By Juan Montoya
Remember the whole controversy that erupted when the Cameron County commissioners court felt it needed to raise property taxes to balance its 2011-2012 budget?
Well, in order to forestall a $3,000,123 million shortfall that's is exactly what they did.
Despite misgivings, the commissioners bit the bullet and approved the increase.
Not only that, but they also opted to increase bridge and pedestrian tolls as well as decrease the amount transferred to the county self-insurance fund and indigent health payments to Valley Baptist.
They declined to forgo property-tax discounts for early payers or approve furloughs for county employees and elected officials as Pct. 1 commissioner Sofia Benavides had proposed.
This, supposedly, after cutting and paring all they could from the diverse county departments.But guess what? They missed something.
If they had merely inspected the salaries of two county employees, they would have discovered that these two alone (and they're not even elected officials) rake in more than $500,000 ($529,534, to be exact) in salaries and benefits alone. In fact, some could make the argument that both are guilty of double (and triple dipping, quadruple dipping and e4ven penta) dipping at taxpayers' expense.We speak of County Supervisor Pete Sepulveda and his able administrative assistant David Garcia.
Below is Sepulveda 's take from the county coffers and the Regional Mobility Authority where both are also employed. The county budget filed with the County Clerk reveals that this pair is doing very well, tank you. What budget deficit?
County Airport Manager: $5,602
Planning and Inspection: $53,980Veterans Bridge: $48,516
Los Indios Bridge: $19,391
Gateway Bridge: $14,151
Total (county) $141,580
Reg. Mob. Auth.: $75,00
Total (Salary): $216,580
30 percent benefits (est.): $73,190
(Est. Grand total): $288,770
Below are the same numbers for Garcia:
Planning and Inspection (asst.): $56,089
Veterans Bridge (Assistant): $16,222Los Indios Bridge (Asst.): $16,222
Gateway Bridge (Asst.): $17,121
Total (County) $105,654
Reg. Mob. Auth.: $75,000
Total (Salary) $180,654
30 percent benefits (est.): $60,210
(Est. Grand Total): $240,864
Some interesting questions arise from these obscene figures; When these two gents are full-time workers for the RMA, why are they still getting paid by the county? And when Sepulveda takes Garcia on travel (which he always does), do the county taxpayers still pay him for not being here?
They each make more than General Manager John S. Bruciak, PE, $184,059, and he runs a multi-million utility and development enterprise. The top salary at the Brownsville Independent School District is listed as the superintendent Carl Montoya at $190,000. In fact, these two make more than the director of the Port of Brownsville Eddei Campirano ($175,000 plus another $8,400 auto allowance).
About the only one that makes more than them is UTB's Juliet Garcia, who's been working that racket for the last 20 years and now rakes in some $336,000.
How was this allowed to happen? And will this double- and triple-dipping continue while taxpayers have to dish out more money to balance these gentlemen's budgets?
Their idea of cutting budgets?
When Garcia was asked about ideas he might suggest to trim the fat by Pct. 2 Commissioner Ernie Hernandez, he though long and hard and said that if they eliminated a mail-room position ($25,000 a year) held by a new hire, they could make a dent in the deficit.
And we pay $240,000 for that?
13 comments:
Should be really expect the County Commissioners to have the huevos to change such "Juliet Garcialike" salaries. It is taxpayers money; it is play money; it is monopoly money.....its not real money to our elected officials. Typical Democratic "enabling" from the same people who claim to be seeking fairness for the poor. The poor in this case are the taxpayers.
Muddafuccas, how can they get away with that, it is beyond me.
Pinches commissionados, no valen pura madre, ninguno.
Commisioner SOFI where r u now ? Stand up here now and order a change now or we will start to change things by stopping you !
Pete would be saying unless this guy has a twin stop paying him NOW !
HOW ABOUT IT SOFI ?
And don't tell me the commissioners do not know this, they do but no tienen huevos, bola de ratas.
Glad to know you are out there dissecting this filthy corruption. Wish I were there to help with that....keep on digging....there is more...
Fucking incredible!!!!!
Thanks for noting the CCRMA/Cameron County "dip into" salaries ....
If only Mr. Sepulveda and Mr. Garcia would stop their advocacy of the West Loop Toll Road, a city and neighborhood envionmental and community dagger, and concentrate on, say, a second causeway ....
Come on, gentlemen, do the right thing!
B.N.D. Your C.E. O. $175,000 whats up he wants more $$$. All assholes get paid the same.............ask COWEN an REED..............
THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE
END CORRUPTION DON'T VOTE democRAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok then let them continue to steal its ok, its taxpayers monies only
The muddafuccing county judge is a republican, and is allowing this, putos todos.
MACLOVIO IS THE ONE SPURRING ON THIS ISSUE. FUCK YOU MACLOVIO!
WHAT ABOUT YOU, GETTING PAID WHILE FUCKING AROUND ON THE JOB? SO MUCH FOR YOUR BOSS' "INTEGRITY STILL COUNTS".
MACLOVIO IS JELOUS OF THOSE SALARIES. EAT SHIT AND DIE!
Anonymous said...
MACLOVIO IS THE ONE SPURRING ON THIS ISSUE. FUCK YOU MACLOVIO!
WHAT ABOUT YOU, GETTING PAID WHILE FUCKING AROUND ON THE JOB? SO MUCH FOR YOUR BOSS' "INTEGRITY STILL COUNTS".
MACLOVIO IS JELOUS OF THOSE SALARIES. EAT SHIT AND DIE!
February 3, 2012 1:48 AM
HEY, PENDEJO!!! IT'S NOT ME SPURRING ANYTHING PUNETAS!!!! BUT IF YOU WANT ME TOO,....LISTEN TO THE NEXT SHOW OJETE!!!!! A PUTO WITH LITTLE ARMS SHOULD NOT BE TYPING ALL THIS CAGADA!!!!!! YOU ARE OVER PAID PENDEJO!!!!!! SO SUCK MY CHORIZO AND DIE PINCHE T-REX!!!!!!!!!...UUUYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!
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