Hello and welcome to the political forum for the position of city council district 4. This political forum is brought to you in conjunction with Laredo TV, the Laredo Public Access Channel, and the City of Laredo Public Information Office. This political forum presents an opportunity for the viewing public to get to know the candidates who are running for office fairly and objectively. I'm Laura Dan Negron. I'm the public information manager for the city of Laredo and I have the honor of being the moderator for today's for tonight's forum that focuses on the candidates who are seeking to be the next council member for district 4. [snorts] Allow me to introduce the candidates this evening. Miss Tanya Benavides, Osaldo Baldigosman, Manfredo Salinas, Ismael Los Sano, [applause] and Rick Gara. Thank you all for being with us today. The speaking order is based on a drawing conducted at the mandatory um orientation meeting for the candidates that was held previous to this forum. At this time, I'd like to quickly go over some of the ground rules that those who are watching can be aware of our format. Our panelists and I will ask a total of four questions to each candidate. There will be one question per round. So, we will have a total of four rounds for this virtual uh for this political forum rather. Each candidate will have two minutes to answer each question. So if you ignore your time constraints then you will be notified that the time is up and at that point then the candidates's microphone will be muted. This will allow minimal interruptions. Now during the course of the political forum candidates might want to shed some light or offer an explanation to a previous comment or a previous question. Since we do not allow additional time for rebuttals, candidates can choose to use their time to address [clears throat] previous comments stated within the time allotted. For this reason, we ask you to be mindful for of your time constraints, of course. Now, the time will begin as soon as the candidate starts speaking after hearing each question. If a candidate forgets the question that you can have that question repeated at any time. Okay. Now, participating in the political forum are members of the media. who will be also our panelists. Allow me to introduce our panelists for this evening. Reporter from Loredo Morning Times. We have Chris uh we have Jose de la Rosa. We also have a reporter from Univision and Fox Miriam Castillo. And we also have one of our members of the youth council, Mr. Leonardo. So, thank you all for being with us, Lonardo Moreno. I should also mention that some of the members of the media are bilingual and candidates may be asked a question in Spanish. Now the candidates can choose whether to reply in English or in Spanish. So each candidate will have two minutes for an opening and also two minutes for your closing statements. Well, we're now ready to proceed with our opening statements beginning with candidate Tanya Benavidas. Buenos. Uh good evening for being here and just giving us of your time. We understand that our city is going through yet again another process that is really forcing us to look within and look at who we are putting up to be in these exact positions. My name is Tanya Benavides and I am running to be your next council member in district 4. I grew up along Sakate Creek. I attended Laredo ISD public schools and then had the privilege of being able to attend Texas State University to get my bachelor's degree. I got my master's degree from John's Hopkins University and I became a third grade bilingual teacher which was a really formative experience for me. So much so that has led me to this very seat where I am now seeking to represent the teachers like Miss Alanise and Miss Vera and the students that I have so much in common with and that I saw myself in even when I was teaching in Houston. It is really a shame that our city cannot provide the services that we so well deserve that we pay for and it is time that we bring change to District 4. And to do that, we need to be brave and we need to be bold and elect people that are going to represent the will of the people, not just be there for their own interests or for the special interests that may be currently guiding and be a direct result of the problems that we are seeing such as what we've been dealing with for the last 24 hours. I have a vision for Laredo and that vision means that I am able to raise my children in Laredo, that there is water for decades to come and that we are able to really thrive in Laredo, not just get by. There is so much opportunity and we have so much potential, but in order to live up to it, we need to be brave. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Benides. Next on the list is candidate Rick Garcia. You have two minutes. Good afternoon. Buenosardes artos. Uh my name is Rick Gasa. Uh first of all, thank you KJ um not KJ but city of Ledo for having this forum. I think it's vitally important for the citizens of the radio to hear us out to see the candidates as they are. Everybody up here. Thank you all for the candidates and the families and everybody that's involved in this. Thank you very much. Uh my name is Rick Garza. I was born here in Laredo. I'm a lifelong resident of District 4. I am from the Colonia Russell Terrace. That's where I grew up. My whole family uh was there. My mom and dad, Isaas and Felicitas Garca, raised 10 kids in that area where I'm still living. I am still living in in this area and I'm proud to do so. I wanted to come back to Laredo after college from Texas State also. Um and and raise my kids the traditional way where the neighbors and the grandparents and the parents get together in the traditional ways that we used that I used to have when I was a kid. I think it it revitalizes I mean it revitalizes the family to continue to move forward. I bring 34 years experience in public service. I've been involved with the city of Laredo since 1990. Um I have elected three terms to the LISD school board. Um I've been serving there for 12 years and I'm a current member of the web county appraisal district. That's what I feel qualifies me to be a candidate here. I know the day-to-day needs of district 4. Uh, I know a lot of the people in district 4 are wanting some some things to be done differently. Um, we have currently a a a wide array of problems that we need to address in this city and I feel like my my uh experience gives me the opportunity to showcase what I can do. I did it for LID for 12 years. I brought the school district from the lowest ends when I got in there and now we're the premier district in the state of Texas. Thank you, Mr. Garasa for that. >> Candidate is my Losano. Your opening statements please. >> Good afternoon. Thank you the state of Laredo for the opportunity for the opportunity to tell you about myself, what I stand for, and how I want to help district 4. My name is Isu Loano. I was born and raised in District 4. My family and I have been involved in district court for many, many years. I know I am the best choice to represent this report. I am young and energetic. I don't owe anything to any group. I don't have any ties to any politicians. I have a clean record in all undertakings, never being arrested for anything. I would like to I would like the opportunity to serve you as a positive role model for all residents of District 4. I will remain committed to working with all people for the benefit of this report. My loyalty is only to you, the taxpayers. My goal is to be transparent and to work hard and to be your voice. There are many challen challenges and issues facing our city. We [clears throat] need a full-time council me council member. I stand alone as a candidate who will work as a full-time city council for district 4. I will commit to having an open door policy which includes being available at the city hall and not just when meetings are scheduled. I remain connected to the residents of district 4 by giving them the opportunity to voice their concerns with me at regular town hall meetings and not just during election time. I will be accessessible accessible for the residents and looans. It is important to keep in mind that as of right now all the other candidates are part-time participants cause members that are not committed to full-time service to district 4. I'm a graduate from J JW Nixon High School class of 2010. I'm my educational experiences include college working political science. My my work experiences have been with the county with several elected officials district attorney's office. The idea of wanting to serve my community was born from daily interactions with people. I learned to value the importance of treating people with respect and dignity. It is important. My working experiences gave me a lot. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you, Mr. Losano. Um, you may proceed with your opening statements. You have two minutes. >> District Lamar Ryan Nixon Nixon 1976 Council Member for the district court. for >> [applause] >> Gracias. Thank you so much. Um Gusman, your opening statements, please. >> Thank you. Uh good afternoon. My name is Valu Walusman. Uh once again, thank you to the city of Laredo for hosting this event. Um I was born and raised here in Laredo, Texas. Um attended Alma Pierce Elementary. went on to Christ Middle School, graduated from Nixon High School. Um, continued uh my education on a baseball scholarship at Loro Jenny College, then transferred on a baseball scholarship also to Texas University. Came back to Laredo and graduated here from TAMU with the Bachelor of Science and Sports and Fitness. Currently, I am the operations officer for UIC athletic department, uh, where I've been there seven years. U, I worked with the city of Laredo for 27 years. started off uh with the community development in 1990 as a code enforcement inspector. Went on to become a land acquisition negotiator. From there I went on and became u the sports marketing manager for the convention and visitors bro. From there I became the assistant director at parks and recreation and then eventually my last seven years with the city I was the parks and recreation uh director. Uh when I was there, we were the third largest department behind uh the uh fire uh department and the police department with the budget of $16 million $16 million. Uh within within that time uh we are able to the major projects that that uh were under parks. Uh we built the Unit Trade Stadium, um North Central Park, um Independence Hills, uh park, and and a lot of other um smaller parks and and did a lot of more um uh improvements to to the parks. Um um [clears throat] sorry um um I I had the experience when I was with the city to travel to Washington. Uh I was part of the delegation going to Washington to and to Austin to go secure uh funding. So that's that's my experience with the city. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you so much to candidate Osaldo Guzman. Now we're ready to move on to our first round of questions. The first question comes from Miriam Salenas reporter from Fox Ledo to candidate Tanya Benavides. >> Thank you Narida. Uh first question would be um the overdoses uh continues to rise in our community. Uh so what are the plans to lower this rate also what are the new things that maybe you can add to this to help um all these individuals? >> Thank you for that question. As we know um when we come out in the news especially statewide or nationwide it is often that we are not telling our own stories. We are being portrayed in the worst of the ways possible. And yes, um the the issue with opioid crisis and fentinel crisis is one of concern. We want to prevent deaths in our community. Um I am not uh as I was as it was said, I would be a part-time participant in council because council is currently a part-time job. Unfortunately, that is something that I would like to change. And with that being said, my current experience, I um actually help local elected officials all across the state figure out how to solve issues of public safety. And we know that the communities that are the safest are the ones that are the most wellresourced. Right now, our communities are not as well resourced as they could have. And furthermore, our law enforcement entity entities are overwhelmed. In particular, our local law enforcement entities. So, I would like to take a more holistic approach to public safety, one that focuses on harm reduction and that opens up our police to be available for real emergencies and improve response times. And I know that a part of that that what the city has already done is being able to increase the availability of Narcan across the city, working with groups like Pillar to make sure that we are able to offer services for people that may be experiencing addiction issues. I think that we need to really look at our most vulnerable populations and that includes those that may be suffering with mental health and addiction issues and really be able to support them and to support our law enforcement entities so that they are able to really focus on the life or death issues and to not have it be overdoses that are really what is being highlighted about our town. And yet we just got deemed by WLET Hub one of the safest cities in Texas. So, how do we reckon with all of that knowing that our communities need so much more? [applause] >> Thank you, Miss Benavidas. The same question goes to candidate Rick GarcA. Well, uh I think there's a there's a three prong approach to this. Um this is something that we're not going to solve local. We're going to be able to solve it locally, but we cannot resolve all these issues on our by ourselves. And it's one of the biggest things that I stand on as being your next city council person is that we need to bring everybody together. Local law enforcement is overwhelmed. The resources are not there for them and they all my friends that are in the police department tell me so. As a [clears throat] as an ex- probation officer, uh I got to see firsthand what what those fentinol and all those things can do to not only to the victims but to the families and everybody around the the area of their neighborhoods and all that. So we need to attack it from three different fronts. From the state, from the local, and from the federal level. We need to make sure that we put the pressure on and we clamp it down so that the people in Washington and in Austin can realize the shortages that we have in our police departments. We really do. As a the 12 years that I spent at LISD, we got to visit that problem a lot. And it wasn't a it was a grim site. It wasn't it wasn't a lot of fun to to deal with those issues, but we dealt with it at LISD. as poor as we were, we put the funding together to get uh the kids the necessary help that they needed, the counseling that they needed. But, uh, Miss Benz is is is absolutely right. Mental health needs to be, you know, this is where the state and federal government come in. You know, there's a lot of issues that are down here and the resources that we need from those a from the federal government and the state is going to be the key to resolve these issues. As much as we try to do everything locally, [clears throat] we are underfunded, understaffed, and undertrained in these areas. And we need to really buckle down and say and admit it and really go after those folks that uh in Washington and at the state level to get us the funding that we need. We are doing as best we can here at the city of Laredo. I know that for a fact, but there's a lot more that we can do and we can't do it without the state or the federal government. Thank you candidate uh Mr. Rick GarcA. The same question goes to candidate Ismael Losano. [clears throat] Mhm. >> Well, I would work with our local law law enforcement agencies um within the state and our local with the city as well and just to lower the rate proponental maybe um have the grants or any loans to for the rehabilitations that we have here in our in our city and just to attack that drug that is killing a lot of uh innocent individuals. and it's just a contact like just a dust and you you can um just go ahead and and die. So as a council member I I will work with all the uh law law enforcement agencies just to attack the offense on a drug that is killing a lot of individuals. Thank you. Thank you to candidate. Miriam, can you translate the question in Spanish, please? Well, you all I mean I grew up like district four and I had friends as they all starts in your house with your parents. They they'll have to teach you. They have to teach their kids values. You have to do the right thing. But if their parents stealing, they buy them everything because they don't want to cry and you spoil your kid. You know, I believe in hey spanking. I mean, but now they they kids would call a cop, hey, I'm getting abused by my parents. And then they go with their mentality. They they they get away with doing things. And then when they get to their teenagers, they get more uh more rebel against their parents because they want to do things their way. They don't want to do the right thing. And we can get all the funding from the lo from the federal government, uh the state of Texas and local funding, but if if the parents don't teach their kids when as they're growing up, we'll we'll still have the problem. And uh plus uh the law enforcement they have a I don't know because they have informants and they let that guy grow because he's pulling the figure and he's throwing drugs and they go and they never stop it you know you know and I problem. You know, addicts, computers, PD, license plate, they could check it. Boom, boom, boom. I mean they have they already have the technology to go after the bad guys but they don't do it. [applause] >> Same question to candidate. >> Thank you. Um I think it's important to um to work with the with our local law enforcement. I know uh police and and fire um they they're like uh 60% 62% of our general u budget, but they're still uh understaffed. Um and u and we also need to uh to make sure that we we we do those partnerships. I know the city just uh opened up a detox center recently, so it's important to make sure that they have enough funding to to to run their operations. It's also important to I know the fire department has a great program that they go into the schools and and create awareness. U the fire department does a great job uh creating awareness going to schools. The health department also does a great job, but we need to make sure they're they're funded correctly. Um I know I saw the presentation that the fire department did uh at one of the uh one of our meetings um at at UISD and it's great and but yet that it's only one person that does that. So, he's he's overwhelmed and we need to get him more support. I've uh the de detox center um I know it just uh opened up recently, but I've heard they're they're they're underst staffed and u uh their their budget is not large enough for that. So, it's important for us to go secure funding um with the health department at both the the the state and federal levels. >> Thank you so much to candidate Oswald Gossman. [applause] Question number two comes from Jose de la Rosa. He's reporter for the Laredo Morning Times to candidate Rick GarcA. >> Good evening, gentlemen. Um, so my question would be uh reflecting on last night's water boil notice if elected. What preventative measures would you advocate for to avoid similar occurrences of water contamination in the future? Additionally, [clears throat] how do you intend to ensure transparency and accountability in your actions as a city council member to regain public trust? >> Thank you. Excellent question. Um, again, and you'll hear this from me coming out of me every single time than a lot of the questions. It's it's a recurring uh statement that uh what happened yesterday is is there's enough blame to go around in the in at city hall. There's enough blame to go around with staff and everybody else. But what you have there is a symptom of what this city is going through. It's been going like this for the last 30 years. Uh I'll reiterate this is what happens when you are have people that are or departments that are underst staffed, undertrained, and underresourced. It's going to continue to happen. We don't have a set game plan for the next 20, 30 years for infrastructure in this in this community, or at least not that I know of. One that is viable, one that the every citizen in Laredo knows about. So, I'm not here to point the finger at one particular person, but I'm here to say that if I'm city council, I'm a city council and I'm a representative for this area and I'm represent this city, the first finger that's going to come is going to come to me because I didn't do anything about it. That's why that's my my first answer to that. We have to look in the mirror every day to every person that's here at the city and say, "What are we doing? What are we going to do?" You know, the city >> [clears throat] >> the water rates just went up and you're telling me the first day because it happened October 1st and you're telling me the first week of October and the water system goes down. It's a total embarrassment and it's intolerable and it's unacceptable. Well, going in there, number one thing that a city council person needs to do is get their hands dirty. Uh, I have the experience to deal with that situation. I'm not going to I'm not going to tell you right now that I'm going to go out there and solve it, but I can darn well tell you that there will be a game plan in place within the first year of my of me being here that's going to set up this city for the next 30 years. [applause] >> Thank you to candidate Rick Garca. The same question goes to candidate Ismael Losano. >> Okay. Yes. Um like I was sitting here yesterday with the other debates uh I found about that news and just to [clears throat] believe it. It was really bad news. Think about your your loved ones, the grandparents and your pets. Uh drink drinking that water is so bad. And of course, whoever to drop the ball, drop the ball, it needs to be a combo and solve the uh the the problem towards that the uh the water that is not being cleaned. And it's not that it happened just yesterday. I mean, it happened so many years that that's that problem is going on. And we just need to well, if elected, I mean, we just need to look into the that department. what is that is missing like personnel or the director what is it that he needs to for the water to be clean and yeah that's that's my response thank you >> thank you to candidate is my loss the same question goes to candidate manfredo salas I mean >> okay no problem I just wanted to make sure that that you were able to understand the question. >> Okay. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> The the first thing uh on the water I mean like uh Rick said the rates are going up every time they go up. They have more I guess they have more income than all the other departments the water department because when I don't know people don't like mayor Martin because he was that he abused the city right and water rates were 10 bucks a month $15 a month and he didn't shut the water off and right here nowadays if you don't pay your water they shut it off boom I don't know and stay but the thing is they should have a guy there testing the water 247 Seven. I mean, because of the whole city of Laredo, uh, drink water. Hey, well, cut the salary from the directory get out guy there and check the water every day. I mean, I mean, they get money. They have people investigate the supervisor. Maybe he fell asleep or something. I mean, but they got to have people there 247, the water department checking the water. It was about a week ago, my uh grandson fell sick. He started bombing it. He's he's a year and a half. You think of it, it was the water because I went to the mer to the hospital and there were about six kids there with the same symptoms and high fever. He were throwing up and this been going on for a week or two weeks in the city and people workers know what's going on but they're afraid to talk because they'll get fired. I mean, come on. You know, we have uh we have resources enough because every time they raise the the property value of your property and they get money. So, neither do I, you know. So, that's it. Professor, [applause] >> thank you. Thank you, Mr. Salenas. The same question comes to candidate Osaldo. >> Thank you. Um first of all um we need to start holding people responsible um starting with the uh city council uh down to the city manager. We need to start um holding uh people responsible for the actions and uh like Mr. Ga said, I mean it's an embarrassment. I mean the the rates just went up uh in October and this happens again. I think this is the fourth um uh what do you call it? Um boil water uh notice in the past five years. So this is embarrassment you know and we need to start holding people accountable for for their actions. I mean water is life you know and it it affects everybody. It it even affects uh businesses you know I know there's some businesses that have closed uh small businesses I mean that depend on the on the daily consumer and daily customer. So it affects it's it affects a lot of people. Uh it goes back to to um uh what we talked about some time ago. Uh whatever happened to that master plan, that water master plan. I mean uh I mean we got to go back and see where um where that stopped or what else uh we need to do to um uh to to follow that master plan. I know um that master plan was done 2013 10 12 years ago. uh where did we stop or where is it and we need to update that that um that water master plan but it has um become an embarrassment and I want to use that uh word Rick that you use because uh it has you know I mean four water boils in the last five years I mean we can't have that thank you >> thank you candidate Oswaldan [applause] >> the same question goes to candidate Tanya Benavidas Yes, thank you. Um, first of all, I before I say anything else, I just want to say that clean drinking water is a basic human right. It is a god-given right. We need water to survive. 90% of our body is water. I was sitting right there, well standing um in 2021 and again in 2022 when we got a presentation on that screen that said that the city of Laredo hadn't implemented the TCQ recommendations even 50% of the way. We are in 2024 and our 50-year water master plan that Mr. Wman is referring to just got started in 2023. You mean to tell me that in the last three years, the best we could do is come up with a master plan that was made by god knows who what consultants and we paid Lord knows how much. I can't tell you that off the top of my head, but what I can tell you is that the city spent $140,000 delivering those 10,000 cases of water today. I can also tell you that council had the time to look back into an ordinance from eight years ago and clarify language to pay themselves more money when they can't guarantee that we will have drinking water from the tap. And I can tell you that when I come to council, I am going to make it my number one duty to make sure that Laredo doesn't become the next Flint, Michigan. Because guess what? Those consultants that made that water plan, Len, look them up. They just paid an $8 million settlement in July 2024 to the survivors of Flint, Michigan. So, we need to really stop beating around the bush. We can't be with like, well, there's blame to go around. It could have been this guy. Let's pick a scapegoat. The buck stops with us who are being entrusted by the people. And in order to rebuild public trust, something that I've already done is put my campaign finance report up on my Facebook the day that I submitted it, right on the deadline. and I will continue to exercise that transparency with any decision that I make up on the days. Thank you. [applause] Thank you so much to all of the candidates. We now go or move on to question number three. Um we're very excited. This is one of our first times doing this and it comes from youth council member Leonardo Moreno to candidate Ismael Losano. Go ahead. >> Hello candidates. Good evening. I would like to say my my question in both English and Spanish for so in English. As a member of the city council, how you how will you ensure you represent your district with ethics, transparency, and honor? Okay. Fulltime city council member is City Councilman District, they ask for public safety. That's the priority that it's under my platform and veterans as well and the fentinel is that public safety. There's a lot of individuals that break into their vehicles. The senior citizens don't have sidewalks or their streets are not paved the the right way they should be. So that that is my plan for and thank you for the question. >> Thank you. >> I don't know if I answer English and Spanish but >> thank you so much candidate Ismael loan. The same question goes to candidate Manfredo Salenas. >> Can you repeat it? >> CL Mr. Salenas, as a member of the city council, how will you ensure you represent your district with ethics, transparency, and honor? the US United States. I was United States Army for seven years. Three years regular and four reserve. go to the city. I wanted to put the sidewalk in front of my house and they told me I have to pay for it. [clears throat] Why? You pay taxes all your life on the on your property and you ask the city for just a little uh what is it? 46 ft by three feet of sidewalk and you and you still and that piece of property belongs to the city. It doesn't belong to the to the homeowner. The city has to maintain it. You pay taxes and they never do it. Oh, you have to pay your own sidewalk. Come on. The city is supposed to put the sidewalk there. They should. Council like said, I mean, they want more money for the city. for the city. Really? Yeah. Meaning And then they tell you what happened in the cross room manager. I mean [applause] much gracias seen Salenas. The same question goes to candidate Oaldoman. Um as a council uh council member um it's important to be hands-on. I would be hands-on. Uh I know walking the the district floor u there's some uh sections that have been forgotten that we need to go back and and and beautify. you know, uh, at one time, uh, the city the city of Laredo had operation cleanup, you know, we need to go back to those to those things, you know, and and and have like, um, u, uh, Mr. Losano was saying, you need you need to be out there in the public, you know, you need to you need to have those town hall meetings. Uh, those are very important. When when I was at the parks and recreation, we used to have those town hall those town hall meetings. And it's good because they want they want to they they want to meet you. They want to they want to know who they're talking to. and it's important to answer their calls, you know. Um, one of the things uh I I I am going to do is there's that 311 report. So, I'm going to ask for that 311 report every month and see what came in and what has been done. So, that's going to be uh very important uh getting those 311 reports and see what complaints they had. So, thank you. [applause] >> Thank you to candidate Oaldo Gusman. Same question goes to candidate Tanya Benavidas. >> Thank you for that question and thank you for being a youth leader in our community. We very desperately need more of you. Um the first thing that I would do uh to in order to be able to lead with ethics and transparency and honor is I know that we all block because we're running for office. I want to have the same sort of exercise once I'm elected to continue to get input from the people and let them know that I'm not just going to show up at their doors when I need their votes. I am a workingclass eldest daughter of nine children. Uh my my dad and my my youngest sister who could be my daughter are sitting right here. And I know that the importance of having a full-time office in city council. I was in the city charter revision commission and we had the conversation and it didn't go very far. But I firmly believe that we need fully staffed offices in city council. We need to have a physical office where people can come and really reach us for constituent services. We need to make sure that we have the same extension in our websites. And we need to have real conversations about the way decisions are being made. Uh because to go back to the decision that was made not too long ago that um has now left us with a de facto increase for city council people without the guard rails and without the requirement of making it a full-time job which I fully believe that it should be. Then we don't we're not doing the right we're doing a disservice to our to our community. We are we're contributing to that lack of trust that makes people not want to get engaged, not want to turn out and vote. And in order to beat that lack of transparency and rebuild the public trust, we really need to engage the public and open them and welcome them to be having the hard conversations like should city council members get a full-time job? Yes or no? Not just make the decision and then say that that's not what decision that is being made, but then turn around and make it. And now I would like to see everybody's paychecks. Are they getting paid more? Yes or no? And if they are, then it was a race. [applause] >> Thank you so much, candidate Tanya Benvidz. The same question goes to candidate Rick Gara. [clears throat] >> Thank you for the question. Thank you for doing what you do. Very important. As I laid out earlier, the youth is very important. Your generation is what's going to save this country. It's what's going to save this city. We're going to try and get you there, though. All right. Um there's no shortcuts to success. [clears throat] uh at LISD. The first thing that I did when I got there, there was there was what I thought there was what I thought was a lack of transparency uh throughout the district. Maybe not through no fault of their own. I'm not here to I've never been out here to try and point fingers at anybody and what they're doing wrong. I just need to do my job and things will get done. So, let me get this out of the way here. So, the the formula to that will always be for me honor, integrity, and commitment. Transparency will take care of itself if you do that. I've been doing that for 12 years at LISD. Um it is it is it it it is something great to see when people get involved and follow the same game plan and follow you um set out a game plan and everybody follows in the same footsteps. Transparency will take care of itself. Why? Because people like success. And when there's success, you don't have people starting to look at who to blame and what to do and who to why isn't it transparent what's going on. I really think that I wouldn't have gotten elected three times to the LSD school board had I not been doing that. But I worked very very hard. It is a volunteer position. It is a nonpaid position. So the thousands upon thousands of hours that I volunteered for and doing that was a labor of love for me. But the greatest joy that I had in doing that is what I'm going to bring to the city. honor, integrity, and commitment. Once you get those things done, I think everybody joins in. I think everybody likes a winner. I think everybody likes to have a good game plan. I think human beings in general like to have a structured plan of action. Once we have that and and I think we will and I know we will. Um, you know, me being there, there is no way that the transparency part or the transparency factor cannot be followed because it's always going to be there. >> [applause] >> Thank you so much for all the candidates. Thank you again for the uh the question, Lonardo, for from the youth council. And we're now ready for the final round of questioning. This final question comes from the members of our community. They were able to submit these questions through our social media through an actual link that we were asking them to do. Um so let me ask the question, one of the questions from the community at this moment. The the com the question from the community is how uh what will you uh what will you do to address the infrastructure needs of our city such as increasing traffic and paving of the streets and that question first goes to candidate Manfredo Salenas. >> Okay. The first thing I would do is learn and planning. You know I was a builder in the 90s so I know the the I mean I know they build they build subdivisions from one in or one way in, one way out. I mean, come on. They never had a vision that they need another exit. Just like when you have a when you have a fire in the house, you have to go, you have two exit, front run back. And these guys always build the subdivision. You build one in and you go out one. I mean, and they start doing like that. those uh and the subdivisions. I know the zoning planning commissioners were in charge. They build the streets uh not wide enough so you could park your car on both sides and have the both of them come, you know, back and forth. Uh and they never they should have for the city of Larredo, they should vision that hey, Laredo is growing. You have to get another exit. a uh but they're not doing that. They're still not doing that because the developer as Tanoh with the other guys who owns the land over there for you know some reason what the the Sony planning is the one to blame for that on the city of regular day. They're not doing their their subdivision planning right. And the ones they hire the ones they put there of their we go back again. They're excommissioners, ex councilman's, they don't know anything about planning. They all think about just getting uh things right for whoever putting them there. So we have to have a zoning planning commission. They have the vision for the future of Laredo. So all this traffic uh that we have right now as they won't happen but there's a way we can fix it but we have to get land from private owners you know. >> Thank you Mr. Salinas. [applause] >> The same question goes to uh candidate Ospalman. >> Thank you. Uh first thing is um we need to sit down with our traffic department and see um what the cost is and and and see what plan they have in place right now. Um also we need to to work with text and see what what plans they have. Um I know u there's that uh no that also has a plan out there that we need to to study and and follow. Um I know um what we see right now um the loop uh loop 20 uh widening that was something that was planned 10 years ago and we're just starting to see um the work that's being done. But we also um we also need to go um go secure more funding um at the federal and state level because we we we need to help um to um uh what do you call it to to grow. I remember um when they first started talking about the barllet extension and uh and people were complaining, well, we don't need it. We don't need it. And now, I mean, it's it's I mean, it's it's overused now. We we need some more um some more u uh streets like that, some more outlets like that. So, uh we we do need to to um to follow that MO plan and see what what we can help the city with, which is in desperate need with the traffic uh problem. Thank you so much candidate uh Obalo Gusman. The same question goes to candidate Tanya Benavides. >> Thank you for that question. Um I think it goes without saying that Laredo has been one of the fastest growing cities in recent years, maybe not as fast now as it was about 10 years ago. But it's very clear that the position that we're in now where we don't prioritize our basic maintenance and our our basic repairs of infrastructure to be able to support that growth. Um have us has us in the predicament that we are today where we find ourselves having to bond and borrow money to be able to play to pay for basic things that we should already have. especially being the number one port in the country that we we need to be able to sustain that growth and to be able to build on it for years to come, but we can't do it alone, unfortunately. So, looking at things like the bipartisan infrastructure law bill and what monies are available to be able to supplement with federal money um the repairs that we need in our cities is one thing that I would do. Another thing that I would do is look at our discretionary funds. And we all know and we are upset at the way that council is able to just use that money to their disposition without us knowing whether the money is being used the best way that it can be. So why not proportion a number of those funds for these repairs that we so desperately need so that we don't go without sidewalks. we can improve our lighting and uh join the 21st century with LED lighting as we have seen in so many other cities and really be able to look at the technology that is needed to be able to support our transportation and our traffic increases. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you to candidate Tanya Benavides. The same question goes to candidate Rick Gara. >> Thank you for the Thank you for the question. closer. This thing um the the the traffic issues that we have currently uh as everybody mentioned earlier uh everything and that we talked about that has to do physically with the city of Laredo is is is that I feel personally for the last 20 30 years this city has been playing defense at all times. We haven't had a proactive approach to these to these type of situations including water water infrastructure, traffic, lighting issues, everything that we've had. A lot of these things we were talking about it back in the 90s and and uh and and and we've been since the 90s we've been one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. So it can't be said that we haven't been discussing it. The the question is going to be what are we doing about it? and the infrastructure plan that we had in place back in the late or early or mid 90s. Uh I don't I believe we didn't follow through on it and and whether it be because of resources, financial resources, because of cooperation from the federal and state uh from the federal and and state level, we're not there is a direct symptom. This is the problems that we get when we don't get everybody involved. the traffic that we see on District 4 hugely come with the stuff that you have on on Bartlett on on Saunders Street at 5:00 on Clark Boulevard at 5:00 in the afternoon. It's is ridiculous ridiculous because we haven't been able to resolve that issue. Even if we start going and opening up cross lanes to try and alleviate some of that traffic, it's going to take a lot of thinking. It's not something that you're going to solve overnight. But if you don't get everybody together to try and work together to try and solve these issues and and not from just because it's very easy to complain about what the problems are, the pro the the real issue is how you going to fix it and where do you get the monies and how do you sit people down and convince them that this is how the way we're going to do it. So I believe I have a game plan for that and uh hopefully it'll come through. Thank you. >> Thank you so much to candidate Rick Gara. Same question goes to candidate Ismile Losano. [clears throat] >> Yes, thank you for the question. I will work with the state and federal officials for funding and meet with fair and effective laws and policies that we affect for our transportation industry. Work with the companies in the transportation logistics warehouse industries and custom brokers too. and also have the traffic management system implement smart traffic management system that util utilize real-time data to optim optimize traffic flow. This can include the adaptive traffic signals, real time traffic updates and congenance pricing to discourage peak hour driving. also something that we don't have for within the district 4 for the residents and you see in other um cities like San Antonio or Austin or within our our here district in city of Laredo is cycling and walking infrastructure. We need to develop those kinds of streets for for the bikes for the bikers to to ride their bikes. Sometimes they don't respect them. So we just need to force regulations for them to to ride their bike safely. Thank you. >> Thank you so much to all the candidates. Thank you so much to our panelists for all the great questions from uh for tonight in this tonight's um um debate. And it is now time for closing statements beginning with candidate Osaldo Gusman. You have two minutes. >> Thank you. Um once again, thank you for hosting this event. Um and um I'll go back to to talk about my um my years with the city, 27 years. Um but first um this is dear to me um because um because um um my dad also worked for the city for 34 years and he was uh recognized here in this same um building here at at council chambers. Uh and for me working 27 years I bring that experience. Um like I said I I I did um work with community development. So that's where I learned um customer service. I went on to um um CVB. That's where I learned economic development and how important it is to bring u I was a sports market manager but to bring in u tournaments and stuff like that. Currently um I am u part of the board Olympics and the amount of people that we bring in um with the 13 different tournaments is a great um venue uh revenue source for the city of Laredo but um with my experience I I mean I was uh working with the city I know how the um how the city works how the how working with the departments um I I stood there um in front of council for eight nine years and got grilled by council also you know so I know how the city works I mean when I come in it's it's not uh a learning process I know um I I I know what I need to do and uh we're going to um start and start working as as day one you know it's it's there's not a learning process so it's it's it's a a goal it's it's a goal Thank you so much uh to candidate Oswaldo Guzman. Next is Ismael Losano. Your closing statements, please. I want to thank the city of Laredo for the opportunity to listen about myself and what I stand for for District 4. I am the only candidate who has vowed to be a full-time council member for 70,000 a year. You deserve a council member who will be accessible to you. the residents of district 4. The city faces many issues on daily basis that requires a full-time council member. When you need to talk to me, I will try to be I will be at the city hall not just when a meeting is scheduled. I will have regular town hall meetings with residents of this report to hear their concerns. Not just during the election time. I will be accessessible not excuse me [clears throat] to not only the residents of district board and but the city employees as well. I will be transparent and be objective about the issues. have no special ties to anyone or to any group. My loyalty is to the taxpayers and the residents of district 4. I represent the district court. Quadro, I respectly ask that you give me the opportunity to represent you, to represent me. I'm sorry. I humbly ask for a vote on November 5th. Early voting begins of October 21st through November 1st. Thank you. >> Thank you so much to candidate Ismaano. Manfredo Salenas, you have two minutes for your closing statement. Sir, >> if I get elected, if I get elected here from city council, district 4, the first thing they will do is try to uh coordinate those rest of the councilman because they have to get together so they could put the city manager to work so he could do because this is a city manager control city. So, if the city manager doesn't like the project, he ain't going to approve it. And you can't you can't uh go over and uh tell him about supervisors. He has to look for he has to he has to fire them and hire them. So, the first thing is you have to do is get together with the city council because everybody every every councilman wants to do a project. So, whatever is good for their district City manager. City manager. That's it. >> Thank you so much. >> [applause] >> Candidate Tana Benavidas, you have two minutes for your closing statements. >> Thank you everyone. I just want to say thank you for the opportunity to share about myself and my platform and my vision for Laredo with you. I am a firm believer that if we had more teachers and community organizers in city council, city council would be a place where everybody would feel welcome and where decisions would would be made with people in mind. And I can't promise you that I will flip all the issues on day one, but I can promise you that I will always be a fighter and a champion for the people the same way that I have always fought for my students and the communities that I've lived in. I have a really strong moral compass and I am unbought. I'm unafraid and I am ready to do the work for you knowing that it's a big challenge to take on especially given the current issues that we're dealing with today. That we're all going to have to go home and boil our water again and that we are not able to go to bed knowing that the things that we need from our local government are going to be there the next day when we wake up. That is what's at stake here. It is not just your taxpayer monies, but it is your life. It is the fact that local government is with you from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep. And I think the contrast is clear, but you have the choice to make. And I hope that I have done enough to earn your trust. I will continue to do everything that I can out in the field to be be able to represent you the best way that I can. And to have you know that when you elect me, you have a champion and someone that you can confide in and that will fight for you to do what's right. Thank you. Thank you to candidate Tanya Benavides. Our last closing statement for today comes from candidate Rick Garza. You have two minutes. >> Thank you very much. Thank you once again, City of Laredo, for hosting this forum. Thank you all for being here, the everybody that's here, the families, and everybody else. I forgot to mention in my opening statement, which I don't want my wife to kill me at the end of the day, but I want to really sit here and thank my my wife, my my wonderful wife, Adelina Flores Gara, Dr. Adelina Flores Gara and my two daughters, Hannah and and Sarah. Uh without them allowing me the time to go out there and express myself professionally every day at at the LISD school board and everything that I've done for the last 34 years, 34 years of public service that she's allowed me to fulfill my dream of being a good public servant and doing my job as a good man and a and a and a resident of our community. I've always understood my family raised me to be uh raised us to go through volunteerism was very important in our family and we've done it throughout our whole lives. Every all 10 of us in our family volunteered in one way or another. I grew up with seven sisters. Uh everybody in the educational field and my three brothers all of us came from like I said Colonia Russell Terrace. Uh most of us still live in the area. I live in the in district 4 and I'm very proud and humbled that I get to represent district 4 at LID and I'm hoping to that you have the confidence in me and give me the honor of representing you here at city council. District 4 is a microcosm of the city of Laredo. The same needs that district 4 has whether it be sidewalks, the streets, the lighting, especially lighting, lighting, lighting is is is a microcosm of the rest of the city and all the needs that it needs. all the problems that it has overall in the city is what we have there in district 4. I promise you there will be no stone unturned when I'm in here. There will be everything will be studied. Everything will be talked about. Communication is not going to be an issue with me. I did it at for 12 years at LD and there is the reason why LD has been super successful over the last 12 years and all the kids that have been graduating from there are graduating with higher standards because of the higher standards that we set for the professionals. Thank you very much. >> [applause] >> Thank you to all the candidates. This concludes our political forum for the office of city council member 4, district 4. This is a public service to the citizens of Laredo and is brought to you again by the city of Laredo, Laredo TV, the public access channel, and the city public information office. Please make sure you cast your vote on election day, which is Tuesday, November 5th. Remember, early voting also starts Monday, October 21st, and it runs through Friday, November 1st. If you would like any information on this election, please contact the webcount elections office at 956523450 or you can also log to our City of Laredo website. The information is there too at city of loredo.com. Once again, thank you for watching this very important political forum. Thank you so much. [applause] Good to see you.