By Juan Montoya
In looking over the social and mass media advertisements by the candidates of the Brownsville Navigation District, it is evident that some have chosen to weasel-word their claims of their concerns for the Port.
There's for example, Place 4 candidate Javier Vera, the employee of John Cowen at Rose and J. Cowen brokers. That firm does extensive business with the port and the principal's brother, John Cowen, also on the Grater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, is none other than sitting commissioner Ralph Cowen.
Yet, he says he's "The only independent candidate, not beholden to any individual or interest group." Really? He must not remember who he works for.
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With that obvious self-interest of the Cowens at the port, it is improbable that Vera will have the independence to cast a vote on an issue which will affect the interest of his boss, the guy who signs his paycheck.
The major stevedore at the port that does extensive business with broker Cowen (commissioner Cowen's bro) is none other than Gulf Stream Marine managed by Mark Hoskins, the bother-in-law of commissioner John Reed. Gulf Stream Marine broke the longshoremen's union and drove wages down for the workers at this dangerous occupation.
Everybody – brokers, stevedores, Reed, and CPAs like Vera – pocket their profits while workers get paid the lowest of all on the Gulf Coast and suffer fatal accidents periodically. How clubby can you get?
The issue of independence notwithstanding, Vera is running ads vaunting his accounting prowess, but also taking credit for the coming of Big River Steel to the port. Let's get this right off the table. Vera had nothing to do with Big Steel accepting the offer on the option to lease 800 from the port for its steel plant, if it ever decides to move here.
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It is not a done deal. In its press release, the port (not the company) said Big River still has to do its "due diligence" before making its decision to come to Brownsville. Vera's slogan that it's time for us to elect him so he can get going and "now the real work begins." sounds hollow because it was the port who offered them the option, not the other way around.
And Vera, as the Cowens' boy, can't "start working" on anything until the papers are signed. In fact, the leasing department has not even started negotiations with the company over the "option"they gave the port. Vera is running against Los Fresnos ISD teacher Patrick Anderson and local businessman Steve Guerra.
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Likewise, Anderson, a teacher who should know better than to fudge the truth, has been sending post messages (and his supporters) claiming that if your property taxes from the port seem higher, maybe they wouldn't have if the LNG companies at the port of Brownsville paid their fair share of taxes.
Like Vera, Anderson and his supporters are placing the cart before the horse. As far as we know, there is no LNG plant construction underway at the port and if taxes went up, it might have been because the commissioners – for the first time in more than a decade – passed a slight tax increase to be eligible for federal funds and debt service.
The tax abatements that were passed by the Cameron County Commissioners Court and do not kick in until there is actually something out at the port to tax. To scare the voters with a tax scare is not legit.
It is these claims made by these candidates that are muddying the port waters and stirring the silty channel. With Cowen lapdog Vera declaring his prowess bring Big River here and Anderson claiming the LNGs are driving up your taxes, this is a disservice to the voters, who might be gullible enough to believe their claims.
If they are doing this now, what can we expect down the road?
In looking over the social and mass media advertisements by the candidates of the Brownsville Navigation District, it is evident that some have chosen to weasel-word their claims of their concerns for the Port.
There's for example, Place 4 candidate Javier Vera, the employee of John Cowen at Rose and J. Cowen brokers. That firm does extensive business with the port and the principal's brother, John Cowen, also on the Grater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, is none other than sitting commissioner Ralph Cowen.
Yet, he says he's "The only independent candidate, not beholden to any individual or interest group." Really? He must not remember who he works for.
With that obvious self-interest of the Cowens at the port, it is improbable that Vera will have the independence to cast a vote on an issue which will affect the interest of his boss, the guy who signs his paycheck.The major stevedore at the port that does extensive business with broker Cowen (commissioner Cowen's bro) is none other than Gulf Stream Marine managed by Mark Hoskins, the bother-in-law of commissioner John Reed. Gulf Stream Marine broke the longshoremen's union and drove wages down for the workers at this dangerous occupation.
Everybody – brokers, stevedores, Reed, and CPAs like Vera – pocket their profits while workers get paid the lowest of all on the Gulf Coast and suffer fatal accidents periodically. How clubby can you get?
The issue of independence notwithstanding, Vera is running ads vaunting his accounting prowess, but also taking credit for the coming of Big River Steel to the port. Let's get this right off the table. Vera had nothing to do with Big Steel accepting the offer on the option to lease 800 from the port for its steel plant, if it ever decides to move here.
It is not a done deal. In its press release, the port (not the company) said Big River still has to do its "due diligence" before making its decision to come to Brownsville. Vera's slogan that it's time for us to elect him so he can get going and "now the real work begins." sounds hollow because it was the port who offered them the option, not the other way around.
And Vera, as the Cowens' boy, can't "start working" on anything until the papers are signed. In fact, the leasing department has not even started negotiations with the company over the "option"they gave the port. Vera is running against Los Fresnos ISD teacher Patrick Anderson and local businessman Steve Guerra.
Likewise, Anderson, a teacher who should know better than to fudge the truth, has been sending post messages (and his supporters) claiming that if your property taxes from the port seem higher, maybe they wouldn't have if the LNG companies at the port of Brownsville paid their fair share of taxes.
Like Vera, Anderson and his supporters are placing the cart before the horse. As far as we know, there is no LNG plant construction underway at the port and if taxes went up, it might have been because the commissioners – for the first time in more than a decade – passed a slight tax increase to be eligible for federal funds and debt service.
The tax abatements that were passed by the Cameron County Commissioners Court and do not kick in until there is actually something out at the port to tax. To scare the voters with a tax scare is not legit.
It is these claims made by these candidates that are muddying the port waters and stirring the silty channel. With Cowen lapdog Vera declaring his prowess bring Big River here and Anderson claiming the LNGs are driving up your taxes, this is a disservice to the voters, who might be gullible enough to believe their claims.
If they are doing this now, what can we expect down the road?