The San Juan Hotel issue...not quite dead yet...The Monitor quotes owners reaction..."The art of controlling your environment"...
According to a report out of The Monitor today, PSJA School Board Member Roy Rodriguez gives his reaction to Tuesday's San Juan City Commissioners vote to stop any further study into purchasing the historic San Juan Hotel. Rodriguez, owner of the property states, "The City Commission could have taken advantage of the funding grants that are out there, done something with it, but that wasn't the vision of the newly elected commission. They made it a political issue."
Well, maybe, but let us not forget the following:
The fact that the city had two commissioners vote on a measure to continue to study the purchase of the hotel. Commissioners who are employees of the same school district the property owner is a board member of-That's political.
The fact that the two commissioners motioned and seconded the vote, ignoring the citizens of San Juan who voiced their concern over such a study-That's political.
The following two things occur to me.
First, Mr. Rodriguez seems to have forgotten what the city commissioners are there to do in the first place. That is to do what's best for the entire community of San Juan. If the majority of the community has spoken out that they do not want to pay for a hotel at an overinflated price, the actions taken by the mayor and those city commissioners to stop any further study isn't a political issue. It's called responsible government.
Second, the PSJA community recently passed a $70 million dollar bond, and the selection of a new superintendent looms in the near future as current Superintendent Arturo Guajardo will retire in December. Perhaps as a school board member, Mr. Rodriguez should concentrate on these pressing items instead of putting his two cents in for what the citizens of San Juan did or did not miss out on due to what he claims are political issues.
posted by Hector @ 4:17 PM
23 Comments:
Amen!
H.
Good post. May I suggest, for you to talk to Greg @ The Advance and post it there as well.. As you know all the locals read this newspaper.
anonymous,
"talk to Greg@ The Advance"
thanks, I'll definitely look into it.
H.
Ignacio,
thanks for the information.
It's going to be interesting to see how a new superintendent will tackle important issues like high drop out rates. I'd definitely like to see more action taken against school violence, as well.
H.
Greg can be bias at times. I still think it is worth a shot. or try open letter to the editor @ the monitor. This was a good one and I think the more citizens of PSJA are informed about individuals like
Roy Rodriguez the better. Loredo can kiss his shot at superintendent good bye since his candidates lost. To bad that Roy Rodriguez is not up for reelection next year. I know he pissed off allot of people by supporting Rivas,Alonzo ticket. Can we say the next one to go is I do not have a party Pete .Garcia..
The next move for Arturo Sr. is State Rep. Have you heard anything on this issue ?
anonymous,
not sure about Guajardo Sr.'s future plans as a Rep.
If you find something out, let us know.
H.
OK so San Juan saved money on the Hotel Issue. Now what is the San Juan EDC doing for the city. And HEB Moved on their own they don't count. What new projects are in the works? How big is the staff? How much money is the city losing on a staff that has not done anything other than place a billboard telling us how many people drive by San Juan on a daily basis.
Pete Garcia who? How many times did he run on the same ticket as San Juanita Sanchez and never won. then he got in with the good ol boys of PSJA and he won. Now it's time for him to go, and please nest time let's elect someone who looks someone smart.
Pete Garcia who? How many times did he run on the same ticket as San Juanita Sanchez and never won.
I agree, Pete looks as if he doesn't know if he is comming or going. We need to get him out.
Does anyone know anything about what our EDC is doing?
concerning the EDC,
I've started looking into it, because I'm under the same impression that all we've gotten out of it is a billboard. I looked up the web site at http://www.sanjuanedc.com/
It's terribly out of date, though, the latest agenda I could find was November 2, 2005. There is supposed to be a page for the minutes of the meeting, which includes (according to the agenda) the discussion of wages, but when you get there it says, "Coming Soon"...Right.
H.
The EDC is working on a project on south of I rd and military. It is suppose to be a developer trying to develop some type of industrial park. I do not know all the details as to how many acres or who the developer is. NAFTA was born about 12 years ago. MEDC has all the leads. PEDC cant get along. San Juan is a little late trying to bring trade to the area but at least they are trying.
We have some good land North San Juan were subdivisions are being built. Let McAllen Sharyland take the leads they have all the infrusture and housing and schools. Has SJEDC looked into developing Empowerment Zones. If not let's use the Edinburg and Pharr stats in conjunction with cheaper land and taxes. And I think we have enough Dollar stores try Med plazas or smaller buiness areas.
anonymous,
"And I think we have enough Dollar Stores"
I agree. One every third of a mile or so is starting to become an eyesore.
H.
What do you all this think about Arturo Sr. running for State Rep? I think it would be great for our PSJA communities. He has a long record of public service and he is much smarter that the stupid State Rep. we have now-Armando Martinez. Mando needs to go back to turn-off fires.
I think that the PSJA area would benefit if Arturo Sr. runs and gets elected. What do you all think?
Anonymous said...
What do you all this think about Arturo Sr. running for State Rep?
Well, it all depends
Will he do it in 2008?
Will NANO run for Mayor in 2008?
If both of them run at the same time, they will have a greater chance to get elected.
I agree that MANDO is weak right now. We do not need all the drama that he and his wife bring.
anonymous,
"Arturo Sr. running for State Rep."
If his platform will include being open to all of his constituents questions and concerns, if he will do what is best for the community at large, if he takes a leadership role in putting an end to factions and compadrismo, then as a responsible voter, I will listen to what he has to say. But, if and when the time comes, the community is seeing the same style of politics that seems to be the status quo in the Valley, it will take a lot of convincing for voters like myself to change our minds next time around.
H.
By the way, who is Nano and why does he think he can do something better than the current Mayor?
Nano Guajardo was a San Juan city commissioner for about 12 yrs. He retired his position to run against County Comm Tito Palacios and lost..
As far as what he can do for the city, I don't know. It is hearsay that he is going to run. I have not heard it from the horses mouth.
I posted some numbers on a previous post. I'll post them again.
Mayor Sanchez slate came up with
1071 votes this May.
The Guajardo slate came up with
1570 this past primary. (San Juan only)
Nacho, where are you going to come up with 499 extra votes to take it in 2008??
On another note :
Item# 10. on Tues 6-6 commissioners meeting is
Consider and approve appointing Interim City Attorney..
Any guesses ? I'll take a shot at it. Greg Trevino.
Didn't the mayor campaign hard for this guy when he ran. (NO TOLLS)
We all know that the Republicans in Austin were pushing for this one!! Anyway, lets not get off the subject:
If in fact, he does become the interim city attorney, do we go back to compadrismo?
Well my guess was wrong, it was J.Villalobos. If I'm not mistaking, he is the city attorney for Donna. I saw Greg at a function that was held by the democratic party. I was not impressed. All the candidates had 2 minutes to introduce their platform. There was no mudslinging until Greg took the podium. Turned off alot of people that night. Palacios won by 1896 votes. I think the citizens of PCT 2 made their point.
However, I agree with you as far as informing the citizens of S.J. of what is going on with our elected officials.
I can't comment on Mr. Villalobos because I do not know him. We will see what he brings to the table.
And no, you do not have to remind us about the growth of San Juan.
I agree with you that Chuy Ramirez did nothing for the City the time he was there.
As far as the mudslinging? Were you there? I do not remember seeing you there. Greg took a shot
and he missed. Greg was defeated by 3% which totals 1896 votes that is a lot of votes to try to play catch up! your comment "We will let you win, but only by the skin of your teeth." I do not see
an 1896 lead as skin of your teeth.
you did not let us win the constituents came out and voted and with 1896 votes over the point came across that it was not Trevino's time.
The change is already here, look at S.J. in the pct 59 area most of the colonias have been paved already. Also, we would have a new park being build of Nolana Rd.
The city of S.J. knew that the studies for the Toll Rd was coming the (Loredo)old administration knew and did nothing about it. As far as the 4 mill it sound like allegations to me. Can you back it up? It is going to take more to convince these old bones.
In December 2005
Gov Rick Perry announced a plan for the TTC-69 project which will connect industrial hubs to south Texas. There is alliance that is called the I-69 alliance which was formed 12 years ago. That is the same time NAFTA was born.
Jan 2002
Gov Rick Perry unveiled the "Trans Texas Corridor" plan which will incorporate toll and non-toll roads
June 2005
GOV Signs Transportation bill House Bill 2702.
March 2002
Gov. Perry Signs Joint Declaration To Plan Extension of Trans Texas Corridor Into Nuevo Leon,Mx.
The damm Republicans want the tolls not the locals.
You claim that Candidates should not use politqueras. I know that Trevino did. In fact I can name a few. WE DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE !!
I'll put my cards down. I supported Comm Tito Palacios.
In SJ I usually stay neutral and not show my true colors. I'm not with this clique or the other one.
I'm with the 3rd one that is forming. Na, just joking It sounded good...
What we have in common is that we like where we live and we want to make San Juan a better city..
I'm glad you understand that the Republicans and Rick Perry want those toll roads, to bad Trevino did not add that to his platform.
It is obvious that you supported your candidate and I supported mine. But, I'm not going on a one to one debate with you about an election that happen in March..
However, I will pick up the minutes of Hidalgo County Comissioners court 02/14/2006
I read this some years back.
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." ~ Plato
eeehhhh,
It was Loredo and the old Administration that sat on the issue not telling anyone not Palacios. Mr. Trevino and party failed to explain that the heat
was coming from the republicans in Austin. FYI, Palacios broke from the San Juan's faction in 1998 (you need to study your past elections before you go on and on and on..) and united this year.
Also, as far as your remark on my last shred of hope, I never said that I was from the old clique or the new...
If you do not want to exchange ideas then stop posting and nobody is hiding. When I support a candidate I give it 110 %..
and make sure everybody is aware of it.
Hector
When/Where does the group The San Juanistas meet? ...would like become more involved.
-Norm
Post a Comment
<< Home