𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗣𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥/𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗥, 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗦, 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥. . . . 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟭𝟱 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗢𝗙𝗙

 

Ruben Martinez speaking at Appraisal Board Forum

Hopefully, the real "winners" of yesterday's primary election will be Cameron County homeowners, who now expect continued good service from the county's tax collection department and evenhanded appraisals.

Huge or inordinate increases in assessed home value will soon be presented to a newly-elected appraisal board.  

Longtime Brownsville attorney Philip Cowen has been elected to serve on that Appraisal Board at Place 3, while Places 1 and 2 will be decided by a June 15 runoff.

For Place 1, Bill Hudson faces Alejandro Garcia-Moreno, while the Place 2 runoff involves Ricardo de la Garza and Ruben Martinez. (My personal assessment of the remaining candidates finds Ruben Martinez the most professional and articulate.)

Eddie Garcia, primary winner for Tax Collector/Assessor

On the collection side of the equation, Eddie Garcia, most likely will be elected in November to replace 36 year incumbent Tony Yzaguirre, the loser in yesterday's primary.

Garcia has already been challenged by a local blogger-for-hire who specializes in writing advertisements for candidates disguised as journalism, supplemented with softball podcast interviews.

We paraphrase the blogger's admonishment to Eddie Garcia: "You talked the talk, now walk the walk."

Juan Montoya of El Rrun Rrun also warns Eddie Garcia not to "overturn recognized efficient operations" or "make wholesale personnel changes," acting unaware of Garcia's promise to not do that, including members of the Yzaguirre family employed in that office.

Garcia, as an experienced administrator, wants to simply set a tone for the office that will be reflected in the service given to the citizenry.

Manuel Trevino, Democratic Primary winner for county sheriff

Manuel Trevino, who like Eric Garcia, donned the familiar good ol' boy cowboy hat for his political advertisements, will also get the opportunity to display his skills as an administrator after obviously outworking the incumbent for the primary win.

It will no longer be about handcuffing suspects, making arrests, investigating burglaries, but about directing a body of men and women to protect and serve our community with diligence and honor.

Managing egos, promoting equitably, leading by example are some requisites of that skill set that will now task Trevino.

The editor with former Sheriff Omar Lucio some years ago