The District 2 commissioner seat is one of four positions on the ballot in the May 4 Brownsville General Municipal Elections.
The seat is currently held by Jessica Tetreau, who was first elected in 2011. Tetreau is seeking re-election and running against her are Pat Ahumada and Caty Presas-Garcia.
Early voting starts today and continues through April 30. Election Day is May 4.
Candidates were asked the following questions: Why are you seeking this position? What qualifications do you have that would help you fulfill the duties of this position? What challenges does the city face and how will you address them? If elected, what will you do to better the city?
Jessica Tetreau
Tetreau, a Brownsville native, attended legacy institution University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. She owns Car Wash Plus and is a real estate investor.
She initially ran for office because she didn’t like the direction the city was going.
“I didn’t like the direction of this city, our leadership at the time, they would have public fights during city commission meetings and the City of McAllen would use our commission meetings and show them to incoming businesses and they would relocate to McAllen,” Tetreau said. “So, as a business owner, it killed me to see that. So, I really wanted to bring the seriousness and who we are to the forefront.”
Being a business owner, a mother and native of Brownsville are the qualifications she cited for the position.
“I come from here,” Tetreau said. “I love Brownsville. I am Brownsville, and nobody has wanted to see Brownsville succeed more than I ever have. I raised my children here and so, I have a vested interest in making sure that we outdo every other city in Texas.”
A challenge the candidate said the city faces is jobs for the younger generation and more affordable homes in the community.
“I feel like if we can cultivate an environment of strong workforce … making the university as strong as it can be to produce people who can directly go into the workforce makes us a very valuable place,” Tetreau said. “That’s one of the challenges and how I would address it. Making sure that we have prepared workforce ready to go. And then, finding companies that can come and employ and pay $19 to $30 an hour. …
“One of my personal things that I work on a lot is the illegal dumping. I’ve had a lot of cameras put up. … So that’s another thing, very strict on code enforcement and taking proactive steps to curtail illegal dumping and things like that.”
Asked how she would improve the city if elected, Tetreau replied that she would give “110 percent” to her community.
“It’s very important that Brownsville is an inclusive community,” she said. “It’s very important that Brownsville is a diverse community and that we embrace our culture. Our culture and our location on the border is one of the things that makes us strong. … I will give everything I have to make sure that everybody in the city of Brownsville has what they need and is proud of their hometown.”
Pat Ahumada
Ahumada, a Brownsville native, is a real estate appraiser and served as Brownsville’s mayor from 1991 to 1993 and from 2007 to 2011.
He said the governance has gotten away from transparency and ethical standards, and he is running because the residents of the district have no accessibility.
“They have no accessibility with the present officials representing District 2 and they also feel that there’s huge lack of experience on the commission,” Ahumada said. “Based on that, I was asked to run repeatedly. … My sole motivation is to work hard for my constituents and the city of Brownsville to make Brownsville the agenda and nothing else.”
He said that having been a mayor qualifies him for the duties of the position.
“I was mayor twice, so I know the city very well,” Ahumada said. “The budget, I worked the budgets, I worked with unions. … My assets are that I’m engaged as proved, my track record’s proven. When I was in office, people could easily find me. I made my phone public, so I’m very accessible and my track record also proves that I will stand by the principles of what’s right for our city, no matter what the politics is.”
Ahumada said the city faces challenges such as lack of professionalism in the commission, public safety and the need for street maintenance, fixing potholes and solving flooding issues.
“I think the biggest challenge is getting back and restoring the standard of professionalism on the commission,” he said. “I believe we represent the community and while we’re in chambers there, doing people’s business, I think we should look and act as professionals. …
“It’s looking at public safety. We have to understand that the citizens’ No. 1 concern is public safety. … We had a force of 21 officers back in 1991 when I was mayor … and today, in 2019, we still have 21 officers on duty per shift, and that’s not acceptable. The community has grown since 1991. … I think by cutting some fat where it needs to be cut, we can provide more resources to hire more people and get the equipment they need and the technology to ensure the public safety of our community.”
Asked how he would improve the city, Ahumada replied he would build a consensus with his colleagues and the mayor.
“I want us to start, I think, with a workshop or a retreat to where we pull all our thoughts together, our resources together as a commission and the mayor and make a list, a laundry list, of what we want to address in the next four years,” he said. “If we can build a consensus that this is what we want to do, aside [from] everything else that comes up, we’re going to stay focused and we’re going to monitor along with the citizens … how are we making it better, together as a team.”
Caty Presas-Garcia
Presas-Garcia, a Brownville native, is a realtor and previously worked for the Brownville Police Department.
She said that as a realtor, she has seen opportunities that have not been taken.
“A lot of the times, we get people that say, ‘You know what? Your infrastructure is very poor, you need a lot of work in your infrastructure,’” Presas-Garcia said. “I know that I would bring great things because I think out of the box. … I am a team player because in a real estate transaction, I have to work with up to nine to 10 people. … And if I’ve been successful in my business, I know that I can be successful with a team in the community for the City of Brownsville to make it better for all people, not just for one group of people, but all people. And, we’re lacking that team, that camaraderie, that would make a difference. … So, whatever opportunities come to us, we must roll up our sleeves, which we need to take the challenge and make sure we are doing what is best for the citizens.”
She believes her work experience and knowing the city well are qualifications that would help with the duties of the position.
“I know my city very well,” Presas-Garcia said. “No. 2, I have background experience in retail. … My job as a manager was always to train people to become future management, whether it was for my corporate company, or for my other competitors, other corporate companies. I’m in the real estate business. The real estate business is key in any community. … I’m part owner of Durable Medical Equipment. I help sell medical equipment to Mexico hospitals. … So, I understand business. I’m not only an independent business person, but I know that if my colleagues, when I get elected, and they bring to me certain things about business, I can understand it clearly where they’re coming from because I understand from employment point of view, finance point of view, payroll point of view, human resource point of view.”
She said some challenges the city faces are that it has stayed at a standstill and the streets are in poor condition.
“That we understand that the salaries need to be elevated,” Presas-Garcia said. “We can no longer continue to live with salaries that were from, you know, 1980, 1990, 2000. Our salaries here are still low. … PUB rates, I think a lot of people are very tired of our local public utility board or the entity itself. The rates seem to be high. People are always struggling to pay PUB bills. …
“It’s creating of jobs, what are we doing, what are we questioning? Our roads are really bad. Economic development is one of my priorities with the infrastructure, which is your drainage, your streets, just development in itself, you know, making sure that we reach out to the community, always, you know, be out there for our people.”
Asked how she would improve the city if elected, Presas-Garcia replied she would like to have more transparency and engagement with the community.
“That we are visible,” Presas-Garcia said. “That we are out there asking what are we needing, how can we make a difference. … I want to make a difference in one, being a positive leader that can bring positive change that we can get to the level of other cities that have been our competition because we have the resources.”
