CORTEZ PUSHES HINOJOSA CONNECTION TO THE HILT

By Juan Montoya
Some folks who work up the Valley have let us know that Ruben Cortez, the Brownsville Independent School District trustee running for reelection, is busy beating the hustings in McAllen seeking donations.
They indicate that at least one architectural firm, ERO, has held a fundraiser on his behalf. The interesting thing about this is that among the ERO staff is one Manuel Hinojosa, the brother of former Cameron County Judge Gilbert Hinojosa. Hinojosa was defeated by current judge Carlos Cascos.
Cascos is currently seeking reelection and has John Wood, a county commissioner, as his opponent.
If you recall, Cortez came out and publicly endorsed Wood over Cascos for the November election.
No one is particularly surprised that Cortez would seek the financial support of an architectural firm. He has a long record of hounding vendors who do business with the district.
In fact, among one of the projects listed in Hinojosa's resume is the design of a high school in the Brownsville school district.
The firm's slogan is "Let's transform learning together."
According to insiders, the selection of an architect for the construction of a school is the hinge upon which fortunes turn. Take for example the new Veterans Memorial High School. Ernesto De Leon, a member of the bond oversight committee remembers having a former committee member (Terry Ray) and others lobby for a particular architect.
"I know how much you hate change orders, commissioner," De Leon recalls Ray telling him in urging him to vote for his choice.
De Leon, unaware that he was being played, went along with Ray's choice.
Shortly after that, Ray resigned from the oversight committee.
It was later that De Leon he ran into an acquaintance who told him that he had seen a foreman and workers from Ray's construction company working on the high school.
"That project went from a $40 million job to nearly $60 million due in part to the change orders that were passed along to the board," De Leon said. "Somebody made a lot of money because of the changes recommended by the architects."
And just in case the money isn't enough to overwhelm your opponent, there's always a few poltiqueras able and willing to help you get elected, for a price, of course.
"I ran into an elderly friend of mine who told me a certain poltiquera was going to pick her up to take her to vote," said trustee Catalina Presas-Garcia. "When I found out that the politiquera was working of Rick Zayas, I told her to forget it, that I would pick her up and take her to vote."
With the election only 50 days away, it has become increasingly clear that Cortez and Zayas are pulling out the stops to try to maintain their grip on the district and its $500 million budget. Whether it's courting vendors or paying politiqueras to herd the elderly to the voting booth, the fight is on for its control.
Don't be fooled. It's not all about children, as the Cortez signs state. It's all about the money, honey.