Mayor Tony's Nightmare~Waking Up to A City Commission of His Peers, Mental Superiors

From the Editor:  This post is a feeble attempt at humor with serious undertones.  My wife, Nena, who has strongly discouraged many stories, articles you never read, disliked this one. Yet, the current City Commission, composed of very nice young men and women, has been very docile in providing a checks and balances for a mayor with an agenda to enrich himself and other miscreants lurking behind the city's 8.25% sales tax and other delectables.  

Several city offices are also occupied by those who go along to get along.

Sleepless Nights for the Mayor?

In this proposed mock city government I present alternatives to the present group, people that may be unelectable, uninterested, but yet would be articulate voices able to school the mayor in Robert's Rules of Order, the Public Information Act, the Open Meetings Act, general ethics and the actual needs of the city.  I did not list some obvious recent candidates; Martin Sarkis, Robert Uresti and Letty Perez-Garzoria, who would have demonstrated similar skills, simply going with my gut.  Anyway, this is the group, I suspect would give Mayor Tony Martinez nightmares.  Make no mistake.  This is not a ticket, but a diverse group, some of whom will not appreciate this mention:

City Commissioner District 1,  Roman Perez:  Mr. Perez, a history major, but a government specialist, would bring his knowledge of state regulations including open records and public information law to the commission.  

Not abrasive or combative by nature, Perez would still insist any proposal under consideration meet several litmus tests, none of which would be related to public officials making a profit on city projects.  Mayor Tony would have an extremely difficult time placating his cronies with real estate profits with Perez on the commission. 

City Commissioner, District 2:  Bobby Wightman-Cervantes, the publisher of the BROWNSVILLE VOICE and a former U.S. Senate candidate and lawyer with a great deal of litigation experience, would be a thorn in everyone's side, but a necessary counterpoint to a city falling fast under the grips of self-serving politicos.  The loquacious BWC would be everyone's friend and enemy simultaneously, but would not be afraid of a Tony staredown or seduced by money.

Bobby would win support with his cry for a 12,000 foot runway at the airport, but lose his quest for a nude beach at Boca Chica.

City Commissioner, District 3:  George Lerma, a firefighter with a superb knowledge of the union contract, and, like Tony Martinez has done, putting a son through college. Lerma can stand up verbally or physically for his men, but is not about impoverishing the city, but simply stopping lawyers like Ricardo Navarro from skimming hundreds of thousands of dollars of fees paid by Brownsville taxpayer for "fighting" unwinnable arbitration cases.

City Commissioner, District 4:  Tony Zavaleta, a teacher as well as student of Hispanic culture, would not whither under a Tony Martinez stare, instead returning a mal de ojo of his own.  Zavaleta would likely share Tony's UTB love, but, unlike Tony would not be a stepchild for outgoing UTB President Juliet Garcia.  

Tony lives in and loves West Brownsville which includes downtown. He cannot be pleased with Tony's first two years supervising that area.

City Commissioner, At Large A:  Mary Helen Flores, founder of Citizens Against Voter Abuse, would not only be a strong advocate of fair elections, women's  and citizen's rights, but a devil's advocate for any monied proposal not meeting Brownsville's best interest.  

Flores is not timid or easily intimidated.  Tony would have to cross all his t's and dot all his i's to get anything past this lady.  

City Commissioner, At Large B:  Teresa Saldivar, in some ways a twin of Mary Helen Flores, asks questions and asks them articulately.  An animal and women's right activist extraordinaire,  Saldivar wants things done right.  

Recently named Cameron County Democratic Party Secretary, Saldivar always seems to do more work than those around her.  On the City Commission, she would be a dynamo.

City Manager:  Ramiro Garza, Jr.  Garza, the City Manager of Edinburg, took a leave of absence to run for Congress. After narrowly missing a runoff, Garza was welcomed back by the Edinburg City Commission to his old job.  

Unlike Charlie Cabler, a former Brownsville cop, Garza actually has training and experience in the job.  The progress of Edinburg speaks for itself.  

City Attorney:  Trey Mendez might not take the pay cut involved to be Brownsville's City Attorney, but he would not carry Mark Sossi's baggage:  a subtantiated claim of over $100,000 theft from his previous employer, a similar ruling by the Texas Workforce for theft of funds and a $100,000 I.R.S. claim, at least two malpractice lawsuits by Brownsville residents, not to mention the foolish, schoolboy pie chart against free speech at the City Commission.  

Brownsville could only hope against hope Mendez would take the job.

Planning Director:  Michael Garza would not likely sacrifice pursuit of his successful career as a builder to work for the City of Brownsville, but it would be a unique situation having a man who has actually built buildings and neighborhoods involved.

Garza combines two distinct qualities:  He understands the process of construction and the technology to make that process more efficient.  He would be a breath of fresh air at the city if only he could afford to take the job.