By Jim Barton
The Brownsville Observer Blog
The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation,frequently called locally by its acronym, the GBIC, should never be left alone without a babysitter.
Entrusted with skillfully using 4A funds, actually 1/4 cent of every taxable dollar spent in Brownsville, approximately $5,000,000 annually, to promote economic development, the GBIC has time and time again proven itself gullible, easily conned, a baby with candy there for the taking, inexperienced and irresponsible, ripe for the taking by every snake oil salesman from Big D or the Capitol.
Notice just a few of the cons financed in whole or in part by the GBIC in recent years.
2009: $900,000 for the Imagine Brownsville Comprehensive Plan
2013: $454,592 for the Greater Brownsville Infrastructure and Development Plan
2014: $750,000 to Jacobs Engineering to "implement" the above infrastructure plan(partially funded)
What did Brownsville taxpayers receive for funding these ludicrous plans? Absolutely nothing. "Nought, nil, nada, nothing, zero, zilch and zip."
So, imagine my surprise walking into Thursday's GBIC meeting to hear yet another plan "presentation by TIP Strategies and McDaniel Strategy Ecosystems pertaining to the GBIC strategic planning process."
The plan was unveiled, somewhat clumsily on the big screen, with power point platitudes. As we got to pages 3 and 4, it was obvious the plan was not even for Brownsville, but for Fort Worth.(The two firms had sold a similar bill of goods to Fort Worth and had never even tailored the plan to Brownsville.)
Finishing their presentation, the firm's threesome quickly exited through the city commission chamber doors, but I followed them out into the hall.
"Has GBIC already paid for this plan or is this just a presentation?" I asked.
"We've been paid," admitted one of the three.
"How much?" I asked.
"$120,000," was the response.
Mary Helen Flores of CAVA, who'd accompanied me to the meeting, then asked: "Do you guys know this plan wasn't even for Brownsville? It's for Fort Worth."
"Yeah. Sorry about that. We're going to change that."
Back in chambers, despite a quorum of 3, acting chairman Cesar De Leon called for a tabling of agenda items 7-15 until "all 5 of us are here." Missing from Thursday's meeting were board members Jessica Tetreau and John Cowen.
Mario Losoya, the GBIC's new administrator at an annual salary reportedly nearing $250,000, gave the "Administrator's Report," but his volume was so low we could only make out something about Brownsville not having enough skilled workers.
13 comments:
Give to the rich take from the poor. Without any hesitation "SHAMEFUL AND DESPICABLE".
Lazoya was introduced to the first of many cons, we said all he will be is another YES MAN LIKE GILBERT SALINAS.
The question you never answer here is: So what?!
Why doesn't Brownsville have skilled workers, because they are spending their money on taking the Gilbert Salinas, the Mayor and Jason the Jackass Hilts to get Black magic. Lazoya is a waste of time and money and will be a corrupt puppet and a GIBC scapegoat. He is right about one thing, Brownsville doesn't have the people to run GBIC and the BEDC and they should be disbanded, there has been nothing but corruption going on since the Titan Tire scam.
Why doesn't Brownsville have skilled workers, because they are spending their money on taking the Gilbert Salinas, the Mayor and Jason the Jackass Hilts to get Black magic. Lazoya is a waste of time and money and will be a corrupt puppet and a GIBC scapegoat. He is right about one thing, Brownsville doesn't have the people to run GBIC and the BEDC and they should be disbanded, there has been nothing but corruption going on since the Titan Tire scam.
It’s rumored that many board members will no longer convene if Nurith Galonsky is present. Board members are concerned Nurith will file a lawsuit and restraining order if they don’t agree with her. As a taxpayer I support the removal of all board members that litigate against the city because us taxpayers foot the bill. As a tax payer I demand to know answers as to which commissioners have appointed monetary and in kind campaign donors. As a taxpayer, I demand to know how much money we paid for the stupid GBIC lawsuit. As a taxpayer, I’d like to know how many of the attorneys on our commission have done work for this family!
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This must be the be "what" Rene Oliveira was pleading for in the justification of the illegal hiring of GBIC administrator Mario Lozoya. The City had already paid $120,000 for strategy planning process meant for the city of FORT WORTH not Brownsville. Brownsville's taxpayers monies spent down right illegally and fraudulently spent on for some other city. Not only do we have illegal hiring, but unauthorized spending of Cameron County taxpayers monies illegally. Rene Oliveira stated during the hearing of illegal hiring of Mario Lozoya, "that delaying the hiring of Loyoza would only cause the city of Brownsville more problems". Yes $120,000. already spent for a strategic planning for Fort Worth not Brownsville. This just gets better and better.
Better yet, do away with the contract with the new CEO, his salary is over inflated big time. $230,0000 a year is way out of line. Who in their right mind would approve such huge salary and only have the responsibility to supervise a handful of employees. Shame on all those who made that contract, it's never too late to cancel it. Do the right thing for the hard working taxpayers and get rid of that contract, totally unacceptable.
It seems that city leaders think that this is Austin or Houston to offer those gigantic salaries. $230,000 a year is way too much. This is true when that person would only supervise four or five employees. We taxpayers deserve better, we are the ones subsidizing this mega salaries. City commissioners, please reevaluate this contract, I'm sure that we have other qualified candidates that would do the same job for half of this outregous salary.
The new CEO must be desperate if he would accept a job from an organization that is suing itself.
He must not be very proud of his resume, to walk into a mess like GBIC
Montoya, it will be a good idea to get the GBIC new CEO contract thru open records and make it public. Let's see what is really going on with the terms and conditions of this contract.
GBIC needed a yes man, for the money he's getting, I will say Yes to. I will say yes in any language they want.
It is Tuesday morning, and I said Yes to ten questions yesterday, I was just informed by Gilbert Salinas I did good and today I must vote yes again for the Scumbag Rene Oliveria to get to go to Columbia with the Jackass Jason Hilts, I think I should go as well, YES WILL BE MY VOTE. who knows it may be blocked by the DA Luis Saenz and Rene Oliveria may be stopped from going, and I will get to taste some black magic.
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