The Long and the Short of Why the GBIC Continues to Fund V.I.D.A. Despite Obvious Questions

Zeke Silva

Milling around before the GBIC Board Meeting 4/17/14, I passed Zeke Silva. "Have you seen anyone from V.I.D.A.?" I asked.  "I'm trying to get them to document their grandiose claims.  I sent two emails to the director, but, then, she resigned.  The group claims they took 43 Brownsville residents off welfare, placing them into jobs with an average salary of $35,000 per year.  I just don't believe it and they refuse to provide any documentation of their claims!"  

"Well, you could sign up for Public Comment," Zeke suggested.

Unification Church Mass Wedding

As I spoke extemporaneously to the GBIC, I saw that same glassy-eyed look I recall from my encounter four decades ago with members of the Unification Church, followers of the Korean Reverend Sun Myung Moon, "Moonies" as we referred to them back then.  They sold flowers for their leader, asking passersby if they "knew the Lord," then paired off to be married in mass ceremonies officiated by Moon,  When a citizen tells a board, that, despite repeated efforts to reach out to a non-profit for verification of their claims, the director ignores their questions, then quits, someone on that board, responsible for dispersal of millions of dollars of 4A tax dollars annually, should at least raise an eyebrow, unless, of course, they've already consumed a large quantity of Kool-Aid or suffer from acute cognitive dissonance.  

While the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation has already cut off funds for V.I.D.A. and its mimic sister entity RGV Leads, our BEDC and GBIC boards are a step slow, laggard in questioning, protecting taxpayer assets, dishing out $302,000 to V.I.D.A. this year alone.  

What does Brownsville get in terms of economic development for that money?  No one can explain that. We have only the V.I.D.A. claim, often repeated, but never verified:  "We took 43 people off welfare and placed them in jobs with an average salary of $35,000 per year."

I wrote down carefully what a V.I.D.A. rep told the GBIC last year about the 43 moved into good jobs:  "To get into the program, all had to have at least a GED. All are now 'on track' for an Associate Degree."

What that means is that all 43 are still "in school," likely at TSC or a technical school, while gainfully employed at a job "paying $35,000 per year."  If you believe that bull shit, I have swamp land, bridges and time-shares to show you.

There is more.  A careful reading of the V.I.D.A. website shows the methodology behind the wild claims of successfully moving welfare recipients with GED's into good jobs.  A counselor interacts with the prospect for "one hour per month." Each week, the trainee meets in group session with other unemployed, welfare recipients to discuss their respective experiences, sort of like Alcoholics Anonymous.

The "Faceless" Carlos Marin on V.I.D.A
Board of Directors

None of this makes sense.  To borrow from Judge Judy:  "If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true."  One thing we do know is that Carlos Marin, the CEO of Ambiotec Engineering, who has his behind-the-scenes finger in every Brownsville deal involving money, is on the Board of Directors of V.I.D.A.  

Really, that's all we needed to say.