Unofficial results from the City of Brownsville 2019 city commission election show that 11,121 voters participated in the balloting, and it would seem impressive except that it was only about 11.65 percent of the potential 96,202 registered voters.
Nonetheless, those that did vote in the mayor, At-Large "A" elections and those in District 1 race opted to move away from longtime city manager Charlie Cabler and 16-year incumbent Ricardo Longoria. The new reps - as shown above - are three newcomers to city politics. Only new mayor Trey Mendez has run for elected office as trustee of Texas Southmost College.
On the other hand, John Cowen is prt of a Brownsville clan that currently hold office at the Brownsville Independent School District, the Brownsville Navigation District, and now th City of Brownsville.
Nurith Galonsky, who defeated Longoria, is also a member of a prominent business family and is currently on the Brownsville Public Utility Board.
The new commission faces many challenges. There is the lingering discontent with the 35 to 41 percent utility rate to pay for the $500 million Tenaska gas-fired electric plant that was supposed to come online in the summer of 2016. That has now been moved to past 2020, but the rates have remained artificially high. That little problem is crying for a solution to grant rate relief to business and residential customers.
As it is, the city commission and administration "transfer" some $13 million in cash and free utilities from the PUB, in effect a double tax on the people.
Then there is the heretofore discordant efforts to achieve some kind of unified economic development. Different boards (CDCB, GBIC, the Port, BISD, TSC, etc.,) are all vying to eke out a momentum for economic and workforce development, at times pulling in different directions from the others. Private developers are also players in the game and often the differing entities seem to be pulling in different directions to the detriment of a unified effort.
However, the silver lining to this equation is that for the first time in decades Brownsville has a professional city manager and the GBIC an award-winning economic and workforce developer. If the city commission puts their skills to maximum use and undertake an effort to upgrade its professional skills of mid-management and department heads an effective team effort might give the city the momentum it needs to pull itself out of the economic morass it has been stuck in for the better part of a decade.
If so, let's wish these guys the best and - whenever necessary - hold their feet to the fire should they stray. The next election cycle is always right around the corner. That's bound to keep Rodrigo Moreno's Pink Ape ad agency, which handled the three winning campaigns, busy for the foreseeable future.
15 comments:
$100,000 of Daddy's money can buy an election.
The amount of money spent on this campaign is mind boggling
I'm so happy Cabler lost! Hopefully, he is branded a forever loser like William Garza and Pat Ahumda. Honestly, he's a crook and a greedy guy. Trey will clean up Brownsville!
I don’t think nurith is the only one to spend a chunk of change on this election
At least it’s hers to spend - I hate when people donating expecting something in return
Nimodo charlie ganaron los gringos...
And WHO had an unbroken record for a string of cuck-ups, fuck-ups, and failures?
I hope their priority is the Tenaska scam but one of them being on the PUB Board gives me pause that she will continue to try and cover it up. The poorest people in the country have been screwed long enough. Reduce the rates!!!
Well looks like the people have spoken loud and clear, no to cabler longoria and puente -bradshaw. Congradulations to the winners, now for the new Mayor Trey will you be ordering PUB to lower its electrical rates any time soon,also how about cutting out those $ 8-10 million dollars per year that PUB hands over to the City? Now that would definitely lower all cost down considerable at PUB, rates for water, sewer and electricity. Just a thought Trey? what do you say? Icant hear you?
As long as they stay away from Erasmo. Almost 10k in travel expenses in less than six months. Self serving folks. His bff 25k and vacations with husband and kids. Wow. Vote them out soon.
Don't forget the Ad agency of Jerry McHale.
#1 Que chula Nurith ( a picture of Galonsky with her Charro Day outfit)
#2 Famous Football player endorses Nurith
#3 Cabler, Michael partying and Nurith working to get votes!!!
All the new elected officials were promoted by McHale in a positive way.
That was the best part of the election
Give Trey a chance before you start trying to topple him down. He hasn't even taken his oath of office yet.
CHARLIE CABLER IS A CROOK SHOULD GO TO JAIL WITH CARLOS ELIZONDO OPEN UP THE AUDIT THAT THE THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS SHOT DOWN
New Day? Two anglos defeated two Mexicans. Who would have ever thunk it?
City of brownsville should not receive ONE CENT from PUB and pay their own electric and utility bills just like everyone else, talk about double or triple taxation. Trey look at this one once you get into office. Enough is Enough.
I hope that Trey “Rainbow” Mendez does not F.U. the city like has did TSC. I wish him well.
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