If the fallout from yesterday's post of the bloated salaries paid to Cameron County Judge appointee Pete Sepulveda and his minion David "Manitas" Garcia is any indication of the polices of open government and transparency we can expect from this bunch, we're in for a ride into the darkness.
Those three readers who frequent this blog know we have continually scrutinized the renumeration paid to these two blokes for basically keeping the county's inertia moving, and not necessarily advancing its progress. We have maintained that the $220,000 that Sepulveda draws is befitting a corporate CEO, a not a public official. And we also say that the $185,000 paid to Garcia, a political appointee shoved onto the backs of county taxpayers by his former boss Lencho Rendon – U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz's henchman – has never been justified.
With the new shuffling of the chairs on the deck of the USS Cameron County, we wondered how these two had fared. The word was that under the new crew there would be a "reorganization" of the personnel and their duties.
Nothing, it appears, has changed. The guys non top are still on top, the ones on the bottom moved up a notch and things continue swimmingly.
But apparently, my inquisitiveness struck a sore point with these two overpaid gents.
I initially made my information request to court counsel Dylbia Jefferies and the County Judge's Office. The folks at the county judge never answered, but Dylbia did.
She could only tell me that Sepulveda was not paid by the county, and that the total of his pay came from the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority. She also confirmed that what Pct. 1 commissioner Sofia Benavides told me about Garcia being moved up as interim county administrator. She didn't know what he earned, but Dylbia did and she told me he had gotten a bump from $115,000 to $185,000 to take over Sepulveda's duties.
I still wanted to know which specific departments had been tapped for Garcia's hike in pay and am awaiting a response from Dylbia. All she could tell me was that it was from the Road and Bridge and Toll Bridge budget.My request, as stated on our emails was for the total amount of salary and benefit compensation for each of these two gentlemen and the source of the cash. Before Sepulveda was tapped as county judge, the sources of his pay were:
For Sepulveda:
County Airport Manager: $5,602
Planning and Inspection: $53,980
Veterans Bridge: $48,516
Los Indios Bridge: $19,391
Gateway Bridge: $14,151
Total (county) $141,580
Reg. Mob. Auth.: $75,00
Total (Salary): $216,580
30 percent benefits (est.): $73,190
(Est. Grand total): $288,770
For Garcia, the sources of his moolah before were:
For Garcia, the sources of his moolah before were:
Below are the same numbers for Garcia:
Planning and Inspection (asst.): $56,089
Veterans Bridge (Assistant): $16,222
Los Indios Bridge (Asst.): $16,222
Gateway Bridge (Asst.): $17,121
Total (County) $105,654
Reg. Mob. Auth.: $75,000
Total (Salary) $180,654
30 percent benefits (est.): $60,210
(Est. Grand Total): $240,864
After the county reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the CCRMA, Garcia's $75,000 with the CCRMA was scrapped and the CCRMA reimbursed the county for whatever work he performed for them. Now, as interim county administrator, he got $70,000 of it back.
After the county reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the CCRMA, Garcia's $75,000 with the CCRMA was scrapped and the CCRMA reimbursed the county for whatever work he performed for them. Now, as interim county administrator, he got $70,000 of it back.
We understand that some county employees who had nothing to do with my information request have been given the cold shoulder by these two fine gents with bloated salaries.
My question here is: Why don't you want the people who pay your salaries to know what you are making? And given the sorry state of affairs in the Public Works Dept. under Garcia, can you really justify the $185,000 plus benefits?
We'll keep asking. Why would you not want people to know?
13 comments:
You forgot crazy Cris Valadez, Juan. How much is Maclovio being paid?
Juanito David is none other than commander george garcia brother of the county jail ,who you did a story on for being a consultant for a company doing business for the jail. George retired and at the request of omar lucio came back to triple dip and do the cover up on invoices on equipment and supplies ordered for omar lucio. Geoge fall guy carlitos his assistant a clerk jailer just got rewarded with an assigned county unit. How about them apples.
I am not sure what the problem is about getting paid this amount of money. The County and RMA are big budget programs and someone has to take responsibility and be held accountable no matter where the funding comes from. The money comes with a great responsibility. Plus, this amount of money is nothing compared to comparable positions in other counties.$220K and $180K are not exorbitant wages anymore, it is only when you compare them to the shitty wages of the valley though. As the kids say, "Haters gonna Hate". Get up off your ass and get a job that pays that much, if you can or if you already get paid similarly then good for you. Yes, it may be taxpayers money but things are moving forward but lets wait and see if under this new reign things change and innovation is applied. This is politics and if men are in this position it is because they did something right, no matter what that might have been. I think that the problem comes with those that do not recieve wages like the Brownsville Mayor and commisioners. They have to buy millions of dollars worth of properties with taxpayers money from friends and then get their cut aka salary, it is only fair right? hmmm. That should be the main worry of the tax payers and not employees that get their wages by working. Those are my 2 cents and have no affiliation or know any of these mentioned men but I sure know that facts of the suspicious purchases that the Brownsville city council made.
You have no "affiliation " but know the facts of the suspicious purchases made by the city council ? How? The above post sounds like Pete or David .
It is Pete...
it is my money and I'm laughing all the way to the bank. Ha ha ha you idiots!
Puro envidioso!
Right Joe Rivera?
Like my grandma used to say:
"Si la envidia fuera tiña TODOS la tuvieran"
If it is "Pete".....you shouldn't be on the blogs while on the taxpayers dime . That's a bad habit you picked up from Valadez.....act your position , not like a vindictive idiot.
here is my two cents. i don't work for the county but i know some of the inside stuff.
1. who cares if you keep asking. it's public info and they will give you the info if you request it.
2. there is nothing you can do about what they get paid. it was commission approved. end of story.
3. pete was pissed this and the other story ran on the blog. he blames valadez for it.
4. they got rid of H.B. and Valadez is on the chopping block
5. pete is running the show now. changes are coming.
6. pete and david run administration and the county. there are few monkeys in that building who have such capabilities.
7. tell valadez to stay off the blogs and quit feeing info to you. big bad pete is everywhere.
Hopefully Pete has the backbone to hold Valadez accountable for all his dirty dealings and waste of taxpayers money......if he does, his salary will be worth it and more! Do the right thing Pete...check his computer usage and his work output....Valadez is no good and a slap to the face of the citizens who have to endure his sick,nasty,vile attacks while on taxpayers dime .
Juan, keep on trucking, no one should be offended, this is tax payers monies, and the public has the right to know.
Stay off the blogs BOMBA.
Why does Bomba have to stay off this blog and not you 1:55pm?
Valadez is the Mexican Karl Rove besides being the greatest cart pusher !
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