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PDNG Puts All of It’s Money Behind Naomi Gonzalez to Fill Empty City Council Seat
THE PASO DEL
NORTE GROUP has decided to put all of its money behind Naomi Gonzalez.
She is the only one of the five City Council candidates running in the
special May 10 election for District 3 that the powerful group of
binational developers, bankers, businessmen and politicians have
decided to support financially. More than 68 percent of her total
$11,100 in political contributions come from the PDNG, their relatives
and business associates. If in-kind political contributions are tallied, which includes a $2,700 in-kind donation for "campaign management services from the "Citizens for Prosperity," a GPAC composed entirely of PDNG members and their spouses, the total Paso del Norte Group support goes up to 74%. Many of these political contributors such as
William Sanders, Woody Hunt and Paul Foster have given hundreds of
thousands of dollars to George Bush, Governor Perry and other
republican causes in recent years. None of them live in District #3.
The election is important because 4-3 votes are frequent on the issue
of eminent domain, Segundo Barrio displacement, toll roads and other
important matters before City Council and the next representative could
strengthen the current majority’s hold on policy matters or even
the sides, which would force Mayor John Cook to break more tie votes,
defining his position with an election coming up.
Ms. Gonzalez says she supports eminent domain “as a last
resort” for the redevelopement and demolition of major sectors of
downtown and the Segundo Barrio. She also says she will vote with the
“progressives” —Byrd, Ortega, O’Rourke and
Lilly—in City Council on most issues.
Here is the link to the campaign finance reports:
http://www.ci.el-paso.tx.us/muni_clerk/2008special_election.asp
The disparity between Ms. Gonzalez political contributions is
remarkable given that she is the only one of the five candidates who
has reported raising more than $250 dollars in contributions.
Emma Acosta, who was born and raised in district 3, has not received a
single cent from the PDNG. That may be because she recently told the El
Paso Times editorial staff: “I'm for revitalization. But
let’s not revitalize downtown at the expense of the people who
are there already.”
Another candidate who, oddly enough, has not received political
contributions PDNG money is Joseph Villescas. He lists Jimmy Suerken,
who was the Paso del Norte Group backed candidate for District 5, as
his campaign manager. Many believe he will vote on the side of the
O’Rourke-Byrd-Ortega-Lilly faction. Yet the PDNG seems to be
staying away from him. Perhaps the reason also has to do because he
recently stated to the El Paso Times that the downtown plan is low
priority for the residents of district 3 and that they are concerned
about being the targets of eminent domain abuse themselves.
Below are some of the Paso del Norte Group members who have contributed to Ms. Gonzalez’s campaign:
William Sanders & relatives (Verde Group owners and PDNG founder.) $1500
Woody Hunt (Land speculator and water merchant)
$500
Paul Foster (Western Refining owner)
$500
Meyer Marcus & relatives-(MIMCO shopping center developer who has
quietly been buying land in the “redevelopment area”
downtown and across from Lomas del Poleo in Sunland Park,
and throughout the region.
$1,000
Bob Ayoub (MIMCO co-owner)
$250
Myrna Deckert- (former CEO of the PDNG)
$100
Harold Hahn-Governor Perry appointee for toll
roads
$500
Tracy Yellen-PDNG Executive Taskforce Member
$100
Larry Francis
$500
Kirk Robison
$200
J.O. Stewart
$250
Katie Updike
$50
Richard Amstater
$250
Deborah Kastrin
$500
Kenneth Clarence
$50
Russel Vandenburgh
$500
Robert Hoy
$250
Jesse Alvarez
$1,040.00 (in-kind)
Citizens
$2,700 (in-kind for "campaign management services.")
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