EDINBURG, RGV – Richard Cortez, the incoming Hidalgo County Judge, is the special guest for our next LIVE at Bob’s show from Bob’s Steak & Chop House in Edinburg.
The event takes place Tuesday, Nov. 27, starting at 11:30 a.m. The program ends at 1 p.m.
The format includes an in-depth conversation with Rio Grande Guardian editor Steve Taylor about the top issues facing Hidalgo County and a Q&A with members of the audience.
In a brief interview on Election Night, Cortez told the Rio Grande Guardian and RGV Public Radio 88 FM:
“We are one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas and we have a lot of needs. We need to be good at administering the budget and the services the county provides.”
Asked what issues voters brought up most on the campaign trail, Cortez cited taxes, drainage, mobility and jobs.
“People are tired of paying taxes. Everybody is concerned about drainage. People are concerned about mobility because our streets are getting very congested, and the creation of jobs. Those were the top issues,” Cortez said.
Cortez, a former mayor of McAllen and an accountant by profession, added: “Being a finance person, I know you don’t solve budgetary problems by only cutting expenses. You solve them by cutting expenses and growing revenue. That means we are going to have to attract investment to Hidalgo County so we can create the jobs and the infrastructure to keep up with our growth.”
Cortez, a Democrat, takes office in January 2019.
For tickets for the show, contact Mae Vela of Bob’s Steak & Chop House at (956) 605-9052. Or purchase tickets online on the Rio Grande Guardian’s Facebook page. Tickets cost $25 per person and include a three-course meal.
