By Juan Montoya
For the length of the campaign, Ruben Pena, Cameron County candidate for Precinct 2 commissioner has been promising he will take a $10,000 salary cut to help out taxpayers with their burden.
Now, evidence has surfaced that the Harlingen native has been too busy running for office to take care of his own tax obligations so that as a result he has become delinquent on 2009 taxes he owes to corresponding entities such as the cities of Harlingen and Brownsville, local school districts, Texas Southmost College, the Brownsville Navigation District, and even Cameron County.
In fact, one of the accounts has been delinquent since 2008 and has accrued more than $435 in penalties and interest and attorneys' fees.
That property is three lots in the Harlingen Original Townsite and is appraised at nearly $200,000. It is listed under the ownership of Sanchez-Pena Enterprises. The State Comptroller's Office lists the officers of Sanchez-Pena Enterprises as Irma and Ruben Pena, 28213 Palm Court Blvd., Harlingen.
In fact, at least nine of his accounts at the Cameron County Tax Assessor and Collector's Office are accruing penalty interest charges and the total debt is spiraling upwards of $9,500.
In his campaign ads, Pena has promised to fight high appraisals by the Cameron County Appraisal District and said he had appealed the district's decisions to the Texas Supreme Court.
A spokesman at the Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector's Office said that property taxes are due in January of every year. Those who don't pay in January are assessed a 7 percent penalty interest in February, and a 2 percent per month penalty for each month afterwards until June.
"In July we start charging them attorneys' fees to pay the delinquent tax collection law firm to try to collect the delinquent tax," he said. "If you want to avoid the fees, you have to come in and make arrangements with us to pay."
Coming on the heels of the controversy in San Benito where the city attempted to remove the mayor for owing taxes when he declared himself a candidate for office, the delinquent status of Pena's taxes have a familiar ring, at least with his opponent's supporters.
An Email to Ernie Hernandez's web site inquiring about that candidate's tax status indicated that they are well aware of the issue.
"We have an ad coming out on Sunday questioning the credibility of Mr. Pena's statements that he wants to donate $10,000 to the taxpayers and that he was ready to fight the appraisal district," a staffer responded. "Mr. Hernandez is current on taxes on his property and inventory.
"Why does (Pena) have to be elected before he lightens the burden of the other taxpayers by paying his delinquent taxes and pulling his share of the load?" they asked. "What he owes is more than $9,500, or nearly the $10,000 he wants to donate to the taxpayers."
The tax collector-assessors office lists eight accounts in Brownsville and one in Harlingen and the amount owed. The amounts include late charges as of Friday(March 12). They are:
Acct. # 100002070005100 (Brownsville) Appraised Value: $10,500 Owed:$271.15
Acct. # 100002070006000 (Brownsville) Appraised Value: $36,000 Owed:$929.62
Acct.# 7928000280081200(Brownsville) Appraised Value: $134,874 Owed:$1,923.36
Acct.# 7928000280081400(Brownsville) Appraised Value: $1,669 Owed:$23.80
Acct.# 7928000280081700(Brownsville) Appraised Value: $126,000 Owed:$1,035.68
Acct.# 100900046309 (B'ville-inventory) Appraised Value: $60,866 Owed:$1,571.75
Acct.# 234600000007000 (Brownsville) Appraised Value: $49,235 Owed:$1,271.37
Acct.# 747990100010000 (Brownsville) Appraised Value: $55,183 Owed:$453.59
Acct.# 1500000680001000(Harlingen) Appraised Value: $199,969 (2009) Owed:$898.85
(2008) Owed:$1,165.94
Total owed: $9,545.11 (including 2008 delinquent Harlingen property tax)
The Hernandez camp, of course, responded gleefully to the inquiries of Pena's tax debt.
"If this means that after our Sunday ad Ruben Pena goes down to Tony Yzaguirre's office and pays his taxes, then Ernie in effect has lightened the load to other taxpayers by about $10,000 and he didn't even need to be elected."
Friday, March 12, 2010
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rita
12 comments:
NICE FIND. DOES JOHN WOOD OWN ANY PROPERTY IN CAMERON COUNTY? It does not look like it. Looks like he lives in his mother-in-law's house. Way to take advantage Johnny. See www.cameroncad.org or www.cameroncountytax.org 1180 Toya Lane, Brownsville. Name: VOLTAGGIO FRANK J ET UX Owner ID: 56584
Mailing Address: 1180 TOYA LN
BROWNSVILLE, TX 78520-7428
But if you want to see some delinquent taxes, what about Cris Valadez, Carlos Cascos' right and left hand? He owes over $15,000 since 2005 in delinquent taxes> 2008 $2,190.98 $569.66 $385.31 $3,145.95
2007 $1,976.97 $751.24 $381.08 $3,109.29
2006 $2,087.79 $1,043.91 $510.92 $3,642.62
2005 $1,972.85 $1,223.16 $521.52 $3,717.53
TOTAL $8,228.59 $3,587.97 $1,798.83 $13,615.39
TREVINO, CASCOS, and HERNANDEZ appear to be up to date.
Montoya, dig the Cascos issue, he sells himself as Mr. Clean. I think he is a fake and a phoney.
Not fit to be a dog catcher.
"Montoya, dig the Cascos issue, he sells himself as Mr. Clean. I think he is a fake and a phoney.
Not fit to be a dog catcher."
Cascos appears to have paid his taxes. So now you want to go after him because one of his employees appears to not have paid it? Not sure how this paints him as not clean. Perhaps you can explain it so that I understand.
It is apparent that you have a dislike for Cascos. Well then, lets also dig up everything on all the other candidates employees to see what we find, shall we? Wood has some stellar examples, and so does Trevino, both at the city under his watch, and at his law office. Where shall we start?
Some quotes yy District Judge Rolando Olvera's court, (from the San Benito case against Joe Hernandez, (now ex-Mayor):
“When you accepted your office, you agreed to a higher degree of standard,” Olvera told Hernandez.
“Holding office is not a proprietary right,” "The people own (the office).”
Enough said.
Anonymous, I don't disagree with you that the property taxes need to be paid. But you are choosing to single out a county employee and not an elected official. Yes, it is still our money but the quote you provide is Judge Olvera speaking to a now past elected official. If you want more dirt on a county employee then I suggest you hold a consistent standard and research every single county employee to see who has or has not paid their taxes, and while we are at it, why don't we hold the same standard for all BISD employees and all city employees?
I know you want to make this about Cascos because you think it helps your candidate Trevino, but you would be better served being consistent in your criticism. When you are not consistent,just makes you look desperate to try to paint Cascos as someone thats dirty, when most of the voters in Cameron know clearly that he's not.
Everyone needs to pay their taxes! This is something that we can all agree on.
Sounds good to me, dig on everyone.
I would think the Ruben Pena would have used the money he charged Supt Hector Gonzales for misrepresenting him, to pay his taxes. Or maybe Blanca Vela could have pulled some strings for him? If he is not up-to-date on his taxes, why was he allowed to even submit his name as a candidate, much less place his name on the ballot? By law, he should be disqualified and while they are at it, they should make him give Mr. Gonzales his money back. Pena sat and picked his nose while everyone lied in their testimoney.
Anonymous said...
Let's see: Ernie Hernandez and Eddie Trevino voted for the $900,000 Imagine Brownsville boondoggle that we are still paying for
Ernie Hernandez and Eddie Trevino rescinded the Impact Fee that was going to save PUB payers and instead caved to developers because they serve the special interests
Both Ernie Hernandez and Eddie Treviño tried to pay themselves A SALARY from our tax dollars by changing the city charter, because accepting illegal benefits from the city just wasn't enough.
Montoya, your stories are staying too long on the blog, for heaven's sake, lets add some new ones.
I see and feel anger and hatred toward my "Main Man" Eddie Trevino, or is it fair to say, some of the fellow bloggers are Cascos supporters.
Come next month, Eddie, is going to deal with John Wood, (mother in laws, little boy,) and in November, it's curtain for a fellow rebublican, and we all know who that is.
Ruben Pena is history, he is damage goods, I don't think anyone takes him serious. Or at least no one in Harlingen did, that's why he move to Brownsville.
Maybe after this election he will move to Hidalgo county that would be of his style.
That is so true, Ruben Pena sold Mr Hector Gonzalez, all Pena did was pull buggers out of his nose while everybody lied.
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