Former candidate for state representative Fernando Herrera has filed to run for Mayor of Houston:
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) May 09, 2011
Houston should never have to consider laying off police officers, fire fighters and other city employees in order to balance the budget. Nor should the burden be placed on the taxpayers, homeowners and businesses with tax increases, fees, or costly regulations, not to mention burdening our churches and schools with unrestricted taxation,
Fernando Herrera’s plan to get us back on track financially would not involve such tactics as furloughs, layoffs and cuts in services that compromise our public safety. His 30 years of experience in the field of emergency services has equipped him for public safety preparedness, prevention and consequence management.
Under the leadership of Herrera, the city’s administration will be impartial, creative and responsive. They will listen to suggestions made by those who know first-hand what the problems are and what needs to be done, whether they be city employees or residents. They will listen to what private industry, both large and small, has to say and make certain that Houston’s government is a strong advocate for local business.
Mr. Herrera is asking for your vote, so that he can demonstrate government efficiency when it is operated as a business not like a political piñata. He tells us, “Houston is home to me and my family. I’m ready to get to work to make Houston safe, prosperous, and on budget. Thank you for considering me as Mayor of this great city.”
I had heard rumors that he was going to give it a go but dismissed them because it takes a ton of money to win that race and he had a hard time raising money in his quest for state rep. I'm not sure what, if anything, has changed in that area but I wish him the best – he is a super person and one of the hardest working guys you will ever meet. If you give him half a chance, he'll get your vote. Heck, I wish I lived in the city limits just so I could vote for him.
Website: VoteFernandoHerrera.com
Facebook: Fernando Herrera (he'll probably change that to a page soon)
Twitter: ElectHerrera
Fernando raised $130,377.88 to Jessica Farrar's $149,251.29 (from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2010). For a first time candidate against a 16 year incumbent, I'd say he did pretty well raising money. Fernando finished out the year within budget and with no debt – exactly the type of leader we need as Mayor of Houston!
Thank you for your years of service to the city of Houston. We are lucky and proud to have you as our next Mayor. The city has been void of leadership for too long, it is time to put our house in order. I know you are just the man for that job.
I like this " No Furlough Freddy"!
Mr. Herrera's statement referenced above is nothing more than boiler plate stuff. Any 'plan' to clean out CoH's (fiscal) Augean Stable must include reduction in numbers of employees including the hallowed classes of fire and cops; must include real rationalization of pension schemes (unfortunately the lege has to take action to allow us to redo the fire dept plans, something Parker's pals Alvarado, Coleman, et al are loath to do); and must include termination of scores of programs that are not properly the city's domain. I also suggest we start unwinding the tifs and tirzs to put their sequestered millions to work in the general fund and ease the tax burdens on homeowners. TIRZ 10 was created by developers who laughingly claimed that the back end of Kingwood, King's Point, etc would not be developed without this gift….absolute nonsense.
Mr. Herrera may be a fine gentleman but he'd better talk specifics, and mention that he'd take a city hall paycheck while collecting his untouchable fire dept pension.
Be seeing you 🙂
LOL, good comment, tired dog. I agree with most of what you said but probably not the reduction in fire and police. Why do you say that? From everything I've read, Houston has a relatively low number of fire and police but admittedly I haven't studied the issue.
CoH pd/fd may be low in overall numbers based on self serving recommendations on personnel per sq mile or per 1000 population. Recommended numbers are usually promulgated by trade associations like FOPS, IACP, etc.
CoH is very big in sq miles but quite low in population density…making it an ideal case study to demonstrate proper deployment of assets rather than the same old same old of increasing the numbers.
In other words we've got to put the apparatus and the people where the largest risks are…and rethink our operational policies to max out effectiveness as well.
Interesting. Never thought of it that way.
Sieze your day David, good keyboarding with you.
Gentlemen, give the man a break! Why are you so quick to judge? Sometimes, it is those that you underestimate, that will walk the talk! I agree with some of what both of you have to say, but allow me to say this to Mr. Herrera: I commend you for stepping up to the plate!! IT'S ABOUT TIME A LATINO RAN FOR OFFICE!!! Now is the time to demonstrate to others what most of Latinos can do! And don't laugh. Many people doing the real hard work for the minimum amount of pay and NOT complaining IS PLENTY TO BE SAID REGARDING OUR RACE. Stop the criticism and for ONCE, just ONCE, allow Latinos to get involved and show what we can do! You would be surprised! I understand and know that much of his job will have to do with others' agreeing to it. And if HE stands for what he really says, as opposed to Obama, then GIVE HIM A CHANCE. before you decide to judge how he and many other Latinos MAY perform. I, too, have also lived LEGALLY in Houston for over 30 years. I believe that it takes a person who has experienced the real living, underpaid, and a minority to really understand what most of the people are suffering from. I am hopeful that Mr. Herrera will run and win. Fernando, I commend you!!!!!! for standing up for what you believe in! I am certain many feel the same way I do. With this said, PROVE all those non-believers what you can do and MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. We're counting on you!!!!