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pretty funny...hardberger bashing the current city council members...
Sorry, but Castro the Environmentalist? HA! I'm tired of him speaking out of the side of his mouth.
BRING ON THE JUDGE!
Three top mayoral candidates face off in debate
Web Posted: 02/23/2005 12:00 AM CST
Jaime Castillo
Express-News Political Editor
Appearing before a key Northwest Side cons uency Tuesday night, the three top contenders for mayor jousted over property rights, the best way to change the culture at City Hall and whether the city is safe.
The candidates produced no noticeable gaffes and settled quickly into familiar roles before a crowd of about 150 people representing City Council District 8 neighborhood associations.
Retired 4th Court of Appeals Chief Justice Phil Hardberger portrayed himself as the uncompromised outsider who could lead the city out of scandal; City Councilman Carroll Schubert pledged to be a fiscal conservative who would provide a business-friendly environment; and Councilman Julián Castro painted himself as the candidate of vision who could deliver big-city dreams and a small-town quality of life.
The contenders to replace term-limited Mayor Ed Garza in the May 7 election flashed philosophical differences throughout the 90-minute forum.
One of those moments occurred during a discussion of vested rights, which involves property owners who are grandfathered from stricter environmental controls over the Edwards Aquifer and its recharge zone.
"Texas is a property-rights state, and I believe strongly in private property rights," Schubert said, noting vested rights is a legal designation that in most cases cannot be challenged.
The response prompted sharp replies from his compe ors.
Hardberger called vested rights "the enemy of city land" and said the city should expand Proposition 3, a voter-approved fund to buy and preserve environmentally sensitive land.
"If you buy it, you don't have to worry about vested rights," he said.
Castro said vested rights can be challenged and that he would urge a stricter permitting process that would make sure developers adhere to city ordinances.
"If I'm mayor, I'll take a tough stance, but a fair one, when it comes to vested rights," he said.
Later, Hardberger was asked about specific steps to reinvent the culture at City Hall. He said he would foster an "at udinal" change in order to "raise the bar on integrity in city government."
After Hardberger's response, Castro sniped: "Somewhere in there, I missed the details."
Hardberger struck a different chord on the issue of public safety. Sandwiched between the responses of Schubert and Castro, who both characterized San Antonio as one of the safest big cities in the country, Hardberger countered: "We don't live in a safe city. That's an absolutely false statement."
Hardberger said sexual assaults and murders are on the rise, and he noted he was being supported by the police union to help bring positive change.
The candidates are scheduled to appear at a series of debates in the coming weeks. The city's Asian community will sponsor the next one Saturday.
pretty funny...hardberger bashing the current city council members...
I do not trust Julián Castro one bit.
me neither!
Hardberger.....theright choice!
Damn Straight Hook.
i believe schubert and castro have shown what they can do for the city... nothing.. fight strip bars, allow cps to neglect children, bribery, etc...
we need someone new.. he may not be any better...but i don't think he can be worse.
Well, we'll see if that's the city's mindset. As ed up as it is, I'm not sure how hispanic parts of town will vote in regards to Castro. I hope they see him for a lying and not someone with a hispanic last name.
and that is the problem... many hispanics will vote for castro just because he is hispanic... however we'll see how many people actually vote at all...
Julian Castro is too young and inexperienced to be Mayor. I don't think businessmen would take him seriously - he looks too much like a Frat boy playing a role.
Yeah, well, people said that about Garza too.
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