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August 10, 2018 • Local News

KFOX: Letter of intent filed to remove El Paso Mayor Dee Margo from office

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — A letter of intent has been filed to recall El Paso Mayor Dee Margo.

The letter was submitted Thursday by Zachary Gonzalez to initiate a recall petition for Margo, according to documents obtained by KFOX14.

In the letter, Gonzalez claims the mayor violated his campaign promises to stop tax increases, illegally used his personal email to conduct city business and violated free speech during a call to the public.

Margo released this statement about the letter of intent:

"I have never met Zach Gonzalez, and it is unfortunate he disagrees with the priorities we are trying to address in the budget. As Mayor, I am working with members of Council to fulfill our fiduciary responsibility to ensure our first responders have the necessary equipment to keep El Paso safe, and that we address our infrastructure needs -- streets and roads. The budget will be ratified on August 21."

People we spoke with were mixed in their opinion of the process.

"I think this is a democracy and if someone wants to do that, that's their right,” said El Paso resident Margie Marinovic.

"I don't know if he should be ousted or not, but he shouldn't be re-elected, if that's the case,” said El Paso resident Dennis Vega.

According to the city, the following must take place during a petition for recall of an elected official:

"Any elected officer of the City may be removed from office, for stated reasons, by those voters who are qualified to vote for a successor to such office.

The Council shall enact, within sixty days of the adoption of this Charter, an ordinance providing for:

1. The general conduct of recall elections.

2. Receipt, by the City Clerk, prior to the conduct of any recall election of a petition bearing authentic signatures of a number of registered voters equal to at least twenty percent of the total number of votes cast in the election of the officer whose recall is sought.

3. Completion of a recall petition within sixty days of filing notice with the City Clerk of intent to circulate a petition for recall.

4. Recall petitions to specify the reasons for which recall is sought.

No recall petition shall be filed against any elected officer within six months after taking office, nor within twelve months of the end of the elected officer's term of office, nor in case of an officer who was the subject of an unsuccessful recall election, until six months after that election. Should the elected officer, whose recall is sought, resign, no recall election shall be held."

https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/petition-to-remove-el-paso-mayor-dee-margo-from-office-has-been-filed