Valley Morning Star, Sun., 17 Apr 2011
As promised, we now take a look at the City of Brownsville with our Giant Calabazas Prize Awards.
As we said in a previous post, maybe current Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas wasn't around during the heyday of the judiciary corruption trials of former 404th District Judge Abel Limas or Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos, or else she would have thought better about having her calabazas growing contest. Meme Longoria and Limas used code words such as calabazas or "candy" or tacos or golf balls or "signs" as a secret code language for bribes. Sure, growing a giant pumpkin, even one out of season, teaches students the value of working the earth with your hands, watering and taking care of your plants, and then the satisfaction of harvesting your drop. In the case of giant pumpkins, the rewards are, well, as Don Trump says "Huge."
Those, of course, are worthy lessons for a student to learn. You work hard enough at something, expect a good payoff during harvest time.
With those fine sentiments in mind, the editorial staff at El Rrun-Rrun would like to suggest a few nominees for the Calabazas Prize Awards this year.
1. Hizzoner Da Mayor Tony Martinez has to be the outright winner in this one. We still remember when Tony was elected the first time that he went to a city function in Florida and came back after being "chosen as a winner" by a banner salesman who convinced him that he should tell local businessmen that they participate by buying banners to hand outside their businesses. For a few $1,000s, they could have banners with their businesses and city logo. They even got city manager Charlie Cabler to issue an introduction letter to help the outfit snag customers. The scam fell apart after local businessmen began to call City Hall to ask if the outfit was on the up and up. It wasn't. That was only the first of may faux pas that Tony has initiated.
Another was the purchase of the Casa Del Nylon using his law partner as the negotiator with owner Abraham Galonsky for $2.3 million when independent appraisers wouldn't go much higher than $650,000. Apparently, Martinez told some city commissioners that the University of Texas System was interested in buying the building if the city bought it first. Later, commissioners found that the UT System was not interested in the two-story shell at all. It is still standing vacant at the corner of 13th and Adams streets, providing a welcome pit stop for the homeless.
Under Martinez, issuing millions in Certificates of Obligation – a way to issue debt without going to the voters – has become the norm instead of a rarity. The city already siphons some $7 million a year from the Public Utility Board to carry them though their deficit budgets. And what are the COs used for? Would you believe real estate speculation such as the Casa Del Nylon purchase? Whether it's trying to give away the keys to the city treasury to the UT System or encumber the PUB ratepayers with escalating utility bills to raise the $325 million to build a gas-powered electric plant with the private utility company Tenaska, Martinez seems convinced that encumbering the city taxpayers and PUB rate payers with a huge debt and high utility bills is his God-ordained duty. This control freak is depriving the City of Brownsville from reaping millions in additional transportation dollars because he is afraid to lose complete control of the Brownsville MPO if it merges with Harlingen and Hidalgo County to divvy up the Big Bucks with the MPOs from San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin. Give Da Mayor the Big Calabaza Award. With three more years left for Tony to raid the city treasury and give away prime real estate to his pals at the UT System, he may take the big prize again next year.
2. City Attorney Mark Sossi came in a close second in the Calabaza Prize Awards. Sued at least twice for legal malpractice in his private law practice, Sossi first entered city service after he was hired to represent the city in a citizen-generated challenge to the elected officials taking health insurance, cell phone service, and other benefits not listed in the city charter. The citizens won. He then replaced Jim Goza as city attorney and went on to hire a cadre of assistant city attorneys and farmed out work to other firms. One of those firms was his old law firm which had taken him to court for depositing $160,000 in his account instead of depositing in the law firm's account. A court approved a settlement between both parties and Sossi agreed to pay back the money to the firm. Once city attorney, Sossi was very generous in farming out work to them, driving some local watchdogs to complain to City Manager Charlie Cabler about the unethical use of city funds to pay off his private debt. As bad as that may be, his dissembling in a court hearing where he argued that the transfer of Lincoln Park for a mere $6 million instead of the $21 to $40 million some appraisers valued it at was a "conveyance" and not a transfer did not convince anyone. Surprisingly, this ethically-challenged lawyer was hand-picked by Martinez to draft a code of ethics for the city. Five years later, still no code. What for? Why a majority of the city commission has not voted to rescind his one-page contract that pays him $120,000 from the city and another $60,000 from the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation is beyond us. A close second for the Calabazas Prize awards to Sossi.
3. City Manager Charlie Cabler and the rest of the city commission are a close third. Cabler has the assistance now of three Asst. City Mangers. This is probably to be expected since the city has fallen into the rut of hiring former city policemen as city managers. It seems that Cabler is not there to manage the city, but to keep a lid on things and keep things quiet. Under his watch, we have seen a police commander allowed to "retire" after he sent naked pictures of himself to a girlfriend, and city permit inspectors demanding kickbacks and making things hard for small businesses to set up shop. Whenever the PD gets in hot water such as the time that they shot a teenager in the hallways of Cummings Middle School or another for stealing beer, Cabler has been the face of the city to quell criticisms of his former colleagues. Meanwhile, as the city's basic services such as an antiquated drainage system continues to plague residents with chronic flooding, he continues to champion some of the commission's pet projects such as the bike trails for Rose Gowen, the All-American City designation, and other lipstick-on- the-pig artifices that gloss over some very real problems in town. A few of the commissioners seem to think that their position requires that they spend the public's money to travel to see the Pope, close downtown and ride their bikes, or to make themselves look good. And his discretionary power to spend $35,000 on whatever he wants gives him a tool to keep vendors and local tradesmen in his corner. At a $220,000 salary, Cabler will continue to harvest the Big Calabazas for some time to come.
Next: Cameron County
Another was the purchase of the Casa Del Nylon using his law partner as the negotiator with owner Abraham Galonsky for $2.3 million when independent appraisers wouldn't go much higher than $650,000. Apparently, Martinez told some city commissioners that the University of Texas System was interested in buying the building if the city bought it first. Later, commissioners found that the UT System was not interested in the two-story shell at all. It is still standing vacant at the corner of 13th and Adams streets, providing a welcome pit stop for the homeless.
Under Martinez, issuing millions in Certificates of Obligation – a way to issue debt without going to the voters – has become the norm instead of a rarity. The city already siphons some $7 million a year from the Public Utility Board to carry them though their deficit budgets. And what are the COs used for? Would you believe real estate speculation such as the Casa Del Nylon purchase? Whether it's trying to give away the keys to the city treasury to the UT System or encumber the PUB ratepayers with escalating utility bills to raise the $325 million to build a gas-powered electric plant with the private utility company Tenaska, Martinez seems convinced that encumbering the city taxpayers and PUB rate payers with a huge debt and high utility bills is his God-ordained duty. This control freak is depriving the City of Brownsville from reaping millions in additional transportation dollars because he is afraid to lose complete control of the Brownsville MPO if it merges with Harlingen and Hidalgo County to divvy up the Big Bucks with the MPOs from San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin. Give Da Mayor the Big Calabaza Award. With three more years left for Tony to raid the city treasury and give away prime real estate to his pals at the UT System, he may take the big prize again next year.
2. City Attorney Mark Sossi came in a close second in the Calabaza Prize Awards. Sued at least twice for legal malpractice in his private law practice, Sossi first entered city service after he was hired to represent the city in a citizen-generated challenge to the elected officials taking health insurance, cell phone service, and other benefits not listed in the city charter. The citizens won. He then replaced Jim Goza as city attorney and went on to hire a cadre of assistant city attorneys and farmed out work to other firms. One of those firms was his old law firm which had taken him to court for depositing $160,000 in his account instead of depositing in the law firm's account. A court approved a settlement between both parties and Sossi agreed to pay back the money to the firm. Once city attorney, Sossi was very generous in farming out work to them, driving some local watchdogs to complain to City Manager Charlie Cabler about the unethical use of city funds to pay off his private debt. As bad as that may be, his dissembling in a court hearing where he argued that the transfer of Lincoln Park for a mere $6 million instead of the $21 to $40 million some appraisers valued it at was a "conveyance" and not a transfer did not convince anyone. Surprisingly, this ethically-challenged lawyer was hand-picked by Martinez to draft a code of ethics for the city. Five years later, still no code. What for? Why a majority of the city commission has not voted to rescind his one-page contract that pays him $120,000 from the city and another $60,000 from the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation is beyond us. A close second for the Calabazas Prize awards to Sossi.3. City Manager Charlie Cabler and the rest of the city commission are a close third. Cabler has the assistance now of three Asst. City Mangers. This is probably to be expected since the city has fallen into the rut of hiring former city policemen as city managers. It seems that Cabler is not there to manage the city, but to keep a lid on things and keep things quiet. Under his watch, we have seen a police commander allowed to "retire" after he sent naked pictures of himself to a girlfriend, and city permit inspectors demanding kickbacks and making things hard for small businesses to set up shop. Whenever the PD gets in hot water such as the time that they shot a teenager in the hallways of Cummings Middle School or another for stealing beer, Cabler has been the face of the city to quell criticisms of his former colleagues. Meanwhile, as the city's basic services such as an antiquated drainage system continues to plague residents with chronic flooding, he continues to champion some of the commission's pet projects such as the bike trails for Rose Gowen, the All-American City designation, and other lipstick-on- the-pig artifices that gloss over some very real problems in town. A few of the commissioners seem to think that their position requires that they spend the public's money to travel to see the Pope, close downtown and ride their bikes, or to make themselves look good. And his discretionary power to spend $35,000 on whatever he wants gives him a tool to keep vendors and local tradesmen in his corner. At a $220,000 salary, Cabler will continue to harvest the Big Calabazas for some time to come.Next: Cameron County
13 comments:
The mountain of shit that is BISD politics and culture will take a monstrous water hose and an ocean of water to clean. Hear me, Brownsville.
Overheard downtown:
"Carlos Elizondo? That type guy hanging round gets people agitated. Forces them to take a position, one side or the other. And agitation brings a slight bump up in whiskey sales, but sale of cunt plummets."
My question is how many bus shelters could the city buy it stead of hosting cyclobia???
Yes, that is a great point and how many bus shelters could have been constructed with the
$2.3 million spent on a worthless non-revenue generating rundown building known as Casa de Nylon? It just sits there with no function or purpose. Who owned itand who benefited from its sale? Casa de Nylon does absolutely ZERO for the populus of Brownsville, ZERO! Bus shelters have a purpose and provide a service for the people of Brownsville. Can anything positive be said about Casa de Nylon? What about doing something for the majority instead of the minority? What about us?
Casa del Nylon serves as a shelter and sleeping quarters in one of the door areas to a gentleman and his dog. The man sleeps on the side by where the bus terminal is. By 7 am he is up and going.
There is also an elderly couple that sleeps on the front side door entrance of what the old Terry Ferris building.
The Casa del Nylon could be used as a shelter (like the Ozanam center) and it is a lot closer to old Brownsville where most people living in the "La Muralla", or West Brownsville still live but nobody, and I mean NOBODY in our local government has the vision to actually care for a lot of the less fortunate that live in the old downtown areas. Many of them are NOT from Matamoros; they are from Brownsville. Ozanam is closer to people living on Portway, old Boca Chica and even parts of 802 and old Coffee Port. Many of the downtown people cant get to Ozanam for lack of transportation.
Casa del Nylon is not up to current occupancy standards, not even the homeless would want to live in that ratnest of building. What happened to holding people accountable for wasting taxpayers monies? What about the purchase of el Cueto building? San Fernando building? Gutierrez warehouse? And the list can go on a and on, we need accountability for all of the improper use of public funds.
Why are you all complaining, you made it happen. Blame yourselves, they are your creation. Goes to show how stupid some people are, then they complain, complain, complain. Be prpud, they are your creation.
Did we create the maquinitas too Pat?
Don't be so stupid and have common sense, not all of us voted for this current Mayor.
Says the only mayor to be kicked out of a commission meeting. Your meetings were the laughing stock of the valley and beyond. 'Telosico
Again, your bias, ignorance and lack of intelligence to reason is showing. You are or should be aware the charges were dismissed. You should also know sweepstakes had been declared legal and allowed to operate for over 10 years before investing and opening my store.charlie's and Carmen's were never charged, because the city and county knew there position was weak, but for political purposes, I was the best target and the only sweepstakes target. You should also know Florida passed legislation to make sweepstakes illegal with no one that know going to jail once it was passed. You should also know that the Texas legislature twice introduced legislation to make sweepstakes illegal and the proposal twice failed to get out of Committee and pass. You should also know that in Harris County/Houston and the Ft worth area sweepstakes is considered legal and operates. But, continue with your biases and be proud of who you took down and who you have elected with your support to scam and steal from taxpayers, neglect our city infrastructure and your creation of an elite selective government. Be proud that you took me down and have a commission that does nothing, after all that is the way to get re-elected. Be proud that when you took down Pat Ahumada you open the coffers to Marin, Eddie Trevino, the mayor, Gowen and all those who could care less about us. Be proud that the city evicted us from the Animal clinic and the shelter has reverted to slaughtering our pets and hired one of the worst shelter directors we have had. Yes, praise your Almighty Allah that your prayers were answered and you removed me as mayor so you can now worship the dark force that you are part of. Lol ! No sweat off me!
And, in response to Anonymous 11:24 PM, yes theeetings were lively, but then you had Akinson to thank and atleast you had someone who was not a gofer for Marin and company. You had someone doing something and not squandering taxpayers money. You also had someone who fought hard to lower utility bills and not spend millions on a power plant to nowhere and certainly the city would not be in the losing end of the real estate business, nor would I sacrifice the west loop or oppose merging MPO's when the city needs to meet growth needs and create job opportunities. These guys take credit for everything without doing much, let's see if they take credit if the Elon Musk bubble bursts. SpaceX came to us 7 months before most of these were elected and according to them they brought Space X, keep an eye on the ball and let's see what happens. Caution is not in our vocabulary for grandeur investments as the TSC/UTB merger proved 25 years ago, Titan, Tenaska, Casa Nylon, real estate speculation, me too contracts for political support, inexperience city managers with no direction, and of course but not least Imagine Brownsville! Now get on your bicycle and peddle in the heat praising the mayor and Gowen for forcing their personal agenda on the rest of us and thank them for all the financial and enormous city employees and BPD subsidies..👍
I admire you, Mr Ahumada. I am watching how my city goes down to pieces and how little interest do my fellow citizens pay. I have talked about several times among my friends, but they don't care as long as they have their Cyclobias. (I am young, still not really well-versed in politics as you know it is more about insiders than anything, especially today). I agree with you on most points and I hope that sooner or later I can make a name for myself.
Post a Comment