CHARACTERIZING THE BROWNSVILLE OBSERVER AS A NEWS OUTLET IS IMPRECISE

Jerry McHale:  "Unlike Montoya, Wightman-Cervantes and Barton, I'm more of an editorialist while they luxuriate in breaking news."

That characterization made me chuckle.

The Brownsville Observer, from its inception, has always been about the "human nature behind the news," not the news itself.

Opinion permeates every verb, adjective, noun and gerund in this obscure blog; my opinion.

While the McAllen troll continues to blogsquat in the comment section of local blogs, characterizing me as fat and uneducated, my grammar, syntax and vocabulary is not exceeded by anyone in the local blogosphere.  

In writing, credentials mean nothing.  It's the body of work.  You either "can" or you "can't."

The Brownsville Observer doesn't generally receive news "tips," but those are nearly always agenda-driven anyway.  

One close friend will quickly call me, once a story's published, if he notes an error, and I'm just as quick to make correction. 

While Juan Montoya breaks story after story, I feel no compulsion to match that, although, if I stumble onto a story, it gets included.  

I'm more occupied with why, than how, when and where.

While one excitable local blogger is quick to label people a "con artist" or "liar," I attempt not to make things personal. (The same blogger recently made a wild assertion that I was inexperienced in home ownership or managing home repairs.  LOL!  If he only knew!) 

While I recently faulted the BCIC for granting or considering grants for its own board member, Michael Limas, and Mayor Trey Mendez, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, I still view BCIC CEO Josh Mejia as an extremely nice, conscientious young man.

That whole BCIC episode was still a very bad look for the city, greatly undermining any confidence left in local officials.

I'm currently reviewing one year's overhead costs for the GBIC and I find the numbers staggering.  

With current projects in place and a huge overhead, including salaries, attorney fees, board travel, meals, office supplies, rent, janitorial and landscaping costs, medical, dental, life insurance, property taxes, depreciation, wearing apparel, advertising, insurance, utilities, etc., it's difficult to see them continuing to function as a 4A entity, dispersing money for economic development projects.

I'm waiting on the report of their annual income, but, unless I'm missing something, it should match the BCIC's, $4,600,000, each receiving 1/4 cent from each dollar Brownsville collects in sales tax.

That would mean, that, even without any new projects, they're already spending more than they take in, unless those project expenditures are being transferred over to the city's general fund.