McALLEN — District 2 Commissioner Joaquin “J.J.” Zamora announced Sunday he is running for reelection in May.
Zamora said he is seeking a second term in office to continue building on his work for the district, which he noted has included improvement of drainage infrastructure, the development of a new bus terminal, the extension of Bicentennial Boulevard and a number of initiatives to beautify neighborhoods and inform residents about the city’s dealings.
“Serving and representing the constituents of McAllen District 2 is an honor and privilege,” Zamora said in a news release Sunday. “I hope to have earned the trust and respect of District 2 residents to continue as their city commissioner for an additional four years.”
A part owner of Zamora’s Restaurant in McAllen and an assistant criminal district attorney at the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office for 23 years, Zamora prides himself on his community outreach. He and his family have hand-delivered thousands of flyers to residents to notify them about town hall meetings, city initiatives and the 2020 census.
“City government has a duty, if not an obligation, to keep a well-informed and educated citizenry on local and city issues,” he said. “To that end, city government must listen and allow itself to be transparent for trust to develop between citizens and city government.”
Zamora has hosted at least two town hall meetings at the Lark Community Center every year since his election in May 2017, and he has also helped clean up at least 15 neighborhoods per year through Project Clean Neighborhoods.
“The project is another grassroots method of communicating with constituents and identifying issues or concerns in our neighborhood and look at ways to finding solutions,” he said.
Zamora also does “house calls,” often showing up at constituents’ homes to discuss a variety of matters.
“At times, the best way to address an issue or concern is to have a face-to-face discussion and observation, and begin problem-solving in the moment,” he said.
Zamora said he believes in a fiscally responsible city budget that promotes a high quality of life, provides services to the citizens of McAllen, and bolsters economic development.
Some of his other highlights include the reconstruction of Fire Station No. 2, keeping the McAllen Community Garden at its original location, and partnering with the McAllen school district to bring Wi-Fi to low-income neighborhoods.
