By Juan Montoya
Less than two weeks ago, the administration of the Brownsville Independent School District announced it may have to raise the tax rate to fund the debt service portion of its budget in the coming school year.
Less than two weeks ago, the administration of the Brownsville Independent School District announced it may have to raise the tax rate to fund the debt service portion of its budget in the coming school year.
Chief Financial Officer Ismael Garcia told the board and it was reported in the local daily that BISD has not adequately funded the debt service portion of its tax rate, called the interest and sinking fund tax rate, which depletes the district’s fund balance.
Garcia said that the rate increase is likely to be about 3 cents per $100 when all variables are factored in.
BISD's budget, closing in on a 2013-2014 operating budget of about $515 million, – withe the proposed tax hike, means that a home valued at $100,000 will pay taxes of $1,132, an increase of $40 over the $1,092 due under the current budget.
Now, Miss Wonder Girl trustee Minerva Peña, despite the shortfall in the BISD budge that requires this hike, wants her fellow trustees to go along with her – and board president Enrique Escobedo – and give away $25,000 to the shadow government known as United Brownsville.
Escobedo, by the way, is a voting member of the United Brownsville board. Will he abstain from voting?
Escobedo, by the way, is a voting member of the United Brownsville board. Will he abstain from voting?
The item in the agenda for today's meeting is titled: 16. Discussion, consideration and possible action on United Brownsville Membership Fees (MP, Board Member).
The last time that United Brownsville cam begging the district to give it its taxpayer money was last earlier this year during a meeting in January when trustee Lucy Longoria asked United Brownsville executive director Mike Gonzalez what the group did to educate children, the mission of the school district. Observers remember it well.
"During a meeting we had one trustee asking for more than a simple letter of acknowledgement that it was seeking or receiving a cash donation," said BISD administration. "That was one of the reasons that the United Brownsville appeal for its annual $25,000 'membership' donation got stalled and pulled from the board's agenda."
Sources tell us that after trustees demanded specifics of what United Brownsville gave in return for them giving the nonprofit cash, its director Mike Gonzalez simply directed the district to the group's website. That website speaks in generalities and lacks specifics that did not tell trustees how many jobs, placements, or higher education opportunities UB afforded BISD students through its annual outlay.
BISD CFO Smiley (Garcia) pulled the item at the last moment before the meeting because the answers did not satisfy the board.
Now are the gremlins are back with a better, more improved justification for the $25,000?
"The district hasn't been able to procure printer toner for all the teachers who need it to make copies for their classroom and the board is being asked to give United Brownsville $25,000 while showing very little in return," the administrator said. "It's not going over well. It'll be interesting to see how the new majority reacts to that request."
We have beaten on this horse before on this blog, and if need be, we'll do it again. United Brownsville was a concoction by manipulators at all levels of Brownsville society to harvest an annual $25,000 donation from the different public entities and boards, among them the City of Brownsville, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, the Brownsville Navigation District, the Brownsville Independent School District, The University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Southmost College, and the Brownsville Public Utilities Board.
No one elects the members or officer of this "board." They simply appoint themselves or others they feel will toe the line and go along with the program advocated by the likes of officers John Villarreal, IBC President Fred Rusteberg, UTB President Juliet Garcia, Rose Gowen, and other principals in the group.
What does a board made up of self-appointed members and officers have to do with the mission that the voters of the BISD elected its trustee to implement?
BISD Mission Goal Statement
"Brownsville Independent School District, rich in cultural heritage, will produce well-educated graduates who can pursue higher educational opportunities and who will become responsible citizens in a changing global society by utilizing all resources to provide equitable opportunities for students."
Finance Goal
"Develop, maintain, and evaluate a district budget that ensures equitable distribution of funds that supports district initiatives."
Now hat does UB have to do with the BISD's mission?
Board members would do well to assess the goals of the district in these lean economic times and critically decide whether they fit in with the plans these people have for the taxpayers' money.
How can any board member support these two goals by giving $25,000 of its taxpayers dollars to an organization headed by millionaires who do not have to answer to anyone, for whom no one has voted and no one can remove except themselves?
And while we're at it, isn;t this the same Minerva Peña who objected to any district expenditures because – as she is wont to wail – it would "take away from the children\?" What happened to that concern, Minnie?
"During a meeting we had one trustee asking for more than a simple letter of acknowledgement that it was seeking or receiving a cash donation," said BISD administration. "That was one of the reasons that the United Brownsville appeal for its annual $25,000 'membership' donation got stalled and pulled from the board's agenda."
Sources tell us that after trustees demanded specifics of what United Brownsville gave in return for them giving the nonprofit cash, its director Mike Gonzalez simply directed the district to the group's website. That website speaks in generalities and lacks specifics that did not tell trustees how many jobs, placements, or higher education opportunities UB afforded BISD students through its annual outlay.
BISD CFO Smiley (Garcia) pulled the item at the last moment before the meeting because the answers did not satisfy the board.
Now are the gremlins are back with a better, more improved justification for the $25,000?
We have beaten on this horse before on this blog, and if need be, we'll do it again. United Brownsville was a concoction by manipulators at all levels of Brownsville society to harvest an annual $25,000 donation from the different public entities and boards, among them the City of Brownsville, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, the Brownsville Navigation District, the Brownsville Independent School District, The University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Southmost College, and the Brownsville Public Utilities Board.No one elects the members or officer of this "board." They simply appoint themselves or others they feel will toe the line and go along with the program advocated by the likes of officers John Villarreal, IBC President Fred Rusteberg, UTB President Juliet Garcia, Rose Gowen, and other principals in the group.
What does a board made up of self-appointed members and officers have to do with the mission that the voters of the BISD elected its trustee to implement?
BISD Mission Goal Statement
"Brownsville Independent School District, rich in cultural heritage, will produce well-educated graduates who can pursue higher educational opportunities and who will become responsible citizens in a changing global society by utilizing all resources to provide equitable opportunities for students."
Finance Goal
"Develop, maintain, and evaluate a district budget that ensures equitable distribution of funds that supports district initiatives."
Now hat does UB have to do with the BISD's mission?
Board members would do well to assess the goals of the district in these lean economic times and critically decide whether they fit in with the plans these people have for the taxpayers' money.
How can any board member support these two goals by giving $25,000 of its taxpayers dollars to an organization headed by millionaires who do not have to answer to anyone, for whom no one has voted and no one can remove except themselves?
And while we're at it, isn;t this the same Minerva Peña who objected to any district expenditures because – as she is wont to wail – it would "take away from the children\?" What happened to that concern, Minnie?
9 comments:
This is what happens when you don't vote. We end up with greedy elected officials and then you have con groups like Brownsville Cheemzeh pushing for even more crooked candidates. Every noble and honest person that really does want to make a difference won't run for office because of all the negative/lies and extortion they get and you and I pay for it. This is a clear example of abuse of Elected officials that have no business running the BISD or any other business. A retired DPS officer who has depended on the US government for her pay roll check but never once had to risk her hard earned money to paying Small Business taxes. You don't vote then don't complain and take it.
The saddest part of all this, is that teachers, the self-proclaimed EDUCATORS, don't have enough education to go out and vote themselves!! They are always ready with an excuse of why they just didn't HAVE THE TIME TO GO VOTE. The truth is they didn't MAKE THE TIME!
Then they gripe in teachers' lounges, like they have earned this right!
Shut the fuck up!
RAISE TAXES BECAUSE IT'S THE FAULT OF THE DEBT SERVICE, GIVE US A BREAK, TAXES SUPPORT THE TOTAL BUDGET. HAVEN'T THEY REFINANCED THE OUTSTANDING BONDS WITH THE IDEA THAT IT WOULD IMPROVE CASH FLOW! ETC. STARTING TO LOOK MORE LIKE THE EL PASO AND SOUTH SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND WE WONDER WHY THE IDEA ACADEMY IS TAKING SUCH A FAST GRIP.
I guess the BISD Board thinks that they need to raise taxes to be able to be an active player in United Brownsville. They want to play with the big boys and use their taxing authority, just like the Port and just like Juliet while she controlled TSC....to tax the citizens and play with the big boys. What a screwed up city we have. And all the while, other cities in the RGV are progressing and growing and attracting businesses, while we try to turn old buildings into a university and make the rich even richer.
BISD pulled the UB item from the agenda at the last minute. Again.
"Self proclaimed educators?" The last time I checked, it took a minimum of four years of higher education to earn a teaching certificate.
"Educators don't have enough education to go out and vote."- There is no education requirement to vote. It is a freedom of choice.
Obviously the person that wrote that blog is anti-educators and likely education in general. Perhaps the blogger writes unsupported and general statements because he or she is uneducated.
CATA?
guess many of you are correct its our fault cuz one we vote for our dumb compadres or we dont go out to vote at all, period, enuff said.
It's obvious the bloggers are Minerva's compadres, commadres or herself. There aren't any negative cooments against her and she is the one wanting to hand over $25,000 to these idiots. What happened to her sorry ass saying.. I'm here for the students and the teachers??
You think Minerva is educated? A criminal judtice degree? Couldn't she do better, since she is supposedly intelligent. All she does is blab blab, blab.
Minnie you were a hot number when you werea Porter belle, what happen?
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