Home of Today's Common Sense

Published – Brownsville Herald 4/30/2006
BISD is asking for more money, telling us that they haven’t raised the tax rate in 3 years; but they did raise it in 2003, a substantial amount in the face of home values escalating at a stellar rate.
I looked at Cameron Appraisal Notices and found that a house that was a modest residence valued at $78,060 in 2002, became really nice in 2003 valued at $93,680, and luxurious valued at $113,098 in 2004. Imagine that – increasing its value for taxation by one-half in 2 years without any change, either in improvements or in the wealth of its owner.
The tax bill increased, by $821.09 for only educational taxing authorities during that 2 year period. The owner may be modestly employed in public service. He didn’t sell his home to realize his new wealth. He may, however, have just reduced some of the frivolous expenditures, such as health and dental check ups, as his health plan only covers part of them and then only for the employed person. He may have had to ask his oldest girl to postpone going to college, because he is too wealthy for many of the benefits, and not wealthy enough to pay the tuition and fees. He works hard and actually pays income taxes but just doesn’t qualify for the goodies.
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Over the last couple of years as this column has become more widely read and because I have taken a specific position on Immigration reform that doesn’t quite follow the conventional wisdom of the politicos or the media, I have been faced with a number of debates. More and more the arguments focus on making new laws and calling people with different views, all kinds of names.
I have read the “touted” discussions on the matter such as the Cato Institute offerings, and others such as those published by “U.S. Foreign Policy In Focus” and written Dr. George Weissenger of New York Institute of Technology.
My thirty years in Border Enforcement in Customs as a troop and as a manager, as an instructor in INS and Customs cross training, and as an instructor in the Overseas Training Program providing guidance to foreign Border Officials keeps telling me that there are things that we are missing as we watch the changing positions.
So far the only organized rational examination of the issues has been found in Ruben Navarrette’s columns. His most recent “Blame the Democrats” with its focus on the political rational, for the Democrats, Republicans, Democrat/Republicans and the Republican/Democrats, as well as their constituencies like “big labor” helped put a new perspective on some of the bits of information identified in my earlier research.
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Published Brownsville Herald 4/16/2006
On December 26, 2004 the Brownsville Herald published my article “Moving Forward on The Navigation District” where I urged “that in this disaster, we take the opportunity to evaluate and define what the port business is, what the functions are and how we can best evolve as an entity in a niche that will foster community and business growth while operating in an efficient and self sufficient manner.”
It seems that there have been strides made in that direction and some notable accomplishments.
One of the most obvious and perhaps the one that may have the longest impact on the most people is the “re-wetting” of the wetlands along Hwy 48 to Port Isabel. The incessant dust storm seems to have abated for the most part and I see spots of green popping up around the edges of the area. Water birds are poking their heads in the water as well signifying the presence of food and more life returning. I wonder if the delicious crabs will inhabit the place; I can taste them already!
The Port fathers led by Carl Gayman, who spearheaded and continues to work tirelessly in support of the project, can take credit for the great contribution to the quality of life in the area and the economy as well.
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