IN SAN BENE, ITS BOARDS, AND SBCISD, THE USUAL SUSPECTS

By Tomas Montemayor

San Bene Resident 

San Bene’s unsavory politics are in full force in both the city, the school district, and its development board. 

None other than Tony Torres, the previous attorney San Benito Consolidated Independent School District and Orlando Lopez’s ex business partner, is back in town and serving both entities. That’s right, he’s the attorney for the San Benito Housing Authority and the SBCISD. 

Do you take cream or "papitas" with your potential conflict of interest?

Remember the forensic audit conducted by the district that found vendors' interest was put before the district’s? That revealed in no uncertain terms that San Bene taxpayers were getting less bang for their buck and vendors were making big money. 

The audit also found that SBCISD paid Joseph Palacios $2.5 million before any work was done by his company, the Brighton Group. 

By the way, a recent article in the Valley Morning Star included an interview with Palacios where he is requesting additional payment. Coincidentally, district trustees Orlando Lopez and his yes man Rudy Corona were also interviewed. Both trustees are minimizing the construction issues and supporting Palacios. 

So its quite obvious that Lopez needs to protect those that have his back. This article in the VMS was all about setting the stage so Palacios receives more money and Corona is there to support Lopez’s position. As a matter of fact, Lopez stated that Palacios hadn’t done anything wrong when the district let him go. 

So there we go again. Repeat the mantra: "Let’s protect my buddy and screw the district." 

To make matters even worse, the district hired Brownsville attorney Baltazar Salazar, who was fired by the board of the Brownsville Independent School District. BISD remembers him well. Starting with the 2005 debacle when the court called out Salazar and I quote, “Salazar’s performance in defending the BISD was dismal, feeble and totally incompetent." 

Let’s not forget the ousting of Erasmo Castro catastrophe, where Salazar was found t have ill-advised the school board. Cameron County District attorney Luis Saenz stepped in and schooled him on the appropriate steps required for the removal of Castro, which left the BISD board looking like fools. 

But there’s more. Read https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2020/01/why-is-baltazar-salazar-still-bisd.html

SBCISD is now under a new majority led by Lopez as president, so here we go. One can almost predict that there will be a serious attempt to cover up any construction defects and the community will ultimately suffer if they allow Lopez’s business associates to muddy the waters. 

Torres and Salazar are doing everything in their power to support Lopez and Corona because, after all, the misplacement of the building was all a political ploy. At least that’s what they want the community to believe. 

Yet construction is still on hold as they are still trying to figure it out. Maybe Palacios will come back and save the day? Then all will be well again and the people of San Benito will live happily ever after...with their eyes closed.

Let's move on to the city. 

Now just for reference, during the May elections a city slate that included Ricardo "Rick" Guerra, Tom Goodman, and Deborah A. Morales shifted the majority on the city council. This majority is closely affiliated to the school district’s majority. As a matter of fact, they ran on the same slate. 

So Tony Torres is brought in as attorney for the housing authority. Guess who’s on that board? Orlando Lopez, board president and a good friend of Mayor Guerra. 

When Guerra got re-elected as Mayor in May and Morales was elected to the city commission, they gutted the board of the city's Development Corporation board. Who was placed on the board? None other than Claudia Lopez, wife of Orlando Lopez. 

Given San Benito voters' predilection for incestuous tendencies, it won’t be long before Palacios is doing business with San Benito and drawing a hefty paycheck with little to no expectations set for his work and will also demand to be paid up front. 

Will San Benito ever prosper when elections are determined by less than 5 percent of the population? Is it beneficial for up and coming professionals to establish a homestead in San Benito? 

On the bright side, San Benito got a Starbucks! Sadly, that is probably as good as it's going to get. Maybe we, the residents of San Bene, will finally wake up and smell the coffee.