We were at a board meeting of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation a couple months ago when this claim was made. When a GBIC board member asked the V.I.D.A. rep what fields these jobs were in, the answer was "mainly technology, but also nursing." When pressed for specific companies hiring, the rep said he would have to get back to the board on that. That response may have satisfied the GBIC board, who authorized a $302,000 stipend to V.I.D.A. without a wimper, but it did not satisfy us.
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| Myra Caridad Garcia, V.I.D.A. CEO |
Ms. Garcia,
The rep for V.I.D.A. shared some of your group's successes at the recent GBIC board meeting. He mentioned 43 graduates from the Brownsville program in the fiscal year, now finding jobs with income averaging $35,000 per year.
Would it be possible to get more detail on this? What companies in Brownsville are employing these people? What is the salary range for low to high? How many salaried personnel does V.I.D.A. employ? How many volunteers, if any?
Jim Barton
We did not receive a response, but we did find more information about V.I.D.A. on our own. This MMB report published October 10, 2013 contained these findings:
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| Carlos Marin |
If you think the mention of Carlos Marin on the V.I.D.A. board is merely conspiratorial thinking, consider the symbiotic relationship between the 4A and 4B tax receiving entities, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation and the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation. Each 1/4 cent of each tax eligible retail dollar spent in Brownsville, millions of dollars. 4A goes for pure economic development projects, while 4B is alloted for "quality of life" concepts. Marin has a powerful influence on each board(Just last month, it was reported, Marin tried to infiltrate the GBIC with Oscar Garcia as a consultate with a view to his eventual ascendance to chairman), with BCIC Chair Rose Gowen, an employee of the Marin's Su Clinica Familiar.
What intrigued us is that, despite the fact that V.I.D.A.'s report to the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation conveniently echoed the presentation made to the GBIC(Actually, V.I.D.A. claimed to have removed 93 off the welfare rolls in Harlingen, but to jobs paying, on average, the same $35,000 per year their efforts achieved in Brownsville.) Does it strike anyone else as odd that two very different cities with different groups of people involved achieve EXACTLY the same results? Evidently, Harlingen's EDC and City Commission were not unduly impressed as they cancelled funding for the "charity."
I think they mean to say that there are 43 workers who are making a grand total of $35,000 a year. Everybody knows you have to have at least a PhD to make $35,000 a year in Brownsville.
ReplyDeleteKeep after them, there must be a way to make them verify their self-serving public pronouncements.
Check and see what engineering company is on record to do the work for BEDC AND GIBIC. That is right, Marin, and he is a board member! Isn't that a conflict of INTREST? While the FBI is investigating petty theft by officials, Marin steals millions right under everyone's nose.
ReplyDeleteV.I.D.A. like United Way keep telling us about their efforts at job creation. While both organizations continue to get our public funding; and they pay their executives high salaries.....we get no details about jobs developed by either organization. It is time that local officials, especially those voting to give funds to these organizations, ask for results to justify public expenditures. We don't think either have a good record of job creation....yet they continue to beg for and get public funds.
ReplyDeleteShame on BEDC, GIBIC, and Harlingen EDC for funding these poverty pimps for years. There is no proof that they ever educated anyone. Show some paystubs instead of some trivial statistics and a powerpoint. These so-called leaders that made these decisions are stupid!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you expect from democRATAS. The way democRATS can be successful is by STEALING from the tax payers. PEDENJOS AND YOU ALL KEEP VOTING FOR democRATS!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm beginning to see a pattern the reason for the creation of all these SHAM government connected entities, is to STEAL FROM TAX PAYERS. AS LONG AS democRATS ARE IN CHARGE THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE!
ReplyDeleteAM radio 1700 had an interview with some guy from VIDA on Sunday morning. He stated that Brownsville's economic woes
ReplyDeletewere due to a lack of a trained
workforce and not a lack of jobs.
BULLSHIT! So after the interview I
looked thrm up and realized they
were connected to United
Brownsville and I puked.
This article was also posted at: http://chickenbuckets.blogspot.com/ from Harlingen.
ReplyDeleteGot news for these people. ONLY the private sector creates jobs. The idea that these people can create $35,000 jobs or even train someone for a job making that sort of money is bogus. This does give some insight as to how clueless the burrocrats at the EDCs really are!
ReplyDeleteFor those curious enough to look, according to the IRS 990 Form filed by VIDA, yes, Carlos Marin is on their board of directors. Yes, that is a conflict of interest. Link here...
http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/742/742768931/742768931_201209_990.pdf
does the expense of public funds not warrant an annual audit? where is it?
ReplyDelete