THE CARDENAS GOLF TOURNAMENT THAT WASN'T: WHAT NOW?

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Poor District 4 City of Brownsville Commissioner Pedro Cardenas.

First, his eligibility to remain on the commission was questioned because of the city's residency requirements and a complaint was filed over that issue with the Cameron County District Attorney's Office.

The complaint included documentation from the Cameron County Appraisal District records indicating that the home he had listed as his residence when he ran – 4068 Lake View Drive – was sold on March 15 and that the couple had purchased a home at 23 E. Maple Circle in the Palo Verde Subdivision under his wife's name, Loudes Bolano, an address outside of District 4.

Cardenas addressed the issue on social media and said he was living with his in-laws at the Valley International Country Club (VICC) while his new home was being built in the exclusive Madeira Subdivision. For his part, Cardenas has stated that living at VICC is only a temporary measure:

"If there had been a different route for me, I would have considered it 100 percent," he wrote. "However, my future living situation may change (I need to move out of VICC), and my new home in Madeira is at least 12-16 months away.

"I have enjoyed my on the commission and would have preferred to avoid this situation. But I love what I do and cannot let the opportunity pass by..."

At the time, DA's Office confirmed that it has received a complaint and would be  "looking into" the case.

To add to the confusion, Cardenas has declared himself a candidate for the At-Large-B seat on the city commission now occupied by commissioner Rose Gowen whose term ends in May 2025 and is prevented from running for re-election as commissioner by the term limits election passed by the city's voters.

He joins sitting commissioner District 3 commissioner Roy De los Santos in declaring for the At-Large-B position in 2025. 

Simultaneously, at a recent city commission meeting, the commissioners passed an ordinance that could result in the removal of city officials who have not filed the required financial disclosure form with the city secretary's office. 

And a search of the city's web page then indicated that Cardenas was the only one on the commission who had not complied with the financial disclosure requirement and had no report on file. Cardenas quickly had the required report filed with the city secretary.

But his woes had just began.

 Like many candidates and office holders, he organized a golf tournament fundraiser to finance his campaign and scheduled it for September 5 at the Riverbend Resort and Golf Club on Military Highway.

But, alas, the weather turned on him and the tournament was "postponed due to weather" at the last minute and rescheduled for Friday, October 11. 

In another social page post, Cardenas claimed the tournament was "completely sold out."

So it came as a surprise to the golf tournament fundraiser contributors when – upon arriving at the course this past – they were told the tournament would not be held. Cardenas has given no explanation.

They said they had been told that the check made out to the resort had been returned because of insufficient funds

What now?, they asked.

"No one told us anything about what's gong to happen now," said a disgruntled golfer whose company had bought tickets to the event."

Does three over par make it a bogey?