Candidates voice budget concerns

Democratic candidates vying for state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh's seat say education is key to improving the quality of life in El Paso.

"I have no problem being vocal about the problems affecting our community today," said Liza Montelongo, Ysleta Independent School District board trustee. "Education has been my passion."

In October, Shapleigh announced he would not be running for re-election of his District 29 seat, which covers most of El Paso County.

Three democratic potentials – retired UTEP Professor Louis Irwin, Montelongo and former County Attorney Jose Rodriguez – announced their bids for the position.
"I've just done a lot of work in the community that I feel will help me with representing El Paso's interest in Austin," Rodriguez said.

The incumbent would contribute to managing the state budget in next year's legislative session. The state congress will face between a $10 and $20 million shortfall in next year's budget, Irwin said.

"We need to find other sources of money for the state other than property tax and sales tax," Irwin said.
All democratic candidates agree that managing the budget is of utmost importance, because it may affect the generation or termination of funds for certain programs.
"Avoiding terrific cuts of essential services is going to be the challenge of the next legislative session," Irwin said.

Irwin said everyone has an obligation to take part, as they are able, in financing the state government's functions, which includes aiding higher education at public state schools and local school districts.

"We as a state should be doing these things," Irwin said, who also said his background as a professor and administrator in academia is closely related to state politics."The only way you get things done is by analysis and persuasion and listening to people."
Irwin also served on the Newton, Mass. City Council for four straight terms.

Education accounted for nearly 45 percent of the 2008-2009 appropriated budget. Education was also the largest portion, with human and health services trailing by 13 percent.

Texas only has two tier-one universities, which is low compared to other states.
Montelongo, who is currently completing her degree at UTEP, said education is the issue she will stress in Congress. She wants El Paso to be attractive to students, companies and other entities, which would help generate jobs and improve the quality of life.

"I feel that we need to address brain drain in El Paso," Montelongo said. "We need to work on the quality of life and insuring we have the extra jobs."

She said El Paso needs to create more jobs in order to keep students in town.
Montelongo helps manage a $400 million budget at the Ysleta Independent School District, serving as the board vice president. She also works at a consulting group focused on helping students pay for college.

Rodriguez, who attributes education as his pathway from migrant farm worker to county attorney, also said education is his top issue. He said addressing the high drop-out rates and getting the region more state funds are what he wants to address.

"We still have a lot of our kids dropping out of school. We still have a lot of kids not being able to afford college," Rodriguez said. "Education, for me, is a deep issue, without education nobody is able to compete in the global economy."

Rodriguez said improving El Paso's education is the only way the city can compete with other progressive cities around the nation.

"If El Paso is going to progress and offer opportunities for young people here, then we have to strengthen our educational system, which means we have to invest more money here than the state of Texas has been doing," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez served as county attorney for five terms. He instituted the first county code of ethics legislation in Texas during his tenure.
 

Republican

Republican hopeful Dan Chavez said El Paso has not done its job in  creating opportunities for students after graduating. He credits a lack of leadership for misopportunities.

"When programs are available, we need to get up there and start using them, start talking to companies like Toyota and Hyundai, tell them this is what we got to offer," Chavez said. "We need to start being aggressive."

Chavez said as a republican officeholder, he shares ideologies with the majority of the Texas Senate. This edge may help bring more funds and programs to stimulate job creation and recruit businesses to El Paso.

"We have the same ideologies," Chavez said. "Ideologies when it comes to economy, and that seems to be the biggest problem we have in El Paso."

Chavez owns Dan Chavez Sales, an international consulting business, and teaches part-time at El Paso Community College and the University of Phoenix.

"Look for the best candidate. Vote for the one that can do the best job for you, the one that has the better qualifications to better the economy in El Paso," Chavez said.
 

Justin Anthony Monarez may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.