I doubt that I will get my wish but here are some things I would like to see in our next Mayor:
- Understanding the statutes that are in place that control how our city government is allowed to operate and seeing to it that those statutes are obeyed
- A practice of conducting city business in view of the public. The Texas Open Meetings Act allows closed meetings (AKA executive session) for limited reasons, not because city council wants to avoid public input or observation.
- A view toward spending that recognizes we have limited resources, that we have basic needs that are not being fulfilled, and that those needs need to be fulfilled before spending money on things that might be nice but that we cannot afford
- A decent respect to the opinions of the citizens
- The understanding that elected officials are the servants of the citizens, not their bosses
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Not enough, Brutus. What I want to see is a Mayor who will work for a return to a strong Mayoral form of City Government, and a cleansing of all that deadwood that represents the City Manager and staff. Likewise, City Reps, who currently appear to have the same worth as a teat on a boar, should oversee the various City Departments more closely.
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I settle for one thing. A Mayor who feels representative government doesn’t mean that because he is elected he can make whatever decisions he feels are right. We have a disturbing trend in government. Representative government now seems to mean no constituent checks and balances. These folks also like to talk about people paying their fair share as code for how much of the money you earn you should be allowed to keep. That level of arrogance is not what our founders envisioned. And given that in EP a handful of large donors determine who will win by ensuring that candidate outspends everyone, it really isn’t even representative government.
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And one other key point to my representative government post. This Mayor ran on a platform of reducing spending and holding the line on taxes. I knew it was a lie when the old Council did a 180 at the last minute and endorsed him, but I think when our representative is elected on a platform that promises one thing and he then defends his failure to perform as promised by telling us that in a representative government he is empowered by the people to make those decisions that is about as close to a banana republic dictatorship as you can get. Perhaps Mayor Margo should wear a uniform and invent some medals to hang on it to complete the pompous ass persona he has created during his term.
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Oscar! Oscar! Oscar! Oscar!
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I have zero tolerance for closed door meetings at city hall. Give me one good reason why any city council meeting should be held behind closed doors.
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Excellent, Brutus. You John Dungan, “Anonymous” got it all right. I’m at a loss for words. Okay, not really. Maybe a couple more things. Yes, get rid of the City “Manager” and his “Staff”. If the Mayor, ANY Mayor can’t do the JOB for the PEOPLE, then he, she don’t need to be in OUR job. Every so-called City REPRESENTATIVE, needs a sign on the “Royal” dais. “I represent the PEOPLE , who hired ME to do this JOB -I have no other responsibility. The JOB is not about ME”. “My only job is to do what is best for The PEOPLE”. Why do OUR employees need a “Staff”.?? Give them a couple clerks to HELP the Rep research problems, find answers. These Reps need to be on the street, talking to people in their District. Streets need fixing every where. Where are the Police, why are they not on the streets? Clean up trash, abandoned lots, homes. WHY is the “weed, trash” enforcement NOT done in many areas? You got a stash house next door? Mayor, City Council, Commissioners, Juan Cabrera, your JOB is to be of SERVICE to US. It’s not about YOUR opinion, YOUR wants, dislikes, YOUR perceived “Elitist status”, YOUR financial well being, stuffing YOUR pockets. YOU were not hired to lie, deny, deceive, hide. YOUR job is to REPRESENT US, it’s not about YOU.
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I agree with the no checks and balances point! To the closed door point, that is generally because the item being discussed is about land purchases or other real estate issues, personnel issues, and lawsuit issues. These are the biggies, we need to know how these decisions are being made. Real estate issues allow the big money people to hide. Personnel are public servants, they can be under attack from higher ups in the bureaucracy or they can be taking advantage of their position to the detriment of the citizens. Yes we need more transparency and people who listen to their constituents instead of dismissing us as people who don’t know what the mayor and council know, yet they are the ones keeping us in the dark. We need change!
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Those land purchases, real estate issues and other business agreements are always where our money and assets are given away, often to the big donors who control city hall. Take Great Wolf and the related land swap for example. Once those matters get to open meeting, the deals have been made, council has already made its decision, and there is no real public discussion or debate.
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Exactly. Just like the ball field that Mayor John CRook, Niland, Noe, Lilly, the others BOUGHT for Mountain Star Sports, screwed the taxpayers, home owners, FORCE us to pay for it. No voice, no vote, no choice. AND WE will never realize a dime in profit, pay back and will just be paying MILLIONS$$$$ yearly and NEVER paid off. They do whatever puts the most campaign “Donations” in their pockets. The same is true now. THEY represent only themselves, whatever THEY can get for themselves and TAKE from US. That’s how Beto Pendejo, all of them on the Clown Council got so RICH.
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Brutus, do you know if there is a list of statute violations by the current administration?
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