MENDEZ SICS CRITICS AT C0UNTY OFFICIALS, PAYS NO TAXES

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Like throwing red meat at hungry dogs, City of Brownsville Mayor Juan "Trey" Mendez, a lawyer by profession and a speculator in downtown real-estate as a sideline, is attempting to fuel the fire against his counterparts in Cameron County.

Historically, county commissioners across the state – as well as other elected officials – have received a salary and city commissioners here have not. 

In fact, attempts to allow for salaries for city elected officials have failed at the ballot. Mendez knew that city commissioners don't get paid more than the $10 per meeting before he ran for the position. If anything, his FB post is a gratuitous one meant to stir the pot against his county counterparts.

It has been more than a decade since county elected officials and county workers have received raises. The pandemic has thrust elected officials at all levels to come forth and pull long hours whether they get a salary raise or not. It's a 24/7 job.

After more than 10 years of working at the county at the same level, some two dozen county officials are asking for pay raises according to the notice published July 31. They are proposing increases of $11,000 for each of five positions, including that of county judge.

Lower level administrators and all county workers are also getting raises based on seniority. This will  be good news for them, since some of them – depending on the size of their household – are eligible for social service assistance because of their low salaries.

In one Road and Bridge precinct, a supervisor had the workers clock in a half hour earlier so that employees could attend appointments at the Texas Human Services before 5 p.m.

County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr.’s total compensation would be increased from $65,343 to $70,343 for the 2022 budget. He would also receive a $6,000 annual vehicle allowance and his total compensation would increase to $81,743. It is noteworthy that he is currently the second lowest paid county judge among Texas counties with 100,000 population or more.

Other commissioners would get raises in the amount of $11,000.  Sofia Benavides, David Garza, Joey Lopez and Gus Ruiz would see their total compensation increased to $60,076 except for Benavides, who does not receive a phone allowance.

Let's remember that the county has a population of more than 400,000 whereas the city has yet to reach half of that, or 200,000. And if we are going to talk of bloated salaries, get this: There are more than a score of city employees whose salaries are higher than these county officials.

The city manager's office, for example, has at-will employees that earn more than the county judge and commissioners. And Mendez and his pals on the city approved these overpaid underachievers without raising an eyebrow. Many of them aren't even from here, and they are amply rewarded. If Mendez is angry that the four county commissioners will see their salary increased to $60,076, he might want to look in-house and stem this money hemorrhage at the very top of the city pecking order. Check out this one city office:

Other city departments like the police, fire health, finance and even Bernal's pal at public relations (Felipe Romero, Communications and Marketing, $97,649) are all top-heavy and borne by the city taxpayers. Mendez is getting other benefits that county elected officials do not get.  

The historical building where he runs a successful pizza restaurant (Dodici's) at the corner of 12th and Adams, is appraised at 765,055 and pays zero (0) in city, county or port and college district taxes.

In fact, he doesn't pay any city tax on his office appraised at $193,898 located 647 E. St. Charles. 

And he pays some of those taxes on his home appraised at $92,140. 

So in toto, Mendez is paying no taxes ($0) or 50 percent on three buildings with an aggregate value of $1,051,093 because of their historical designation. At just $1 million appraised value with a city ad valorem tax rate of 0.697964. it amounts to a tax break of over $50,000 a year.  

He like commissioner Rose Gowen - who also does not pay city taxes (her home is valued at $378,050) - pays half of one property and no city taxes at all on two others.

The way the city's historical designation policy is written, these exemptions amount to a lifetime entitlement. Why doesn't Mendez pose the question to his FB readers on whether these lifetime tax-exemption entitlements policy which benefit him personally should continue? 

Who shoulders the tax load because of the historical designation? The local taxpayers, of course. In fact, three of the county commissioners pay property taxes in Brownsville, so they chip in to help shoulder the load for Trey's exemption as do other department heads proposed for a raise who live in Brownsville.

And he wants to start a revolt on a $11,000 raise for county commissioners who haven't gotten a raise in more than a decade when he hasn't paid city taxes on that $1 million-plus taxpayer-subsidized properties for about that long? 

Nice diversion, though!