By Juan Montoya
The item for approval of the daily check register for payments by Cameron County has been on their agenda for the better part of a month now.
But it wasn't until Tuesday that the commissioners approved the payment of an aggregate of $74,700 for two former Cameron County Tax Office employees who were charged with taking bribes, among other charges.
Tax investigator Pedro Garza Jr. and Lt. Jose Mireles were were arrested in January 2016 along with County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre Jr., in “Operation Dirty Deeds,” a joint county, local, state, and federal task force operating under the direction District Attorney Luis V. Saenz.
But it wasn't until August 2016 that the charges were dropped last week against Garza and Mireles. Yzaguirre was acquitted on all charges in a trial held in Nueces County.
Since then, Garza and Mireles men have been asking the court to reinstate them and pay them the salary and vacation time they had accumulated after almost a year of being deprived of their employment and pay. Both were terminated when their commissions were revoked after they were charged with the crimes.
This Tuesday, a reluctant county commission voted to approve the payment of $38,316 to Mireles and another $35,804 to Garza. (Click on graphic to enlarge)
Some of the remarks by the commissioners were pointed.
Pct. 3 commissioner David Garza asked Auditor Martha Galarza of the two checks listed on the register.
"Those are two two payments checks on settlements that were approved by the court...." Galarza answered.
"We had two individuals that were with the tax assessors office who were terminated because they didn't have the proper documents...requirements,,,for not being able to do the job that they were doing," Garza asked. "And now we're paying them their back pay after all the charges were dropped, right?"
"Yes, the charges against them were dropped and they made a legal claim on a number of grounds...," answered commissioners court legal counsel. "We were authorized to make our peace to make this issue go away..."
"Where does this money come from, the general fund?," Garza asked.
"yes, the general fund," Galarza answered.
"Don't you think we need to ask the district attorney's office in paying these funds?," Garza persisted. "We lost two employees for almost a whole year and we have to go back and pay them, and you know we lost their services, I don't know it kind of leaves a sour taste, not for the employees, but for the taxpayers of Cameron County having to endure the process of having to go through this..."
"I'm sure it was a sour taste for the employees as well," Galarza replied."
"I'm sure it was, OK," Garza said.
"Going along with commissioner Garza's comments, the public has a right to know what transpired and what's occurring with taxpayers money," said Pct. 4 commissioner Gus Ruiz.
"I agree," Galarza replied. "I recommend for approval."
The motion was then made by Garza for approval and seconded by Ruiz. The court approved unanimously.Numerous critics say that the joint task force of Operations Dirty Deeds was not in agreement with Saenz that Yzaguirre and the two men should be charged at the time.
They say the arrests were carried out immaturely because Saenz was in a tight race with Carlos Masso in the race for district attorney. Numerous political observers say Yzaguirre's arrest carried Saenz over the top, especially with voters in the northern part of the county.