GOWEN: THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, FILES AFFIDAVIT: JESSICA HEARS FOOTSTEPS IN AUSTIN

By Juan Montoya

Almost as an afterthought, city commissioner at-large filed paperwork with the City Secretary's office claiming that the fact she is the director of  UT Health research clinic and that she voted to give the UT System 48-acre Lincoln Park did not constitute a conflict of interest.

The timing of the filing of the paperwork is usually done before elected officials vote on an issue that may at y raise the conflict-of-interest issue.

But what do you expect from Gowen and her buddy Tony Martinez, who has earned himself the moniker of Tony Tormenta because of the tempestuous way he is tearing through the city's assets in his quest to give them away to the UT System?

As a result of the plan to give away Lincoln Park, a body of resistance has awoken in the city and numerous candidates are said to be lining up to run in the city commission races. Among them are Roman Perez, who lost to Ricardo Longoria in the Place 1 race last time around by a scant 70 votes.

Da Mayor has already stated he will seek re-election this coming May, but he can rest assured that the glitter has worn off the Believe in Brownsville slogan that carried him to the mayorship last time.

Also up for re-election is Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa, Longoria, and Estela Chavez-Vasquez, a full majority.

Tetreau, as is characteristic of her, has stated that the folks in the state capital are cringing in fear at her annoncing her re-election. In a post (where else but in FB?), the intrepid commish stated that

she had "been receiving quite a few calls from concerned colleagues..saying that someone from the office of one of our elected officials in Austin has been making false statements about myself and and my seat on the city commission. The statement is that I am intending to vacate my ELECTED position as commissioner, therefore you should support him in running for my spot..."
Well, we knew the commissioner carried some weight, but not as much as to have the folks in Austin fretting over her seat on the city commission. Who could than nasty rumor monger be up in Ostin? Or is this just another figment of Jessica's fertile imagination?
They're probably generating baseless rumors about Jess up in Washington D.C., we're sure.
Gowen, on the other hand, has a few years left on her tenure before she comes up for re-election and is using that cushion to ram through her pet projects. Have you gone down Sixth Street where the project to decrease one lane and narrow it down to two? Go there at about the time the students are released at Cummings Middle School and see the congestion that develops. This, after all, one of the main arteries of the city. Why on earth could the city have adopted Gowen's plan to narrow the artery that leads to downtown and the warehouse district along Fronton Road?
The 9 a.m. hearing in Judge Arturo Nelson's 138th District Court will focus on the objections of Cameron County District Attorney and as a private citizen that Gowen should not have been able to vote for the sale because of her position as the medical director of a UT Health research clinic.
Gwen included on the disclosure form a reference to her position with UT Health, work for which she receives more than 10 percent of her gross salary.
The measure passed 4-3 on Nov. 4 and the UT Board of Regents followed suit in approving the “bargain purchase” of the land during its regular meeting Nov. 5. Gowen filed her disclosure form on November 13, a full 10 days after she voted.
Saenz's lawsuit raises six legal issues with the city’s plan to sell Lincoln Park to the UT System, the first of which is Gowen’s relationship to the sale.

The suit questions the city’s findings to satisfy the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code before giving away parkland and questions the sale of land below fair-market value without an election.
An appraisal by the UT System shows the land is worth at least $8.8 million with other private appraisals suggesting the land is worth in the neighborhood of $11 million.
And can you notice the spin that our allegedly impartial newspaper placed on the public outcry at a hearing in Gonzalez Park?
"A public hearing last month where the city attempted to generate excitement for the new park instead became a soapbox for those opposed to the move," the news story reads.
Now, we don;t hear that kind of loaded reporting when the reporter ignores that the city commission voted not to make the public comments before it broadcast on the city's televised meetings.
Negotiations between the entities were held up Nov. 7, however, when Saenz and co-plaintiff Matthew Kendall filed suit and Nelson signed a temporary restraining order barring the sale until after a hearing.
The hearing will be held Wednesday (tomorrow) in Nelson's court.