County commissioners say ‘no money’ for raises, table LNG tax abatement

The Cameron County commissioners told attendees there was no money for elected officials’ raises and tabled an item regarding a tax abatement for an LNG company at the start of their meeting Tuesday morning. 

“As of [Monday], there is definitely no money for elected officials’ raises right now,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Joey Lopez said at the beginning of the meeting.

After a motion by Lopez, the Commissioners Court voted unanimously to keep all elected officials’ salaries at their current rate with the exception of three positions:

–increasing Precinct 2 Constable Abel Gomez’s salary by $1,500

–increasing Precinct 3 Constable Jose Adrian Gonzalez’s salary by $4,800

–increasing Precinct 5 Constable Everado Solis’ salary by $10,000

With the new additions, Gomez will make $63,502 while Gonzalez and Solis will earn $62,002. 

County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. suggested the Precinct 2 constable receives the $1,500 raise because of “additional duties” the position entails. Salaries for Precinct 3 and 5 constables are being equalized to match the other precincts.

Elected officials have five days after the approval to file a grievance if they choose to do so.

Five individuals voiced their concerns opposing the proposed pay raises of elected officials.

Brownsville resident Raul Castillo praised the crowd for speaking out on the item.

“First, I’d like to say, to the people of Cameron County, this is your victory,” he said. “This is what happens when you speak out and I just want to congratulate everybody for your support; in raising your voice and being heard. There is a lot to be proud of.”  

In an interview with The Rider after the meeting, Treviño said Lopez made the original motion to increase elected officials’ pay rates at a previous meeting.

The county judge said there is no money for salary raises due to multiple mandated projects and expenses. 

Some of those projects and expenses include addressing an employee health insurance deficit and a million-dollar decrease in bridge revenue.

Treviño added the county will see a $1.8 million increase in expenditures compared to the current fiscal year because of projects such as retirement rate adjustments and additional costs for the operation of Tropical Texas Behavioral Health.

“These expenses ate up into the additional revenue that we thought we were going to be able to use towards these other projects,” he said.

In other business, the tax abatement for Annova LNG was tabled at the start of the meeting, which led to more than 10 Cameron County residents voicing their concerns during the public comment period.

Annova LNG is a 6.0 MTPA liquefied natural gas export facility under development at the Port of Brownsville, according to its website.

Christopher Basaldú, member of the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas who are indigenous to South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, said Annova LNG has not consulted with the tribe on its plans.

“The tribe speaks for themselves and for their ancestors that these projects would be destructive,” Basaldú said. “They would destroy historic sites and ancestral sites and sacred sites in the area as well as destroying the natural environment.”

The next discussion regarding the Annova LNG tax abatement has yet to be announced. Due to law changes taking effect Sept. 1, a public notice, if any, will now have to be provided 30 days in advance as opposed to seven days.

For more information on the Cameron County Commissioners’ Court, visit http://www.co.cameron.tx.us/.

–Victor G. Ramirez contributed to this report.