Dianne Mendoza

Capital Metro vice president and AISD trustee hopeful Dianne Mendoza has retracted part of her list of endorsers after incorrectly listing two high-profile names as backers. Former Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Chair Ron Kessler was initially incorrectly listed as “Honorable Ron Kessler, Former Mayor of Austin” on a March 3 press release: The next day, the mistake was corrected, but a larger error remained. Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, who has stayed out of this race, was listed as an endorser. Campaign manager Paul Saldaña said Kessler’s impromptu promotion to the council dais was “an honest mistake.” As for Martinez, he explained, Mendoza had asked Martinez whether he was OK with her running for the board. “He said ‘yes,’ and I think Dianne thought that meant ‘I’m endorsing you,'” said Saldaña. Martinez’s name has been removed from the list. The AISD election is May 8.

This article appears in March 19 • 2010.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.