By Joe F. Rodriguez
Resaca City BlogThe San Benito News is reporting that the board of directors Narciso Martinez Cultural Center has decided to cancel the 26 Annual Conjunto Music Festival after failing to reach an agreement with the City of San Benito.
Unlike prior years, the City of San Benito has decided to let the NMCAC promote the Annual Conjunto Festival on its own. The city decided to charge them almost $4,000 per night for property rental fee for southern half of the Plaza de San Benito Park.
This sucks!
For the past 25 years The City of San Benito & the NMCAC http://www.narciscomartinezculturalartscenter.org/ have worked in tandem to bring this festival to a complete success for not only the citizens of San Benito but throughout the Rio Grande Valley and beyond. People from all over the State of Texas and the United States (Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, etc.) schedule their vacations around the time of the Annual Conjunto Festival.
At last year’s Conjunto Festival, I initiated a conversation with a couple from Italy. I speak a little Italian (just enough to not get in trouble). It seems they heard about the annual Conjunto Festival via Facebook and decided to make the trip to San Benito and experienced it live and in person.
Now the city has decided to collect a $4,000 per night property rental fee for three nights for a slice of property that is unused for 365 days a year. The city is not paying for anything that I know of.
The non-profit NMCAC is paying for all the security, permits, etc. In the past, the city also provided some equipment free of charge as a show of support for a festival that benefits everybody. The festival generates a tremendous amount of publicity for the City of San Benito.
I fully understand that an Ordinance exists that prohibits the waiving of fees for anybody but the SB CISD, The City, and the Chamber of Commerce. The solution to that is the City should co-sponsor the event and waive at least a part of the property rental fee.
Any way you look at it, $4,000 per night is "mucho dinero" for a small section of property that is idle the entire year.
Unfortunately this action by the City of San Benito is giving the City of San Benito another, for lack of a better word, a black eye; we have had enough of the alleged wire-tapping, illegal downloading of city data, and the ranking of San Benito as the poorest city in Texas.
If you are not registered to vote, GO REGISTER! Next year is a local election year!!!
At last year’s Conjunto Festival, I initiated a conversation with a couple from Italy. I speak a little Italian (just enough to not get in trouble). It seems they heard about the annual Conjunto Festival via Facebook and decided to make the trip to San Benito and experienced it live and in person.
Now the city has decided to collect a $4,000 per night property rental fee for three nights for a slice of property that is unused for 365 days a year. The city is not paying for anything that I know of.
The non-profit NMCAC is paying for all the security, permits, etc. In the past, the city also provided some equipment free of charge as a show of support for a festival that benefits everybody. The festival generates a tremendous amount of publicity for the City of San Benito.
I fully understand that an Ordinance exists that prohibits the waiving of fees for anybody but the SB CISD, The City, and the Chamber of Commerce. The solution to that is the City should co-sponsor the event and waive at least a part of the property rental fee.
Any way you look at it, $4,000 per night is "mucho dinero" for a small section of property that is idle the entire year.
Unfortunately this action by the City of San Benito is giving the City of San Benito another, for lack of a better word, a black eye; we have had enough of the alleged wire-tapping, illegal downloading of city data, and the ranking of San Benito as the poorest city in Texas.
If you are not registered to vote, GO REGISTER! Next year is a local election year!!!
11 comments:
(You should see the fire chief in a city vehicle at a private party at some nice house on creekbend dr. Your side of town Juan)
Now they are sounding like Brownsville charging everyone except if you are connected to someone of interest. Maybe Bert Ogden can sponsor it just to show the Valley that it appreciates all the money the citizen's of the valley give them during the year. This would also make the SB Chamber of commerce
look like stupid fools. Let the city of Olmito sponsor it and let Brownsville lend them the Sports Park - without charge! Que crees?
Voting is what got them in this bullshit
Who cares.? conjunction is noise not music.
Why do you think they call SAN BENITO EL CLOWN TOWN OR EL PUEBLO DE LOS PAYASOS.
What a bunch of hogwash. It's time the TAXPAYER show all the ELECTED OFFICIALS who ACTUALLY runs the CITY. Always trying to make a BUCK to COVER their BLUNDERS.ALL THAT CAN BE SAID IS VOTE THEM OUT.
THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE CITY OF SAN BENITO DON'T KNOW A GOOD THINK IF IT SLAPPED THEM ACROSS THE FACE. MONEY HUNGRY MONGERS.NO SHAME IN THEIR GAME.
This festival is awesome part of our roots well those of us Mexican American who have not forgotten where we came from it's beautiful music that brings joy to the heart shame on those who are against this truly beautiful festival
Mayor Gomez I thought you said at a city meeting you didn't want to hurt anyone . This is hurting the city. San Benito don't grow cause of many things . But one is once someone does good they jack up the rent. What a shame and shame on the commission. The voters are watching and taking notes. So make you choices wisely.
Maybe Pepe Maldonado can lend at hand at la Lomita?
So where do we go for conjunto music. Will be in town 19th thru 23rd? Ayuda por favor! aunque sea un congal.
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