Friday, June 16, 2017

ABBOTT CUTS FUNDS FOR POOREST TEXAS COLONIAS

(When Carlos Cascos was the Texas Secretary of State, he was instrumental in acquiring more funding and increasing voter registration in the border area. We noticed in today's announcement on the bill Rolando V. Pablos, the the current SOS, doesn't have much to say.) 

By Imelda Garcia
News Central 4

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday vetoed funding to a program that would assist colonias.

"Governor Abbott vetoed a section of when I was Secretary of State and when I was a state legislature in 1999, we established and those were the colonia coordinators for the Valley, for Laredo and El Paso,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar. “I believe five counties, he vetoed that and that is very unfortunate."

Colonia residents echo Rep. Henry Cuellar’s thoughts.

"That's not good,” said colonia resident Fermin Lopez. “We already don't have much and now they're trying to take away the little that we do have."

Residents like Lopez lost $860,000 in state funding that supported the colonia initiatives program in the secretary of state's office. The program placed state workers to act as liaisons between colonias and the state. The workers, called ombudsmen, assess residents' needs and advocate for the impoverished communities. As years passed, though, colonia residents saw less and less of the county ombudsmen.

"That program has been slashed so much that $860,000 was really just to cover the salary of some of the people who are supposed to be running these programs, and the reality is that they were not able to do much for the colonias," said La Union Del Pueblo Entero representative Martha Sanchez.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This may end state funding for "ombudsmen" but what it does is place more responsibility on local governments. Actually, local cities and counties have a better capability to assess the needs of colonias. Local colonia leaders have the ear of local officials and so bringing this responsibility home is a good thing. Abbott's decision to cut this funding merely forces local governments to be the "ombudsmen" between the state and the colonia....just plain sense to me.

Anonymous said...

This is yet another example of Rene Oliveira doing nothing about citizens in his district. He cares nothing about colonias or neighborhoods around Brownsville. In my neighborhood he lives three houses down from me. I was his friend and let him into my home with my wife and four children various times. I thought he was my friend. He convinced my wife ti leave me and now he is engaged to her. I have a more special woman now who has caught my eye because of how pretty she is. But I cannot let Rene prey on other families. If you have a wife or daughters, please do not get near Rene Oliveira. He is a homewrecker and stares at the girls in a very bizarre way. Most all of his past girlfriends are not with him for his looks rather they are there because of the State Seal Of Texas and shopping sprees at Dillards plus professional sports games lobbyists buy for him and his date. Women in our community tell me that those women are showing a form of prostitution. At the end they are left high and dry. Dont vote for Rene. He is no good. Trust me

Anonymous said...

Say no to Rene Oliveira. No more. He has no respect for families and women.

Anonymous said...

Shut the fuck up about Rene, Alex Dominguez! We know it's you, bro.

Anonymous said...

No, it's not Alex. Try the Capt.

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to "Valley Interfaith" and the EPISO organizers? I guess they only work with Democratic governors because Republican governors tell them to "take a hike" and our state senator and representative are "closet" Republicans that usually vote with the governor.

rita