If you were at the ITEC Center on May 15 and listened to the giddy 3 minute testimonials by local officials to the grandeur of the SpaceX proposal, you likely heard State Representative Rene Oliveira considerably overstate HIS involvement in procuring SpaceX and also the State of Texas monetary commitment to the project.
Oliveira, like many politicos, has learned the art of the overselling themselves and their personal contribution to the health, welfare and happiness of their constituents. Certainly, the State Representative overstated his SpaceX participation and what he promised is forthcoming from the State of Texas.
First of all, Rene said that he had an involvement in 1999 Spaceport legislation. Even if true, that is irrelevant. What's being proposed for Boca Chica Beach is not a Spaceport. Secondly, you may have heard Oliveira pat himself on the back for his "support" of Senate Bill 115 to limit corporate liability to a "space flight participant." Of course, Rene is in the House, not Senate, so he didn't sponsor the bill. What is more is that SpaceX is not proposing manned flights and the bill merely means if something goes terribly wrong the corporation won't have to pay as much to settle the claims. Again, that bill has NOTHING to do with SpaceX, Boca Chica Beach or Brownsville, Texas.
You may also have heard from Rene Oliveira that the State of Texas has committed $3,200,000 to get the launch pad site "shovel ready." Wrong, wrong, wrong! Just the opposite. Notice a portion of a letter from Rene Oliveira's own Chief of Staff:
"As of today, SpaceX has filed with federal officials a letter stating SpaceX’s intent to prepare an
environmental impact study on the Boca Chica Beach site. From what we can tell, several federal
agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Game, and the Federal
Aviation Administration, will have to evaluate and clear the project from an environmental and
safety standpoint before it can proceed.
SpaceX is an exciting opportunity for our community. The State of Texas, through the Enterprise
Fund, has committed $3.2 million to the Boca Chica Beach site that SpaceX can access when the
site becomes “shovel ready.”"
So, this is the opposite of what Oliveira said. Once the EPA, the Fish and Game Department, the FAA all "evaluate and clear" the project, and WE get the site "shovel ready," THEN the State of Texas will commit the 3.2 million. See how different all of the facts are from what Rene Oliveira said the other night.
Fish Eyes is full of crap
ReplyDeleteBravo, Jim! Good post.
ReplyDeleteThe moment Browntown rids itself of Rene Oliveira is the moment the future begins for that luckless bordertown. Oliveira is a slug, a politician out for himself. Vote his ass out of office next go-round! It'll feel good and the air will smell cleaner. Just do it!
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While Rene usually sells himself with overstated exaggeration, one thing he was not involved in was the automobile accident on Frontage Road near Cheddars, in which his "uninsured" car rammed into the back of a van. Apparently Rene left the scene and went to Cheddars to make a call, while his "girlfriend of the evening" took the ticket for the accident. Rene must have been calling Melissa Zamora (a member of his campaign team), who then tried to exercise her "position" by showing up at the scene to harrass the investigating officer. Rene is a great "bullshitter" but has no moral courage and no morales.
ReplyDeleteIs Mr. Fish eyes suffering from Graves' disease? One of it's symptoms is bulging eyes, but he is a panzon, so maybe not.
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