McAllen made history in May 1997, when voters elected the city's first Hispanic mayor.

Leo Montalvo defeated longtime Mayor Othal Brand Sr. by just 144 votes.

As mayor, Montalvo said one of his major accomplishments was increasing pay for city workers.

At the time, about two-thirds of city workers earned so little that they qualified for federal assistance, Montalvo said. Under his administration, the City Commission increased wages.

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