"This is money from the heavens," BEDC's Gilbert Salinas told the City Commission at its meeting earlier this week.By Juan Montoya
Gilbert Salinas, vice-president of the Brownsville Economic Development Corporation has honed his skills since he was the business writer for the Brownsville Herald.
Before that, he used to publish a slick car enthusiast magazine. Now, in his role as the BEDC's front man, his skills at embellishing things have reached new and unprecedented hikes. There is talk about the proposed SpaceX space port just undertaking an ecological study to determine whether the federal government and the Federal Aviation Administration will approve the plans for launch pad off Boca Chica Beach. Now we hear that if we welcome them with open arms (and only then) they will bring 600 jobs with a minimum wage of $55,000 each.
The kind of support they mean, we guess, is not just a hug and a thank you, but rather the kind that gets written onto a blank check for a corporation with good PR and a willing local economic development board itching to sign on the dotted line.
Has anyone read that SpaceX has once again delayed its test launch in Florida because of "software" problems? Or that the communities in Florida will protest to the FAA over the powered overflight over their populated areas? With their sterling record of one flight into space and back, it might be slightly premature to be giving these guys the farm before they can show they can actually overcome the regulating bodies' requirements.
We're sure that these and other questions will be brought up during the May 15 public meeting. At least, we hope they will. Meanwhile, Mayor Tony Martinez and the rest of the Brownsville meeces continue to follow Salinas out of Hamlin by the Rio Grande.
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