Published: June 12, 2009 12:07 pm      

Houston mayor to attend festival

Special to the Progress

Houston Mayor Bill White will be in Cherokee County this weekend to meet people and hear about their expectations and concerns for Texas’ future. White said he is looking forward Saturday’s Tomato Festival.

“I heard last year’s festival was the greatest ever. I’m looking forward to sampling some of Jacksonville’s famous tomatoes and talking with folks who are out and about this Saturday,” White said, “Texas deserves a senator who will do the right thing and put Texas first. I’m not a career politician. I’m someone who knows how to bring people together to get things done, and I want to work hard for the people of Cherokee County.”

Campaign volunteers will man a Bill White for Texas booth at the Tomato Festival all day, and the candidate will be there to meet people starting at 1 p.m. He also plans to attend Sunday school at Sweet Union Baptist Church in Jacksonville and services at First Baptist Church in Rusk on Sunday morning.

The son of San Antonio teachers, White helped build a law firm and managed a successful business before being elected as Houston’s mayor in 2003. Since then, he’s been re-elected twice with 86 percent and 91 percent of the vote. During White’s administration, Houston led the nation’s cities in job growth, adding more jobs than 16 states combined. At the same time, he cut property taxes five years in a row and got tax relief for seniors. White also started a special initiative designed to give returning veterans the welcome they deserve with coordinated social services, reductions in red tape, and employment opportunities.

After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike, White mobilized an effective disaster response including first-responders, businesses and churches. In recognition of his efforts, White received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2007. He and his wife Andrea have three children.