There are two items on Tuesday's City of Brownsville commission agenda that should make local taxpayers take notice.
The first one is: 5. FIRST Public Hearing to discuss the 2013 Ad Valorem Tax Rate (Fiscal Year 2014) of $.700613 per $100 valuation, which is 2.44 percent above the effective tax rate of $.683932 per $100 valuation. (Pete Gonzalez – Deputy City Manager)
What this basically says is that the Cameron County Appraisal District property valuations have increased to the point where even keeping the same tax rate the city will gain about 2.44 percent, a rate that can be passed without having to go to the voters for a tax increase or trigger a "rollback." It is, in effect, a tax increase without calling it one.
The next item is: 6. Public Hearing to discuss the City’s proposed Fiscal Year 2014 Budget. (Pete Gonzalez – Deputy City Manager)
In this year's budget, there are the usual items that have continually dragged the finances of the city: the debt service on $13 million of certificates of obligation that Mayor Tony Martinez and a pliant city commission approved to speculate heavily on downtown real estate, the "donation of 48 acres of city-owned land and buildings to the University of Texas System, the annual $25,000 to IBC President Fred Rusteberg's United Brownsville, and all the other fluff and pet projects of the individual commissioners.
Someone suggested that perhaps Martinez could donate the "profit" made from his privately-attended State of the City, restrict the in-kind donations to Mr. Amigo Association for their week-long parranda every Charro Days, reassess the investment for the "Wow" PR blitz by the Brownsville Conventions and Visitors Bureau, or sell the subsidized golf course instead of raising taxes.Or perhaps we can put a stop to the spending of administrative monies just below the $35,000 limit before it has to go through the purchasing process. You know, the ones Martinez used to pay consultant upon consultant to enlighten us to what Brownsville cum Austin could be one fine day.
Maybe it's time to tell the freebie boys as did the Soup Nazi: "No Job For You, Next!"
8 comments:
Hey mayor, no mames carbon!
Enough is enough someone pull the plug,wake up people!
Every year we see the notices in the Herald about proposed tax increases from all our local taxing entities (BISD, BND, TSC, city, county, EMS, 911, etc). Why are those always written in a way that the average citizen can't figure them out. These notices are complicated and statistical....objective and not subjective. Why can't the taxing entities present this information in a form that citizens can understand. Perhaps they want to confuse us enough that we give up on attending public meetings....they obviously succeed. Its time to dispense with the "jabbertalk" and give the citizens information that they can consume. As long as the public schools don't teach critical thinking, then the governments should give us "plaintalk".
City Commission.... A joke... Brownsville cant afford much. So now after tonights commission meeting... lets throw out all the bids for security service and go in- house security. Real bright decision... idiots. I was there representing Border Security with my boss John Chambers. The city commission does not understand the cost of going in-house. But back to the drawing board... now the city has to hire 40 more employees, cover health insurance, pay workers compensation, purchase vehicles, radios, and other equipment. But you are correct! Give us Plain Talk. The city will learn the hard way. Its all Compadrismo, and POLITICS... Does the City of Brownsvile really want American Survailance... the crook Jaime "Rata" Escobedo to continue with the contract... I guess they were scared of the threat of a law suit. Dont be scared of the Rata Jaime... hes all bark, no bite... it sure is nice to have a contract with the city, and not comply and still get the paycheck. But as always Compadrismo... A couple of Commissioners trying to push their buddy in again... Good Luck...
Why wasnt tues Meeting aired on tv something smells!
That Escobedo dude has his fingers in everything as far as the city goes....security guards, alarms, security cameras and Lord knows what else....bien camarada del city manager y el Carlos Garcia.....
John Chambers? Now he is a joke! Isn't he the wanna be trailer park cop?.......Rather go in house!
Your boss is a nutcase!
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