Posted on 11/09/2006 11:07:52 AM PST by weegee
Although Mayor Bill White says it's an unnecessary expense, state law requires that the city conduct a special election to fill the seat of Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, who must resign for her brief stint in Congress.
The special city election can be no earlier than May, meaning whoever wins will have to run again next November to keep the job.
"It's sort of a shame that we have to pay a lot of money to hold a special election," White said. "But that's the state law as it exists."
Sekula-Gibbs was elected Tuesday to serve out the term of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
The wives of two local officials already are considering the City Council race and trying to line up supporters.
Nandy Berry, wife of Councilman Michael Berry, and Melissa Noriega, wife of state Rep. Rick Noriega, are on a long list of prospective candidates for the at-large council seat.
Others include lawyers Jay Aiyer and Al Bennett; former district and appeals court Judge Eric Andell; former state Rep. Diana Davila Martinez; former Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO Richard Torres; and Councilman M.J. Khan, who holds a district seat now.
In such an election, with a relatively short campaign period, the key factors are name identification and money. Candidates can start raising money when the City Council calls the election.
"I had next November in sight originally, and I still do. Whether that is moved up to May depends on how events unfold," said Melissa Noriega, who plans to run at some point.
Family issues will figure into her deliberations about running in May, she said. Her husband will be in Austin for the legislative session from January through June, and they have a 9-year-old son.
Melissa Noriega, a special projects manager for the Houston Independent School District, served as acting representative during the 2005 legislative session while her husband was on military duty in Afghanistan.
Though council members previously have been succeeded by their spouses, Nandy and Michael Berry would be the first couple to serve simultaneously if she won the special election.
Michael Berry is term-limited at the end of 2007, but the Berrys would serve together for several months. That will weigh into her decision, Nandy Berry said.
"I can't get away from the fact or want to get away from the fact that Michael is my husband," she said. "I want people to focus on my thoughts and accomplishments."
Berry is senior counsel at the law firm Locke, Liddell & Sapp, and she previously worked as a securities attorney for El Paso Corp.
Chronicle reporter Matt Stiles contributed to this report.
This from a man who just spent $81million on a downtown park and then ran a $90million bond intiative because we couldn't afford police to tackle rising violent crime in Houston. Someone shut this Clintonista up.
Houston PING
It's too bad she can't simply "go on leave", since she needs a job in January.
Maybe Gibbs should pay for this.
She caused the problem after all.
Have Ronnie Earle pay for it!!!
Yep, that's just a cryin' shame isn't it Bill...
Jerk...
This open seat is going to go liberal...I can just feel it...
Yep, that's just a cryin' shame isn't it Bill...
Jerk...
This open seat is going to go liberal...I can just feel it...
Sekula-Gibbs ... one of the dumbest write-in moves in history...but then Texas does things in a BIG way....geeese. Hyphenated-names... beautiful....Born-to-Fail
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