We though the days of caciquismo and high-handed arrogance were over.
Alas, we were wrong.
On Monday, when Brownsville City Manager Charlie Cabler came before the members of the city-appointed Brownsville Public Utilities Board hat-in-hand asking for a handout to pull the commissioners' chestnuts out of the fiscal fire, we thought the picture of Cabler at the podium with the PUB members looking askance spoke more than the thousand words we could write.
There was Cabler, more annoyed than worried as PUB members peppered him with questions about why the city was coming back to the well for another $3 million after the utility had already transferred $10 million in cash and services to its 2009-2010 budget.
And there was Mayot Pat Ahumada turning sideways in his chair looking at Cabler, the latter's right leg twitching nervously at the podium answering what he obviously thought were unnecessary questions. Apparently, Cabler thought the deal had already been struck and these questions from members were gratuitous and unwelcome.
We had our camera ready and, out of courtesy, we approached the PUB secretary and asked her if we could snap the photo. She said no, that the PUB legal counsel Eddie Rodriguez did not approve of the request.
The PUB being a public entity, the building being a public building, the matters discussed being public issues, and we, providing the public with information they need to know to learn about the activity of the public entity they pay for with their taxes and rates, we begged to differ.
But, rather than being blamed for creating a disturbance, we opted to call the issue later, after the first portion of the public meeting was over.
Cabler finished and walking away with $3 million to help commissioners dodge the budget bullet, we approached the honorable Messr. Rodriguez, Esq., and asked about his ruling.
"It's board policy," he said. "We already have a television camera."
"But this is a public meeting, in a public building," we countered.
"Its' against board policies," he maintained.
Brownsville Public Information Officer Bill Young – a staunch defender of the First Amendment – thought that Rodriguez didn't have a leg to stand on. He thought there would be little justification for someone stopping us from snapping the shot.
We are now going to take the formal step of requesting a clarification from the board and their legal justification from prohibiting us – or any member of the public – from exercising their legitimate First Amendment rights in their own facilities. We will keep you updated on their response.
Could it be that a Brownsville lawyer has the power to override the U.S. Constitution and deny local residents the privileges of citizens granted them by the Bill of Rights?
2 comments:
Three words come to mind after I read this story:
"SHAME ON THEM."
The stupidity seems to have been spread to remaining members of the PUB and the City Commission. People, the transfer of funds, utility services, and now more cash from the PUB to the COB accounts is "DOUBLE DIPPING." It is not fair to the PUB rate payers to have to pay through property taxes and again through their PUB bills without say so or any honest leader to understand that and state the truth to the people of Brownsville, Texas. Folks, this shows that the Mayor, commissioners, board members are not intellectually fit to create ideas of revenue, cut excess work forces at COB, cut projects that are eating up too much revenue and etc... Instead, the PUB rate payers are used, with supposed excess cash available at PUB. Now adays, entity, corporation, individual are cash strapped with no excess cash. Yes, they chose the stupid way out, and the easy way out. Yet there are Brownsville citizens that are CPL and Magic Valley customers that will continue to not be burdened by this fiasco caused by in efficient elected city leaders. I do agree that some of these leaders are educated and intelligent, but the human weakness has set in as their terms continue. They will continue portraying a hard working, dedicated, civic minded, citizen caring, well dressed elected official with impressive rhetoric and protection of their status in our town. And you know what, "THAT IS SAD." It is sad because the city should fix and maintain roads and the 28 parks it has, but instead the city promotes concerts, expensive sports park with no protection from the burning sunshine, warehousing, golf course business, urban rooms, coffee shops, two libraries with 13 million dollar yearly expense, when we have BISD and University libraries available for everyone's use, acting Playhouses, museums, museums, museums, Chamber of Commerce, GBIC, BEDC, BVCB, several advertising firms that help the promoting firms of the area. This is too much for the budget to handle.
Robert "Captain Bob" Sanchez
Chris Davis was allowed to film his camera many times for his Cafe Brownsville blog. He was allowed because Chris Davis is married to Peewee's neice Monica Davis. I would challenge that and make him look stupid.
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