Eagle Pass Controversial City Charter Amendments Special Election is Saturday, May 5th

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018

The controversial City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Charter Amendments Special Election is Saturday, May 5, 2018 from 7 A.M. through 7 P.M. at the City’s Multi-Purpose Center, located at 480 South Adams Street, in Fort Duncan Park in downtown Eagle Pass.

The City Charter Amendments Special Election, called by Mayor Ramsey English Cantu and City Council members Yolanda P. Ramon, Rudy Villalpando, Luis E. Sifuentes, and William “Billy” Davis, has raised controversy among Eagle Pass citizens as Proposition “B” among the six propositions calls for the Mayor to receive a salary of up to 60 percent of the City Manager’s salary ($84,000 per year compared to current $120 per year) and the City Council a salary of up to 40 percent of the City Manager’s salary ($56,000 per year compared to current $120 per year).  Proposition B has drawn the overwhelming ire  and opposition among Eagle Pass taxpayers since approved by the City Council on February 12, 2018.

Voter turnout has been extremely low for the City Charter Amendmetns Special Election in the Early Voting Period held during April 23 through May 1, 2018.

Eagle Pass citizens will have only one additional day to cast their ballot in the controversial City Charter Amendments Special Election on Saturday, May 5th, at the City Multi-Purpose Center from 7 A.M. through 7 P.M.

Another proposed City Charter Amendment is Proposition “A” which seeks to change the current election of the Mayor and City Council members from an at-large election system to a new format where only the Mayor and one City Council member are to be elected at-large and three City Council members are to be elected by a smaller group of voters divided into three City Districts.

Proposition “C” City Charter Amendment seeks to change the appointment (hiring) of the City Secretary by the City Manager to that of by the Mayor and City Council. If approved, this amendment would decrease the City Manager’s power while increasing the Mayor and City Council’s power. This is a critical amendment because the City Secretary is the keeper of all public information and records of the City of Eagle Pass instead of the Mayor and City Council. The City Secretary is responsible for an open and transparent government. If approved, the City Secretary’s job and open and transparent government in Eagle Pass will be at the whim of the Mayor and City Council, destroying the independence of the City Secretary in local government.

Proposition “D” City Charter Amendment seeks to change the selection or hiring of all City of Eagle Pass Department Heads by the City Manager to the Mayor and City Council. In 1964, the City Founders established that the City of Eagle Pass government would be operated as a City Manager-City Council, that is, the City Council establishes policy and procedures while the City Manager is responsible for managing all City departments and employees. If approved, Proposition “D” will decrease the Cty Manager’s power while increasing the Mayor and City Council’s power. Further, this Proposition “D” will make the City Manager nothing more than a puppet of the Mayor and City Council and seriously undermine the City Manager’s authority and control of all City Department Heads and employees.  If approved, City Department Heads and employees will not listen nor obey the City Manager, but instead run to the Mayor and City Council to complain and seek protection or favors (as if Eagle Pass is not a very political-oriented community).

Proposition “E” City Charter Amendment seeks to charge a candidate registration fee of $600 for every person who seeks to register as a candidate for Mayor or City Council member instead of the current free registration of candidates, unless the candidate raises a petition of registered City voters to fulfill its $600 registration fee by earning $5 credit per signature on the petition. If approved, Proposition “E” will restrict or limit the registration of candidates to those with money or political sponsors seeking certain political favors from City Council instead of keeping it free to any citizen who genuinely wants to do public service. Proposition “E” will close the door on future candidates who do not have the financial resources or money to pay the candidate registration fee of $600 or obtain sufficient signatures by petition, imposing obstacles on potential candidates. Currently, there is no fee nor petition requirements to register as a candidate.

Proposition “F” seeks to add that the City Manager be required to provide an annual report to the Mayor and City Council regarding the City’s Master Plan.

All Eagle Pass taxpayers are invited to come out and vote in the City Charter Amendments Special Election on Saturday, May 5th, at the City’s Multi-Purpose Center.