From: Concerned Citizens of Brownsville
Dear Mayor,
When you ran for office two years ago, we believed
that you had the best interests of Brownsville at heart.
Some of us believe you still do.
We have gone along with most of what you have proposed.
You voted to make public places smoke-free, and we went along with that even
though some businesses might have been affected.
But we are worried about some
of the recent activities reportedly supported by you and a majority of the
City Commission. We know that you want to give the Market Square area a facelift,
and you explained that the real-estate purchases that you made by issuing
Certificates of Obligation including paying $350,000 for the decaying San
Fernando Building were part of your strategy. Another $82,000 was spent to buy
two lots across 12th Street from Market Square – two of them a successful restaurants – with plans for renovation.
You also voted to pay $2,500 for 36 months to rent ($90,000)
the vacant lot next to the Cueto Building with an option to buy after that
time. You also paid $431,000 for the old U.S. Armory Building and another $2.3
million for the Casa Del Nylon Building. Your justification that you wanted to
entice the UT System to keep the university downtown we believe was a worthy
one.
However, at the time that last purchase was made, we were told that it was to build a parking structure to provide parking for the
traffic at the Intermodal Terminal, a worthy concept that was long overdue. But
now we hear that you and the commission want to negotiate a transfer of the
magnificent City Plaza (Duffey Plaza, the old bank on the corner of 11th
and Levee) to UT-Brownsville.
Why?
As we understand the plans, you and the majority of
the city commission want to move out the city functions and employees from the
City Plaza to the remodeled bargain-sales outlet that was La Casa Del Nylon. We
think this would be a tragic mistake for our city. Not only is there no parking
available at the site (try getting a parking space when you visit the
terminal), but the appearance of the building would be two steps back into the
20th Century for Brownsville.
It hasn’t been that long that the City of
Brownsville purchased Duffey Plaza from the university because its
administrators said the building would not meet the needs of an institution of
higher education. Since then, the city has funded extensive modifications and
now it is a stunning, state-of-the-art One-Stop Service Center which is
generating millions in income in the form of fine collections, copies of
marriage licenses, birth and death certificates, building and health permits,
traffic fine payments, its municipal court, city planning, etc., In short, it
is a jewel of the city and a source of pride for all of us when business people
from out of town visit our city and tour the premises.
Even if the city were to lease it (never mind
donating it), it would take years for that lease income to equal the amounts of
income being generated for the city by its present function.
Why fix something if it’s not broken?
As negotiations continue between UTB and Texas
Southmost College, we believe that there are enough empty classrooms space and
buildings that could house its administration without sacrificing the functions
of the municipal government at City Plaza. Why not offer them space at Amigoland Mall at the ITEC buildig which is nowhere near full?
It will cost millions to remodel la
Casa Del Nylon to meet the needs being fulfilled by the City Plaza today. UTB
and TSC can work out some sort of arrangement that needn’t destroy what the
citizens of this city have nurtured for so many years with their labor and
love.
The city deeded the Old Capitol Theater to the
University for $1 a year. What have they done with it? The same goes for the
Alonso Building. Both buildings have yet to fulfill their potential as cultural
and heritage anchors of out downtown area years after they received them on
such generous terms. We hope they do some day.
We urge you to reconsider this proposal. If City
Plaza is turned over to the University, it will set Brownsville back 20 years.
You asked us to Believe in Brownsville. We want to. But we believe that doing
away with this fine municipal building – a source of pride for our city – is
not the way to go.
18 comments:
Can you do a breakdown as to who voted to support the casa de nylon purchase? It was the worst move since the sports park mess.
Como dicen El Que No Tranza No Avanza......Y esto es lo que hace el Mayor....
What about the t mobile bidding that is sitting there unused..the city spent millions there too. Why not move those city offices there?
Whoever wrote this article done a good Job, however, he failed to mention the countless other useless properties that this mayor has bought from taxpayers money. Like el cueto building, the city paid $500'000 to utb a year and half ago and the issue here is that utb is still occupying it today. The city bought the national guard armory for $400'000 and this mayor stated that utb was going to buy it from the city, of course, they didn't buy it, who wants to buy trashed properties? Only the mayor to benefit his friends. We need to stop this mayor from giving away city plaza. We need to support our city manager, he demonstrated great leadership skills when he had the courage to postpone the meeting that would have given the green light to the mayor and his puppet commissioner Gowen on giving away city plaza.
Recall
RECALL petition now! Let's get this ass out of office!
All of Mayor Martinez's land dealings benefit his friends...not the citizens of Brownsville. He is a locked in member of United Brownsville and the votes there are more important to him than the votes that elected him mayor. Mayor Martinez is in lock step with Juliet Garcia and the Kardenas Klan, who are in lock step with Carlos Marin, Fred Rusteberg and other members of United Brownsville.
Stop posting recall Pat Ahumada, we know it is you. We would still vote for anyone but you, loser.
These concerned citizens are waisting g their time and effort trying to appeal and reason with a self-righteous fanatic, in his delusional mind he is doing Gold's work just like. The September 11 terrorist, the only solution is to remove him from an office he has mismanaged since the first day
We thought he was a millionaire with no need to steal, but it looks like he mismanaged his own earnings the same way, we should look into his finances,
the titan building and grounds come to mind. why dont they set up the utb there? just a suggestion el kid
THE OLD ( and historic) FEDERAL BUILDING, I UNDERSTAND WAS DONATED TO THE CITY, HAS PLENTY OF FLOORS AND EMPTY SPACE THAT NEED REHABILITATION FOR FULL-USE.
FIX IT AND FORGET THE "CASA DE NYLON."
THE MAYOR LOST IT.. HAS NO SENSE OF LOCAL NEEDS (e.g. high above the state average: drop-out rate, illiteracy, unemployment, underemployment, wage per hour, etc).
Antonito, el viejito, is spending our local taxpayer property tax money/certificate bond loans, etc. wastefully.
Join me and search and recruit for a new mayor before his term comes up.
I pledge $100.00 to start this effort
Anonamous now
http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/2012/12/from-the-dallas-isd-audit-possible-fictitious-moving-invoice.html/
Wow! $100.00? Eso ni pa comprar un seis de birongas en el Palm Lounge.
time for a recall sounds like russia when the czar was in power i recall the people revolted and the bolsheviks then came to power wow what a similar picture tony are you listening or how about gown, chavez, do you all serve the people or yourselfs and ur buddies? do you all sleep well at night?
Revolution 2013 thats what we badly need in brownsville, total recall of all elected officials out fuera
Revolution time in Brownsville, titme to do a recall of the whole city commission change everyone including the city administration
mayor, portillo, gowenda, estela and th rest of the city commission hey give brownaville all away any how us the brownsville taxpayers wont say anything or do anything about it. dale gas?????
Post a Comment