By Juan Montoya
Ruben Cortez, fighting to keep his seat on the board of the Brownsville Independent School District, has made no secret of his ambition to run for higher office.
Many people in the BISD say Cortez wants to take a crack at a state representative position. And they say that the recent revelations by the Enrique Escobedo camp that Cortez has jet-set ted around the country hobnobbing with educational and legislative groups is merely a precursor to making his run at that office.
"What he's really doing is using the school district's travel budget to build up a resume for when he runs for office," said a BISD administration staffer who has heard Cortez voice his ambitions.
Many readers were curious as to what destinations Cortez had travelled on the district's nickel.
Below is a list of the place he has visited in the last two years.
The total cost to the district after two short years is an astronomical $35,874.
Attempts to acquire the totals for the two years before that have been unsuccessful.
Edinburg, Texas for a Region I Grassroots meeting= $48.894
Washington DC, NSBA 35th Annual Conference= $2,245.80
Austin, Texas, LAC Meeting= $1,058.84
Austin, LAC Meeting= $791.12
Miami, Fla., NSBA CUBE= $2,403.02
New York, BROAD= $2,495.16
Austin, LAC meeting= 335.50
Austin, BROAD delegation= $481.71
Austin, B'ville Day at the Capitol= $750.32
Austin, House of Reps.= $548.39
San Diego, Calif., NSBA 69th Annual Conf.= $2,674.34
South Padre Island, Region 1 School Boards= $244.40
Fort Worth, Summer Leadership Inst.= $1,809.10
San Antonio, Legislative Adv. Council= $1,021.92
Chicago, Ill., 2009 CUBE Seminar= $2,974.89
Austin, 42nd Annual CUBE= $1,411.70
Denver, Colo., NSBA+L Conf.= $1,916.56
Washington, D.C., FRN Conf.= $2,444.64
San Antonio, TMEA= $1,070.54
Edinburg, Grassroots Meeting= $60
Austin, Legislative Advisory= $573.81
Austin, Commissioner of Education= $377,60
Ft. Worth, Summer Leadership= $2,023.12
Austin, TASB School Finance= $686.25
Houston, TASA/TASB Convention= $1,233.38
Now, what is Ruben learning at these nice places?
Well, with the district running a deficit for the past two years, it doesn't seem like too much is sticking to our wayward trustee's brain.
If we don't want this fiscally-challenged individual to threaten us with being a state rep in the future, you might just want to go out and vote in the BISD elections to clip his wings.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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rita
16 comments:
Is there anyway to check which trips his wife went with him?
vote the weasel out un mamon de primera!!!!!!
People have made a lot of about this issue. You must remember he has been on the board less time than his opponent. I believe he has represented the district well by these trips and been educated on school board requirements in the process. His opponent had less trips during the same period. When you look at the number of trips and compare such against the cost, Cortez definietly received more bang for the buck. His opponent spent more per trip. Who's the fiscally challenged. In all fairness Juan, please print this.
Do you honestly think Cortez is the only Board Member that has used the travel account to further his political ambitions? He's not the only one and don't think that any of the new comer candidates won't do the same.
If you want to control the deficits, stop hiring high level administrative positions. But the reason they don't is because these positions are political paybacks for the BISD Board of Trustees.
Tha's why he has a GED!!! You guys!!!
Isn't trips and other perks the sole reason everyone one to be in the BISD board??? This is nothing new.
the herald should have this. Lucio believes grooming this embicile is the key to getting Oliveira out of office. That's been the plan for so long now. I don't know why Lucio Jr. even acknowledges this bafoon. Cortez doesn't believe in children. He believes in making deals and getting those white envelopes. Zayas despises Pat Lehman for being on the take but his confidant Ruben Cortez is ten times worse. Senator Lucio, drop this guy. He has already embarassed you enough trying to squeeze cash from potential vendors that you sent trying to get business from BISD. Wash your hands now of this guy. I hear the FEDS are on Ruben's mom and him. Get in that Chapel of yours and ask God to forgive you for making this guy more than he can ever become.
Judge and Jury @ 2am on a Wednesday morning ?!?!
There is this one, little thing called proof, Einstein.
The interesting thing is that Cortez has endorsed Wood for County Judge. Oliveira has endorsed Wood for County Judge. Who do you believe Wood will help for State Rep? Oliveira doesn't campaign as hard as Cortez does. The word is that Cortez endorsed Wood in exchange for the promise to help him against Oliveira. Oliveira is a dumbass if he thinks Wood is going to help him. Democrats continue to eat their young.
Are you an idiot?
Anony said:
"His opponent had less trips during the same period. When you look at the number of trips and compare such against the cost, Cortez definitely received more bang for the buck. His opponent spent more per trip."
Cortez spent more than 35 grand cus he traveled more you moron. Some trips are more expensive than the others. If Cortez would had traveled the same trips as Escobedo, he would have spent the same amount of money ($15,000) instead he made those travels plus more. He spent BISD money on Las Vegas. This Money we are still paying. This is not fair
Stop making those stupid math deduction, your just proving your an idiot.
Wait a minute. If Cortez is a high school dropout with only a GED to his credentials, is he really qualified to manage a multimillion dollar school district run by qualified educated administrators and teachers. POS QUE PASO AQUI. Back to the barrio brother for more remedial training. Andale.
It is no secret Cortez does want to be a State Representative. Think he can pull it off? I don't.
How can we have a school drop-out represent us as a State Representative, you have got to be kidding. In your dreams buddy.
How many trips did he cancel out of, and they he pay any cancellation fees?
HOW MANY TRIPS DID HE TAKE HIS WIFE WITH HIM? ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT WORK? SHE WENT TO THE BROAD TRIP WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT AND TO D.C. BECAUSE SHE BRAGGED ABOUT SITTING IN ON THE SESSIONS....WAS SHE DOCKED THE DAYS OR GIVEN PROFESSIONAL LEAVE?
GET A LIFE EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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