ETHICALLY CHALLENGED MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONER, OPPORTUNISTIC GALONSKY

"He that is faithful in the least is faithful also in much; 

and he that is unrighteous in the least is unrighteous also in much."

St. Luke, Chapter 16, Verse 10

Mayor Tony Martinez

An ethical public servant does not use his office for personal gain, advantage or to circumvent the rules and regulations that apply to all.

Mayor Tony Martinez, who owns several adjoining businesses on Palm Blvd., including Lola's Bakery and Bistro, Spanky's Burgers and Bates Cleaners, did just that when he walked across the street, purchased The 1848 BBQ from Abe Avila, remodeling the entire building without permits during the fall of 2017.

The Public Information Request response from City Secretary Griselda Rosas revealed only one permit issued during 2017, that being a permit for rooftop air conditioning paid for by Barrera AC.

Put yourself in the mayor's place for a second.  The money for building permits is not an issue, simply a matter of writing a check.  One would think that the mayor would gladly write that check while being curious about the level of proficiency within the City of Brownsville's much-maligned Permitting Department, headed for decades by Evaristo "Mordida" Gamez, Jr.

Certainly, Gamez or any other inspector will not "jack around" the mayor with respect to permits or inspections as other city taxpayers have alleged in their remodels.  It was the proverbial "win-win" for Mayor Martinez.

Thus, it's obvious the mayor simply CHOSE not to apply for permits.  Arrogance, a general lack of ethics, even a criminal mind may have come into play.  

The point Jesus Christ made above, carefully chronicled by Luke, is that, if Mayor Martinez is willing to act unethically in a minor matter like permits, he will also "be unrighteous in much."

Brownsville has witnessed it.

Using his law partner, Horacio Barrera, to "negotiate" the purchase ofLa Casa del Nylon for triple its value, $2,300,000, likely splitting the commission, allowing Abraham Galonsky to sit in on the executive session involving transfer of property, personally spending the $3,060,000 AEP Texas refund on pet projects, until stopped by the city commission, etc., all clear no-brainer violations of ethics and in harmony with Christ's stated principle quoted above.  

There are similar ethical issues associated with City Commissioner Ben Neece and newly appointed Zoning and Planning Board member Abraham Galonsky.

Commissioner Neece is overseeing the remodel of 1203 E. Washington, the home of his night club, The Spanish Moon, and his alternate residence.  The building is said to be owned by Abraham Galonsky, who is allowing Neece to remodel in lieu of paying rent.

Ben Neece, Caricature by Diego Lee Rot

As in Mayor Martinez's case, in remodeling The 1848 BBQ at 5 Avalon Drive, no permits have been issued for the extensive remodel at 1203 E. Washington, neither to the tenant, Ben Neece, or the owner, Abraham Galonsky.

Galonsky,  publicly reticent, but a heavy contributor to local political races, was recently appointed to the city's Zoning and Planning Commission.  

The hasty appointment, after nomination by Commissioner Cesar de Leon, seconded by Commissioner Neece, was not in the best interest of Brownsville's hardworking taxpayers.

Galonsky deposited something close to $2,300,000, after "negotiation fees" were deducted for the Martinez-Barrera Law Firm, for the dilapidated La Casa del Nylon in 2012.

Abraham Galonsky

With buildings and properties scattered around town, Galonsky is in a position to further enrich himself by "zoning" and "planning" in a self-serving way.

"He would never do that!" a righteously indignant Nurith Galonsky might say.

Yet, in 2014, the soft spoken Galonsky was one of only 2 or 3 out of 400 to speak out FOR the conveyance of Lincoln Park to the UT system.  

Why?  Galonsky owns a 30 acre tract adjacent to the land near the sewer plant in Southmost where the city proposed the "replacement" Lincoln Park be built.  Galonsky spoke up for the transfer while salivating for the money he would make on yet another sale of property to the city.