Thursday, October 3, 2013

THE HERALD: GIVE UNITED BROWNSVILLE ANYTHING IBC WANTS

By Juan Montoya
We wondered why the Brownsville Herald has never printed anything critical of the parasitic shadow government known as United Brownsville.
You know, the group who has hijacked local government and is spearheaded by International Bank of Commerce President Fred Rusteberg, Mayor Tony Martinez and UTB's Julieta Garcia. Formally, the three vice-chairs are Rusteberg, co-chair, UTB's Irv Downing, co-chair, and city commissioner John Villarreal, co-chair.
Well, if we didn't know why the Herald has become their lapdog, we know now.
If you have seen the Herald's Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation  that the U.S. Postal Service requires all print media to publish, you will see among the list of "partners' that among the 13 corporations and persons listed, IBC bank is there.
In other words, Rusteberg's bank is part owner of the local daily. It then stands to reason that the newspaper will be cheer lead every announcement, initiative and media campaign launched by this group.
You've read about this collection of Rusteberg's hand-picked acolytes from the various publicly-funded entities being part of this shadow group which is not accountable to anyone and basically has become the tail wagging the dog in the city. IBC puts none of its money to wrest the control from the publicly-elected entities like the city, the port, the local college, the BISD, etc.
Each year, Rusteberg's hand-picked CEO at United Brownsville – Mike Gonzalez, a Tea Party refugee and former mayor of Kyle, Texas – goes before these boards and walks away with a $25,000 "partnership" fee.
Those giving entities are the City of Brownsville, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, the Brownsville Navigation District, The University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Southmost College, the BISD, and the Brownsville Public Utilities Board.
Only Cameron County has refused to fork over the $25,000 "partnership" fees to this bunch.
It's not that we don't appreciate the "unity" behind the concept of United Brownsville. But there are other more transparent and accountable formats to achieve this. Look at the Alamo Area Council of Governments in San Antonio. Among its members are representatives from all local elective offices of city, county, districts, etc. who are answerable to their constituencies.
With United Brownsville, there is no such thing. The public can't fire Rusteberg, CEO Gonzalez, Downing or Garcia. It can't touch the mastermind behind this swindle – Carlos Marin – either. And the fact that a majority of the Brownsville City Commission are members and "project leaders" there gives United Brownsville a virtual carte blanche to do as they wish and the public be damned.
If nothing like this appears on the pages of the Brownsville Herald, now you know why.


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

How pathetic, Brownsville Port only pd 6,500 last yr and Campirano pushes BISD to give them $25,000. What a shit head.

Anonymous said...

Bunch of theives!

Anonymous said...

BUNCH OF THIVES you are 100 percent right, this guy gonzalez has not present a report to the city commision past commisioner MELISA ZAMORA ask for a report he never present one.

Anonymous said...

First of all I am part of TEA PARTY and ceo gonzalez is no Tea Party refugee by any stretch. Never has been never will be. Now you people DUMBOCRATS created this mess now FIX IT A-HOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

el chupacabra said...

nothing but self promotion this united brownsville at taxpayers expense, i know its wrong, TEA state of texas where are you? no one is minding the store and the united brownsillve and BISD board are just stealing all of the candy. es Puro pedo

Anonymous said...

All of the United Brownsville herd is controlled by Juliet Garcia, who controls Freddy Rusteburg. Queen Juliet continues to rule, although in exile from U.T. System. Local government is a joke and the Brownsville Herald is their Jester....or Joker. The Herald prints what they are given or told to print....leaving out the concept of investigative journalism or "news". So, the leadership of the city is a Joke and the Herald is the Jokers' pawn. Nothing new....

Honest Abe said...

This is another of those special programs that does nothing but make money for promoting themselves, self serving period. this is a complete duplication of the same services lets see who is in this picture, 1. Brownsville EDC'c 4A & 4B, 2. Brownsville Chamber of commerce, 3. Brownsville Vistors bureau. antd then finally # 4. United brownsville. So really what is United Brownsville promoting?????? I thinks dont get it, but what i see is that its just really squezzing out the turnip to the max. Rustyburger, marin & our gang ya paralene.

Anonymous said...

So, the Herald is a part of the "Shadow Government" of Brownsville. It sounds right. The Herald never gives us any real journalistic insight, never criticizes the local governments, and seems to practice the three monkey philosophy, "Hear no news, see no news and speak no news". What a pathetic rag it is. Tony Martinez is a disgrace, but he is part of the "United Brownsville" inner circle....and surely is guided by loyalty to Queen Julieta Garcia and her band of lap dogs... The Kardenas Klan continues go rule through Julieta. She and her friends of United Brownsville are more loyal to themselves than to this community. Too book, Julieta and her rogues are not elected. How sad is that.

what was the name of that topo fake PhD CEO? said...

Their logo reminds me of the logo that Brownsville Doctors Hospital had, had mind you because their shady business practices drove what was and could have grown to Brownsville's finest major medical facility into the ground. They earned a well deserved place in the Brownsville's
" Hall of Shame" right beside UB. What good is all your materialistic
wealth when it is
obtained by crooked billing and not paying your creditors, by throwing
your trusting dedicated loyal employees in the unemployment line
without a second thought?
What honor is there in that, but then, there is no honor among thieves.

Anonymous said...

Correction not the BISD Board, ONLY 5 of them and the dumbass super are stealing money from the district.

Why don't they give out of their own pockets? Theives#!!!!

Anonymous said...

It's Enrique Escobedo the wannabe doctor and wannabe with the in crowd and Montoya following along licking his behind and the other knuckleheads Minerva Pena, Chirinos and Powers. Minerva aren't you all about the students? Right, taking away $25,000 from the students.

rita