Despite numbers shared with the policy Committee of the Brownsville Metropolitan Planning Organization by new Texas Dept. of Transportation District Engineer Pete Alvarez showing that the city would receive an additional $2 million if it merged with the MPOs of Harlingen-San Benito and Hidalgo County, mayor Tony Martinez again was adamant that no merger will occur.
Previous experiences with working with Hidaglo County has shown him that the regional approach has not worked well in the past.
"It is the policy of this board not to pursue the merger," he wrote Alvarez in October. "We continue to discuss this ad nauseum...It will obliterate the local control fro Brownsville. We are being asked to give up the autonomy we have to control the destiny of our community."
However, under questioning by Port of Brownsville commissioner John Wood, Alvarez said that the governance model being considered in the bylaws being formulated by TxDoT includes the concept of a supermajority.
Under that model, the bigger cities in the three existing MPOs would get weighed votes, with Brownsville possibly getting 6 votes and a small community like Los Indios one.
The model envisions the merged MPOs having a board of 42 members, with Hidalgo accounting for 66 percent of the vote. However, in order for any project to be approved, the item would have to get 75 percent of the vote (supermajority), giving Cameron County leverage to decide the outcome of any agenda item with 9 or 10 percent of the vote.
"If 9 or 10 percent of Cameron County votes against any item, it will be quashed," Alvarez told Wood.
Alvarez said that so far, all nine Texas State Representatives in both counties have signed a resolution in favor of the merger as has a unanimous Cameron County Commissioners Court. Cameron County elected state officials including Rene Oliveira, Rep. Eddie Lucio III, and Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. have also voiced their support for the merger idea as long as a model making a supermajority included in the bylaws.
"When you speak, I don't know if you take into consideration how we feel about it," she told Martinez.
"You speak point blank and period that Brownsville MPO will not merge. I kind of resent that you go out in public without asking us how we feel. The one time we voted and you brought in everybody who never comes to these meetings (and beat those voting to merge)."
Benavides said Martinez had always reminded the other policy board members that he was a lawyer. But she said that there were other lawyers on the board like Brownsville City Commissioner Ben Neece and Cameron County Commissioner Alex Dominguez who could sit and work the merger out.
"If the big cities could sit down and work this out, I don't see why we can't."
16 comments:
Way to go, Mrs. Benavidez! Tell him how the cow crews the cabbage! You can see in the photo in this article, shows contempt and disbelief that someone is actually going against what he want to ram up our throats. And who is he that feels that what he says goes and the votes of others do not count - lawyer or no lawyer! Put the thing to a vote and show this idiot that Cameron County does have responsible citizens who wish to work together with each other and not against each other. Has anyone investigated what Martinez may have up his sleeve or already in his pocket? I wonder if Martinez reads the RrunRrun. If he did, he should go to the Gladys Porter Zoo and bury his head in the sand next to the other ostriches. Pero no tiene vuerguenza el buey ni le importanta nadie nomas el.
That is a face only a mother could love. Well maybe.
Ram down our throats, cram up our asses are the more appropriate terms. If that person reads this blog, do you really believe he gives a rat's ass about the opinion of peons and more to the point, do you believe that person has any concern about the criticism and rantings from a lowly woman about his role as supreme ruler? The devil you say!! He doesn't care one bit. God speaks to him on a daily basis!!!
How dare you or anyone for that matter question the will of the Almighty!!
Hey I gree with County Commissioner Sofie Benavides about trying to find a solution to this MPO merger if it can be done, but let me warn you folks in Cameron County, I have worked with the MPO in hidalgo county in the past and the big cities like McAllen, Edinburg, Pharr have always pushed the little cities around and given the small cities peanuts if not crumbs in return while the bigger cities got the (bigger piece of the pie)majority of funding for their projects, plus that HC MPO director Andrew canon is a snake in the grass-he speaks with forked tongue, so I say approach with lots of Caution, before you all agree on this deal, cause like they say its slippery when wet.
Honorable Commissioner Sofia Benavides, you are out voice and thank you for speaking I also served on the MPO and it seems as if Mayor Martinez seeks Members to follow him and do as he says. I had the experience and those of us who mean well and served for the purpose of the people are few. Our County and City is left out and we both know Hidalgo has received more when it comes to funding for the projects needed. Stay Focus, Stay Strong and Continue to Be Our Voice...
True Leaders Will Always Stan Up For What's Right!
Mayor, you are a babozo. And so is the MPO Director who has no balls.
Mayor Tony Martinez is an arrogant, egotistical power monger. He does not play well in an environment where someone might oppose him. His not a team player. He can't see the forest for the trees as far as the regional MPO is concerned. Tony refuses to relinquish any control. Like all lawyers, he wants to kick the can down the road until the issue is forgotten, or he sees an opportunity to benefit himself and his friends.
Como decia Jose Cantu en KBOR - "Me estas oyendo, Chucha?" Now we say, "Nos estas oyendo, Tone?" Hay chingaste mucho pero lo vas a pagar cuando te pregunte San Pedro que fue todo lo mal que tu hiciste? Pero a lo major tu hijo te esquinea si el tiene mordida con Diosito?
I'm no fan on Tony Martinez, but he's standing up for Brownsville on this one. Simple Sofia does whatever Pete Sepulvida, (from Hidalgo county), tells her to do.
Commissioner Sofia Benavides is going to nominate gavino vasquez for MPO Director to solve all the problems.
Ala MADRE. First pic looks like THE GRINCH.
I bet in his old days growing the boys in his hood probably bullied him thats why he has this power trip with his little title of mayor."hey everybody look at me now I'm mayor" every dog has its day though.
Nombe golden girl
hey Cameron county folks so if this merger does take place two questions? 1. where will the headquarters be for this new MPO? and 3 2 will Andrew canon the current Hidalgo county mpo director be the new director for this meager at a mega bucks salary? because that's what he has been working all along, just waiting in the shadows to take over as the big chief in the event this merger happens, that's why he is pushing it very strongly. Just some food for though, adios
http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_e48636f2-6a78-11e6-9df3-.html
This McAllen article quotes TxDot as increasing our RGV budget by $15mm a year. Why are they offering Cameron County only $2mm. The HCMPO web site doesn't list who's on their board. Doesn't the RGV's richest man Alonso Cantu run that organizarion?
your mean Mr. Grinch aka Mayor Martinez
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