Choices

The Webb County runoff election is coming up next month and I'm starting to rethink my choices. I'll continue to support some candidates because I think they can breathe new life into their respective office, and others will get my vote for more trivial reasons. But there's this nagging little concern in the back of my head: the money.

The Laredo Times reported on each candidate's expenses, and the race that stuck out was the county judge's -- its candidates spent an enormous amount of money on their campaigns. The money leader in that race was newcomer Tano Tijerina, who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get his message out. It makes sense that a challenger would spend more than an incumbent; the newbie may not have the name/face recognition that a seasoned politico might have.

Still, spending close to half a million bucks on a campaign is noteworthy, and not in a good way. If I remember correctly, one person posted a comment on the LMT's message board about the money involved. He/she was unnerved by the fact that Tano had spent so much money in this troubled economy. Families are having trouble making ends meet, and here he was, burning through cash like a drunken sailor. Now, the other candidates didn't exactly run a frugal campaign either, but Tano's financial statement surely left a mark. His spending spree reveals a disconnect with working people, and an insult to the people he's choosing to serve.

What I wonder is how these people pay back these humongous amounts of dough. Each and every candidate is left with a loan that has to be honored. And this is where my cynicism comes in.

This Sunday, the Laredo Times ran an editorial where they maintain that journalistic integrity is of utmost importance. Que Fregados posted the piece. Here's a passage that applies to this post:

There's plenty of talk out there making the rounds, for example, that someboy
took kickbacks from a government contractor.

I haven't heard this rumor. I have no idea who they are referring to, but in the world of politics, this is nothing new. This sort of activity could be occurring at the city, county, or even the school level. It wouldn't be surprising, what with our community's checkered past.

Far be it for me to try to accuse Tano, or any other candidate, from taking kickbacks. But doubt arises when somebody would go through so much trouble, and money, to win a seat in local government. Their public servant salaries would never start to repay the money they owe. People might have good intentions in running for office, but their balance sheets raise my curiosity.
I may be missing something, but things just don't add up. All I know is that all this money is more than I'll ever see in my lifetime.