From the Times today.Hostilities overshadow El Paso City rep race in District 3
By Michael D. Hernandez / El Paso Times
Posted: 05/05/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT
Acosta Related
Acosta-Lozano race
May 3:
Most District 3 voters unsure: Incumbent's slight lead should indicate a winApr 29:
Rep. Emma Acosta files complaints against challenger José Alexandro LozanoApr 28:
José Alexandro Lozano's campaign mailing is disputedApr 22:
José Alexandro Lozano-Emma Acosta city rep race turns into residence disputeEL PASO -- East-Central city Rep. Emma Acosta and challenger José Alexandro Lozano don't like one another. Their personal feelings have turned their race for the City Council into the stormiest contest of Saturday's municipal election.
Lozano has said repeatedly that Acosta does not live in Council District 3, which she represents. Acosta said she does, and the city attorney sides with her.
She has filed police reports claiming that Lozano harassed her grandson and that Lozano's son, Rene Lozano, elbowed her at a recent candidates' forum. In turn, José Lozano called her a liar and accused her of filing a false report with police.
On the issues, both say they understand the most pressing problems of the district, which range from blue-collar neighborhoods in Central El Paso and the Lower Valley to upper-income sections on the East Side. It also includes busy commercial corridors along Montana Avenue, Interstate 10 and Alameda Avenue.
Here is a capsule look at the candidates.
Emma Acosta
Acosta, 55, is seeking her first full term on the City Council. She won a special election in June 2008 to become the district's representative and fill a seat that Lozano vacated to make an unsuccessful run for county commissioner.
Acosta said her experience as a city employee for three decades gives her the kind of insight needed to streamline city government.
She worked in a variety of departments, and ran the city sanitation department
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for five years, until 2004, when she filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city. Acosta resigned from the position in May 2004 and withdrew her suit as part of an agreement with the city that paid her an annual pension of $90,000.
The agreement prohibited her from seeking employment with the city for five years, and Lozano contends she is ineligible to serve on council. The city attorney, though, issued an opinion saying her work as a councilwoman did not constitute city employment.
Acosta said her understanding of city services and operations can help in the search for savings as the city faces a projected $14 million budget deficit.
"We don't need to increase taxes if we make the city more efficient," she said.
She said streamlining services can be done while preparing El Paso to handle the growth from thousands of new military families that are streaming into Fort Bliss.
Acosta said the Public Service Board should continue to manage the stormwater utility. However, the members who sit on the board should come from nominations by the City Council and the mayor, she said.
This is Acosta's first time in public office. In 2005, she made an unsuccessful run for the District 7 seat on council.
She has two daughters, is divorced and lives in the Cielo Vista neighborhood.
José Alexandro Lozano
Lozano, 62, said he is looking to return to the City Council because he is not pleased with the way El Paso treats its residents and business owners.
"The city needs to think of all its people as customers, and right now we have very bad customer service," said Lozano, who owned Mexican food restaurant Alexandros, which is now closed.
He said council members have made it too difficult for the business community to operate in El Paso. Fees for many services are too high and there are too many delays caused by City Hall that keep commerce at a sluggish pace, he said.
It was wrong for the city to offer tax incentives for a private project to develop the former Farah building that stands vacant on prime property along I-10, he said. He said all major investments by the city should first be approved by voters.
Lozano opposes the use of eminent domain as a tool to revitalize Downtown El Paso. The city has made clear that eminent domain -- or the right of a government entity to take private property for public use with compensation given to the property owner -- is to be considered a last-ditch tool for improvements in Downtown.
Lozano wants all public agencies moved to Downtown to stimulate the area.
Lozano, who was East-Central city rep for five years, admitted that he told Acosta he would not run for the seat this year. But, he said, he had a change of heart.
"Hey, if Obama can change his mind about running for president, I can change my mind, too," he said.
Lozano said he knew his decision to run would draw criticism. He said he ran for County Commissioners Court to have a broader impact on the community and because it paid better.
He said voters should approve the fees set for the stormwater utility, and wants the city to take back control of flood-control programs. He said the city needs to look at improving its water-retention systems and reservoirs.
Lozano said he would not vote on a stormwater issue if it conflicted with one of his businesses, Stormwater Control/EcoRain Systems of El Paso.
Michael D. Hernandez may be reached at mhernandez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6151.
Emma Acosta
Age: 55
Education: Master's degree in business administration form Webster University and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Experience: City representative; served three decades as city employee, including five years as director of sanitation.
Key issues: economic development, improvements to infrastructure, streamlining of city operations.
Stormwater position: Says the Public Service Board should continue to manage the stormwater utility.
Family: Divorced with two daughters.
Jose Alexandro Lozano
Age: 62
Education: Studied at the Dallas Art Institute.
Experience: Former council member. He was a restaurateur and he owns other businesses, including a construction company and stormwater service operation.
Key issues: improve city services, control spending, make improvements to city's water-retention system.
Stormwater position: Wants the city to take back control of the stormwater utility and fees should be set by voters.
Family: He and his wife, Ann, have four children.
www.elpasotimes.com/politics/ci_12295510