Mariano "Bean" Ayala, Painting by the Numbers in Tourism and Campaign Contributions

Mariano "Bean" Ayala, President of Brownsville
Tourists & Convention Bureau

Some of us are not true believers in economic impact numbers, the gist of the hype frequently used by Tourism Guru "Bean" Ayala in presentations before the City Commission, that seem to demonstrate a huge financial impact from the thousands who travel to Brownsville each year, but also justify his six figure salary as tourist director.

In "the cup is half empty" view, that minivan from San Antonio contains relatives who will sleep on the couch, the daybed, a cot, eat in grandma's kitchen, maybe spring for a pound of barbacoa and fill their gas tank on the way out of town.

"Bean" begs to differ.  He is of the  "cup is half-full, but will soon be overflowing," mindset seeing the same San Antonio minivan as loaded with out-of-town tourists who will stay at the Holiday Inn, eat at the Palo Alto Steakhouse, shop at Sunrise Mall and then dance all night at SPI clubs.  Those mega-dollars, Ayala infers, will trickle down to the hardworking wage-earners of the poorest county in the United States.

Lest the tourist office at FM 802 and Interstate 77/83 be overrun, Ayala has created another in a red brick building at 700 E. Ringgold to handle the hordes of tourists invading the Mitte District.  No signage anywhere announces a tourist office on Ringgold Street, so the occasional tourist who stumbles into the building is either a super sleuth or someone bringing Assistant Director Feliz Espinosa his lunch.

Economic impact studies always seem overly optimistic. Promoters of Alltel Arena, now Verizon Arena, built in a North Little Rock ghetto, promised that the structure would bring fancy hotels and eateries to the area.  Actually, almost nothing changed except a huge sports and entertainment facility is now surrounded by a dilapidated neighborhood.  Also, religious conventions repeatedly disappoint as the adherents are said "bring a ten dollar bill and the Ten Commandments" to town and break neither.

City Commissioner Rick Longoria

Yet, Mr. Ayala may be preoccupied with other numbers these days, namely the $240 Julie Olvera, Rick Longoria's former girlfriend, claims she saw Bean hand Rick through a vehicle window in support of his campaign for City Commissioner, District 1.  Two things could make that contribution illegal:  1. If the contribution is not represented in any way on Mr. Longoria's 2015 campaign finance reports.  2.  The contribution was made in cash, as claimed by Ms. Olvera, in violation of the Texas Election 
Code.

Seeking some answers, my grandson Jack and I approached the clerk window at the City Secretary's office Monday morning to request an "inspection" of Rick Longoria's 2015 Campaign Finance Reports.  In short order we were invited inside the cubicle to City Secretary Micheal L. Lopez' office.  We were directed to a table adjacent to the secretary's desk displaying the documents.  I photographed each sheet, thanked Mr. Lopez and his office for their courtesy and left.

A quick perusal of the photographs reveals no listing of a contribution by Mariano "Bean" Ayala, but $200 from County Commissioner Sofia Benavides, $500 from Attorney Eddie Trevino, $500 from Ezpara & Garza, LLP, $500 from civil engineer Juan R. Mendez, $500 from Mare Haws and, of course, $500 fron the Linebarger Law Firm.

Where is the listing of your contribution Bean or did Ms. Olvera lie about seeing you pass money through a car window to Rick?