Cameron County Auditor Martha Galarza had a bad day at the office today.
Armed with the approval by the generous district judges of the county who set her salary, she went before the county commissioners court and requested that her $94,500 base salary be upped by $15,000 to $109,500. The court, unable to give county employees a salary increase in the five years that Carlos Cascos has been in office, hemmed and hawed at the proposal, but delicately informed her that the budget just wouldn't permit it.
The county auditor's salary, under Texas law, is set by the district judges in the county. However, if the county's budget doesn't have it to give, the commissioners aren't obligated to oblige to their dictum.Now, we always thought that the county – according to Galarza herself – would have something like $187 left in the till if they gave the county workers a one-time stipend of $500 instead of a pay increase. Suddenly, the adroit county auditor said she had found some untapped funds that would make her raise possible. She even softened her request by lowering it to $10,000.
Now, we're not saying that perhaps Galarza doesn't merit a raise. But some commissioners were wary of raising her salary over Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio's, citing state law that prohibited such an occurrence.
What we do know is that in the past two years, external audits of her department have drawn admonishments in the reports that she had not followed "traditional auditing practices" and advised to adhere to them in the future. Apparently, she has not.
However, the voting on her raise also raised some eyebrows. Normally, fiscal conservatives like Pct. 3 commissioner David Garza and County Judge Carlos Cascos will be the ones voting against nay increase that does not apply to all employees countywide. In the case of the $3,000 raises given to Carmon County District Clerk Aurora de la Garza and County Clerk Joe Rivera, the money came from the salary of commissioner Dan Sanchez.
Even then, a question has arisen there about the propriety of doing that and then lowering their salary in thenext fiscal budget when the court is not obligated to pitch in the $6,000 that Sanchez –said to be eyeing a run at the county judge's seat – so generously awarded the duo.
Oh yeah, the voting.
Voting for the raise was Cascos and Garza. Voting against the raise was Pct. 1 Commissioner Sofia Benavides, Pct. 2 Commissioner Ernie Hernandez, and Pct. 3 Commissioner Dan Garza.
"Who would have figured?" asked a county insider. "Cascos, who's a Certified Public Accountant, despite the external audit problems, still voted for the raise as did Garza. And now the others – who are generally considered the tax-and-spend crowd voted against it. How do you figure."
6 comments:
You have got to be kidding Juan. Cascos would never vote for anyone to get a raise,...check your sources again.
City, county, school district, university employees INCLUDING Juliet Garcia or Lily Tercero: UNDERSTAND that the financial situation of the United States after so many years of WASTE is such that you have to be thankful that you have a job, and if they dont give you your "raise" then go to another entity that gives you what you want. As easy as that.
Nobody in these work places has gotten a raise the last 3 yrs; ask the people who get minimum wage an hr. if they've gotten a raise. STOP asking for money. You dont like the fact that you have not gotten a raise? LEAVE, see if you get that raise that quick in another place. No, I dont work for the city or county; but I AM a Brownsville tax payer that has learned to live with LESS and still live confortably.
What a CUNT! Martha Galarza, who has the personality of a cat and a personality compared with that other CUNT in Michelle Garcia found money to ask for a raise? What a coincidence, since the commissioners were considering giving raises to Aurora "Lard Ass" De La Garza and Joe "Rata" Rivera? This is typical of Galarza who only thinks of herself and micro-manages her office. I am at least glad that it was turned down by the commissioners. In fact surprised, that "Snake" hernandez didn't campaign for it in the hopes that if "Miss Piggy" does not win her election in November, that she will be JP in the new JP 2-3 in Brownsville. "Snake" always has an agenda! Lets see if "Little Hitler" in Gus Garza tries to pull some legal shenanigan in getting her raise?
What is wrong with you Mr. anonymous. She and Cascos are so tight, besides her doing a lot of his dirty work, you would think they were sleeping together, beside, her huband runs on the republican ticket as should com. David Garza.
Cascos isn't a real Republican...he's there to hookup himself and his friends...just like every other politician. And what's up with the dumbass district judges...don't they realize real people are struggling...they should have each lowered thier salary by 2,500 to pay for that crap...instead of saddling the taxpayers...
kaskos wrote the first post, your should cover your tracks a little better kaskos. I guess the auditor should not be lucky to have a job, you want to give her a raise. Karlos kaskos ,... talking out his ass
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