Just a little over two weeks after Mario Lozoya took over the reins as CEO of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC), he noticed something in its assets that looked funny.
Adjacent to 300 acres of land in north Brownsville that the GBIC had set aside for an industrial corridor and bounded on the southern edge by the Union Pacific Railroad, on the west by Old Alice Road by the Sports park, and on the north by Cameron County and the Rucker-Carrizales Correctional facility, the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville was planing to build a residential development on 215 acres it owns there. (Click on graphics to enlarge.)
This immediately raised red flags with Lozoya, and with representatives of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Lozoya feared that the approval of the residential development would result in a "devaluation" of the industrial corridor since major industry would likely not use the industrial corridor due to impending residential development.
And the railroad objected to the CDCB plans fearing that – having just abandoned rail rights-of-way in the city to remove its operations from residential areas – it would now have a major residential development just north (and down wind) of its switch yards.
That residential area would be directly in the path of the prevailing winds in the event of a chemical spill or other disaster.
On August 7, the CDCB had its proposed rezoning application considered by the city commission during a public hearing. The proposal read: Public Hearing and ACTION on FIRST READING on Ordinance Number 235-2018-028, to rezone from Dwelling “Z” (DZ) to Dwelling “G” (DG) for a 143.5 acre Tract of Land, more or less, out of a portion of Lots 42, 43, 44, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65, Palo Alto Groves Subdivision No. 1, in Share 22 of the Espiritu Santo Grant, located near Old Alice Road. (District 3)
Ana Hernandez, Assistant Planning Director, gave a brief explanation of the resolution. Upon motion by Commissioner Rose Gowen seconded by Commissioner Joel Munguia and carried unanimously, the public hearing was closed. Commissioner Ben Neece moved that Resolution Number 2018-038, certifying that notice has been provided by Community Development Corporation of Brownsville; expressing no objection to the proposed application for Casitas Palo Alto; and authorizing such other actions necessary or convenient to carry out this resolution, be approved.
That was on August 7, the same day the city commission approved the GBIC expenditures and contract for Lozoya. Then, after the item on the residential subdivision was approved on first reading, Lozoya discovered that the 300-acre GBIC industrial corridor was threatened with "devaluation" by the approval of residential development there. The GBIC acquired the 300 acres in 2010, seven years before the CDCB got title to the 215 acres, 143.5 for which it was requesting the rezoning.
When the item came up for the final and second reading, commissioner Cesar de Leon, also a GBIC member, had the item pulled an tabled based on Lozoya's objections. That's where the matter stands today.
And other questions have also been raised about the application for a Tax Reinvestment Zone (TRZ) for the project bu the CDCB, which would let the project keep any increment in tax revenue using the benchmark for taxes now, before the project is built. The type of TRZ designation in the application allows the CDCB to use the funds anywhere in the state, not just in Brownsville.
But questions abound about the real-estate dealings and the apparent go-ahead given by former GBIC interim CEO Gilbert Salinas, Interim City Manager Michael Lopez, and perhaps even Mayor Tony Martinez to the project. Both the former GBIC chair (Jessica Tetreau) and current GBIC chair De Leon said during a meeting that neither Salinas, Lopez, the city planning staff, or the mayor mentioned to them that hey had given the go-ahead for the residential development.
A tax office search of the CDCB properties proposed for rezoning indicates that the properties were bought from trustee Bert F.W. Wheeler, with a Houston address, The tax rolls indicate that the address of the owner changed on Nov. 28, 2017 from trustee Wheeler to the CDCB. There is no indication who had assigned Wheeler to act as trustee for the property.
Now that it has come to light that the CDCB and GBIC are at cross purposes with each other, the pressure is on the GBIC board members to approve the rezoning changes and endanger their plans for the industrial corridor. The CDCB is employing every tool at its disposal to have the GBIC board members (commissioners Tereau and De Leon) change their mind and approve the residential development despite their effect on the industrial development plans for the area.
One of the tools is none other than former city commissioner Melissa Zamora (now Landin), who is employed with the CDCB Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator. Sources say she has been lobbying city commission members to ignore the objections by Lozoya and the GBIC and approve the rezoning.
The new GBIC CEO was very clear in his comments to the city commission on the issue.
"If you want to build residential, go ahead. Let me deal with industrial development. What is it that you want?"
If the GBIC's plans for an industrial corridor were formed in 2010 and the CDCB acquired the property for residential development in 2017, shouldn't the GBIC plan take precedence?
19 comments:
Just another example of the lack of coordination and communication in the city government of Mayor Tony Martinez. It begs the question: "Is anyone in charge down there?" Just visited McAllen-Edinburg for some meetings and dinner. That area is teeming with progress, development, activity and traffic. When we got back south of Harlingen at about 10:30 pm, it was suddenly like we were out in the country....dark, little activity, and surely not progress or development. Thank you Tony Martinez. You will surely be the Jimmy Carter of Brownsville Mayors....the worst.
Mr. Lazoya watch your back, as this was someones nest egg. You will soon be told to drop this project post haste, or you will not get any millage allowance, Gilbert Salinas has his sticky fingers in this scam.
What a laugh!
They really have you drinking the "cool aid," amigo. GBIC has two other "industrial parks" sitting idle, after years, and now they want a third one. Did you bother to ask your hero, Lozoya, what their property is zoned as? It's zoned residential. Did GBIC or Union Pacific address these concerns at the first public hearing ... no. Union Pacific probably hasn't even weighed in on this. It's just speculation or fake news.
It wasn't until after the property known as "Shades of Earth," allegedly owned by Carlos Marin (it should be called "Shady Dealings of Earth)was jeopardized, that this boggus "industrial park" "plan" caused this concern. There are at least 3 other subdivisions across the street from this one.
So, they create a "fake" urgency and move on stopping a shovel ready project that would generate, when completed, a $500,000,000.00 dollar ad valorem tax base for the City of Brownsville. Affordable housing, at that.
The CDCB has been working on this project for 3 years. It came before the commission when it approved the BCIC grant to CDCB for the amenities to the project. Nothing was said, then.
This is further proof of the incompetence of Cesar de Leon, Jessica Tetreau and David Betancourt as leaders of the GBIC Cartel. Their supposed new "industrial park" can't even meet its own goals of 1000 acres. They haven't even talked to the surrounding owners they require to make up the 1000 acres they want. They are doing Marin's bidding. He probably won't even sell the "Shady Dealings of Earth" tract and just capitalize off it. Those three are his puppets. Lozoya is doing what he was told to do. He's clueless.
You are their waterboy, too.
Ask yourself: Will this "industrial park" generate the same revenues that a $500,000,000.00 ad valorem tax base will? They are in the business of giving away tax dollars through incentives. They plan to create a few jobs and do the training at your other hero, Mike Hernandez' neighborhood training center. Think about it. Its not even a developed plan at this point. The other project is shovel ready.
The GBIC Cartel would throw all of that away to please their Masters, who don't even have a developed plan, yet.
We want the old Juan Montoya, el"muckraker," not the Marin/Hernandez waterboy.
De Leon, Tetreau and Betancourt need to GO!!! Vote them out! (they suck!)
Isn't it a conflict of interest by De Leon and Tetreu to vote on CDCB zoning application as City commissioners, while being GBIC board members?
Wouldn't they have to recuse themselves from voting as commissioners?
Tony Martinez has committed atrocities against us taxpayers! I hate to admit this but I find what Cesar De Leon and Jessica Tetreau have done very admirable. It has been a long time since I have seen public servants who are willing to stand up to the corruption that is celebrated at city hall.
"You will surely be the Jimmy Carter of Brownsville Mayors....the worst."
WRONG, at least Jimmy Carter did not use the presidency to enrich himself and his conies.
Growth is painful
Lazoya this is a dog and pony show, and you are the dog. This is a distraction to make you feel good and to get you away from Salinas and Hilts fraud. Has Salinas been given incentives for his new company to shut him up over the Columbian fraud scam. Watch your back or you will take the fall of a lifetime.
If GBIC has all this land, why did they pay Bill Hudson four million for a the strip of land for the call center. Then Hudson disappeared from the GBIC board. Mr. Lazoya the real crime is in GBIC, why has Gilbert Salinas been given incentives to start his own business, when he could run a corrupt GBIC when he was in charge of the fraud department with Hilts and Martinez.
Ask Commissioner Cesar DeLeon, who is also chair of GBIC, why in January 2018 he established a new LLC "DeLion Industrial Services." Begs the question as to what truly is motivating him.
GBIC wants an industrial park next to the highly utilized sports park by families and youth. GBIC wants an industrial park next to homes peopled worked hard for to live comfortably. GBIC wants industrial and manufacuturing with heavy traffic next to a park used my BISD athletics, Little Leagues anf more. GBIC already has an empty industrial park and wants to build another at taxpayer expense and next to quality of life parks and reaidential. That is ridiculous.
GBIC should be audited and investigated by the Texas Rangers for the total corruption over the last fifteen years. The board members just treat the GBIC as their own retirement fund. If it wasn't for the Jackass Hilts scam in Columbia and the theft on the credit card, that sent everyone running for cover. Then someone grew some balls and hired a new Executive director from outside of Brownsville, with the hopes that he takes the fall, as the Brownsville rats will abandon shop, and place the blame on the new Director. Lazoya you are in the process of being the scapegoat, don't trust anyone, not even to make your coffee.
"If the GBIC's plans for an industrial corridor were formed in 2010 and the CDCB acquired the property for residential development in 2017, shouldn't the GBIC plan take precedence?"
It's been 8 years going on 9, and nada. What is the shelf life of this plan and shouldn't it be time for a new one if it apparently hasn't been implemented and industrial parks remain empty? Sounds like this residential plan is already moving forward with lots of expected revenue for the city.
I’m lost, what’s going on? Layman’s terms please. I would like to know what’s going on.
-Normal citizen
5.27
The truth is that GBIC and the BEDC has stolen at least a hundred million dollars and much of this has been through the Jackass Jason Hilts and Gilbert Salinas just audit the credit cards of Hilts and Salinas, enough said.
I forgot that all Lazoya is, is a yes man and a puppet, if he had any balls he would not be here, he is not the "White Horse", more like "The donkeys ass", when he grows a pair like the donkey, he will be a man not a snot rag for the Jackass Hilts.
Are you saying that we now have a two hundred thousand dollar Jason Hilts yes man?, what a shambles.
3.57
We will have to see if we have bought a donkey, instead of a white horse, greed has a way of changing people when the lid is of the cookie jar, and know one is looking. They have a way of getting people to turn to greed when they are working with the Jackass Jason Hilts. Why didn't they go after Salinas for the fraud he committed with Hilts in Columbia, instead of paying him off?.
Some of our commissioners devalue Brownsville.
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