Brownsville's Worst Mayor, Tony Martinez, Who Has Squandered and Pillaged City Assets, Must Be Stopped!

Tony Martinez

Thinking clearly, thinking pragmatically, thinking about what's best for Brownsville, Pat Ahumada is the only electable alternative to Tony Martinez, who has obviously used his tenure to enrich his cronies, while squandering city assets. The first priority of Brownsville voters should be to unelect Tony Martinez, historically Brownsville's worst mayor.

Frankly, all of Tony's five opponents would make better mayors than Martinez, despite four of them lacking the experience, support or funding to actually win. Ahumada, Garza, Castro, Joyas and Sanchez have shown they will talk and LISTEN to the citizenry, while Martinez acts as if he is intellectually superior to all of Brownsville, too busy to listen or talk with Brownsville taxpayers, routinely finding excuses to avoid campaign forums where he would actually face questions about his decision-making as mayor.

Pat Ahumada

Of course, Martinez does not have great intellect, but is merely following the gutless campaign formula advertised on the website of his Austin advertising team, M.A.P.S., that is "Message, Audience, Presentation, Inc., a firm whose website once contained such racist garbage as:  "Spanish in Texas is for the most part an oral tradition, among a community that has low education levels. While Spanish print has made a comeback, it is important to keep it at a grade level that ensures the widest comprehension. . . . . . No one likes to be embarrassed, and considering the low level of information most Hispanics have on political processes, basic information on how to participate is critical in overcoming issues of insecurity, fear and doubt."

Of the five Martinez opponents, Ahumada alone has aggressively put out his message, working hard enough to be seriously considered.  None of this diminishes his warts: the mishandling of the $26,000 check to a vendor and several D.U.I. arrests.  Can voters overlook these incidents in the name of saving Brownsville from further plundering by Tony Martinez?

Another approach to stifle, stymie and squelch Martinez' continued raping and pillaging of taxpayer assets would be to elect independent city commissioners capable of articulating an alternative to the Martinez' agenda AND create consensus.  The two new golden boys, Cesar de Leon, a candidate for At-Large "A," and Micheal Gonzalez, running in District 1, have both received heavy financial support from Martinez' crony Abraham Galonsky.  That is not a good sign.  Ricardo Longoria, Jr., the incumbent in District 1, has largely voted along with Tony Martinez, even declaring the purchase of Casa del Nylon, for triple its value at $2,300,000, "a bargain."

That leaves Roman Perez, in District 1, and Roberto Uresti, running for At Large "A," as independent voices.  While I'm still unhappy with the sleight of hand from Perez in giving me a partial email about his position with Wayland Baptist University, he is an independent voice. Uresti, while not an academic, has shown a propensity to fight for solutions to Brownsville's problems.  No one has done more to bring to the city's attention: dilapidated houses, flooding problems, ideas to control city spending and zoning problems.

Robert Uresti

What about the District 2 contest between incumbent Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa and Sergio Zarate?  Jessica, in her mid-twenties when elected, has experienced growing pains.  While responding to her constituents with brush and garbage pickup, she's been more timid in blocking Martinez, sometimes resorting to vote abstentions on crucial matters.  On raising meter rates downtown, she did exactly the opposite of what she promised downtown business owners, voting FOR the raise.

Zarate, on the other hand, has been on the staff of the Lucios for a number of years and, can be expected to support their preference to limit the growth of Brownsville's tax base in Cameron County. Sergio and wife Delores have worked tirelessly in recent years to establish a political base.  Sergio has supported every activity of the Brownsville Firefighters to garner their support.   Delores, in her judgeship race against David Gonzalez a couple of years ago, asked for my help in finding "dirt" on the man.  I refused.