A TRAGIC SCENARIO UNRAVELING AT COMMISSIONERS COURT

By Juan Montoya
By now the rumors have been spreading all around Cameron County that at least two sitting commissioners who won their respective races last November might be considering running for county judge.
They, of course, cannot formally announce their candidacy because they would be required to resign their positions immediately since there's more than a year and one-half left in their terms.
We speak of Pct. 2 commissioner Alex Dominguez and Pct. 4 commissioner Dan Sanchez.
Sanchez has let it be known far and wide that he covets the spot now held by appointee Pete Sepulveda (the quarter-million dollar salary man) who took over after Carlos Cascos resigned to become the Texas Secretary of State.
And Dominguez has filled the role of county judge pro tem in the absence of the office holder and not doing a bad job at it.
Whether these two will take the plunge or not will be made public after the time to register their candidacy ends in mid December. They can register as early as mid-November.
If and when this does happen, it will require the appointment of two commissioners by appointee Sepulveda. If that scenario develops, we'll be in the untenable situation in Cameron County of having three commissioners (a majority) who were not elected by the voters. As it is, we already have Sepulveda being paid by the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority with virtually no accountability to the court or to the voters.
These un-elected three commissioners would also be able to appoint members to the different boards, including the CCRMA.
Not only that, but if this comes to pass we'll have a majority of the non-elected commissioners passing the 2016 budget and setting the tax rate, a classic case of taxation without representation if ever there was one. Other complications follow. There is also talk that Pct. 3 commissioner David Garza could actually announce for the seat and not have to resign his seat since he would have less than a year and half to finish his term.
It is unclear who will decide who the nominees to the two appointed seats, but it may be up to the parties to make their nominations. They would then appear on the ballot unopposed.  
If the two Sepulveda appointees are loyal to the officeholder who appointed them to the court, it will mean that Sepulveda will virtually rule the roost with a sure majority.
Sepulveda, whose role as CEO of the CCRMA, gives him the leeway to promote projects that leave millions in the pockets of local construction contractors who want a piece of the pie from tollways planned for the port and the second causeway to South Padre Island.
That is just too much power for one man to wield.
If he does run for judge, we're sure that some of that money will find its way back to his campaign treasury.
One cannot fault the commissioners to aspire to be candidates for county judge, but the prospect of having an unelected majority should give all of us room for pause and concern.