I am Tania Ramirez, a proud Democrat running to be your next Hidalgo County Judge.
I am an attorney, a prior prosecutor, a current McAllen City Commissioner, philanthropist, an expectant mother, and an advocate for our people. I am running for one simple reason: I care about our county and our community.
I know our county and the hard work of its residents. I was born in Weslaco, raised between McAllen and Mission, and am a graduate of Sharyland High School. I attended undergraduate school in San Antonio and law school in Michigan. However, no matter where I go, I am from The Rio Grande Valley. Despite our differences, we are a singular region, and we grow together.
My parents taught me the value of hard work, and to give back to our community, because success means nothing if it isn’t shared. I am the proud product of the American Dream. And I am running for county judge to fight and advocate for our community, and to increase access to opportunity, because Hidalgo County can do so much better.
As an attorney, I have seen the flaws in our criminal justice system, including overcrowded jails, slow bond procedures, and a lack of resources for juveniles and veterans. And as an elected official, I have seen the disrespect, lack of leadership and outreach from our county to our 22 municipalities. Especially during the recent disbursement of COVID funding, many of our smaller municipalities felt left behind, that they didn’t have a seat at the table, and that they were not given guidance at the county level. As you next county judge, I will advocate and fight for all our municipalities. I will be a partner in our shared progress and help all our municipalities obtain more federal and state funding. I am running because we need fresh leadership with the strength and courage to unite our county and ensure that we grow as a regional economy. That is why I am so proud to have endorsements from the majority of mayors, city commissioners, and school board members from across our county.
We currently have the highest total county property tax rates out of the 34 most populous counties. I will make the process of protesting tax valuations easier for our citizens. And I will fight to lower our property tax rates, as counties like Harris have done consistently over the past few years.
I will fight to make sure that our county spends its money wisely, with the proper oversight. In 2018, our county passed a $190 bond referendum to address our county’s drainage problems. Of the 37 projects funded, only a handful have been completed. Through my non-profit, I have gone out into the floodwaters to deliver food and water. Their homes are still flooding. They are still suffering.
I will fight to make sure that our government is more transparent, and I will be an advocate for our county employees. I will make sure that county meetings are scheduled so that more people can attend. I will treat our county employees with dignity and respect, and make sure that they have more of a voice in our county administration. That is why I am so proud to have the endorsement of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Association.
Without fresh leadership, our county will continue to fall behind. We used to be the seventh most populous county in Texas, but now are the eighth because of a lack of outreaching during the census count, losing state and federal funds. We should not be afraid of innovation. During the census, I created the “Somos Humanos Todos Contamos” Census Telethon, and worked with cities like Pharr, Mission, and our county commissioners. This event was nationally recognized by MarketWatch and helped the City of McAllen to be recognized as the Texas City Council of the Year 2020 by the Texas City Managers Association.
When elected, I promise to build a more innovative, transparent, and unified Hidalgo County. I will uplift the voice of The People, and make sure the county implements thoughtful and targeted policies with an eye to the future. Together, we can start the hard work of improving Hidalgo County’s tomorrow, today.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Tania Ramirez, Democratic Party candidate for Hidalgo County Judge. The column appears in the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of the author. Ramirez can be reached by email via: [email protected].
Editor’s Note: We welcome guest columns from March 2022 primary candidates and their supporters. Please email your name, title, email address, column, and photo to: [email protected].
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