By Juan Montoya
About the most notable aspect of the public meeting held Thursday to allow a salary grievance committee to decide whether to approve the request of nine Cameron County justices of the peace for a 10 percent raise was...the missing voice of the public.
A half dozen people who arrived to voice their opposition to the JPs' request were told that they would not be allowed to address the nine committee members or to pass on a fact sheet outlining the reasons they opposed the raises.
Posted as a "public meeting" by Cameron County Judge Pete Sepulveda last Aug 29, participation was limited to a PowerPoint presentation by JP 2-2 Jonathan Gracia – the only lawyer among them – and a personal introduction and plea for approval of their request by the nine JPs.
"This meeting is not about money," he told the committee members, as he set about justifying the reasons why they should award them the raises.
Sepulveda did not include an item on the agenda for the public to address the committee members. The committee was composed of nine members of the jury pool chosen at random by the office of the Cameron County District Court.
At the end of the deliberations, only one of the nine – JP 5-1 Sally Gonzalez – was denied unanimous approval of her request.
Those whose request for a 10 percent raise to their base salary of $47,172 ($4,717) was granted by the committee were JP 1-1 Benny Ochoa, JP 2-1 Linda Salazar, Gracia, JP 3-1 Guadalupe Ayala, JP 3-2 David Garza, JP 4-1 Juan Mendoza Jr., JP 5-2 Eloy Cano, and JP 5-3 Mike Trejo.
JP 2-3 Mary Esther Sorola did not file a salary grievance.
The committees unanimous recommendations are binding on the commissioners court as they go about finishing work on the 2016-2017 budget.The commissioners will have the discretion on what to do in the case of Gonzalez. They could go along with the committee and give her only the 2 percent increase they approved for all county elected officials, with the exception of Pct. 2 commissioner a
Alex Dominguez who refused it. Or they could just turn around and give it to her as they finish out the budget process to make all the JP salaries uniform.
The handful of opponents at the meeting passed out the reasons for their opposition to the salary requests that included the number of wedding performed by each JP and that showed that if the additional income from performing wedding ceremonies was figured into the salaries of all of the JPs, all of the JPs are already getting more than the 10 percent they were requesting.
In the case of Salazar, the fact sheet indicated that she has performed 644 wedding so far in Fiscal Year 2015-2016. A ballpark estimate at $200 per wedding would indicate that she pocketed more than $120,000 for herself. Gonzalez racked up 228 weddings and is estimated to have made $45,600 from them aside from her salary. Under state law, JPs are allowed to keep any income they make from performing the wedding ceremonies and give nothing to the county.
Frank Martinez, the court's legal counsel, said that the rules did not require the public's input in the process. He said that the inclusion of public comments in regular meetings had been a recent development that did not include grievance committees.
With Gracia and the JPs making their pitch without dissenting voices from the public allowed to speak, it left some wondering why the committee had denied Gonzalez her request.
"She probably pissed off someone on the committee," said a member of the audience.
In his presentation, Garcia said that in the last budget year the commissioners had betrayed the agreement to give proposed 10 percent raises to the staff of the JP offices and given them a 4 percent increase instead. Instead of getting angry, he said dramatically, the JPs responded with "humility, respect and hard work."
About the most notable aspect of the public meeting held Thursday to allow a salary grievance committee to decide whether to approve the request of nine Cameron County justices of the peace for a 10 percent raise was...the missing voice of the public.
A half dozen people who arrived to voice their opposition to the JPs' request were told that they would not be allowed to address the nine committee members or to pass on a fact sheet outlining the reasons they opposed the raises.
Posted as a "public meeting" by Cameron County Judge Pete Sepulveda last Aug 29, participation was limited to a PowerPoint presentation by JP 2-2 Jonathan Gracia – the only lawyer among them – and a personal introduction and plea for approval of their request by the nine JPs.
"This meeting is not about money," he told the committee members, as he set about justifying the reasons why they should award them the raises.
Sepulveda did not include an item on the agenda for the public to address the committee members. The committee was composed of nine members of the jury pool chosen at random by the office of the Cameron County District Court.
At the end of the deliberations, only one of the nine – JP 5-1 Sally Gonzalez – was denied unanimous approval of her request.
Those whose request for a 10 percent raise to their base salary of $47,172 ($4,717) was granted by the committee were JP 1-1 Benny Ochoa, JP 2-1 Linda Salazar, Gracia, JP 3-1 Guadalupe Ayala, JP 3-2 David Garza, JP 4-1 Juan Mendoza Jr., JP 5-2 Eloy Cano, and JP 5-3 Mike Trejo.
JP 2-3 Mary Esther Sorola did not file a salary grievance.
The committees unanimous recommendations are binding on the commissioners court as they go about finishing work on the 2016-2017 budget.The commissioners will have the discretion on what to do in the case of Gonzalez. They could go along with the committee and give her only the 2 percent increase they approved for all county elected officials, with the exception of Pct. 2 commissioner a
Alex Dominguez who refused it. Or they could just turn around and give it to her as they finish out the budget process to make all the JP salaries uniform.
The handful of opponents at the meeting passed out the reasons for their opposition to the salary requests that included the number of wedding performed by each JP and that showed that if the additional income from performing wedding ceremonies was figured into the salaries of all of the JPs, all of the JPs are already getting more than the 10 percent they were requesting.
In the case of Salazar, the fact sheet indicated that she has performed 644 wedding so far in Fiscal Year 2015-2016. A ballpark estimate at $200 per wedding would indicate that she pocketed more than $120,000 for herself. Gonzalez racked up 228 weddings and is estimated to have made $45,600 from them aside from her salary. Under state law, JPs are allowed to keep any income they make from performing the wedding ceremonies and give nothing to the county.
Frank Martinez, the court's legal counsel, said that the rules did not require the public's input in the process. He said that the inclusion of public comments in regular meetings had been a recent development that did not include grievance committees.
With Gracia and the JPs making their pitch without dissenting voices from the public allowed to speak, it left some wondering why the committee had denied Gonzalez her request.
"She probably pissed off someone on the committee," said a member of the audience.
In his presentation, Garcia said that in the last budget year the commissioners had betrayed the agreement to give proposed 10 percent raises to the staff of the JP offices and given them a 4 percent increase instead. Instead of getting angry, he said dramatically, the JPs responded with "humility, respect and hard work."
Gracia said that local JPs participation in some state initiatives would allow their courts to surpass the $1,668,903 in fines they were projected to earn for fiscal year 2016. His presentation indicated that the revenue collected so far as a result stands at $2,068,884.
“It caught us off-guard completely, but we are still extremely pleased that they saw it our way,” Gracia told the local daily after committee's vote.
He did not comment about the $34-plus million in outstanding fines that have remained delinquent for years and are still on the books. Records indicate that his own precinct is carrying a $5.5 million total in uncollected fines.
One of the dissidents not allowed to speak said that Garcia's presentation had glossed over the fact that most JPs shun collecting the fines and find them politically unpopular and prefer instead to spend their time at their other jobs and performing lucrative wedding ceremonies.
“It caught us off-guard completely, but we are still extremely pleased that they saw it our way,” Gracia told the local daily after committee's vote.
He did not comment about the $34-plus million in outstanding fines that have remained delinquent for years and are still on the books. Records indicate that his own precinct is carrying a $5.5 million total in uncollected fines.
One of the dissidents not allowed to speak said that Garcia's presentation had glossed over the fact that most JPs shun collecting the fines and find them politically unpopular and prefer instead to spend their time at their other jobs and performing lucrative wedding ceremonies.
21 comments:
Mamones, Leeches, cry babies all of them.
Pinches ratas, if they want more salary they can look for a job somewhere else and see if they get more money
/
This is kinda sad that the public was not allowed to give their opinion. Why call it a public meeting then? The new legal counsel seems to already be doing the commissioners' bidding. Yet again, more politicians get their take from public coffers. These are part time "judges" who dont do their primary job, which is to collect fines. Why do they even deserve a raise?
Texas was, is, and always will be a piece of crap. 1st Amendment gives the people the right to petition the government. It's not optional for the government to listen. My 2 cents.
They just got in and they already want a raise? Fucking crooks. We'll give them a raise at their next election. They already make a ton of money on the side and it's cash. Stop crying.
Why is it that elected officials are so eager to spend our tax dollars....especially to this group of political assholes, who have failed in one of their major functions....collecting the millions of dollars of fines that are outstanding. If we reward failure....they will never change. Shame on the "committee" that made this decision to waste our money.
Unfortunately the tax payer will forget and in two years the voters will again elect these crooks again. The voters in this county demand this that's why theses elected officials do it. Oh well let's get on with the show.
WTF!!! I thought the "beef" was about getting JP employees a raise? So, these lazy no office JP's got a 10% raise? Does that mean that they will be in the office more? Will they be bringing in more money from citations, FTA's, etc.. now? How much power does the committee have in these hearings? Is their decision gold? Or, does the taxpayer of CC have a right to protest the raise? I thought the county commissioners were the last voice? Is this the acting county judge's decision? Its bad enough that this county judge is double dipping and getting away with it?
Ma- Mon-Es?
Another reason rwhy county employees are feeling abandoned, elected fools are getting the raises employees are working harder not SMARTER because they are dumb ass leaders just out for a buck not for the benefit of the county or employees
Its alright, Representative from Arlington, is passing a law where JPs have to report all their earnings on weddings. Poblecita la pansona Sally, se va murir de hambre cuando tenga que pagar taxas. Oink, Oink !!!!!
A "public" meeting means the public can attend. It doesn't necessarily bestow the right to participate. For example, a trial is public and we can all go watch but we don't get to offer an opinion. I'm thinking the argument on the governments side against allowing comments is that the group of civilians that were to make the decision are representatives of the public. Of course, unless they educated themselves on the issue ahead of time, they heard only one side and I guess that is no accident. Knowledge is power and way to often government would rather we just shut up and do as we are told.
In my opinion when you run for public service you already know that being a public servant is Not to enrich themselves, it is to make a difference in the lives of our community by enforcing the laws of this great country and to protect those against fraudulent claims.
Stop all the complaining. You don't bitch because Romo earns $40 million annually (that's why the average ticket for a spectator runs $95.00 plus parking $60.00) but you moan because your justices of peace ask for a paltry raise for hearing thousands of cases throughout the year. We are very fortunate to have Jonathan Gracia as our justice of peace. He is educated as a lawyer and dispenses justice fairly. He dispenses justice in real time.
I will tell my family and friends not to vote for all this crooks. The only Judge that has my respects is Mary Esther Sorola. unless in the future she does the same thing... other than that all are a bunch of liars. I couldnt believe Judge Salazar was trying to cry while she was talking to the Board. fricken Mamona! with all the extra money they get from the weddings. Especially her.
When he shows up for work and actually hears cases. His own staff outs him. They say they are alwyas making excuses for his cancellations and tardiness.
That guy Gracia is a loser. He thinks he is better than everybody else. Hey pendejo you are a JP just Linda Salazar
Don't make Mary Esther out to be a hero of some sort. She hardly ever works. She doesn't even have an office. But she's been collecting salary for over a year thanks to her mommy, Sofia Bemavides.
Why doesn't Judge Ayala just sell those gold billboard signs he has going to his office!! We can give every county employee a 100% pay raise and it won't cost us tax payers a dam thing! Esta bien tapo ese vato!! No vale madre Ayala!
Unbelievable!! Gracia saying the raise is not about the money? It's about what pendejo? That it it was for the staff? The staff did not get a raise!! Are you going to donate your raise (that you do not deserve) to your staff? They certainly deserve it more than you!!
Ask Gracia about the list he illegally obtained from the county and mailed it to every resident in cameron county who owes fines and/or has warrants. Letter came straight from his law office.
You are right Dave. Gracia is 20 months in and already sent out a letter from his office soliciting work using a list he illegally obtained while in office. Now he gets a raise. What's next. We need to vote this greedy ass out of office.
Post a Comment