ZENDEJAS, BISD LEGAL COUNSEL MEDDLE IN BOARD ELECTION: BALTAZAR SALAZAR BEHIND BROWNSVILLE TAXPAYERS PAC

By Juan Montoya
In a fashion unprecedented in previous Brownsville Independent School District elections, sources at the district say that superintendent Esperanza Zendejas and board counsel Baltazar Salazar are knee-deep in involvement trying to influence the ongoing school board elections.

Zandejas, who fears for her $250,000-plus job if a new board majority wins, is said to be doing her utmost to make sure that incumbents from Position 3 Otis Powers and Position 5 Caty Presas-Garcia do not return.

Likewise, she fears that a victory by either Dr. Sylvia Atkinson and Rigo Bocanegra in Position 7 might further eat into the majority that has kept her at the head of administration of the BISD.
In Place 6, it appears that Kent Whittemore and incumbent Minerva Peña stand the best chance of joining the new majority if the attempts to influence the outcome by Zendejas and board counsel Baltazar Salazar are not successful.

Sources in the BISD indicate that she has already applied for a superintendent's position with a California school district as hedge if the elections don't go her way.

So far, Counsel Salazar has invested in several races, some to oust the incumbents, and others to try to buy the goodwill of incoming board members.
In particular, he has singled out Presas-Garcia by being the only contributor to the Brownsville Taxpayers Political Action Committee (BTPAC). The PAC's treasurer's report to the Texas Ethics Commission indicates that he has been the sole contributor to the PAC with $13,200.42 in in-kind political contributions.

In page 3 of his report, treasurer Juan Flores Leal states that the General Purpose Committee was set up to support Position 5 candidates Laura Perez-Reyes, Erasmo Castro, and Laura Castro – the other three candidates in Place 5 – and to oppose incumbent Caty Presas-Garcia.
http://204.65.203.5/public/100648271.pdf

 No other individuals are listed as political contributors other than Baltazar.

Originally, the PAC treasurer, the vanishing  Juan Flores Leal, listed his "residence or office" in a vacant lot listed at 925 N. Iowa, in Brownsville. That turned out to be a vacant lot up for sale by Liz Realty. Liz Realty is owned by Liz Vera, Salazar's sister and a BISD teacher. (see graphic at top right.)

In the updated TEC report, Flores' address has changed to 9574 Ravensworth, in Houston, a home that appears to be vacant and in a state of disrepair, although it is not listed for sale. If you click on the graphic, you can see that that the electric meter is missing in the front and that a red tag is affixed next to it indicating its removal by the utility company.
The Harris County Appraisal District lists as its owners Baltazar and Maria Salazar, with an address of 8814 Brae Acres Rd., Salazar's home address.

Is Flores that well off that he can move from Brownsville to Houston in the space of a month? How can he live without electricity? Does he even exist?
In the itemized political contribution report filed by the BTPAC, Baltazar is reported to have contributed for the following:

Sept. 30: $800 for Advertising/Web Design

Oct. 4: $5,340 for Advertising/Printing/Mailing Services

Oct. 13: $5,340 for Advertising/Printing/Mailing Services

Oct. 28: $420 for Legal Services/Consulting

Oct. 28: $1,300 Advertising/Printing/Mailing Services



(Click on graphic to enlarge)

In the days preceding early voting, at least two massive mailouts charging that Presas-Garcia had cost the district millions in legal costs were mailed to district voters. The mailing address of the BTPAC was then listed as  400 E. Alton Gloor, Ste. B, #222 that turned out to be a Fed Ex franchise where one can also rent a mailbox address.
The owner of the business said he had nothing to do with the PAC's deception and said he would no longer provide them the mailbox service.

The attempt by Salazar to influence the outcome of the BISD elections and protect his $264,000 job seems to run counter to the clause in his contract that prohibits him from contributing to BISD incumbents or board candidates.

A "Gifts to Public Servants Clause" in Salazar's contract reads:
"General Counsel warrants that he has not given, nor does he intend to give, at any time hereafter, any economic opportunity, future employment, gift, loan, gratuity, special discounts, trips, favors, or service to a public servant in connection with the award of this agreement."

Salazar, of course, interprets this clause a bit differently than most laymen or even lawyers. Now we know who's behind the phantom BTPAC. Or do we?