Carlos “Charlie” Madrid, El Paso City Council District 7 candidate

NAME: Carlos “Charlie” Madrid

OFFICE YOU SEEK: City Representative District No. 7

AGE: 30

OCCUPATION: Attorney (Solo Practitioner)

EDUCATION: Eastwood High School, 2000; UTEP, B.A., summa cum laude,
Political Science, May 2004; Yale Law School, J.D., June 2007

FAMILY: Mother (Isabel), Father (Jerry), Sisters (Rebecca & Vanessa), Dating
(Anna)

1) NUMBER-ONE CAMPAIGN FOCUS: I want to restore integrity and
transparency to City government and to be a voice for the residents in District 7.
For too long, if you don’t belong to this political group or that political group, or if
you’re not a donor to this candidate or that candidate, then you’ve been ignored.
If you oppose a City initiative and have the skills to organize and get your voice
heard and successfully stop the initiative, then you’re punished and the needs of
you and your neighbors are ignored. That needs to change. I want to change it.
I am a 100% independent candidate who will owe favors to no one; I will only
be answerable to my constituents.

2) WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR OPPONENTS?: My education and my
experience set me apart from my opponents. Thanks to the support from my
family, friends, and countless individuals and groups I’ve come to know
throughout my life, I was able to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree,
summa cum laude, from UTEP, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Yale Law
School. I was then able to start practicing law in the community I love. I am the
only candidate licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. This gives me a
unique understanding of the laws and processes that go along with guiding the
City, and I have the skills necessary to research and understand almost any
topic.

3) RELEVANT EXPERIENCE THAT QUALIFIES YOU FOR THE POSITION YOU
SEEK: I am a licensed and active trial and probate attorney in Texas and New
Mexico. I have budget and policy experience through management of my own
law practice and leadership in both national and local non-profit organizations. I
also have policy experience through drafting and lobbying for healthcare
legislation in the Connecticut General Assembly. Most importantly, I am a lifelong
El Pasoan who loves and understands this community.

4) IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REVOKE ONE ORDINANCE IN EL PASO
IMMEDIATELY UPON TAKING OFFICE, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE?: It would be
foolish to come in and just simply revoke an ordinance. What needs to change is
entire policies. Collections of ordinances that work together need to be
amended, restructured, or, perhaps, deleted. Interpretation and enforcement by
City Administration needs to be more fair and all residents, from all socioeconomic
groups, all political leanings, and all parts of town need to be treated
equally.

5) DESCRIBE A MOMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE: It’s actually difficult to
pin-point to one moment because the “moment” that changed my life was the
birth of my little sister, Vanessa; however, Vanessa is only two-and-a-half years
younger than me, so, really, it’s been my life with Vanessa that has had the
greatest influence in defining who I am. Vanessa has Cornelia de Lange
Syndrome, a genetic disorder present from birth that causes physical, cognitive,
and medical challenges. Vanessa has taught me to appreciate the little things in
life. She has taught me to live my life day-by-day and truly appreciate the walks
I take, the meals I share, and the conversations I have with those I love.
Vanessa has taught me that life’s struggles cannot be tackled alone, and it is the
relationships in our lives that are truly important. Her condition also meant that
25 years ago, my mother would give up her career teaching to stay home and
take care of Vanessa because that’s what was best for our family. This also
meant that my father would dig ditches, deliver pizzas, and do whatever he had
to do to make sure his family was taken care of. My parents’ decisions and
dedication taught me the values of hard work and selflessness. It was these
values that they gave me and the lessons that Vanessa showed me that pushed
me to work hard in school. And with the help of a lot of teachers,
administrators, and classmates from Eastwood Heights, my elementary,
Eastwood Knolls, my middle school, Eastwood, and UTEP, and help from
countless other individuals from this community, I was able to go to Yale Law
School, where I could compete with, learn from, and teach some of the best and
brightest in the nation. Now, I want to give back. I want to help El Paso realize
that it is already a great city. It has the values and uniqueness that make it
great. It doesn’t need to copy other cities, but can fully develop its potential if it
focuses on what it already is and what it already has. I want to help it achieve
that development.

6) IN WHAT WAYS IS EL PASO ON THE RIGHT TRACK, AND IN WHAT WAYS
DOES IT NEED TO CHANGE COURSE?: There seems to be a renewed pride in El
Paso. People are starting to appreciate and defend El Paso more. This is vital
for El Paso’s development. What needs to change is city policy and economic
planning that only favor one sector of the community. Policies and planning
need to give incentive for development in all parts of town, including District 7,
and support needs to be given to all business owners, including small business
owners, not just a select few.

7) IF ELECTED, HOW WILL YOU BALANCE THE NEEDS OF FAMILY, YOUR
CAREER AND YOUR OFFICE?: As a lawyer, I already know how to balance many
responsibilities. I know how to balance a calendar and how to balance my life.
The truth is, it’s not about how many responsibilities one has, but, rather, it’s
about how committed one is to those responsibilities. There are so many people
in this community who juggle multiple jobs, volunteer, and have vibrant
relationships with their loved ones. They’re able to do so because of their
commitment. I guarantee you that I am committed to my family, my career, and
this community.

8) WHEN AND WHY DID YOU COME TO EL PASO (IF APPLICABLE)?: El Paso has
always been my home. I never left. Even when I was in law school, my domicile
and permanent address remained in El Paso and I worked each summer in El
Paso.

9) PLEASE INDICATE WHETHER YOU HAVE A WEBSITE, TWITTER OR
FACEBOOK ACCOUNT: Facebook.com/MadridforDistrict7