Franz explains why he no longer backs Perry for governor
By Steve TaylorHidalgo Mayor John David Franz tells reporters why he is backing Bill White for governor. (Photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)
HIDALGO, Aug. 20 – Hidalgo Mayor John David Franz today explained why he no longer backs Rick Perry for governor.
Speaking at a campaign event for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White, Franz said Perry let down the people of Hidalgo when he refused to make himself available to learn about the city’s desperate need to expand the capacity of its sewer system.
“When we needed to speak to the governor, not for anything personal, not for personal benefit or personal gain, but for the 12,000 people that live in this community, we couldn’t visit with the governor,” Franz told the audience.
Franz later explained to the Guardian why his fast growing community needed the governor’s help: the new sewer system would have increased capacity from 1.2 million gallons per day to 2.7 million gallons per day.
In the spring of 2009, Franz said, the City of Hidalgo made an application for a $5.8 million grant through the Texas Water Development Board. The funds had become available to the state agency thanks to a federal stimulus bill. “Millions of dollars in federal funds had been made available for disadvantaged communities like ours,” Franz said.
The Water Development Board agreed that the City of Hidalgo met the necessary criteria, Franz said. However, he said it lacked one permit that was not really necessary for another 18 months.
Franz told the audience that he tried for five months to reach Perry. He said he just wanted to explain the “serious problem” facing his community. He said he would have met with Perry anywhere. He just needed ten minutes of his time. It was to no avail.
“There were 5.8 million reasons for me to talk to the governor for the community of Hidalgo. We never go that opportunity. He was too busy,” Franz said.
“Finally, I was told by a staffer, ‘you have a meeting scheduled in Brownsville.’ The day before the meeting I was told, ‘the governor won’t be able to meet with you, he’s too busy.’ Well that sent a message very clear to this community.”
Franz said the people of Hidalgo need a governor who is going to be a governor for all Texans. “We need a governor who is going to be responsive to the needs of all Texans,” he said.
Franz is a Democrat who has supported Perry and some other statewide Republicans, such as U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, for many years. He has said that it is the person and his character that matters, not the party label. He explained to the audience Friday why he had backed Perry in the past.
