Sunday, May 11, 2014

TSC, PORT RACES SHOW VOTER INTEREST UPSURGE

By Juan Montoya
Incumbents for both Texas Southmost College and the Brownsville Navigation District reclaimed their seats in Saturday's election, while newcomer candidates made a good showing in their first outing.
BND incumbent Carlos Masso beat a surprising Herny Najera by 308 votes to keep his eat on the port board. Ed Rivera beat J.J. De Leon in the only contested TSC race for the board of trustees. 
Rivera was appointed to replace Dr. Roberto Lozano and will serve the last two years of the six-year term after Loxano resigned to concentrate on his private medical practice. He will be up for reelection in two years.
His election comes two days after Masso and the majority of the five-man board voted to grant Colorado-based OmniTrax Inc. and the Broe Group a 30-year franchise of the Brownsville Rio Grande Railroad. The sale of the railroad's rolling stock, warehouses and associated machinery to OmniTrax will be complete after seven annual payments. At the end of that time, the port will own only the rails themselves and the right-of-way.
The Broe Group has a year to complete a master plan before unveiling a five-year program to put an industrial park and small-business incubator in place. It promises to "attract or invest" $8.5 million within that time.
Masso, who featured the Broe Groups's involvement as one of this accomplishments in his newspaper ads, openly supported the granting of the franchise. First elected in 2006, received 1,419 votes to Najera’s 1,111. That slim margin of victory surprised some observers because Masso had gotten into a runoff during the last election for Cameron County D.A. against Luis V. Saenz, whgo eventually won in  a runoff.
In the Place 2 race, former Pct. 2 Cameron County commissioner John Wood defeated Esteban “Steve” Guerra by 289 votes. This was Guerra's first attempt at public office and the fact that he came in a close second to Wood, a former candidate for county judge against Carlos Cascos surprised many local pundits.
"These two, Najera and Guerra did surprisingly well," said a campaign worker at Rivera's victory celebration at the Half Moon downtown. "Both have a future ahead of them."
Wood received 1,593 votes to Guerra’s 1,304.
Rivera defeated challenger De Leon 1,772 votes to 1,303. 
Place 1 Incumbent Adela Garza (2,159 votes) ran unopposed as did Art Rendon in Place 3 race who received 2,104 votes. They both start six-year terms.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Adela and Rendon might think they pull a fast one in the constituents.
Remember Adela, you might full some people some of the time, but you will not be able to full them all.

The truth will come out eventually!

Anonymous said...

Do we all know Masso is a Crook?

Anonymous said...

Yeah! Adela and Art are going to screw us for six years?!

Anonymous said...

My cousin works with the IRS criminal investigation and something is coming up.

Anonymous said...

byrranon"Did Adela had Art and JJ run at TSC to control the Board majority?
Be on the look out for TSC contract decisions??"

Anonymous said...

Adela for county commish ,, that's the way to go Cascos!!

Anonymous said...

Adele and Cascos make a team. All the way to the city limits!

rita