Changes

A citizens panel drafted the charter, which is similar to that used in other cities but uniquely adapted to the needs of Laredo. The charter provided for a professional manager to be appointed by the 8-member city council. The manager acts as the day-to-day "executive" authority, but he is managed by the council. The elected mayor can break a tie vote on the council, but his role is more limited under the city manager system than it was under the mayor-council format. The mayor may be mainly a "ribbon-cutter," or he may attempt to lead the council toward his own goals. [[Recall election|Recall]] of the mayor and council is permitted under the Laredo charter.

A citizens panel drafted the charter, which is similar to that used in other cities but uniquely adapted to the needs of Laredo. The charter provided for a professional manager to be appointed by the 8-member city council. The manager acts as the day-to-day "executive" authority, but he is managed by the council. The elected mayor can break a tie vote on the council, but his role is more limited under the city manager system than it was under the mayor-council format. The mayor may be mainly a "ribbon-cutter," or he may attempt to lead the council toward his own goals. [[Recall election|Recall]] of the mayor and council is permitted under the Laredo charter.

Martin's "Old Party" — officially the "Independent Club" — survived for eighty-four years because of its ability to recruit former opponents. In the latter years, however, it failed to bring in younger members and could not adapt to the changing [[demographics]] of the county. Martin told Bill Moyers that the "Old Party" had succeeded in its heyday because many Laredo voters felt too uninformed to make their own political choices in elections and preferred a "patron" to make such decisions for them.<ref name=indpclub>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/wmiqt|title=Independent Club|publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]] on-line|accessdate=April 17, 2015}}</ref>

Martin's "Old Party" — officially the "Independent Club" — survived for eighty-four years because of its ability to recruit former opponents. In the latter years, however, it failed to bring in younger members and could not adapt to the changing [[demographics]] of the county. Martin told Bill Moyers that the "Old Party" had succeeded in its heyday because many Laredo voters felt too uninformed to make their own political choices in elections and preferred a "patron" to make such decisions for them.<ref name=indpclub>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/wmiqt|title=Independent Club|publisher=Texas State Historical Association on-line|accessdate=April 17, 2015}}</ref>

The leadership "Old Party" also included Laredo Independent School District Superintendent Vidal M. Treviño, Martin's father, [[Sheriff]] J. C. Martin, Sr. (1886–1957), [[District Attorney]] Philip Kazen, and [[U.S. Representative]] Abraham Kazen, who lost his House seat in the 1984 Democratic primary to Albert Bustamante, a more [[liberal]] Democrat from [[San Antonio]].

The leadership "Old Party" also included Laredo Independent School District Superintendent Vidal M. Treviño, Martin's father, [[Sheriff]] J. C. Martin, Sr. (1886–1957), [[District Attorney]] Philip Kazen, and [[U.S. Representative]] Abraham Kazen, who lost his House seat in the 1984 Democratic primary to Albert Bustamante, a more [[liberal]] Democrat from [[San Antonio]].