Four Laredo mayoral candidates to take part in chamber forum

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - The Laredo Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum featuring four mayoral candidates. Questions will focus primarily on business, economic development, and transparency, chamber representative Andrew Carranco said.

The forum begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Laredo Country Club and is expected to last about an hour to an hour and a half, Carranco said. In-person registration is closed.

Carranco said he hopes the candidates discuss how the city can support businesses, including addressing permitting concerns among chamber members.

“Permitting has been a big problem that we see among our memberships,” Carranco said.

Carranco also said he hopes to hear how candidates would approach the Viva Laredo comprehensive plan, which is scheduled for a statutory review next year. He described the plan as a set of guidelines and raised questions about public input and how the city would follow it.

“The city always has the ability to override what it does,” he said.

Carranco said he would like to hear more about the city’s economic development efforts. He also connected job opportunities to efforts to keep young people in Laredo.

Carranco said the forum is intended for people to listen and take part in the democratic process, not to attend a campaign rally.

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