It really doesn't matter that the majority of some 250 people who attended the public hearing at Gonzalez Park voiced their opposition to giving away Lincoln Park to the oil-and-gas wealthy University of Texas System, a majority of the Brownsville City Commission is going to do it anyway.
The giveaway of the park is scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall in the old federal courthouse building downtown. Curiously, the meeting was scheduled just one hour before the polls close in this year's general election. So if you get out of work and are opposed to giving away the park, you can choose to either vote or attend the meeting. We're sure the commissioners want you to vote instead.The item reads: "8. Consideration and ACTION on Resolution Number 2014-064 concerning the negotiation, transfer, and conveyance of Lincoln Park to the University of Texas System, and authorizing City of Brownsville staff to undertake such matter. (Charlie Cabler—City Manager)"
It's ironic that the resolution which will ignore the public's wishes will be considered at the same meeting where commissioners Rose Gowen and Deborah Portillo will introduce a presentation of something called the "Community Voice Campaign." What's the use, ladies, if you have heard the voice of the people and chose to disregard it and ignore it?
Be assured that just as they ignored the objections of the majority of people who attended the public hearing on the raising of the parking meter rates downtown, the majority of the city commission is set to ignore the public yet once more on the Lincoln Park giveaway.
So far, only Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa has been resolute in her opposition to the plan. Yet, even she was in favor of submitting the Request For Proposals response to the UTB in 2012 that included the conveyance of the acres to the UT System as was, incidentally, Ricardo Longoria.
A late convert to the opposition is none other than District 1 commissioner Ricardo Longoria who not only was in favor of the giveaway of a public park in his district, but also helped to prepare the audio-visual presentation that was used in the Gonzalez Park public hearing.
Now, as he sees that his vote will really not decide the outcome, he is angling for a position where he can plausibly deny that he voted in favor of ceding the 48-acre park which houses East Brownsville Little League, recreation amenities and land appraised at more than double the $6.5 million that the UT System is willing to pay to move the amenities of the park to the new position.Yet, he hedges by saying that the promise by the Brownsville Public Utilities Board that it will mitigate the stench of sewage with chemicals as it hasn't done since the treatment plant has been in existence may be good enough to sway him in favor the deal.
Knowing that his vote, being in the minority, will make no difference whatsoever in the final outcome, he tosses aside any pretense that he has any vestige of self-respect and integrity he may have had left and will come out in staunch defense of his constituents now that it doesn't matter. Come election time he can say with a straight face that he voted against it.
The majority of the people at the hearing spoke out against the "conveyance," even Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz speaking as a private citizen and a Texas-Ex. Saenz appealed to the "bigness" of the richest university system in dealing with the nation's poorest city, apparently to no avail.
"Please turn around and look at these people behind you," Saenz said in his prepared remarks. "These are the folks you are going to rape by taking their park. This is not who U.T. is or stands for. Take a step back and ask yourself 'What would Barbara Jordan say about this taking'. What are the headlines of the American Statesman and the Daily Texan going to read? 'U.T. takes city park from the poorest neighborhood in Brownsville and gives them an empty lot next to sewer plant.'
Saenz reminded UT that when it came here in 1991, it relied on the local population to subsidize the construction of most of its buildings.
"The people of Brownsville have already contributed more than their fair share. Through the partnership with TSC, U.T. has grown and prospered. I would say that when U.T. came to Brownsville, before entering into the partnership, U.T. was driving a Ford Focus; at end of partnership, U.T. drove away in a Cadillac. The people of Brownsville are still paying for the buildings and property you took. You took the assets and left us with the liabilities."
He then appealed to their better sensibilities.
"You are much better than this; your standards are much higher than this. You are the University of Texas. Do the right thing. Respect the wishes of the people of Brownsville. Do not take Lincoln Park from us."
He forgot to add that Martinez and the current commission also promised the UT System that Brownsville will be their cash cow with these goodies:
* Brownsville Economic Development Corporation - BEDC will contribute tax revenue from increased sales, mixed beverage, and parking meter taxes to UTB for public realm improvements downtown
*Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation - BCIC will provide funding and/or subsidies for "quality of life" projects, including cultural and athletic amenities in greater Downtown Brownsville
* Brownsville Metropolitan Planning Organization and BCIC - MPO and BCIC will increase bicycle infrastructure, including the extension of city hike and bike trails to better connect the UTB facilities with surrounding downtown neighborhoods and amenities
* Public Utility Board - PUB will provide reduced utility rates for new UTB buildings that are built to LEED accreditation standards
* Brownsville Metro - Brownsville Metro will increase their bus coverage area to better serve UTB's campus and to increase service frequency to UTB campus facilities.
Last Saturday, during Rosendo Escareño's "taquiza," we had the opportunity to see Da Mayor and we asked him why he was doing this. Martinez, if you will remember, cited personal reasons for not attending the public hearing at Gonzalez Park.
"Why are you taking the people's park and giving ti away to the UT System and then putting the new park in front of a treatment plant so that the people and kids have to put up with the stench of human sewage?" we asked him.
Visibly shaken, Martinez stammered that "that's not going to be the way it is."
Well, mayor, tonight it's going to be done and from all indications it will be the way it will be. So much for truth in advertising.
By the way, the terms of office expire May 2015 for Martinez, Longoria, Tetreau, and commissioner Estela Chavez Vasquez, a full majority. Let's make sure that the people remember they were ignored.
6 comments:
Tony continues to serve Julieta Garcia and we can expect the property at Lincoln Park to become the home for Julieta's new job with UT. They say "gift to UT", but its really a gift for Julieta. Too bad, most of hoped she would go away.
juan its no use, we are wasting our time, a deal has been made or cut already, humbug.
we will remember how the present commission stole Brownsville and gave the park to UT. We'll also remember the Casa Nylon purchase. Hooray for William Garza for Mayor, This Mayor and his cronis are gone,Adios Martinez and your allies,you have looted our community enough and were fighting back really hard this next time around just watch.
Casa dell nylon? What about el Cueto, Gutierrez warehouse, San Fernando building, mother of perpetual home etc etc etc. all these buildings are still seating empty, waste of taxpayers funds.
That' DaMayor has deep, deep Pockets. Usa las dos manoplas pa' robar. He uses religion to atone for his f--king misdeeds. That's why he disguises himself as an humble Nun to steal from the Poor.
Da Mayor entered the meeting disguised as Robin Hood.; with a sign around his neck. "Steal from the poor and give to the rich". (Himself)
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