offers more
flexibility to fund improvements
to arterial and collector streets
considered important for economic development. Other
streets would not be eligible for
the funding.
The proposition would allocate 50 percent of the revenue
to economic development and
as much as $500,000 for affordable housing, in line with a recommendation by the Corpus
Christi Regional Economic Development Corp. The remaining funding would go toward
repairs for arterial and collector streets.
Kirsten Crow
CCISDbond
CHARTER
AMENDMENTTAX
2016BONDPROGRAM
City Council/At-Large
Eight seeking three

at-large seats
on City Council
MargaretaFratila
Age: 57
Occupation: Small
business owner and
business consultant
for medical, real estate
investments and oil field
rental equipment
Experience: Volunteered
on the three governors
steering committees:
economic development,
women in small businesses and organization
of the Texas inaugural ball. Served on the city
of Corpus Christs landmark commission, tree
advisory committee and library board.
office?
A. Streets, infrastructure, clean wa-
ter and wastewater. Public safety by increasing the number of staff for our first
responders. Representing the wishes of
the people, first, not special interest big
corporations, and being the voice from
the people for the people.
Q. What distinguishes you from your opponents?
A. Highly educated, as well as educated
two successful children (doctor and CPA,

CFA). Life experience, speaking five languages. Political involvement on national,
state, local level over 25 years, knowing
personally many leaders, all over the
country. I host two TV shows for four
years locally, interviewing people and
bringing lots of education in community.
Small business owner, over 30 years. No
conflict of interest, self-supported, dedicating 24/7 to constituents.
Q. Do you support the councils package,
including current bond and ballot propositions, to fund residential road construction?
Why or why not?
A. I support most of it. Concerns are
with hidden fees, more than taxes. I would

be more content if they would remove the
red light cameras. If they do not remove
the red light cameras, it is an example of
thousands of peoples voices and wishes
not being considered just like streets repairs.
water and storm water issues?
A. Dimmit Utilities WSC proposed
in 2011 a potable water system from
groundwater source at no cost to city it

was rejected without (being read)! Need
to review. Storm water can be captured
through building holding ponds or applying drastic fees by Code Enforcement on
littering motor oil, garbage, grass trimmings. Streets need to be built at the city
code not with cheap caliche. Crushed
limestone is a better base for asphalt.
and what steps are needed to retain or attract top-performing government employees?
A. Human Resources assesses reviews,
grades all positions in a citys hiring criteria through JAQ document. My masters
degree in human resources helps look
beyond experience and training. Investments in human capital salaries, benefits, pensions and training provide immediate benefits to our citizens. We live
in a competitive economic society and
we cant afford to lose valuable trained
personnel to other cities or agencies. We
need to retain and promote city employees before we look outside.
By Kirsten Crow
kirsten.crow@caller.com
361-886-4316
On its slate of nine,

three members of Corpus Christis City Council
serve at-large meaning they dont represent
a specific city district, but
rather the city as a whole.
In this election season,
eight candidates are vying
for the three seats in the
ballots most crowded race.

As a council, the body
is expected to set policies
for the city, with the city
manager handling implementation. Among other
responsibilities, council
members in the upcoming
term will likely be charged
with helping to craft a residential street reconstruction program, address issues with the water and
wastewater systems, and
propositions, to fund residential road construction? Why or why not?

A. Everywhere I go, citizens want to
talk about streets and infrastructure.

They are frustrated and looking for concrete answers to the street dilemma. That
is our communitys first and foremost
concern. We have not been clear in communicating with our residents about a
vision moving forward that will mitigate
the street issues. We have to fund street
repairs. It is an imperative that I wholeheartedly support.

A. We have to look at the experts to pro-
vide us with a plan for water supply, water

restoration and conservation. What are
we doing to educate our citizens on water? Its limited. People know its a global
come up with a budget that

will adjust to the changing
economy.
The council is made
up of the mayor and eight
council members, five of
which serve specific districts.
All council members
serve two-year terms and
earn a salary of $6,000 per
year.
Twitter: @CallerCrow
concern. But it must be strategic. We have

to walk our community through this issue
with clarity and transparency. We cannot
be coy about this issue.

A. Growing the pipeline of talent is
critical to the future of our city. City staff

needs to be given greater autonomy to attract and retain people with innovative
ideas and solution to our city challengers.
In order to attract talent, we have to be
wiling to pay for it. We have MPAs that
have served as administrative assistants.
We need for our staff to work collaboratively and not work in silos.
Continue on page 14
JohnGarcia
Age: 40
Occupation: Director of
sales for several hotels in
the greater Corpus Christi
area.
Candidate for District 1
City Council in 2014
A. I am running for City Council at-
large to help bring unity to our city and

help alleviate some of the challenges that
we face today including drinking water
quality, infrastructure and a Street Preventative Maintenance Program.
A. I will run on a platform of strength-
ening the citys economic base by encouraging residents to become active and be a
voice to the city. We must build bridges so
that we may all have a chance for prosperity not just a few.
Q. Do you support the councils package, including current bond and ballot
VOTE
ALEX GARCIA
fo r
THE PEOPLES CHOICE
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

PCT 2 - PI 1
Hands On Experience
Community Involvement
Qualified
Honorable
Bi-Lingual
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE

VOTE!
Political ad paid for Alex Garcia, Jr. for Justice of the Peace Pct. 2, Place 2,
Trixy Saldivar, Treasurer, 3926 Gibraltar, Corpus Christi, TX 78414
2016 Election Guide
City Council/At-Large (cont.)
PauletteGuajardo
MichaelT.Hunter
Age: 44
Occupation: Community
volunteer, former
businesswoman
Political experience: No
political experience.
Age: 29
Occupation: Insurance
Corpus Christi City
Council from March 2016
until present

A. Prioritize our

A. Increase econom-
spending toward infrastructure needs (streets, drainage, water)

and public safety (police and fire departments). Improving our bid process and
how contractors get paid so other qualified
companies can bid and we can avoid delays
in job completions. The current process excludes smaller qualified companies. . Work
with our city manager to change the current development services department to
be funded based on development projects
meeting requirements and being approved
rather than funded with fines issued.

A. I owned an insurance agency and ran
it successfully for 15 years. I built it up and

was able to successfully sell it 2 years
ago. I have the desire and as much time
needed to devote to our city issues. I will
inform citizens on what the city is doing
and listen to their concerns and needs. I
am new and will bring a fresh perspective. Lastly, I am an independent thinker.

Why or why not?
A. I support prioritizing city spending for
streets and looking at all other methods of

funding before raising taxes. With interest
rates very low right now, one way to gain
extra revenue is by refinancing some of
the city obligations. I dont have a problem
with a proposition asking citizens if they
are willing to have a tax increase to pay for
residential streets but not as a first solution.
A. All infrastructure should be put as
priority spending. This will help with

economic development and future growth
expanding our tax base so that we can keep
taxes down. We need to make sure we have
a solid plan, working with the right professionals to get it done right the first time.
A. Guidance and good leadership will
motivate staff to produce the expected outcomes. By working closely with the new
city manager and giving her priorities for
the city, she can provide the guidance and
leadership needed to motivate staff where
we see top performing employees.
ic development and help create jobs. To

focus on fixing our infrastructure problems. To create a solid long term plan for
our citys future.
A. I was born and raised in Corpus
Christi and I have been involved with issues that impact our city from a young age.
I provide a unique young perspective to
the council. I have 10 years of experience
working at the state Capitol. I have been
involved with numerous civic and community organizations, including: the Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, The Rotary Club
and The Young Business Professionals.

Why or why not?
A. I voted with council on the current
ballot and bonding issues. I voted against

the recent tax increase on property owners, because I believe there are better alternatives than increasing taxes.
A. We need to be as transparent as pos-
sible so that the citizens are well informed

on these two issues. We have begun a
process to prevent future water boils, we
are working on the FEMA maps for flood
zoning and we are focusing on solving our
drainage issues.
Q. What is your assessment of city staff and

what steps are needed to retain or attract topperforming government employees?
A. We recently appointed City Manager
Margie Rose. Mrs. Rose and the affiliated

departments are working on a plan to retain
current employees and recruit new employees. We have stressed that we need to be
able to compete with the private market.
Reynaldo(Ray)Madrigal
Age: 74
Occupation: Retired
Former judge, Seadrift
A. I am a member
of the 808th Engineer
GROWING.
moneyhassecuredjobsinthesebusinesses:
Majek Boatworks:
Investing $1 million. 51 new

and retained jobs.
Oneta Company:
Whataburger Field:
Hausman Foods:
388 retained jobs.
Help nance the eld that features 5,050 seats

and room for an extra 2,000 fans.
Investing $2.1 million. 52

new jobs.
Turner Industries Group:
CC Cold Storage:
QSROnline.com:
Sam Kane Meat

Processors:
Invested $13 million and created 200 new jobs.
Investing $400,000, creating 10

new jobs.
CC-1313059
$1.5 million investment
70 new jobs.
Political Ad Paid for by FOR Streets, Jobs & Housing CC

Garry Bradford,Treasurer, , 4646 Corona, Suite #100, Corpus Christi,Texas 78411

A. The city staff is doing a good job but
need better pay to stay working for the

city instead of looking for a better paying
job in the private sector.
ChadMagill
Age: 41
Development Officer,
Stewart Title
Corpus Christi City
Council member at-large,
January 2015-present.
Corpus Christi City
Council member District
2, November 2012-January
2015. Executive Board of Directors, Texas
Association of Mexican American Chambers
of Commerce. Chairman of the Corpus Christi
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 2009 and
re-elected 2010. Chairman of the Corpus
Christi Downtown Management District.
office?
A. Needs before wants: prioritize streets,
water, wastewater and public safety. Continue zero based budgeting: In just year one
of ZBB, we managed through an $8 million
shortfall and reduced the general fund budget over $5 million. As we move forward
into year two of ZBB, and realize more savings, we will continue to prioritize funding
into our citys needs. Continue to look into
funding strategies that dont always include
increasing taxes, rates or fees.
sity, citizens tax dollars on needs before

wants has been a consistent message Ive
delivered even before I first ran for elected
office. A commitment to truly understand
our challenges and prioritize our needs before wants begins by studying each issue,
carefully studying each agenda item and
listening to all involved to arrive at a solution that is best for our entire citys future.
and does not raise taxes or fees. Absolutely I support the 2016 bond Residential
Street Reconstruction Program! Citizens
have expected a solution to reconstructing residential streets for decades. Listening to the people every day, its important
to prove what we can accomplish efficiently with the 2016 bond before growing
the program. My grandparents taught me
you have to be good with pennies before
you can be good with dollars.

A. We all know we have billions of dol-
lars of issues with our city infrastructure,

including water and stormwater. Many
utility infrastructure needs overlap. An example would be a typical city street which
includes multi-modal transportation needs,
water lines, gas lines, communications,
storm water channels, wastewater lines
and ADA accessibility needs. Infrastructure needs overlap and can be strategically
replaced/reconstructed efficiently across
our entire city with a continued logical
focus on prioritizing needs before wants.
JoeMcComb
Pepsi bottler will invest $5 million.

31 new jobs. 64 retained jobs.
H-E-B Bakery:
fund new water lines to make sure it

should be rerouted to other parts of the
city instead of to the T-head area and McGee Beach area.
countable, holds her staff accountable, and

Im proud to have been involved with rightfully promoting her. Our city staff is adapting well to the culture changing zero based
budgeting process. We will see those who
embrace the culture change truly shine,
show off their talents and ideas, and help
retain/recruit top-performers. Changing
the culture in any city government is never
easy, but we have certainly begun.
VOTER APPROVED
Invested $25 million. 51 new and retained jobs at

new metal recycling plant on Highway 44.

A. We should pass a bond election to

A. Our City Manager Margie Rose is ac-
YOUR MONEY AT WORK
Commercial Metals Company (CMC):
cluding current bond and ballot propositions to fund residential road construction because if we dont do it now it
will never get done.

Why or why not?
A. The 2016 bond begins the program
KEEP US
Investing $750 million, creating 220 jobs.
funding method. Work to ensure we have

a reliable and safe water system (no more
water boils), a storm water system that
works and a wastewater system that is effective. Take a top-to-bottom look at what
we are currently funding, set priorities,
basics first, and make adjustments based
on funds available.

A. Focusing, even in the face of adver-
GOING.
M&G Resins:
experience. Served on many boards and

commissions.

Why or why not?
A. I support the council package, in-
KEEP IT
Invested $4.3 million. Added 27 jobs.
2007 / Dec 2010 (Appointed by Nueces County

Commissioners Court/Nueces County Hospital
District). Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR)
board member / elected April 2016

A. Former judge of Seadrift. Military
Streets. Jobs. Housing.
AC Distribution:
Company in the Army. My top three goals

are to fix streets. Water (safe for drinking). Employment for everybody (new
bridge construction).
STREETS
JOBS
HOUSING
Election Day is Nov. 8
Age: 69
Occupation: McComb
Relocation Services,
owner/president
Corpus Christi City
Councilman District
5: 1983-1987 & 19891993. Nueces County
Commissioner Precinct
Four: 1995-2002 & 20112014. South Central Texas Water Advisory
Committee (SCTWAC): 1995 present (former
Chairman /current member). On advisory board
to the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) on
downstream water rights and issues. Christus
Spohn Health System Board of Trustees July

office?
A. Fight to improve streets and provide

A. I will use my experience of working
with others, in the private and public sector, to solve problems and focusing on our
common ground. I understand the role of
the council in the council-manager form
of government and I have experience as an
elected official and private sector business
owner.

Why or why not?
A. For propositions: 1; 2; 4; 5; 6; 7: 8; 9;
10 and 11, because they are in the best interest of the city. Against proposition 3
because it is an inappropriate use of City
Charter, and 12 because the city does not
need additional debt at this time. Only 13
of 80 bond projects approved in 2012 and
2014 have been completed. Council must
reestablish its credibility with the voters.
A. As the regional water supplier, we
must pursue desalination as a reliable additional water source, and initiate a review of current water supply operating
procedures. We must have a safe, professionally managed and maintained water
system. The storm water system must
be maintained and repaired to ensure
it works. To accomplish this, city must
maintain what we have and build what
we need with an eye towards prioritizing
based on defined needs.
and what steps are need to retain or attract
top-performing government employees?
A. As a former councilmember, I have
worked with city staff and know there are

many dedicated, hardworking city employees. We need to work with our new
city manager in addressing areas she feels
would improve retention and attract the
personnel she needs on her management
team. It is the councils responsibility to
provide the resources she needs to attract
top-performing individuals for her management team to move the city forward.
Dr.JimieOwsley
Age: 45
Occupation: Trauma
surgeon and entrepreneur
None
A. Commitment to
develop and support

policy to prevent and protect the public
from dangers: clean water, contaminated wastewater, drownings and property
damage from storm water, traffic accidents by improving poor roads, sidewalks, support police and fire departments, decrease crime, homelessness,
obesity and diabetes. Working with other
council members to find consensus cost
effective strategies without raising taxes.
Innovation, in new development projects
and how we do business.
A. I will provide a very different per-
spective because I deal with the consequences every day. I addition, my education and military background include
bachelors in biology with minor in chemistry, masters in pathology and doctorate in medicine which is well-suited to
strengthen the primary goal of our government to protect the public.

Why or why not?
A. No. Must look for alternatives to fund
than adding to the enormous debt. Have

a realistic approach to repair because it
took a while to get this way and be honest with citizens - it cannot be fixed all
at once. Safety first, fix roads that are at
risk to safety and patch others with plan
to repave over time. Maintain, add sidewalks and other road safety measures
simultaneously.
A. Fix infrastructure and processes
to ensure clean water. Continue to improve plans for desalination and disposal
of waste products in an environmental
friendly way. Improve storm drainage, be
prepared for flooding, have an adequate
evacuation plan and strong public education to keep out of harms way. Use common sense, for example dont support
development in areas prone to flood. Or
adding a significant amount of inexpensive housing to flood prone areas which
put people and property at risk.
A. I see frustration in the city staff.
Competitive salaries and good benefits

are necessary. But truly I believe to retain
city employees they need to feel valued,
we need to provide for more flexibility
to the work environment and perhaps
low-cost childcare to city employees, if
needed. Potential for advancement and
educational opportunities.
2016 Election Guide
CCISD races
Ten vie for three seats; one seat unopposed
By Beatriz Alvarado
beatriz.alvarado@caller.com
361-886-4364
Retired educators, coaches and administrators are vying for seats on the Corpus
Christi ISD school board.
Ten candidates are running for three
At-large seats. The terms for four Corpus Christi Independent School District
board members expire in November
three At-large positions and the District
2 seat.
District 2 incumbent Richard Tony
Elizondo is unopposed.
At-Large trustee Jane Janie Drought
Bell, who also is the board president, filed
for re-election. She and nine others A.
Totsy Armadillo, former LULAC district
director; S. Jaime Arredondo, retired educator; Stuart Bell, retired educator and coach;
Jose Cavazos Jr, student teacher supervisor
and former CCISD employee; James Gold,
retired CCISD administrator; the Rev. Robert Hinojosa; Hector Salinas, retired coach
and former CCISD board member; John. H.
Stearns, financial advisor; Alice UpshawHawkins, retired educator and Del Mar
CCISD District 2 TotsyArmadillo
RichardA.TonyElizondo
Age: 46
Occupation: Vice
president of Satellite
Operations, Big Brothers
Big Sisters of South Texas
CCISD Board of Trustees,

District 2
Q: What are your top

A: 1. To improve academic success with
innovative ideas and curriculum that motive students to learn and be successful.
2. To improve student and teacher safety by working with CCISDPD to ensure
they have the tools and training necessary
to serve and protect.
3. To improve our infrastructure and
develop a long range plan on maintaining
and upgrading our facilities and schools
so that CCISD becomes the district of
choice for students and families.
Q: What should the district do to retain

top teachers?
A: The district should support teachers
with the training they need to better serve

their students. The district should continue exploring ways to raise teacher pay and
benefits so that CCISD is always the best
place to work. The district should communicate better with and include teachers
in areas such as curriculum development,
child safety, school improvements, etc.
Q: What should the district to do to seek

input or build consensus related to future
bond issues?
A: CCISD should set up town hall
meetings throughout the district to allow parents and community members

to have input. CCISD should work with
teachers and campus administrators on
their needs. CCISD should work collaboratively with city and county officials
when constructing the bond before its
proposed. CCISD should have a 20-year
plan so the community is aware of the
needs of the district and so future bond
proposals are systematically constructed.
Age: 43
Occupation:
Administrative Assistant
to the CEO/President of
Industrial Piping & Steel
None

A: 1. Safety: As a
trustee, I would commission a study of

officers that students may require per
campus. Safety cases need to be investigated in a timely manner.
2. Communication: School board meetings need to begin at 6 p.m. It is difficult
to sign up to speak before the meeting
begins if parents/community/employees
work until 5 p.m.
3. Funding: We must do more with less/
develop creative solutions for our funding needs. Community schools would be
that program.
Q: What distinguishes you from your
opponents?
A: I bring a parent perspective. I am
a mother first and past LULAC District

Director. I am active in local, state and
national communities. I have personal
experience and active participation in
education and with PTA/PTSA/Communities in Schools/RMHS Alumni/
CCLGBT/ MALDEF/LNESC and other
organizations. I am committed to doing
what is right for children. Teachers built
my character. My civic involvement has
helped with the education of my own
children.

bond issues?
A: Communication. I was a Shaw PTA
officer/parent when Lozano/Shaw consolidated. There was no community input. Community input was late. CCISD
needs to regain and rebuild the communitys trust by initiating community involvement; afternoon tea with the superintendent, principals and administrators;
Community forums/letters home/robocalls/block walkers. Not everyone has
access to social media. All events need
to start in the p.m. or held on Saturday so
that everyone can attend.
CCISD At-Large StuartMartyBell

Age: 57
S.JaimeArredondo
Occupation: Retired
Age: 69
Occupation: Retired
educator
None

A: 1. Provide quality
education with high

expectations, continuous improvement,
quality professional development, ensure instructional strategies meet all
students needs and allows teachers to
teach and test less.
2. Be a steward for fiscal accountability.
Effectively use patrons taxes, support salary and benefit options for personnel and
ensure infrastructure needs are timely
addressed.
3. Promote value and integrity for personnel. Promote a culture of collaboration
and unity, maintain open communication,
and promote support, value and respect.
opponents?
A: My extensive background and ex-
periences in instruction, leadership,

management, school board relations,
evaluation of campus principals, campus
operations, instructional implementation,
and a deep understanding and knowledge
of district operations and district fiscal
accountability distinguishes me from my
opponents. I worked closely with parents,
patrons, school personnel, community,
and city leaders. I have a progressive
mindset and a passion for education.
These qualifications/background will
provide the board proven experiences to
assist in making sound decisions
bond issues?
A: The district must have a strategic
plan on considering future bonds. Plan

must consider areas impacted, projections, community meetings and a process
for input from community. The district
must clearly define the bond project. The
district must develop an aggressive communication plan to garner community
support. It must inform the community
so it understands the need for the project
and believes that it will truly enhance the
education system as well as the greater
community.
teacher and coach for 34

years, 18 of which were
spent in CCISD.

A: Chronic absentee-
ism is a big issue. We

need to intervene earlier and meet the
needs of the students and family to get
the students to school. We also need to
decrease the gap between the boards vision and actual campus implementation.
My knowledge and experience of how a
school and classroom functions lets me
close that gap. Technology needs to work
at a high level, new programs need to be
100 percent ready before implementing.
opponents?
A: I am a product of CCISD. I retired in
May after being a classroom teacher and

coach for 34 years, the last 18 were serving the students at Carroll High School. I
was able to represent CHSs faculty on the
DAT and the coaches and athletic trainers on the Consultation Committee. I was
elected vice chairman and co-chairman
respectively. My intimate knowledge of
the classroom and experience in running
our district best qualifies me.
bond issues?
A: As a district we must develop a long
term plan for new facilities, consolidation and closures. It must come from the
bottom up starting with the folks that use
the classrooms, computer lab, gyms and
other school facilities. The community
stakeholders need to be involved. The
Campus Advisory Team needs to add a
facilities needs to the campus action plan.
The board needs to use this information
going forward and continually communicate it.
JaneDroughtBell
Age: 61
Occupation: Community
Volunteer
CCISD trustee since
2012, president. Nueces
County Coastal Parks
commissioner
secretary.
College adjunct are on the ballot.

The three At-Large candidates who
receive the most votes will fill the seats.
At-large trustee and board vice president John Marez is not seeking re-election
to his seat. He is the Democratic Party
nominee for Nueces County Precinct No.
3 commissioner. He is unopposed in the
general election. Board member Dwayne
Hargis, who was named to fill a vacant Atlarge seat on the board, also is not seeking
re-election.
Corpus Christi ISD trustees serve fouryear terms. Four positions cover specific
regions and there are three at-large seats,

meaning they represent residents districtwide. The district operates on a $312 million
budget, employs more than 5,000 people
and more than 38,000 students attended
Corpus Christi ISD schools last year. The
district encompasses about 68 square miles.
There are 37 elementary schools, 12 middle
schools, eight high schools and three special campuses in the district Mary Grett
Transition Center, Coles High School and
the Student Support Center.
Q: What are your top three goals for the

office?
A: 1. Continue to build a robust curricu-
A: My broad and deep knowledge of

educational policies and operations
accumulated through 35-plus years
working with state and local educators
distinguishes me from the other candidates. For 16 years at CCISD I worked
with every department, campus, and the
school board providing and explaining
data used for decision-making. My understanding of state and federal programs, accountability, program evaluation, enrollment projections, policy
development, staff development and
curriculum/instruction will enhance
board decision-making.
lum supported by effective programs to

meet the individual needs of all students.
2. Work to engage parental involvement
in our school communities.
3. Keep investing in state of art technology and providing safe, secure campuses

opponents?
A: As a mother of four CCISD gradu-
ates, current trustee and board president,

I am a voice and stakeholder representing this community. The past four years
I have diligently worked to address district needs. I have done in-depth study
and review of curriculum, programs and
the supporting data, school budgets and
facilities planning. I carry this knowledge
and expertise into the next four years
making me the most effective school
board member.

bond issues?
A: The district should have representa-
tives from campuses affected by the proposed bond attend bond workshops so
they understand the methodology. Before
calling the bond, informational meetings
should be held within those school communities. When the bond is called the district holds comprehensive presentations
throughout the CCISD. There is good discussion and feedback. Once it passes the
district goes to communities benefiting
from the bond to educate on next steps
and gathers more community input.
JoseCavazosJr.
Age: 85
Occupation: Student
teacher supervisor at
Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi
None

A: 1. As a board member I will work to
ensure student performance for all of our

schools by providing the necessary tools
and resources to meet the needs of all students. This includes soliciting more input
from teachers about the curricula they are
required to implement in their lessons.
2. I will also take steps to enhance parental involvement at every level.
3. Bringing the physical infrastructure
for aging campuses is also one of my highest priorities.
opponents?
A: What sets me apart is my 50 years
in education as a CCISD teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director of

all elementary schools, including middle
schools and a high school. In the past 12
years I have worked as a field supervisor
for student teachers at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. Another factor that sets me apart are my credentials,
which include an M.S. and an Ed. D. in
School Administration.
bond issues?
A: When addressing bond issues in the
future, I believe community involvement

is vital. Addressing school consolidation
and closures is always an emotional issue for parents, students, teachers, and
administrators. Consequently, all aspects
of consolidation and closures should be
transparent and within the law. Meetings
should be held to communicate at every
level the purpose and consequences of
the bond issue. It is important that our tax
dollars are appropriately spent.
JamesH.Gold
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired
CCISD administrator
None

A: 1. Expand CCISD
expectations from a
limited STAAR test based education to
preparing quality multiple pathways for
all children including certified job training, career preparation, and higher education. Prepare students to be lifelong
learners.
2. Implement strong academic and fiscal accountability by evaluating all major
programs and purchases to ensure the
taxpayer dollars are prudently spent.
3. Provide staff needed resources and a
professional work environment where everyone is treated respectfully and fairly.
opponents?
Twitter: @CallerBetty
Q: What should the district do to seek

bond issues?
A: A bond plan must include a Public
Communication Plan determining when

and how the educational and general
community will have opportunities to
establish needs, critique proposals and
provide general consensus to the final
proposal. The plan must have a timeline
of activities to ensure adequate time is
given for public input and planning. The
process must be systematic, transparent,
and inclusive of all groups in the community.
RobertHinojosa
Age: 62
Occupation: Retired
Political experience: Ran for Sheriff and
CCISD school board
Q: What are your top three goals for the

office?
A: My top priorities for the board are
stop truancy, slow down the dropout

rate and stop wasteful spending of taxpayers money without stopping progress.

opponents?
A: What sets me apart from my oppo-
nents is my education in criminal law,

civil law, institution law and juvenile law.

bond issues.
A: For input on bond issues we should
work closer with the City Council and

the taxpayers involvement and mainly the
state representatives to try to get more
state grants for CCISD.
HectorSalinas
Age: 71
Occupation: Retired
coach
CCISD trustee from 2013

to 2015

A: 1. Strengthen the
relationship with the community

2. Ensure teachers are supported
3. Work to increase academic achievement, which will be one of the benefits
of working with the community and supporting our teachers
opponents?
A: I have over 40 years of experience
as a teacher and coach in South Texas

education. I have worked at elementary,
middle school, high school, junior college,
a Division I and II university. I can speak
to what students need to have the opportunity for post secondary education.

bond issues?
A: Bond issues impact our community
the community that includes our students.

We must be more transparent when facing
bond issues. Granted, there are some issues
that are confidential, but for the rest, we
must afford the community the chance to
give input and share their thoughts.
JohnStearns
Age: 43
Occupation: Financial
adviser/small business
owner
None

A: 1. Improved com-
munication between administration, staff,

parents and community.
2. Evaluate resources and improve district efficiency.
3. Establish and implement long term
plans in regards to facilities and curriculum that will positively impact all
students.
Continue on pAge 16
2016 Election Guide
Del Mar College races
Five battle for

three college
regent seats
By Beatriz Alvarado
beatriz.alvarado@caller.com
361-886-4364
The terms of three Del Mar College regents expire in November and
all three are running for re-election.
At-Large regent Trey McCampbell, who is the board chair, will face
Laurie Turner.
McCampbell, a banker and Del
Mar alumnus, has served on the
board since 2004. He is a certified
public accountant and his business
experience spans 30 years.

Turner is an American history
teacher at Gregory-Portland Junior
High and former social studies department head. The 12-year G-PISD
veteran was appointed to the State
Board for Educator Certification this
year.
District 2 regent Susan Hutchinson, an attorney who also is the
boards second vice chair, is unopposed.
District 5 regent James B. Boggs
will face Ed Bennett.
Boggs is a semiretired architect

who has served on the board since
2006. Bennett is a certified public accountant who ran for an At-large seat
on the Del Mar board in 2014.
Del Mar regents are elected to sixyear terms and represent five regions
and four fill at-large seats. The Del
Mar College district includes Calallen, Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff,
Tuloso-Midway and West Oso independent school districts.
Twitter: @CallerBetty
Del Mar College At-Large
TreyMcCampbell
opponent?
Age: 61
Occupation: Banker
Del Mar College regents
since 2004, board
chairman

A: As college regents, we enhance and support the colleges mission statement to provide
access to quality education, workforce
preparation, and lifelong learning for
student and community success. The
college and regents work together on a
number of goals in support of the mission.
Three key ones are: ensure exceptional
education opportunities for all students,
maximize affordable access and excellent
in student services, and ensure strong financial and operational capacity.
LaurieTurner
Age: 46
Occupation: Educator
at Gregory-Portland
Independent School
District
Appointed State Board of
Educator Certification
A: This fall Del Mar enrollment exceeded state projections by more than 10
percent; some programs have grown as
much as 70 percent the past five years.
Nearly 40 percent of current Del Mar
students live south of (South Padre Island Drive), the fastest growing area of
our city. Residential growth indicates the
Southside campus would serve 3,0006,000 students shortly after opening. A
Southside campus is not a matter of if,
but when. I believe now is the time.
A: 1. Focus on academics closing the

gaps in reading, writing, and math to ensure academic success
2. Transparency making sure that
taxpayers are not blind sided with the
boards agenda-making sure that Del
Mar doesnt expand too quickly and
having to rely on funding through
bonds
3. To make sure that vocational technological programs are competitive and
filters into the job markets.
Q: Do you support plans to expand Del

Mar to the Southside of the city and why?
Del Mar College

District 2
SusanHutchinson
Age: 62
Political experience: Del Mar College
regent since 2009
Q: What are your top three goals

for the office?
A: 1. To maintain the high quality of education that each Del Mar

College student receives at an affordable price.
2. To continue the work of the college with area
businesses to match their need for employees with
our students training.
3. To expand the opportunities for more students
to benefit from a Del Mar College experience by
implementation of the bond programs approved by
the voters.
Q: What distinguishes you from your opponent?
A: I do not have an opponent in this race, and I
hope that this is evidence that my district values my
experience on the board of regents and my commitment to fulfilling the mission of the college.
Q: Do you support plans to expand Del Mar to the
Southside of the city and why?
A: I joined in the unanimous vote of the Board of

Regents to ask for approval of a bond resolution to
allow the expansion of Del Mar College to a campus
on the Southside. Enrollment trends at the college
have exceeded the Coordinating Boards projections,
and the demand has overwhelmed the capacity of the
current facilities to meet these needs. By providing
greater access to emerging career opportunities, the
entire community will benefit.
In San Patricio County,

two commissioner seats are
on the line, the county attorney position is contested
and a new district attorney
will be elected.
For the Precinct 1 commissioner spot, Democratic
incumbent Nina G. Trevino
will face Republican William E. Ski Zagorski Sr.
Trevino has been county
commissioner since 2013.
Republican Howard J.
Gillespie will face Democrat Jacobo Jacob Lopez
on the ballot for the Precinct 4 commissioner seat,
which has been empty.
Democratic incumbent
Alma Villarreal Moreno is
running unopposed in Precinct 3.
According to the proposed fiscal year budget for 2017, each county
commissioner will make
$67,674 with an additional
$1,200 phone allowance.
The major purpose of the
Commissioners Court is
setting and overseeing the
county budget and policymaking for each department, according to the
AgriLife Extension, which
is part of the Texas A&M
University System.
County commissioners
also oversee their designated precinct and find
funds to pay for projects in
them. They oversee their
precincts infrastructure,
construction, maintenance
and improvement of roads
and buildings.
To run for county commissioner, the individual
must be a qualified voter,
resident of the precinct
and have never been convicted of a felony, according
to AgriLife Extension. The
term limit is generally four
years.
Republican Sam Smith
is running unopposed for
district attorney for the
36th judicial district, which
oversees Aransas and San
Patricio counties. Michael
Welborn was appointed to
the position in 2013 and will
Q: Do you support plans to expand Del

Mar to the Southside of the city and why?
A: No. I have questions: Does our community need a third campus? Is this location feasible and accessible to all community members? Will the campus be able
to support itself or will it become a drain
on society? I am tired of paying taxes on
something that is not needed. Yes. I am
for progress and expansion, but spending millions of tax dollars to support (one
eighth) of our community is not common
sense.
Del Mar College District 5
EdBennett
James(Jim)B.Boggs
Age: 64
Occupation: C.P.A.
Political experience: None
Age: 80
Occupation: Architect
Political Experience: Past Chair of the
Municipal Arts Commission; Past Vice
Chair of the Corpus Christi Library Board;
Del Mar regent since 2006.
Q: What are your top three goals for

the office?
A: 1. Restore academic excellence
2. Increase professor pay

3. Fully use the current campuses

opponent?
A: My education is in business administration, my
experience as a (certified public accountant) includes an

expertise in internal controls as well as preparing and
analyzing financial statements. I have been investigating
and documenting fraud since 1984. My concerns about
the lack of internal controls and the resulting materially erroneous budgets combined with the decision not
to provide raises to employees while the college was
generating tens of millions of dollars in profit represents
one area we differ.
Q: Do you support plans to expand Del Mar to the Southside of the city and why?
A: No, the historical decline in for credit enroll-
ment combined with the increase in dual credit

high school students indicate a need to focus on
the campuses we currently have. The student contact hours have declined by 860,000 from 2011 to
2015. The bond approved two years ago to repair
the current campuses and construct new buildings will provide enough physical classroom
space to accommodate growth for many years.
Q: What are your top three goals for

the office?
A: 1. Continuing to transform Del
Mar College students and facilitate

an ever-increasing number of students to achieve their
personal and career goals.
2. Development of Southside campus.
3. Enhanced student life. Although classroom learning is important, quality of campus life is also important
possibly more so. I want to see the development of a full
intercollegiate sports program. Intercollegiate athletics
build strong student leaders and alumni programs and
loyalty to the college.
Q: What distinguishes you from your opponent?

A: I taught for 10 years; served 10 years on (the Del Mar
College) board; I owned a successful business 10 years; I

served on two city commissions; I am past president of
the Arts Council of Corpus Christi; I am past) president
of American Institute of Architects. I served on national
boards for my profession. I was awarded Distinguished
Graduate from Texas Tech University. I developed the
Central Library. I developed the Citys Public Art policy,
received the George Hixson Award (Kiwanis International). My architectural firm planned and developed Wood
River Subdivision, the Embassy Suite and Omni hotels.
Q: Do you support plans to expand Del Mar to the Southside of the city and why?
A: Yes, I support our bond issue. Our board evaluated
this new camps for five years before placing it on this bond
issue. The campus will support programs in science, engineering, math, biotechnology, culinary arts, hospitality
and a premier architecture program. Passage of this issue
will create an result of serving our students and city better.
County attorney, DA
spots up for grabs
By Julie Garcia
A: I am passionate about education and

have been a strong advocate for multiple
pathways: career certifications and college degree plans. I am an academic with
experience in program and curriculum
development. With the shift of more and
more public school students participating in early collegiate programs I have
an insight to their needs in providing additional services to support their college
success.

San Patricio County
361-886-3774

opponent?
A: I am a graduate of Leadership Corpus

Christi, and have deep experience leading, facilitating, and chairing governing
boards. As a product of our local schools
from kindergarten to graduate school, I
am passionate about high quality education that is affordable and accessible. Having served as a regent for two terms, I am
the only (certified public accountant)/accountant serving, and bring to the board 30
years of business experience and acumen.
not be running for another

term.
Democrat David Aken is
being challenged by Republican Tamara Cochran-May
for county attorney. Aken has
held the position since 2013.
The proposed 2017 salary for county attorney is
$82,042 with a state supplement of $57,958. County attorneys provide legal advice
to the county Commissioners Court and other elected
officials and represents the
county is criminal or civil
cases.
On the Mathis ballot will
be a proposition to allow
the legal sale of all alcoholic
beverages, including mixed
beverages in the city limits.
Back in 2010, the city had
a referendum on whether to
allow beer and wine sales at
restaurants, bars and other
venues. Wine and beer were
for sale, but could not be consumed on the same premises.
The issue passed and residents can now drink at the
venue they purchase.
Twitter: @Caller_Jules
CCISD At-Large
From Page 15

opponents?
A: The greatest difference is my
unique perspective that comes from

being a parent volunteer of a CCISD
student and my experience in financial management. I see things from
different lens and can be a voice for
district parents. I am also able to evaluate district resources and better plan
on how to use them because it is what
I do everyday.
Q: What should the district to do to
seek input or build consensus related
to future bond issues.
A: First we need to make sure the
bond issue is smart planning and then

that plan needs to be communicated to
all stakeholders. The district has a responsibility to ensure students, teachers, and the community that they are
being good stewards of the funding
they receive. There has to be communication and these stakeholders must
be part of the process before, during
and after a bond.
AliceUpshaw-Hawkins
Age: 67
Occupation: Retired
educator; presently
adjunct faculty at Del
Mar College English
and Philosophy
Department
Political
experience: No
previous experience
in politics other than
being a lifetime voter.
Q: What are your top three goals
for the office?

A: 1. Improve transparency and
communication with the community

regarding goals and initiatives for the
district which includes curriculum,
budget expenditures, board meetings
and long term goals for the district.
2. Improve academic success for
low performing students, student attendance and dropout rates districtwide via community schools projects
to improve
3. Support classroom teachers, parents, and the community
opponents?
A: I have the unique perspective of
being in the classroom for 25 years that

includes grades six-12 and college. As
teacher, sponsor, and publications adviser, I worked with students at every
level of achievement those who
failed in academics up to and including students who scored 3s, 4s, and
5s on Advanced Placement exams. I
know student struggles at home and
in the classroom; teacher successes
and challenges; worked with parents,
administrators and the community
during my career.
Q: What should the district to do to
seek input or build consensus related
to future bond issues.
A: No school district should study,
adopt, sanction or place bond issuances up to the voters without having included public information, public discourse/input, and public education on
bonds of any magnitude. Public education does and should not operate in a
vacuum; therefore the citizens should
have a seat at the table before making
decision that will impact the tax base
for years to come; families that will be
impacted and the community at large.

Caller-Times 2016 Voters Guide

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Caller-Times 2016 Voters Guide

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2016

Find out what you need to know.

2 / President / Congress District 27

6 / Nueces County district attorney race

2 Thursday, October 20, 2016

2016 Election Guide

Where they stand

emocrat Hillary Clinton is facing

concerns: A journal found with the Afghan-born

New York and West Virginia.

Working across the aisle key in Congress race

Votes, fundraising and hand

the General Election.

help remove government red

Political experience: None

Q. What is your plan to help

taxes on small businesses, this

FARENTHOLD A. I will continue to work with local officials

Current U.S. House

insurance costs. The federal

I am committed to our community and our country. Its why I

Q. What can you do to restore

Q. What distinguishes you from

we keep the government open

40 years I have served the

FARENTHOLD A. We need elected officials committed to honesty

from Corpus Christi, and Wayne

he said. You have to be bipartisan. If an idea comes from a

business-smart people to restore

Q. What do you see as the three

services for veterans, maximize

FARENTHOLD A. My priorities are keeping America safe,

Q. What is your solution to ending the impasse on immigration

wants to come in into the United

Thursday, October 20, 2016 3

2016 Election Guide

Texas state senator, January

Q: What are your top three

Texas at the forefront of critical

reporter Political experience

related to education, health care,

USMC veteran, an attorney practicing law, and your state senator

chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I have put South Texas at

best equalizer. It is knowledge

Political experience: (this is

Motion fitness studio

any appointed political boards

Q. What are your top three

advocacy for public education,

(this is any appointed political

communication with all county,

ing people together and working

in Kleberg, Jim Wells, Kleberg,

that empowers our children to

the prevention of domestic violence in Texas has been a top

was to work hard and be extra

statute to allow the arrest of abusers based on reasonable suspicion.

budget will not be an easy task.

the oil and gas industry disappeared. I am a single parent

MIRELES and WEBB:

Safety and security upgrades

SOUTH PARK AND CUNNINGHAM:

Safety and security upgrades

Next Generation learning spaces