Wednesday, February 22, 2017

WILL THE KINGMAKERS HAVE THEIR SAY IN CITY ELECTIONS?

(Ed.'s Note: If a picture is worth a thousand words, the fivesome above probably have gone through several $100,000s in public money.

At left is Oscar Garcia Jr., the son of the former UTB-TSC President Julieta Garcia. Little Oscar, whose resume includes attending Red McCombs School of Business in San Antonio, has specialized in raiding the various public-funded entities like the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, for $180,000 twice; once for a plan to make fiber optics Internet connections to the poor in the barrios (Not), and another $185,000 for the first installment of a small site economic development plan. When he came back with the so-called plan, it included 50 pages (half of it) of index cards photostats used for taking notes at the "stakeholder" meetings. The GBIC decided not to bite and Little Oscar had to go the Brownsville Economic Development Corporation, whose members declined and also passed on his offer.

Image result for tony martinez, brownsvilleWhat can we say about Da Mayor Tony Martinez? He came in under the Catholic church mantle and set about to use public money to speculate in downtown real estate. The gem of his diadem is the still-vacant hulk of the Casa del Nylon which occupies half a block in downtown and which he convinced his city commission to purchase from Abraham Galonsky for $2.3 million. Compared to the $2.2 million that Cameron County paid for the six-story, block and a half property of the former Wells Fargo Bank, one can clearly see the Casa del Nylon purchase was not a good deal for the city, but only for the seller, Martinez's friend. It remains vacant and has become a warehouse and magnet for the homeless and their pets.
Image result for rose gowen, brownsville
Next to Martinez is none other than Rose Gowen, the At-Large B candidate for reelection against Erasmo Castro. Gowen has transformed herself into Brownsville's version of the Wicked Witch of the West and has been able to funnel millions in public money to her pet project, the turning of Brownsville into a hike-and-bike mecca. Don't worry about the lack of sidewalks, the condition of the city streets, or the dearth of employment opportunities, if people would only ride around town in their designer bicycle duds and $300 bikes, we'll all be svelte and healthy. All we need now is a few more miles of bike trails and the continued funding of Carlos Marin projects and VIDA from the GBIC to make it a go.

Speaking of Marin, he is the founder of the Imagine Brownsville cum United Brownsville scheme designed to establish a shadow government that would steer public funds toward projects that benefit his idea of economic development on both sides of the border. With United Brownsville now defunct because of the growing disillusionment with the organization and the reluctance (and refusal) of the eight public-funded entities to fork over $25,000 each for a "membership" fee, Marin is seeking greener pastures. We expect his money and influence to be felt in the May 6 elections where he will try to maintain Martinez's majority on the city commission.

If this isn't a rouges' alley, we don't know what is.)    
 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems like all of these went to the Kardenas Klan of Wealth Theft and Mismanagement....and have consistently been able to take from the public and return nothing. Part of their success has been due to Mayor Tony Martinez who has no regard for the public and sees tax dollars as his monopoly money, to play with as recklessly as he sees fit...and he has always seen fit to be reckless with our money. Each of these people are greedy and none deserves our respect.

Anonymous said...

These folks represent a great series of failures in local government. As SpaceX launches a successful Cape Canaveral launch, the out look for launches from Boca Chica Beach seem farther in the future, if ever. Everthing these folks have done has failed....but it has enriched them and their friends. Brownsville continues to swirl down the toilet while upper valley cities prosper.....could it be a lack of leadership??????

Anonymous said...

These people look like monkeys in the zoo smiling at those who come to see them. What a bunch of self-serving assholes we have in this city. They are the reason there is no progress here and they are the reason that we remain part of the third world....even in the U.S.

Anonymous said...

What the HELL IS SO FF FUNNY ? RATAS

Anonymous said...

Let the freak show begin!!

Anonymous said...

Saturday night live material. That photo is just disturbing N sickening with those fake ass smiles.

Anonymous said...

Oscar ...a human "Rat"
Like his mother, Juliet and lazy like his father. ...Gowen, she is shallow as a doctor and thinks she is above the rest. Alice, a want to be...Martinez, a con artist

Anonymous said...

CATHOLICS WHO LIVE A DOUBLE LIFE ?

green beret said...

united brownsville a shadow governemt mmm sounds like shadow company back in Vietnam

Anonymous said...

Out with the current clan,Vote them out..

rita