It’s election season, and one of the more interesting Fort Worth city races on the May 11 ballot is bubbling in Fort Worth’s District 2, which shed much of the Alliance Corridor and was pared largely to the heart of the old North Side in redistricting.
Incumbent District 2 Councilman Sal Espino and challenger Jim Lane, who held the seat before stepping down several years ago and backing Espino, duked it out congenially over chorizo and menudo Saturday morning at a community breakfast at the Nuevo Leon restaurant.
Lane, who spoke first, introduced his longtime ally and campaign treasurer, former North Side Councilman Louis Zapata, who had teamed with Lane to get Espino elected to the seat for the first time years ago. He reminded voters he’s lived on the North Side for more than 30 years, his law firm is in the heart of the district, and his 6-year-old son speaks Spanish and refers to Nuevo Leon’s owner as his “favorite man.” Lane also said he views the North Side as “a community,” not strictly a heavily Hispanic community.
“I don’t think potholes come in colors,” Lane said, repeating a campaign refrain. “I don’t think trouble comes in colors.”
He noted Espino, who grew up in the heart of the district, now calls the Santa Fe Enclave north of Loop 820 in Fort Worth his family’s home.
“I think that takes away from your ability to know what’s going on in this community,” Lane said.
He suggested Espino had not spent enough time addressing the needs of the old North Side, including police, streets, and code compliance.
“I did not think this neighborhood was being addressed,” Lane said.
Then in another campaign refrain, he added, “I’m not running against Sal. I’m running for District 2.”
Lane also said it was a mistake for Espino to let Alliance go under the city’s redrawn council redistricting map.
The district, however, had to lose thousands of people in redistricting to even it out with other districts under federal law. Espino said the only way to draw the district with both downtown and Alliance in it would dramatically reduce the numbers of Hispanic voters in it, tantamount to illegal “retrogression” under the Voting Rights Act.
“There was no way District 2 could go from downtown all the way to Alliance and still comply with the Voting Rights Act,” Espino said, when it was his turn to speak today.
“It only takes five votes (on the council) to get anything done,” Lane said earlier in his remarks. “Don’t tell me it can’t be done.”
Espino used that moment to remind voters he has the backing of Mayor Betsy Price, former Mayor Mike Moncrief, and Councilman Dennis Shingleton, one of the council’s most conservative members.
“Jim is right,” Espino said. “It takes five votes. It’s about geting five votes.”
Espino recalled stories of his childhood growing up on the North Side, remembering “as a boy,” he loved playing in Marine Park, across the street from the restaurant. Saturday, crews were working on building a new swimming pool and aquatic center in the park, the city’s “first brand-new pool since the 1950s,” Espino noted.
He remembered the time he spent as a boy at the North Side library, which he later lobbied to keep open. “It’s still open and it will always stay open,” he said.
Two of his four children went to Fort Worth public schools, Espino noted, in response to Lane campaign literature that says Lane’s the only candidate in the race with a child in “local public schools.” Two of Espino’s children are grown. The Espinos' Santa Fe Enclave home is in Fort Worth and the Keller school district, and their two other children attend Keller ISD schools in Fort Worth.
Espino reminded the audience his law firm is in the old North Side, he owns property in the old North Side, many family members live there, and he attends church there.
“That’s the Salvador Espino you know personally,” said Espino, whose family home in the Santa Fe Enclave is on the district's north end.
The old North Side has received its share of money for streets in recent years’ bond programs, and “by the time we implement the bond program (that will go before voters in 2014 and contain $196 million for citywide infrastructure), the majority of North Side streets will be rebuilt,” Espino said.
He noted the City Council recently approved the consruction of the a new police and fire training center and headquarters on the South Side, which will give the city more capacity to train police officers, beat attrition, and hire more officers.
He addressed major reforms to the city’s pension that the City Council last fall approved.
The Fort Worth Police Officers Association has endorsed Lane, and District 5 and 8 challengers Gyna Bivens and Kathleen Hicks. Espino and District 5 incumbent Frank Moss voted for the pension changes. District 8 incumbent Kelly Allen Gray, whose husband is a Fort Worth police officer, recused herself from the pension votes and a recent vote approving a new police contract. Lane has had longtime strong ties with the police and city’s firefighters, who on Friday confirmed they endorsed Lane and Hicks.
“This City Council has been the most fiscally responsible in the history of the city of Fort Worth,” Espino said, who has characterized a vote for him as one that would keep the city “moving forward.”
Espino noted that Lane also owns a ranch in the Azle area and spends much time there.
“I don’t say that’s an issue that should disqualify him from serving on the City Council,” Espino said. “I think we should all share in the dream of home ownership.”
- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter
Twitter: @JScottNishimura
(Photos, from top down: Chorizo and menudo breakfast, Nuevo Leon, Saturday; Espino; Lane; crews working Saturday morning on new Marine Park Pool across from restaurant)
