Delta races hotly contested

Campaigning is in high gear in the Delta where 14 candidates are maneuvering for six spots on the Edcouch and Elsa city councils.

Incumbent Elsa councilmen Cain Caceres and Robert Escobar are running with political newcomer Oscar Garcia Jr. on their record of cleaning up the city's financial crisis left, they claim, by their opponents for the three seats.

Those opponents, former council members Felipe Balli, Rey Alejandro and Leo Gonzalez, counter that basic city services such as water quality and street potholes have suffered under the city's current leadership.

In Edcouch, place 5 seatholder Eddy Gonzalez is giving up his seat for a run for the mayor's seat, currently held by Jose Calin Guzman, one of eight candidates vying for three spots on the city commission. Robert Tanguma Schmalzried, who could not be reached for comment, is also running for Edcouch mayor.

Early voting starts today and runs through May 5. Election Day is May 9.

Caceres, who is seeking reelection to Place 3, said Elsa owed nearly $2 million in unpaid operating expenses and outstanding loans when he joined the council with Escobar.

The debt, which put Elsa on the brink of bankruptcy, was reduced through a series of cost-cutting maneuvers that included trimming the city's bloated work force, Caceres said. The measures helped Elsa pay off a $450,000 state loan it had previously defaulted on four years earlier than expected, which the city celebrated last week by burning the note.

Caceres said they also completed the city's first audit in six years, made over $250,000 in repairs to an aging sewer system and implemented other new financial systems to make the city fiscally-sound.

Escobar, who is running against Balli to retain his place 2 seat, said the city was on life support when they entered office, barely making it on the small amount it got from property taxes.

With the state debt and others nearly paid off, Escobar said the city is prepping for growth such as a new city hall, improvements to the city's water plant and other economic development measures.

"We will be out of most of the past debt which means we'll be able to invest more into the city's expansion," Escobar said. "This community is going to see huge advancement because we've laid the financial foundation."

But Alejandro, a former city council member who is trying to oust Caceres, said he is running because there has been no work done in the city in the past three years.

The city is filled with weedy lots, pothole-ridden streets and dirty alleys and street corners, Alejandro said. The drinking water also has an awful odor when it comes out of the faucet.

Balli and Leo Gonzalez, who is running against Garcia for the open place 4 seat, both echoed Alejandro's comments.

They contend that the city is in the same position where it was three years ago with crumbling infrastructure, high unemployment and lacking city services.

Leo Gonzalez said he wants to expand the police department, build a new fire department and improve the quality of the city's water. By doing that and working on city beautification, he said, the city has a better chance of recruiting new businesses.

"They haven't done any progress in the city," Alejandro said of the current council. "There's nothing that the people can see."

In Edcouch, two of the candidates for mayor agree on the city's major issue.

They disagree on who the best choice is to fix it.

A three-year state receivership of the city water system should end soon as the state finishes upgrading the system to bring it in line with regulations from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Both Eddy Gonzalez and Guzman agree that ending the receivership and finding a way replace an at-capacity wastewater plant is the city's major issue.

However, Eddy Gonzalez said he is trying to oust the current mayor because Guzman has not been active in solving the city's issues.

Eddy Gonzalez contends that he's been more vocal in advocating the city's needs with county, state and federal representatives.

"The present mayor that we have brings no initiative to the table," he said. "He's just there. The city deserves more than that."

Guzman, who argues he's been most active in working to end the state receivership, said he has guided the city in the right direction during his term as mayor.

"People believe in me," Guzman said. "I always do my chores as far as the mayor's obligation."

Schmalzried is also running against Eddy Gonzalez and Guzman for mayor.

In addition, Edcouch's place 3 seat is up for grabs between Noah R. Lara, Melody Saldana Galvan and Ofelia A. Vallejo.

Incumbent place 2 seatholder Henry Martinez is being challenged by Noe Garcia Jr. for the other seat.

Jared Janes covers Hidalgo County government, Edinburg and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4424.

CITY OF EDCOUCH

Mayor's Race

Robert Tanguma Schmalzried

Eddy Gonzalez

Age: 58

City: Edcouch

Employment: County of Hidalgo right of way department

Education: High school and some college

Experience: Current mayor pro tem; former Edcouch-Elsa school board member

Family: Divorced with three children

J. Calin Guzman

Age: 68

City: Edcouch

Employment: Retired from a self-employed business

Education: High school and Texas State Technical College

Experience: First-term mayor and two previous terms as commissioner

Family: Three children

Alderman Place 2

Henry Martinez

Noe Garcia Jr.

Alderman Place 3

Noah R. Lara

Melody Saldana Galvan

Ofelia A. Vallejo

CITY OF ELSA

Council Place 2

Robert Escobar

Age: 39

City: Elsa

Employment: Medical contractor and builder

Education: n/a

Experience: First-term councilman and president of Boys and Girls Club of Elsa

Family: Wife and daughter

Felipe Balli

Age: 62

City: Elsa

Employment: Retired carpenter

Education: G.E.D.

Experience: Former councilman for three terms

Family: Wife, six daughters and one son

Council Place 3

Cain Caceres

Age: 47

City: Elsa

Employment: Banker with First National Bank

Education: Sam Houston State

Experience: First-term councilman

Family: Two children

Rey Alejandro

Age: 45

City: Elsa

Employment: Works in law enforcement

Education: High school and police academy

Experience: Former councilman for two terms

Family: Married with two daughters

Council Place 4

Oscar Garcia Jr.

Age: 36

City: Elsa

Employment: Self-employed contractor

Education: High school, Art Institute of Dallas and Texas State Technical College

Experience: No political experience

Family: Married with two daughters and two sons

Leo Gonzalez

Age: 67

City: Elsa

Employment: Retired teacher

Education: University of Texas-Pan American

Experience: Former city councilman for two terms and former municipal judge for Elsa and La Villa

Family: Wife and four children