Friday, March 18, 2016

Are Mike Hernandez and OP 1033 Simply Out-of-Touch with Brownsville, Cameron County?

Latest Cryptic Billboard from Car Dealer Mike Hernandez
Just a few years ago, litigious, but highly unethical City Attorney Mark Sossi, proclaimed that United Brownsville was simply "an informal board," not falling under the guidelines of the Texas Open Meetings Act.

In March 2014 a resolution sponsored by Rose Gowen and Debbie Portillo was easily passed by the docile and inexperienced City Commission yielding control of the industrial corridor to United Brownsville, Imagina Matamoros and the City of Harlingen to "promote a Bi-Ned zone in the FM 550 industrial corridor."  This resolution elevated United Brownsville from a mere "informal board" to a controlling entity in the development of the industrial corridor.


Robin McCaffrey Defending his Industrial Corridor
Plan to the Publisher of the Brownsville Observer
Not surprisingly, the $454,592.08 study penned by Robin McCaffrey two years earlier, a 600 page report called the Greater Brownsville Infrastructure & Development Plan, presented to the Carlos Marin-controlled GBIC board, had suggested that United Brownsville control the multi-billion dollar investment in the industrial corridor.

Recent developments are tugging Brownsville to plan development regionally, not as a smallish civic entity at the southern tip of the Rio Grande Valley. Even County Judge Candidate Dan Sanchez hints that creating a regional Metropolitan Planning Organization could solicit not $1 million in TxDot dollars, but $50 million.  

This raises the obvious question:  Do we even need United Brownsville when the focus should be on a united Rio Grande Valley?  There have been mumbles from some of the entities contributing their annual $25,000 stipend to United Brownsville.  

A TSC official explained:  "How can we justify contributing tax dollars to an entity promoting only Brownsville when so many of our students live in Port Isabel, South Padre Island, Los Fresnos, Harlingen, etc.?"  Of course, the Cameron County Commissioners Court could say the same thing.

As for yielding control to a regional oversight, such as a regional MPO, count Mayor Tony Martinez as opposed to that idea. The mayor's off-again, on-again bromance with Matamoros businessman Carlos Marin aside, Tony would like for his minions to control development in the FM 550 industrial corridor.  But going at economic development and planning alone looks sillier by the minute.

Even when United Brownsville Director Mike Gonzalez bragged about the San Diego/Tijuana Bi-Ned development in 2012 as a model for Brownsville/Matamoros, that plan seemed to dwarf Brownsville.  You could superimpose a map of the San Diego/Tijuana region over south Texas/northern Mexico and it would easily cover the entire RGV, Matamoros and Reynosa, not simply B&M.  Uniting for simply Brownsville no longer seems current.


Mike Hernandez, D&M Leasing
Enter car dealer Mike Hernandez of Colleyville, Texas, a johnny-come-lately to Brownsville politics, who wants to steer Brownsville out of poverty by donating $2 million to United Brownsville, an idea that seems on the surface to be misguided. Not only is United Brownsville not an official entity of ANY local government, the concept of developing Brownsville unilaterally is so 2012. Mike, you're behind a bit and certainly out of touch, but Fred, Irv and Carlos will gladly take your money.  

10 comments:

  1. Jim you need to check your research. I am not one to defend Wightman but there was a meeting concerning the development of 550. Mike Hernandez is leading the manufacturing group. United Brownsville is not part of this effort. If you check the map overlay most of 550 is LFCISD, not Brownsville. LFCISD will earn a lot of tax dollars. We are happy in Los Fresnos. Can you quote anywhere where Mr. Hernandez has actually said he will give $2 million to United Brownsville? What we were told is his money is seed money to help move things along and that is it. Having met him at the meeting there is no way he is just going to give $2 million to anyone. He was clear that if his money is being used, he will have oversight over his money.

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    1. Mike's initial efforts on his OP 1033 Facebook page promised donations of $1 million to BISD, $1 million to Guadelupe Middle School and $2 million to United Brownsville.

      After getting a better feel for UB's self-serving reputation, he may have adjusted his promises, but several local bloggers reported his initial offerings. It's difficult to get up to speed from Fort Worth/Colleyville.

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  2. KYLE AUTHOR LEAVES BEHIND UNCLAIMED ROYALTIES

    (Austin, TX) The Texas Controllers Office released its annual list of unclaimed tax refunds, mineral rights and intellectual property revenue. Included in the list of payees was Kyle author Eduardo Paws-Marteenez, recently buried outside the city in a pauper's grave.

    Royalties on two self-published books by Bowlcut Publishing, "My Constant Craving for Bobby" and "How to Disown A Black Daughter," were on this year's list. The unclaimed monies totaled $8.17.

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  3. Any jack ass with a couple grand can put up a billboard.

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  4. Replies
    1. Damn Duardo! It's spelled "loser!" How pathetic when a loser can't spell the word best describing him!

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  5. RECALL TONY MARTINEZ.March 21, 2016 at 12:42 AM

    Is it just a coincidence that Dr. Carlos Marin is an AT-LARGE BOARD member of United Brownsville and also Board of Director' board member of OP1033 dot ORG ?

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  6. Look he backed out of the El Jardin, he is not going give Brownsville 2 r 4 million dollars. U know its BS. He is here to help his friend Marin who has raped the city. Marin needs work, Mike H. is willing to help.


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  7. Quit worrying about these dumb money spending projects, and just fix out streets

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