Tuesday, July 30, 2013

KING MARTINEZ, HERALD, MASTER CREATIVE BOOKKEEPING

By Juan Montoya
Let's see if we got this right.
In today's front-page article in the Brownsville Holler, an article written by a local reporter (not Mark Reagan as previously reported) repeats Mayor Tony Martinez's assertions that in May's first-ever $50-per-plate State-of-the-City luncheon, the city actually turned a "profit."
In fact, Da Mayor says that the for-pay event closed to the general public earned $11,507 for some lucky nonprofit yet to be selected. Of $47,750 in revenues, Da Tony Show tallied expenditures of $36,242, the bulk of it – $23,342 – going to Message Audience Presentation Inc., Martinez's mayoral campaign ad agency from Austin .
Reagan then goes on to list some of the sponsors of the event.
1.  PUB: $8,500
2. United Way of Cameron County: $4,000
3. United Brownsville: $3,000

Other notable sponsors noted in the newspaper's report include private donors like:
1. La Carcel: $3,000
2. IBC: $3,000
3. HEB: $3,000

We have a slight problem with considering the ratepayer-funded PUB donation of $8,500 "revenue" from the luncheon. After all, that money came from PUB funds that are buttressed by the utility rates and impact fees charged to the public. How can they be considered "revenue" produced by the luncheon?
In fact, we don't mind taking the risk of saying that the vast majority of the ratepayers of PUB who helped fund the for-pay event probably could not afford the $50 fee to attend the ritzy smoke-and-mirrors affair.
As for the $4,000 United Way "donation," we were always under the impression that donations from city workers and those in the private sector were to be used to uplift the needy in the city. How helping to fund a private, for-pay affair gives the needy a helping hand is beyond us. Was there a table in the back for recipients of social services?
(Those of our four readers who read this initial post probably noticed that we included Cameron County among the donors. We erred. It was the United Way of Cameron County. We regret the error. County Judge Carlos Cascos graciously pointed out our mistake. We regret the error.)
And then there's United Brownsville. You know them. It's no skin off their nose to "donate" $3,000 to the city since they get a $25,000 donation annually from Brownsville as "membership" fees to the shadow government created by IBC banker Fred Rusteberg, Carlos Marin, UTB President Julieta Garcia and the other interests of the city who want to hide behind this corporation and guide the economic direction of the city much as the tail wags a dog.
They can move and shake the way the taxpayers' money is spent toward their pet projects without having to account to anyone for their actions. So far, with Rusteberg on board as one of three a co-chairs, United Brownsville has managed to live on without any funds of its own.
Rather, it survives and pays its staff by extracting a $25,000 "goodwill" tribute from the City of Brownsville, Greater Brownsville Incentive Corporation, Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Brownsville Public Utilities Board, University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Southmost College, and the Port of Brownsville.
So not only did the PUB buy it $25,000 membership this year, but the utility – where Martinez sits as an ex oficio member –  was hit up for yet another $8,500 for the event.
So far, only the BISD and Cameron County have refused to ante up for membership on the UB board.
La Carcel, we assume, is the entity made up of the mayor's law firm with his partner Horacio Barrera. They bought the old county jail years ago and turned it into their law offices. That and the other two, Rusteberg's IBC and the HEB corporation, seem to be the only private donors involved in funding the luncheon. Given the Dallas Federal Reserve's mystification at how IBC's revenues can't seem to be explained by the normal income streams of the South Texas area, we hesitate to speculate of the origin of those funds.
If those $15,500 garnered from the public entities are subtracted from the $47,750 in "revenues," a very different picture emerges. Instead of a $11,507 "profit," the city is actually some -$3,992 in the hole. That's not even counting the "free" use of the Events Center or the security provided Da Mayor and his revelers compliments of the long-suffering Brownsville taxpayer and the local cops.
Then again, the average Brownsville taxpayer who didn't attend the light show and luncheon to be dazzled by the local luminaries probably doesn't need to pay $50 to see what state the city is in. All he has to do is drive around its potholed-streets, smell the stench of excrement emanating from the PUB lift stations, see the elderly bus patrons wilting at the unsheltered bus stops and realize that whatever tale was told at King Tony's banquet crumbles when it meets the reality of everyday life in his town.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

What can we expect from sycophantic "reporters" working for a publisher who has been snuggled in the pockets of corruption for years?

Anonymous said...

sass ... llego el machete y se acabo la historia de Hades. el Heraldo en la bolsa del alcalde .... todo lo opuestro del alcalde Ahumada!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Just another of the Mayor's games of smoke and mirrors. No doubt his United Brownsville buddies are covering his ass for setting up this "luncheon" for his friends of United Brownsville and bypassing the general public. His buddies at United Brownsville continue to bail his ass out of his efforts to be King, not just be mayor. He wants to be boss, but seems to always leave out transparency in his administration and practice Obama-like management....which Tony seems to lose at every corner.

Dante said...

Juan now take i easy we all know its nothing more than smoke and mirrors from the mayor martinez and his gang. Remember a city is a non profit not a for profit enterprise. PUB is also supposed to be a non profit but every time th epub and its little gang need more money they just raise the rates. Es todo, anyway what canthe poor citizens do? where do they turn to get their water or electrical service? no where so basicly we are screwed, thanks mayor i got o give you and the pub gang credit where credit is due, so by the way, when is junior garcia going to become the next city mamanger as you promised his mom queen juletta? I am quite sure he (junior garcia) is high qualified, LOL LOL LOl lOl. otro yes man. dante

Anonymous said...

Complete bullshit from the Herald. I don't believe anything in the Herald, anymore.

Anonymous said...

I didn't have the money to go to this event because I was paying my PUB bill and trying to get a cheap burger to eat. Sorry Mayor, next time you have this event can you bring the price down to your's only friends event about the lies of Brownsville!

Anonymous said...

It cost more than $50 a "plate" to have lunch at Las Pampas. What is so fucking special about these asshole, phony "high rollers"?

Anonymous said...

If United Way can give away money donated for charitable purposes for this type of function, I guess they do not need any future contributions from me.

Anonymous said...

The PUB and United Brownsville sponsorship are taxpayer dollars in disguise. We are used to these two shafting our community for years. The Cameron County United Way is the one entity which I question how they can afford to give $4,000 of monies allocated for needy organizations to this flim flam pony show of an event is beyond comprehension and really should be investigated. I believe there are penalties for this type of inappropriate funding. If I were you, I would contact the National United Way Organization ASAP. The Herald will never investigate this.

Anonymous said...

Just more Cameron County kickbacks. No more United Way donations from me.

Anonymous said...

The local United Way suffers from root-rot. Traci Wickett needs to go. She and the top heavy board of directors are out of touch with what our area's needs really are.

Anonymous said...

PUB could have invite up to 170 rate payers to attend this great event that is ONLY for the privilege royal court

Anonymous said...

WOW PUB could have invite up to 170 rate payers to attend this great event that is RESERVED ONLY for the PRIVILEGE "ROYAL COURT"!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOORAY FOR PUB

Anonymous said...

Why is the United Way being allowed to Sponsor a Political Event? I thought that was illegal? Please research the legality of that particular Sponsorship. Pat Ahumada Jr. tried to use the United Way for one of his Campaigns, but was denied that use because it was a political campaign and the UWOA....does not allow for such.

rita