Valley Interfaith Executive Committee Co-Chair Eddie Anaya. (File photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)

McALLEN, Feb. 5 - Valley Interfaith hosts another of its candidate accountability sessions in McAllen on Sunday.

The event takes place at 2 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 2201 Martin Ave. Valley Interfaith members will be asking candidates from Hidalgo County where they stand on their economic development agenda, ‘Investing in our Families.’

Among the issues covered by ‘Investing in our Families’ are Colonia infrastructure, Hurricane Dolly recovery, Project VIDA, Community Oriented Primary Health Clinics, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid. 

Valley Interfaith Executive Committee Co-Chair Eddie Anaya is particularly concerned with health care. Anaya said the group will be asking state representative candidates to draft and file legislation to increase eligibility for CHIP from 200 percent of poverty to 300 percent of poverty. He said the issue had broad bipartisan support in the 2009 legislative session, successfully passed both the House and Senate but died on the final day of the session as time ran out.

“Increasing the poverty level on CHIP is important to the Valley, with at least one in every four children living with out access to health insurance this is as critical now as ever” said Anaya. “We are also asking state representative candidates to change the punitive re-enrollment process for Medicaid from six months to a year, to prevent families with children from being drop off the Medicaid rolls.”

Valley Interfaith’s accountability sessions are like a rite of passage for candidates in the Valley because the format is rigidly adhered to. The group does not allow the candidates to veer away from the questions posed. The candidates must also answer succinctly.

Scheduled to attend the accountability session are candidates for State Representative District 36 Sergio Muñoz, Jr. and Sandra Rodriguez, candidates for State Representative District 39 Joel De Los Santos and incumbent Armando “Mando” Martinez, Hidalgo County Judge Candidates Ramon Garcia and Eloy Pulido, and Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct 4 incumbent Oscar Garza, Jr., and his rival Joseph Palacios.

At a county level, candidates such as Garcia, Pulido, Garza and Palacios will be asked to support increase funding for Project VIDA a successful workforce development strategy that moves Valley residents from low wage-low skill jobs to high-wage-high skill jobs, through education, counseling and other critical support services. Also on the agenda are Colonia infrastructure such as lighting and drainage, and a continuing commitment to Hurricane Dolly recovery.

Meanwhile, the Hidalgo County chapter of the Texas Democratic Women and the Stonewall Democrats of the Rio Grande Valley are hosting a “2010 Democratic Primary Candidates Forum” on Tuesday, February 16, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Forum will be held at South Texas College- Pecan Campus in the Administration Building Auditorium located at 3201 West Pecan in McAllen.

All Democratic statewide candidates and local Hidalgo County candidates are invited to participate in this event. The forum will consist of a three-minute introduction, questions, and one minute closing. If the candidate cannot attend, a representative may appear on his or her behalf.  However, the representative will be permitted to give a two-minute statement. Space will be provided for candidates to have their campaign material available to the public.

At the conclusion of the candidate forum, the Stonewall Democrats of the Rio Grande Valley will vote on endorsements of the candidates. The Hidalgo County chapter of Texas Democratic Women does not endorse candidates in the Democratic primary. This candidate forum is free and will be open to the public.

Write Staff

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