I thought I misinterperted him when I first saw it, but did anyone else see Orlando Sanchez's commercial when he says he will change the Police Chief. If this guy looses the election, he may want to think about moving to Dallas. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1906893 Sanchez delivers campaign pledge to fire Bradford By JOHN WILLIAMS Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Political Writer Orlando Sanchez kicked off his second campaign for Houston mayor on Monday by promising to dismiss Police Chief C.O. Bradford as part of a City Hall housecleaning. Sanchez, who lost a close runoff to incumbent Mayor Lee Brown in 2001, said he also would replace Fire Chief Chris Conneally and Chief Administrative Officer Al Haines. In recent months, Bradford's police department has attracted scrutiny, especially for problems surrounding the crime laboratory. Sanchez said the Fire Department needs "new leadership" and blamed Haines for "six years of botched budgets." "There will be other changes in city government," Sanchez told a crowd of more than 400 who attended his long-expected announcement rally. "Consider this a six-month notice to find another line of work," he said. "If you can't do the job, I'll find someone who can." Brown, who cannot seek re-election this year because of city term limits, stood by his police, fire and administrative chiefs and suggested that Sanchez was speaking too soon. "That Orlando is making such decisions before getting in the office shows that he would be well-served by being more deliberative," the mayor said. Sanchez joined first-term City Councilman Michael Berry and former Texas Democratic Party Chairman Bill White as the major announced candidates to replace Brown, who is serving his third two-year term. State Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, who lost a 1991 mayoral runoff to Bob Lanier, is expected to announce his candidacy formally after the Texas Legislature's regular session ends next month. Sanchez, a council member from 1996 to 2001, lost the runoff to Brown by less than 11,000 votes after the two eliminated Councilman Chris Bell and several minor candidates in the 2001 general election. Bell, a Democrat, was elected last year to represent Houston's 25th U.S. congressional district. Since losing the 2001 race, Sanchez, 45, has taken a job with Odyssey Asset Management and an advisory position with the accounting firm Jain & Jain. Monday, he evoked the memory of former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips, who promised to kick the door down on the Pittsburgh Steelers after losing to them in the playoffs in 1979. "Are you ready to kick in the door at City Hall?" Sanchez asked, getting an enthusiastic "Yes" from the crowd. Sanchez carried the analogy no further, presumably mindful that the Oilers lost in the first round of the 1980 playoffs and Phillips was fired. Focusing on what is emerging as a key issue in this year's city election, Sanchez said he intends to propose a "Gridlock Relief Plan" that will reduce traffic congestion. White also has emphasized transportation in a 43-point plan that is similar in many ways to the Trip 2000 proposal designed by the Greater Houston Partnership. Though the Sanchez plan will be fleshed out later, Sanchez said it will include a rapid response program to clear accidents quickly, better traffic signals at key intersections and coordinated construction of street projects. Sanchez said the rail proposal recently submitted by the Metropolitan Transit Authority is "seriously flawed." The November ballot is likely to include a referendum on the plan. The plan calls for $3.3 billion in local and federal spending to improve bus service, double the HOV lanes and add 41 miles of light rail and eight miles of commuter rail to the seven-mile light rail line nearing completion on Main Street. Though he did not talk in specifics, Sanchez said the city needs a rail plan "that works before 2016," the target date Metro would complete its plan if it is funded through bonds rather than cash. "Rail without proper planning is worse than no rail at all," Sanchez said, adding that if he is elected, he will take the Main Street line to work. As is customary at kickoff rallies, Sanchez presented a diverse group of supporters, reflecting the Republican-Hispanic coalition he forged in 2001 as well as other potential constituencies. Among them were Republicans George Strake, former Texas secretary of state, and Jared Woodfill, Harris County GOP chairman; Hispanics Roman Martinez, a former Democratic state representative, and Gabriel Vasquez, a Houston city councilman who recently joined the Republican Party; and African-Americans C.L. Jackson, a minister, and Darryl Carter, a lawyer-lobbyist. The Sanchez kickoff rally was at Spotts Park near Memorial and Waugh, across the street from a building owned by former Port of Houston Authority Chairman Ned Holmes, Sanchez's campaign finance chairman. The campaign provided valet parking and golf carts to take some supporters from the parking lot to the park at the bottom of a small hill. Martinez, who heads the group Democrats for Orlando, said Sanchez is the only mayoral candidate who can unite the city's ethnic and economic factions. Holmes, who served as campaign finance chairman for Brown's 2001 campaign, echoed the theme. "This isn't a city dominated by any one group," said Holmes, an Anglo businessman and fund-raiser. "It takes a coalition." Another common theme Monday was that Sanchez has grown since he last ran for mayor. During the last race, Brown portrayed Sanchez as not ready for the job. "I have seen him grow in so many ways," said former Councilwoman Gracie Saenz. "Growth and experience and knowledge and above all, perseverance." Sanchez tried to distinguish himself from the other candidates by noting he is the only one with six years of experience on council. "Our next mayor cannot wait two years to learn the system," Sanchez said. "I served six years on council and helped pass the only tax cuts in decades."
I heard him on television say "Last year we knocked on the door last time and this year we are gonna kick it in" to his campaign members. Did he steal that from Bum Phillips?
If elected, he wants to fire the Police Chief and Fire Chief. IMHO (and we know how humble opinions are in the Hangout), if either Sanchez or Berry were elected mayor of Houston, within a year, the citizens of Houston would be pining for the good old days of Lee Brown. And that, to me, is absolutely frightening.
Heck, the Mayor of Dallas we have would already like to get rid of Chief Bolton, but she can't by herself.
Agreed, Sanchez scares the hell outta me. I've yet to hear Bill White's plan & priorities for running the city, but so far I'm serously underwhelmed by all the candidates.
Yep, underwhelmed is definitely correct. George Greneas, where are you now that we need you most??????
I can almost guarantee George Greanias is backing Bill White. I know he's backing Peter Brown for At Large 3 and White and Brown developed big parts of their platforms together in a focus group called Blueprint Houston. White bowed out of the group to run for mayor. I like him a lot. Second only to Greanias as a mayoral candidate in my opinion.
Buck, if you wanna read more about Bill White, go here: http://www.billwhiteformayor.com/ I'd say it's a clear bet none of the other candidates has as much experience in running successful businesses or in civic duties or has more impressive governmental credentials. I'd love to see Sanchez call himself a successful businessman in a race with Bill White.
I don't know about zero. He has presided over the redevelopment of Downtown, which started with Lanier but continued with Brown.
Believe me, if your boy Orlando gets elected, you will wish you had Lee Brown back. Sanchez has zero experience, and he is an assclown to boot. I wouldn't vote for Orlando Sanchez if he was running against himself.
Hear, hear, Tex. I could half understand people who weren't paying attention to vote Orlando in the runoff last time, but only as a vote against Brown (there was a lot to vote against). I didn't and never would have considered it, but I can half understand it if you weren't paying attention. But this time there are four candidates. It's a close race between Sanchez and Berry as to who is the least of the four.
Well, I just filled out the volunteer form on White's website. After doing a little research, I like just about everything I've read about the guy. His qualifications are so vastly superior to the other 3 candidtates it's not even funny. Someone else may enter the race, or something unforseen could surface, but as of now I can't see myself voting for anyone else.
I agree BJ. I believe the last election was a shining example of "choosing the lesser of two evils", which unfortunately most elections are these days. Match Orlando or Michael up against a candidate with experience and proven skill, and they will fall by the wayside. I read Bill White's webpage thanks to the link you provided, and I liked what I read. I am going to have to go hear him speak somewhere, but it looks to me like he would make a great mayor.
