My name is Gary Hinote and I am a Republican candidate for election of Orange County Commissioner, Precinct 1. I am a tried and true conservative, concerning fiscal matters and moral issues. Pro Life being the most important issue to me personally. I am 59 years old and a life long resident of Orange County. I was raised in Vidor, where I lived for 25 years. The majority of those years, I was a member of Maplecrest Baptist Church, where I became a Christ follower, in April of 1971.

I graduated from Vidor High School in 1975. Also, in 1975, I married my wife, Bobbi, we celebrated our fortieth anniversary in November. I started my career completing a state required, four year plumber apprenticeship, attained a journeyman license, and then my Master Plumber license.

In 1981, my wife and I built a home in Mauriceville, where we started raising our two sons. After relocating my office to downtown Orange, in 1991, and enrolling our sons in Community Christian School, we eliminated the commute by moving to Oak Creek Village, in Orange, where we lived until 2001. We now reside in precinct one of Orange County, in the Lemonville area. For the past 31 years, I have been a self employed plumbing contractor, specializing in commercial, industrial, and marine plumbing. I live the small business experience.

The office of a county commissioner needs the experience of a business professional. Budgetary and administrative responsibilities, along with contract negotiations, personnel management, and economic development decisions, are duties business owners perform on a regular basis.

To be eligible to run for a county commissioner seat, an individual must be a qualified voter, resident of the precinct and have never been convicted of a felony. This is from

the V. G. Young Institute of County Government. I have the business experience and meet all of the qualifications.

When I was asked “why do you want to do this?” my first response was ” I’m tired of seeing Orange County die on the vine”. I’m tired of seeing the empty shopping centers on our city streets and hearing of businesses deciding to locate in Lake Charles, Beaumont or Port Arthur. There is nothing those cities can offer that Orange County doesn’t have available. Rail, water, interstate highway and an available work force. And as far as tax rates, I think we have a tax base problem, not a rate problem.

I’m not doing this because I don’t have anything else to do with my time. I just want to further Orange County and see our citizens prosper. I am making myself available, to serve the people of Orange County, just as I serve in leadership at my church. Also being involved with mission work in Honduras and Guatemala.

In preparation to run for this office, I attended the inaugural Candidate Education Academy, in Austin, offered by the Texas Prosperity Project. One item of discussion, in this training class, was to not make any promises in which you won’t have 100% control of the decision. I understand this, but there is one promise I will make with confidence. When elected, by the people of precinct one, to be their commissioner, I promise to prayerfully seek wisdom, from God, in all decision making.

I am asking for your support, your vote, and your prayers, not only during this race, but also during my service to you, as your commissioner.