Ernesto Villanueva Jr., City Council Candidate District 8

Ernesto Villanueva Jr. Running for City Representative District 8 28 years old Tech Support for Time Warner Cable High School: Diploma from Roy J Wasson High School Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with an Minor in Biology from UTEP Married with 2 kids and expecting number 3 any day now

1. The main focus of my campaign is quite simple, its El Paso and El Pasoans. Many years have gone by and many El Pasoans have been forgotten, small neighborhoods not getting the recognition that they deserve. While jobs have gone elsewhere, unemployment is on the rise and taxes have been taken more and more from homeowners from the pockets of homeowners. As quality of life and governmental efficiency has consistently gone down, Businesses are finding that it is becoming harder to open, giving El Paso a disproportionate tax base. We are not attracting outside industry and jobs are scarce so something has to change.

2. What sets me apart from my opponents is that I come prepared. I didn’t start to learn the issues simply because I decided to run for office, I knew the issues already and those concerns are what prompted me to run for city council. I am running my campaign not on political rhetoric and soundbites, but ideas and solutions on how to correct the problems we face as a community. If I say I want to bring jobs, lower taxes or improve city hall policy, I have a plan ready to do just that. Its important to know what problems we face in El Paso, but it is far more important to have the means and ideas to correct them.

3. Like I stated before I have been following and working in my community for many years. I became most involved when downtown revitalization was presented to the city. During that time I was approached by an organization called Somos El Paso to be their public spokesperson. Since since then I have been working closely with not only my City Representative but with other City Council members on issues like mass transit and the continuation of downtown revitalization. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Paso del Norte Streetcar Preservation Society, on the Board for the El Paso Streetcar Task Force. In that time I have also served on the the Historic Landmark Commission.

4. One ordinance I would revoke would be the restrictions placed on mobile vendors in the community. I also learned the that the City Council has already removed most of those restrictions by a 4-1 vote. Since that has been overturned I would move to test the constitutionality of the ordinance over benefits for gay and unmarried partners of city employees. As a minority and a member of generation reaping the benefits of the equalities that our parents and grandparents fought for, there are some issues, I feel, should not be left for a vote.

5.I would have to say when I became a father, knowing that another life was my responsibility and knowing that no matter how hard I tried, I would probably turn into my parents. Well looking back when you have a mother as wonderful and dedicated as I did, I guess it is not so bad to be just like her.

6. El Paso is doing a lot of things right, first and foremost we recognize that we have problems and are moving proactively to change them. Incentives the city has put forth to spark economic development are a major driver for reinvestment in downtown and focusing on increasing the quality of life for us is a major step in the right direction.. The issues that we have are that we need to make sure that those incentives are offered across the board and give the opportunities to all business owners and not just a lucky few. We need to invest in ourselves, we do that giving home owners the same tax breaks to invest in their properties and their homes. By working together and making our community a better place for El Pasoans, we can then stop having to bribe outside industry to relocate here.

7. If elected my job serving El Paso will be my career at least for two terms if I am fortunate enough.I have been working to better my community on what time I could afford, doing full time is a prospect that has me anxious and excited.

8. I am actually grew up all over the city! Most El Pasoans can claim Lower Valley, Northeast…well I have lived in all parts and went to almost every elementary school in El Paso. I have gone from downtown to Westway to as far east as Montana Vista. My mother was very nomadic in my youth, in fact til this very day. If I had to claim one place, one constant, I would have to say Ysleta.

9. I graduated high school in Colorado Springs, CO, I moved there in middle school because my Step Dad was stationed at Ft. Carson. I cam back to El Paso in 2001 after graduation to attend UTEP.

10. Website: www.elpasois.com Twitter: Villanueva4D8

11. Cell: 915-329-1030 E-mail: villanueva4district8@yahoo.com