IS RUBEN CORTEZ HAVING A HARD TIME MAKING ENDS MEET?

By Juan Montoya
As principal of Sharp Elementary, Sandra Cortez is listed on Brownsville Independent School District salary schedules earning $70,997 a year.
And as a partner in the Cameron County Jail commissary contract with local attorney Rick Zayas, her husband Ruben Cortez shared in earnings last year of $781,542 as their share of the amount paid to SNAKERY, owned by both men.
Both were defeated in the last round of the BISD board elections.
But, apparently, the Cortez couple was either too busy to notice or perhaps the amount is piddling compared to their earnings, but they have neglected to pay for their property taxes that fund local schools and other entities.
The Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector website lists Account #7475340020035000, belonging to Ruben and Sandra Cortez, with a mailing address at 735 Habana St.,
Brownsville, Tx, Heron Cove estates, Lot 35 Block 2, as being delinquent on taxes and owe $1,095.97 plus penalties of $164.39 for a total of $1,260.36
After his defeat as BISD board member, Cortez got elected to the board of directors of Region One Jr. beating out two other candidates with a mere 123 votes.
The Region One ESC Board of Directors are elected by the board members of the 37 public school districts in Region One.
According to its website, Region One Education Service Center is part of a state-wide system of 20 regional education service centers created by the 59th Texas Legislature to assist school districts across the state.
Originally slated to work with school districts as a media center, the role of the education service center has expanded to...assist school districts to operate efficiently and effectively, and to carry out the mandates of the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Legislature.
Located in South Texas on the United States/Mexico border, Region One ESC serves 37 school districts and 9 charter school systems in the seven county areas of Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Jim Hogg County, Starr County, Webb County, Willacy County, and Zapata County.
The center serves over 409,000 students and educators in the seven counties.
With the education of so many children at stake and the fiscal straits faced by many school districts, one would think that contributing to their well-being by paying their taxes on time would be a priority for the Cortez's. After all, how are school districts supposed to "operate efficiently and effectively" if they don't have access to ad valorem taxes of its residents?
But then again, perhaps it's not on top of their list of priorities.