Remember when former Cameron County (since resigned) Precinct 2 Commissioner Enrie Hernandez was pushing hard for the creation of another Justice of the Peace position to be located in Brownsville and lighten the load of the two existing JP offices?
Well, everyone knew that Ernie's daughter Erin Garcia Hernandez was going to run for the newly created position when, wouldn't you know it, in the din of battle for the creation of the new position, JP 2-2 Tony Torres suddenly dies. Not only did the commissioners have to appoint an interim JP (Kip Van Hodge), but the opportunity for Erin to run for that position suddenly made the new JP 2-3 less important of a priority for Ernie.
Sure enough, Erin ran for Torres' JP 2-2 position and – by hook and crook – won.Commissioner court watchers also remember that Hernandez then started campaigning against the position he originally championed and wanted to do away with it. None other than Pct. 3 commissioner David Garza chided Hernandez for suddenly changing his mind on the need for the JP 2-3 post and challenged his sudden change of heart in open court.
The position currently held by Aviadora Garcia Hernandez was won by Jonathan Garcia in a runoff between him and Yolanda Begum. The JP 2-3 position was won by Esther Garcia over former constable Pete Avila. When Hernandez was indicted and then resigned his position in part of a deal with the Cameron County DA Luis Saenz to have seven official misconduct charges dismissed, the idea of doing away with the JP 2-3 court left with him as well.
But then the commissioners were on the horns of a dilemma on where to put the new JP and hit upon the idea of purchasing the old Brownsville Independent School District building across the Dancy Building (old Courthouse) on Madison Street. The plan is to move the Cameron County Elections Office there and to house the three JPs in the space left vacant by the two departing JPs on the second floor of the judicial wing of the courthouse on Harrison Street.
That much is uncontested. But the infighting has begun as JP 2-1 Linda Salazar and two new JPs (Gracia and Garcia) begin to size up their new digs.
Salazar, claiming she is the senior Justice of the Peace wants the front office to be hers. Now, we all know that the first JP office that couples wanting to have a marriage ceremony performed will probably get the business. Depending on whether you have the marriage performed in the county office or arrange to go where the couple wants to wed sets the price. The cost can vary between between $200 to $300. We have heard that certain notary public get a discount for their couples when they send them to a particular justice of the peace.
We have been told that the battle for wedding ceremonies on the narrow corridor of the second floor has been intense between Salazar and Garcia Hernandez. Salazar probably doesn't want the same conditions to exist in her new digs so she is jockeying for the preferred space.Why wouldn't she?
The profits to be made by individual justices of the peace aren't anything to be sneezed at.
If we average a $250 fee per wedding, the Cameron County Clerk's Office records indicate that Salazar has performed 760 wedding between January 2013 and July 11, 2014. That's $190,000 for the 19 months (were only halfway in July) for a $10,000 a month average. Multiply it by 12 and it totals $120,000 in wedding ceremony income for Salazar. Add in her salary ($54,000) and she nets nearly $175,000 annually, more than the $154,000 a district judge is paid.
Little wonder then that Linda is looking out for her interests in the seating arrangement in the new JP digs. Don't put it past her to revive the old Ernie Hernandez campaign to do away with her competition and try to convince the commissioners that the county doesn't really need the new JP 2-3 position anyway.
You've got to admire the gumption of the woman, though. She has gone from being an office receptionist with Judge Menton Murray to making more money than he ever made as district judge.
Que tal pollo p'al goropo?
12 comments:
Just like that!!! Money hungry fat ass!!! And Erika De la Torre from County Clerks is the one making the calls to Judge Salazar every time there's a couple wanting to get married,she actually tells them to go with her. Who knows maybe she gets something out of it. Just the way Sylvia Rodriguez her adm. has all the trucking companies that get tickets for overweight bought. We are sure she probably pockets money from that as well.
They are a bunch of lesbians sleeping together!
Sylvia Rodriguez is one EVIL person!!! And the worse part is that her boss Linda believes everything she says!!! Pobre if she only new she has something coming to her when she is up for re-election!!! You will be out!!!
Montoya, what about Sally Gonzalez?
All the Justices of the Peach have individual "realms" withing which they "rule". The seem to work when they want, take off when they want and sit back and collect their pay and financial benefits....like fees for marrying folks. Most really do little...sort of like firemen. Their handpicked staffs run interference for the JP and often the staff is all it takes to run the office. No time cards, no supervision and no office hours that they are held to. It is a boondoggle of sorts and most do little to benefit the community. Erin Hernandez is a good example of a bad JP....but most are like her.
Why the hell do citizens have to pay JPs for a marriage? It should be part of their job. Not like it is overtime and do you pay a judge when you go to trial or the police when they arrest you? Or, is this Mexico?
Why can't the County set the price for marriages and just keep the money?? We could really use the money...Constables serve court papers and any money earned goes back to the County...You think they will wanna fight for the front office??? No creo yo...
Is Sylvia Linda's girlfriend?
Is that why they both go on training trips?
De que ES la training????
Copy and Pasted from the Brownsville Voice blog to prove Bobby screens those comments which are fact and threaten his arguments. Enjoy public y'all make your own decisions.
You have no grip on reality! But then it's understandable that FAIRIES, come from fairyland! And I mean that in the worst possible way! Why weren't you up in arms when Ernie first favored the idea? Hell you didn't make a peep throughout the elections, objecting to this court! But no, now you are on Linda's payroll, and all of the sudden you conjured up the idea to do away with this position! It's no coincidence, that just a week ago, Linda began her rants and raves about this new position, and her getting certain office space, and low and behold over the weekend, Bobby magically gets the idea to do away with this court! It is you who do not respect the voice of Cameron County voters! If you did, you would understand that the voters spoke loud and clear, when they elected Mary Esther Garcia, to represent them as their new Justice Of The Peace 2-3! For you to say that there has been be no election, completely dismisses and rejects the voice of the thousands of people that voted for Ms. Garcia! Again, your message, Cameron County Voters, who voted in the primaries, don't matter! Here's how it works in the real world Bobby...An election date is set, voters cast their ballots for the candidates of their choice, votes are tallied, and a winner is determined by which candidate harvested the most votes! If anything can be said about no election being held yet, you are absolutely right, because come november, Ms. Garcia won't have a republican challenger, which means, that's right Bobby, there will be no election for the JP 2-3 position! Tada! Mary Esther Garcia is you elected JP since May! Now yes she will not be JP until January, still using facts, follow along Bobby, but she has been elected loud and clear! Now consider all those FACTS, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO WRAP YOUR LITTLE BRAIN AROUND THEM, do you think there is anyone on the Cameron County Commissioner's Court who wants to upset all those voters who spoke loud and clear, and risk losing those votes in a County wide election? This is to easy! I own you! I know you don't have enough hair on your lips to post this, so I will copy and paste to Montoya's blog, a blog for the people! Go back to fairyland!
Amen!
No. Sylvia is Emma Ramos lover but linda is always with them . They 3 always go to vegas.. Remember what happened in Vegas stays in vegas
I don't care who the JP's are, that money should be going into the county coffers not the judges pockets.
The law needs to be changed. Bitching about it here does nothing to stop it.
We need a NEW Law that specifies all revenue generated through the performance of marriages by elected JP's goes directly into county coffers.
JP's are elected to perform many duties including marriages, which is part of their already paid salary.
If they don't like the setup stay in private practice where you can nickel and dime clients out of their hard earned money, but not the citizens via fast-track in the halls of justice.
Complaining does nothing, taking action for real change makes all the difference.
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