Hidalgo political signs link city council candidates, school districts

HIDALGO — While candidates can’t even file for Hidalgo’s upcoming City Council election until Feb. 4, signs have already begun popping up on Texano Drive.

And one has already raised eyebrows.

The white sign, inked with large red letters promoting three candidates backed by the Concerned Citizens of Hidalgo, also features logos promoting two local school districts and the city.

Officials at both the Hidalgo Independent School District and Valley View Independent School District said they want the public to know they can’t, and haven’t, endorsed candidates.

“When the public saw it, that’s when we found out what was happening,” said Jennifer Villarreal, a public information specialist with the Hidalgo school district.

The Hidalgo school district had nothing to do with the sign, Villarreal said, which promotes the candidacy of Gustavo “Gus” Sanchez, a teacher and assistant athletic director who coaches men’s basketball at the school district.

“We’re looking into it. Right now we’re trying to see what can be done,” Villarreal said.

Hidalgo, a tiny town of 11,000 on the Rio Grande, hasn’t had a competitive city election in recent memory. Mayor John David Franz and many of the council members have been in office for two decades.

Mayor Franz and his uncle, local power broker Rudy Franz, split early last year. May’s municipal election will be a major test for the Concerned Citizens, headed by Rudy Franz, and a new political committee called Community United, which supports the mayor.

The sign advertises the Concerned Citizens’ candidates: Sanchez, Rudy Franz and incumbent councilman Dan Dillard. Community United hasn’t announced a slate, but Councilman Alvin Samano has said he’ll run for re-election. Mayor John David Franz isn’t up for re-election until 2014.

Jose Carlos Lizcano, a member of Community United, said the sign implies the candidates, especially Sanchez, are backed by the school districts. Lizcano said he talked with the Texas Ethics Commission, but fears any action will take place after the election.

An attorney for Valley View said the school district wasn’t involved with the sign and hasn’t endorsed a candidate.

“But I guess they were trying to imply that it’s somehow a citywide race and put all the municipalities and school districts that are in the area on there,” said Frank Prado, general counsel for Valley View.

Valley View’s rules governing how and where the school’s mascots, logos and name may be used were written to address commercial use, and it’s not clear how those guidelines would apply to this situation, Prado said.

“And, I mean, I guess the question becomes ‘Are we going to put taxpayer money into trying to stop it?’” Prado said, adding that decision will be left to Valley View’s board of trustees.

The Concerned Citizens put up the sign, said Rudy Franz, a local power broker who heads the Concerned Citizens. Rudy Franz is also one of the three city council candidates promoted on the sign.

 “They’re not endorsing us, we’re endorsing them,” Rudy Franz said. “Us, the candidates, are endorsing the school district for the fine job they’ve done and the city, too.”

Franz said he’d heard only good things about the signs, and encouraged anyone with concerns to contact the Concerned Citizens.

“But as far as controversy, I haven’t heard anything,” Franz said.

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Dave Hendricks covers McAllen and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at dhendricks@themonitor.com and (956) 683-4452.