OVER AT DISTRICT 1, GOODBYE TRICKY RICKY

By Juan Montoya
There is so much hypocrisy and double-talk in city commissioner Ricardo Longoria's answers to the Brownsville Herald's candidate forum published Sunday that i truly don't know where to begin.
So, let's take it from the top.
Longoria, facing newcomer challenger roman Perez, lists his work on infrastructure like streets, curbs and gutters, etc., as some of his accomplishments. Can he tell us then, why La Posada is called "LA Posuda" by that subdivision's residents?
We remember in the last go-round that he and his fellow commissioners who were up for re-election suddenly "found" $1 million laying around to pave their streets as their challengers made the dismal conditions of city streets a campaign issue.
No, Ricky says that the paving of streets is one of his best accomplishments. Does this man live in his barrio? Or does he just cruise in periodically to have the residents touch the hem of his suit pants? Rick, everybody in town says the awful condition of our streets is the one constant they can count on whether its election time or not. Brownsville just ain't got the right stuff for some reason when it comes to streets. Every muffler shop, windshield repair shop, llantera, and auto parts store depends on the nasty conditions of the streets to make a killing here. What are you talking about?
He then goes on to tout his role in the creation of the Cameron County Drainage District #1 as another of the feathers in his cap. But doesn't he remember that for many years little Jimmy Webb and the Loops out on Oklahoma Road had been taxing almost everyone in the southeast of the county, Southmost included, for basically doing nothing about drainage other than use the antiquated irrigation system to water their crops and have the barrio residents subsidize their water?
Instead of taking control from them, what did you and the Benavides (Sofia y San Pedro), what was your answer? Why, you just went out and created another taxing entity to saddle our barrio residents with more taxes. Then, why not put Ernesto Gamez, a Benavides political supporter and contributor as chairman. This is an answer? Obviously, creativity and fiscal responsibility is not your forte. Tax and spend and placement of political hacks in charge: that's it? Tsk. Tsk.
Speaking of fiscal responsibility, wasn't it you that promised Emma Perez-Treviño before an audience during a campaign forum that you would not continue taking benefits from the city that were not authorized by the city charter? Then, a day later, you reneged and said you would continue to take the health insurance, the $300 monthly car allowance and other perks "on the advice of legal counsel."
Could that legal counsel have been Mark Sossi, the same guy who donated $400 worth of meat to your campaign for a pachanga?
It wasn't until a group of citizens took you guys to court and District Judge Janet Leal read you the riot act and made you stop taking the freebies contrary to the city charter that you finally ceased and desisted. Of course, that little intransigence on your part cost the city taxpayer a pretty penny for legal counsel (about $40,000 we hear).
Sossi, of course, went on to rake in the city cash as contract attorney at $120,000 a year part-time thanks to your vote.
In the same breath that you choke on the term "fiscal responsibility" you say that you will "work through our United Brownsville" plan. Isn't that the same boondoggle that we paid $900,000 for to compile a volume of readily available U.S. Census data and a grab-bag pipe-dream wishes to be administered by a self-appointed board with IBC's Fred Rusteberg as Puppet Master? Who does Rusteberg answer to? You?
Meanwhile, this unaccountable United Brownsville is getting subsidized by the taxpayers to hire a director from outside the city and a public relations guru to make us all swallow the bitter truth that our city commissioners have abdicated their fiduciary responsibilities and handed the reins of our destiny to the moneychangers at the temple.
All this talk of economic development and achievements that you would have us think has driven your efforts to achieve runs head-first into the grim reality that Brownsville (not Hidalgo County, not McAllen) has the dubious distinction of having the highest unemployment rate in all of Texas, if not the nation.
Let's not even talk about your stated support of the city police, fire fighters and EMS. After all, wasn't it you that told the local newspaper that you were not in favor of collective bargaining?
For the record, let it be shown that on March 26, 2008, an article in the Brownsville Herald written by Emma stated your position.
"City Commissioner Ricardo Longoria proposes doing away with collective bargaining for police and firefighters altogether.
"I probably won't be re-elected, but if that is the risk I have to take to bring balance to the city, I am willing to take that chance," said Longoria, who has a brother who is a police officer and an uncle who is a firefighter."
Wonder why roman Perez is getting aid and comfort from firefighters and police officers this go-round?
I think we'll just let's just leave it at that. I think our three readers have had enough.