DO WE WANT THE FINEST CITY COMMISSION MONEY CAN BUY?

By Juan Montoya
Now that the at-large city commission candidates have filed their campaign contributions reports we can tell who the power (and religious) power structure favors.
It is obvious that Estela Chavez-Vasquez is the clear choice of the silk-stocking crowd and – by extension – the local Catholic structure favorite.
Chavez-Vasquez, whose own barrio background speaks volumes about her intensity and drive, is obviously favored by local movers and shakers such as Luke Fruia, the Tiptons, Jaross of the shipbreakers at the port, institutional construction monopolist Terry Ray, and – most tellingly – Trey Martinez, whose father is already mayor. Each of these heavyweights kicked in a cool G to her campaign.
Her challenger Robert Lopez, incredibly, somehow managed to get one $500 donation from normally tightwad Ruben Gallegos Jr.
We have learned that Chavez-Vasquez lived a live of privation as a child with her 13 siblings before she overcame her origins and earned a law license. As a child, she was orphaned when her father died in an industrial accident at the port. Ironically, his death provided his family with the wherewithal to pull themselves to a better economic plane.
Still, despite her success, many voters are wondering whether it is healthy to place so much power on the city commission in the hands of a Martinez-dominated supermajority. Power corrupts, the saying goes, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
On the other hand, Lopez comes from a lower middle-class background and through education worked his way up the economic ladder. His campaign money came primarily from his own pocket.
Chavez-Vasquez also figures prominently in the Catholic hierarchy with a seat on the board of directors of St. Luke's Catholic Church. We already had the blessing of Brownsville Catholic Diocese Bishop Daniel E. Flores for the Martinez administration with his son T.J., a priest, and other priests and men of the cloth who were on hand during his swearing-in to give the affair a spiritual send off for the next four years.
Those of us who were cursed with receiving a liberal education can't get over this gnawing distrust of the intrusion of the church within the realm of the state.
Martinez already yields a formidable influence over some of the sitting commissioners. Rose Gowen, a University of Texas instructor, knows that Martinez figures prominently on the TSC-UTB fundraising committee. That alone makes them soul mates. Melissa Zamora, whose support also came from the university community, will gravitate toward the Martinez aura. And we can count on Ricardo Longoria to fawn over the new mayor as he has over the local power brokers in the past.
And, of course, Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa, who doesn't pass up an opportunity to take a picture with Martinez can be counted on to follow his lead. Lingering residency questions will plague her, but his doesn't seem to bother Martinez or her supporters.
That makes a supermajority on the commission. If Chavez-Vasquez – with her catholic ties – gets on the commission, there's nothing to temper the whims of the administration. In the District 4 race, Ernie Hernandez's pick, John Villarreal, will not do anything impolitic to embarrass his mentor.
So, just for the sake of balance and checks and balances, Lopez and Tony Zavaleta seem to be the only clear choices to keep the commission honest.