Brownsville Benefactor, Colleyville's Mike Hernandez of OP.1033: "Why Don't They Like Me?"

DFW Car Dealer Mike Hernandez

As a kid I was told not "to look a gift horse in the mouth."   That is not always good advice.

Colleyville resident Mike Hernandez, who wants to give back to his native Brownsville with certain strategic donations, must certainly feel that some in this town are not sufficiently grateful for his generosity.

"Who are these carpetbaggers?" asked Tony Zavaleta-Reid, candidate for TSC Trustee Place 3, to an article on OP.1033.

Carlos Quintanilla of Dallas

A current TSC official compared Mike Hernandez to convicted con artist Carlos Quintanilla, who charmed Brownsville with a bogus airline offer in 2010, then tried to field a slate of candidates for BISD trustee positions.  When I pointed out that, like Quintanilla, Hernandez already seems to have a following, the official simply said:  "Sheep!"

The following anonymous comment was received in response to a previous article on OP.1033's Mike Hernandez, where I explained that Mike's promise to donate $2 million to United Brownsville, a shadowy, unelected body, intent on worming their way into the riches of development at the Port of Brownsville and the so-called FM 550 industrial corridor had aroused suspicion about Mike's actual intent:

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.

My response:  

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.

Obviously, Mike Hernandez has some public relations work ahead if his stated plan to pull Brownsville out of poverty by 2033 will succeed.

Identifying from the get-go with Carlos Marin and United Brownsville did not set well with the more knowledgeable locals.