Many local political observers were intrigued about the reasons why Ambiotec Engineering part owner and United Brownsville architect Carlos Marin and his millionaire OP 10.33's Mike Hernandez III targeted the Brownsville Navigation District for a takeover.
The voters in the port election didn't take the bait and the takeover didn't happen.
But El Rrrun-Rrun has found out that some of the projects on Marin and Hernandez's wish list include grandiose plans for economic development projects that would require the votes on the port's board to come to fruition.Among them is one called "Imagine Brownsville via America! that is projected to be located along the abandoned railroad switching yards in the city's southern edge abutting the Rio Grande River. The project's confidential summary asserts the project will revitalize the Brownsville downtown area through a combination of public-private investments that require the city – under a so-called Foundational Development Agreement" – to implement a levee fortification agreement, implement a rail yard agreement, implement a Tax Increment Financing agreement and form a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone to generate financing.
(Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects. Through the use of TIF, municipalities typically establish a tax-income benchmark and divert future (new) property tax revenue increases from a defined area or district toward an economic development project or public improvement project in the community.)
The city would also be required to approve public infrastructure, uses and the project and a financing plan for infrastructure and improvements. The city would use the TIF to capitalize the project with the tax increment. It would also be required to "work diligently" to maintain schedules.
There is no cost estimate on how much the city would be required to spend (or borrow) to uphold their end of the agreement, but based on the project boundaries, it could easily top $100s of millions in infrastructure and engineering.
According to the presentation by The area envisioned for the project is bounded between East C. Street and East Fronton Street and between South 11th Street and East Fourth and the land bounded by Sam Perl Blvd. and the Rio Grande and between the B&M Bridge and the Gateway Bridge."The company that presented the Feasibility Recommendation Plan (FRP) and the Riverfront and the Railroad Reuse Plan (RRUP) is LandGrant Development, of San Diego, Calif., and is owned by Sam Marasco, who made a presentation before the city and the port of Brownsville commissioners. Marasco's plans have been approved at public hearing and incorporated into the Foundational Development Agreement between LandGrant and the city.
Marasco is well known in California where his developments have stirred controversy and the interest of state and federal authorities. He has also proposed that the Greater Brownsville Investment Corporation allow him to take over the development of their North Industrial Park.Marin has been the go-between in Marasco's redevelopment plans for the city. However, there have been some glitches in the Marasco-Marin plans.
The first of these is the fact that under past agreements, the railroad switching yards would originally revert to the Port of Brownsville, which would have one year to decide whether it will turn over the land to the city, which in turn would make them part of the agreement.
But even if the port does give the city the land, the land carries deed restrictions which may delay the turnover to LandGrant and may require the approval of the Texas Water Quality Board for mitigation of potential contamination in the property from past railroad activity.
All that will tend to slow down the agreement which carries a timetable that the city and the private developers have agreed to adhere to and which may not be met within the terms of the agreement.
If so, that could trigger litigation from LandGrant for breach of promise against the city, as it has in several projects in California.
In any event, if the plan did go through, Marin's Ambiotec would probably have a first shot (as they already have with the city and PUB) at performing the extensive engineering work necessary to make the project viable. Then, the project will have to have the port commission agree to turn it over and to observe the deed restrictions that go along with the land.
That and having first dibs at the engineering work that might come to the port if the LNGs go through is enough to make any engineer's mouth water. Controlling the port board would give Marin that.
Is it any wonder that Marin and Sugar Daddy Hernandez were so hot about taking over the board of the Port of Brownsville? It was all for the public good and the eradication of poverty, wasn't it, guys?
26 comments:
Juan, poverty in Brownsville will NEVER be eradicated. Too many on government welfare programs they simply will not give up. Now, raise the price of a dozen tortillas to $200 and then you'll see these Mexican men lining up to work!!!!!
Juan, you fucked the blimp again Juan. This is the story he made a call for help to his "readers". He said four of his "sources" knew something about something at a rail yard at amigo land area. The blimp's flaccid rectum is burning right about now.....after you beat him to a story again. The blimp couldn't find his dildo if he was sitting on it. Arriba Trump!
I agree 1,000 % with the commenter about the price of tortillas. Look, the city will always be a dumbass town until we start thinking big - as Via America! Bicycles and Charros are okay, but that's yesteryear, Juan. Support Via America! And support LNG - ALL JOBS!!!!
Marin ia interested in10% upfront needed to "study the issue" and you could have fully expected that little turd Oscar Jr. To be pandering about with his hand out.
Agreed. Poverty in Brownsville will never be eradicated. However, it would be nice to move poverty to the northern part of town. How cool would it be to have the poor take over San Benito
Lets move the dumb pobres out of here!! Make the cola in particular areas unreasonable.
Now we know why Mike Hernandez was looking at el Jardin Hotel.....and he says he is here for the community..ha! He is here to take advantage of the people they try to get elected and profit from it. Mike Hernandz, stay in Dallas you shyster! ...... And take Marin with you...bunch of crooks!
Quit worrying about the cost of tortillas, Duardo. Keep letting your nephew pay for the tacos and, when no one is looking, steal the tip.
I told you. The OP1033 robber barons were drooling at the thought of it.
May 12, 2016 at 11:53 AM
tu madre.
Months back, Mike Hernandez approached me through Robert Sanchez with the pitch that he wanted to help Brownsville create jobs and provide educational opportunities to the citizens of Brownsville. I was asked to set up meetings with key people in my network, which I did and it sound good. I provided a lot of information and material, including my entire file on the weir project to Mike Hernandez and the names of the California group with Sam Marrasco to develop downtown. Then I realized that I had been used. It became apparent Mike Hdz made an alliance with Carlos Marin and that is when I jumped ship. They tried to hire me as a consultant, but I said no. Now they talk about those things I worked on and would like to see brought to fruition, but they do not understand that it was the same people Mike Hdz aligned himself with who was working to undermine the weir project. I expect them to mile our city like Marin has done with the Tenaska project, Imagine.United Brownsville, and anything they can get their hooks into. The good thing is that finally citizens have opened up their eyes to know that special interest has been steadily working to take control of all our elected and appointed boards. I was the first one to stand up to them and the first casualty for saying no. I warned everyone, but got no support and was labeled as being difficult by Atkinson and those who supported Carlos Marin and his Imagine Brownsville. Because people stood on the sidelines and watched them pound on me, now Carlos Marin has come back to haunt the same people who stood on the sidelines allowing special interest to get powerful. Much irreparable damage has been done with the border wall going up with the help of Troiani and the others on the commission with the intent to undermine weir and the river walk proposed downtown development. In spite of ourselves, good things do happen and I hope that somehow this initiative of mine some day becomes a reality. It is feasible, as we were able to get the weir project approved as a bi-national project, when before it was never a bi-national project and millions had already been spent. It was like the bridge to nowhere project wit no bi-national status.
Please. If you republicans had a problem with brown people on welfare with their 8 kids, you would open free 24 hr confidential abortion clinics on every corner in brownsville for the downtown prostitutes, illegals and any other person about to join the $ child support and public dole bonanza. You have a problem with immigrants and with anchor babies but you cant face the only practical solution which is abortion. Dogs are neutered to prevent mutts overrunning the streets, us people are no different, let's be honest. In the poorest city in merrica there's no faster way to get an 18 year guaranteed check every month than to "accidentally" get pregnant by a US citizen with a steady job "OOPS" lol. Too bad, so deal with them getting free tortillas for their 8th baby on food stamps and free BISD education for their 7 other anchor babies, courtesy of US tax payers. The only reason this happens is republicans shutting down the abortion clinics, such hypocritical losers you can't even see when you are being taken advantage of. Yes the pregnant brown girl you screamed 'baby killer' at and her unaborted brown fetus you so desperately wanted to see born, it grew up and now is voting against Trump. Way to go pro-life white republican you birthed voters in 1990 today who are taking your jobs and voting against every single thing you stand for. No border wall can save you from your own idiocy, and no, tortillas won't be selling for $200 any time soon either moron.
I feel that the voters in Brownsville are used as pawns in a chess match. We are not ruled by leaders, we are ruled by politicians who have their own agenda's. Outstanding leaders appeal to the hearts of their followers, not their minds or some constricted ideas. Leaders are not successful as much as they are significant and always do things for the good of all people, not just those who finance and support their campaigns. What is at a premium here is the cost of our attention. These politicians can be conscious without thinking anything. But a good person simply cannot be conscious without feeling something beyond the agenda. Our politicians have an obsession with the veneer of things to create an image that carries no substance or value to our hearts, the voters. They are empty and don't even know it. Just listen to their words, and their actions...EMPTY. Straying from what is comfortable is often stressful for those who use to hold the influence.
Mr Ahumada, when did he approach you? And how was it that they stood on the sidelines and watched you get pounded? I thought they had just gotten here.
Totally agree with your statement.
Pat.. go to sleep. You are irrelevant and probably drinking and driving right now.
Pat cuando te vas a callar pendejo
Anonymous at 12:06.....clearly, it says "because people stood on the sidelines and watched them pound on me"..........Pat is referring to "Imagine Brownsville " and Carlos Marin .......read much?
Getting pounded as mayor was continuous by Atkinson and those on the commission. If you recall, they continually asked for my resignation early on and when I would not resign, they stepped up the pounding. I was the only one who said no to Imagine Brownsville and exposed them as a for profit organization and because I would not play ball, things were made more difficult. Even my livelihood was affected and politically the mission was to destroy me. Just ask Jose Borjon who was with the Herald as a reporter, he witnessed when I was being followed and corralled by police following orders to bring me down. Jose chased my stalker, but lost him and he saw when I was surrounded by police cars, but they knew it was a set up and let me go. Carlos Garcia had a record of this incident and others, but did nothing. Many of the blogs and others supported Atkinson and the others efforts to get me out of the way. I was an obstacle to many, which lead to Cabler, Pete Gonzalez, and former police chief Carlos Garcia to conspire to frame me, but it back fired. The one that disappointed me the most was Pete who told me the check incident could be handled internally with no one finding out, but I refused as it then would appear that I had something to hide and since they could not get me to go along, they used it to destroy me with management singing the complaint to prosecute. After they went after me and I was looking at 30 years, the plea was to let me off if I would resign, but I said no. The pressure was for me to resign, but again, I stood up to them. Then at trial it was exposed that Pete destroyed the log in which the person who took the check signed for it and the copies put in the file were also destroyed. How convenient, wouldn't you say. The pounding has continued and the blogs love it, but there is nothing they can do to me, nor do I fear them. Carlos Marin and Fred Rusteberg have contributed towards controlling those who will do their bidding and were constantly trying to undermine everything we tried to do including the bag ordinance, weir project, misappropriation of funds being reported. In spite of this we got many things done. Cabler, Atkinson, Troiani even called the Congressman to block my meetings in Washington when I reported the inappropriate handling of HUD monies, which is when I got arrested early in the morning, but was not convicted of DWI. I went to Washington to call for an investigation in the Planning Department misappropriation of funds, which eventually led to Ben Medina leaving the city and then sued the city. I am confident Bend did nothing illegal, but only followed instructions, which will probably get him a good settlement. The same applies to Puga who was also arrested, but I am sure he will reveal how he was ordered to do certain things orally and is now being charged and it is a very scary deal, because the burden is on the accused not the state as you would think. You see Charlie gives orders, but will not put them in writing in many instances when it is inappropriate to do the things commissioners or the mayor wants done, which leaves the soldiers out to hang when caught. Eventually it will be exposed or the city manager will be forced to retire collecting a huge severance pay package. Mike and Marin's alliance is for control through candidates they can get elected that will do their bidding as it was with Troiani, Gowen, Atkinson and others through Carlos Marin. With all the wrong doing going on and they all get what they want, including Charlie. He even watches TV while on the job and is blatant about it.
PAT...you and the city staff approve to ambiotec 800,000dlls study to the sports park and you and some commisioners got a big MORDIDA.
look back at the record. And the problem was not the sports park, it was the micro management by commissioner Atkinson, cost over runs and unauthorized change orders. Focus on how our city is mismanaged and the corruption, not me. I am not the problem, I am not doing the wheeling and dealing.
Shit up Pat. You were not hired by Mike Hernandez because he saw how crazy you ar...and how hated you are. You wanted to be hired by him....period. So do not tell the people you decided not to work for him....you wee begging him to hire you. You crazy guy!
The only entityto not give a penny to imagine Brownsville and Marin was the county. That is why Marin wants eddie Treviño a judge....cause he knows eddie will dish out the 25k per year. So do not say that you are the one that said no to imagine Brownsville crazy pat. It wa the county and Dan Sanchez.
Anonymous 10:24 AM, you want to make up things when you were not even there by contradicting what actually took place. I said emphatically NO to being a consultant for OP:10.33, aka Mike Hdz. Ask Robert Sanchez, he knows. Even Robert Sanchez joined the opposition to OP:10.33, because like many of us we realized we were used and that they came to us got all the information from us and we set up meetings for them and then they made the alliance with Carlos Marin. So, Robert, myself and others jumped ship.
Anonymous 10:21 AM, your post goes to show you are uninformed. I was the only one to say No to Fred Rusteberg, Carlos Marin, aka Imagine Brownsville and all its members including the entire commission when it all started. IBC, Fred Rusteberg was my biggest client and I chose to do what was right for Brownsville by questioning and opposing the creation of Imagine Brownsville, I opposed funding them and opposed Cabler giving unpeded access to all city departments and the use of city staff and equipment. I was the only one to do so and I paid a big price. The county was not part of the plan at the time Imaging Brownsville was born and funded, the effort to expand to the county level came later. FYI. Hopefully this sets you streight.
Jose Borjon is as brown as shit from all his brown nosing. Es Un pendejo
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