(Ed's Note: He was always professional to a fault, fastidious in his attire, and attentive to the public, the quintessential public servant. Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Chief Deputy Jesse Garcia celebrated his retirement Thursday with a gathering of his colleagues at the Palm Lounge, just a stones throw from the new county tax offices at the county's Levee Building a block away.
His boss of ore than two decades Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre said Garcia was an example of what a public servant should be.
"He has threatened to resign about five times before and I didn't believe him until he placed his resignation letter on my desk," Yzaguirre recounted. "Jesse, besides being my close friend, has always been a good worker, and you can't find a more loyal person to his work. It's going to be hard to replace a county employee like him. We hope well in his retirement. He deserves time to lay back and enjoy his life after a lifetime of service.")