Isabel Ceballos Otten, candidate for El Paso City Council District 2

Name: Isabel Ceballos Otten

Party: Because of that I feel it is inappropriate for me to discuss party affiliation.

However, since this seems to be an issue in the non-partisan election, I would like to point out an important thing about party affiliation in Texas. According to the Election Advisory No. 2022-11 by Keith Ingram, Director of Elections for the Texas Secretary of State, in Texas party affiliation is determined by voting in the party’s primary election, taking the required oath of a party precinct convention, or taking the oath of affiliation for a party. Party affiliation in Texas expires at the end of the calendar year and because I do not meet any of the three requirements above, I am considered unaffiliated, which is important in a non-partisan office.

Occupation: Realtor, Investor

Relevant Experience: I have invested over $2 million in my district and have come to understand what is important for our community to thrive. This is in addition to serving on public boards, being a REALTOR® which allows me to interact with members of my community, and being engaged enough with my community to know that District 2 needs a city representative that engaged with our constituents.

Personal: As a lifelong resident of El Paso, I’m proud to call this city home. I am a devoted wife and mother of three beautiful girls, who inspire me every day. My family is my greatest source of strength, and they are the driving force behind my dedication to serving our community. Balancing family life with my professional and public responsibilities has taught me the importance of leadership, compassion, and perseverance—qualities I bring to my candidacy for City Council.

Website: https://isabelceballos.com/

Isabel Ceballos Otten is running for El Paso City Council District 2. Here are her answers to KVIA's questions regarding her candidacy.

How will you work with your colleagues on City Council to enact change for El Pasoans?

Asking the questions that others don’t on important issues facing our community.

What steps do you think City Council should take to alleviate the impact of the immigration crisis on El Paso?

As everyone likely understands, immigration is the purview of the federal government constitutionally and as such, city council has very little to do with the issue of immigration. However, because El Paso is a transit point for migrants on their way to their final destinations, our community is impacted by their humanitarian needs which add a strain to our first responders and taxpayers alike. Because it is a federal issue, I will continue to ensure that federal dollars are made available to mitigate the added strain on our community.

What are your plans to ensure transparency and make sure you are accessible to constituents?

I have already started by publishing my personal phone number on my website. Once elected, I will depend on the voters to share their points of view on important issues that will come before me at city council. In addition to the traditional informational newsletter and community meetings, I plan on making available a texting platform where voters can interact directly with me in two-way text messages and to serve as an alert system informing those interested about important legislation that is coming up, informing them where they can learn more about them, and proving a mechanism for them to share their concerns with me efficiently.

What are your thoughts on the future of the Multi-Purpose Performing Arts Center?

The MPC is exactly where it needs to be, before the voters in the November 5 ballot. It is they that will decide its future.

How should the city improve El Paso’s roads?

In our most recent city budget, the City has allocated about $63 million for streets and maintenance and yet, according to the city’s own figures “50% of our streets rank at fair or to very poor condition.” My question is why? Is the $63 million not enough, and if not, why not? Are we making the best of our tax dollars or are we squandering them? If $63 million is not enough, then why not complete a feasibility study on our streets to see what it would take to repair them. If we can spend $700,000 on a report for the Deck Park, why can’t we commission a plan for fixing our streets?

Whether it’s a high property tax rate or climbing property values, El Pasoans are struggling with skyrocketing housing costs. If elected, what will you do in the next 4 years to provide relief for homeowners?

Focus on the fundamentals for our public policy. For example, why are we contributing $700,000 of our taxpayer dollars towards a $10 million study that is already mostly funded by tax dollars. Wouldn’t it be best to use the $700,000 for our streets, especially after we already contributed $900,000 in tax dollars to the Deck Park in 2021. Our taxes are high because our public policy has forgotten the core job of city council - which are streets and public safety, not feasibility studies at the expense of our streets.

Why are you the best candidate for this office?

In his short ten months in office, my opponent has proven himself to be unprepared to serve at city council on two very important votes before him. In the vote to appoint the city’s next city manager, my opponent wanted to wait until the next city council to vote on the appointment because I suspect he was unprepared to make that important decision. In the vote to get the federal government to reimburse us for our costs for migrants, my opponent was the lone vote against because he wasn’t clear on what he was voting for. Clearly, he is unprepared to lead by his actions on the two most important votes in his short tenure.