BEYOND THE WORDS, JUDGE THE RESULTS

By Juan Montoya
We know that despite whatever evidence we may present to the contrary, there will be some quarters where no amount of persuasion will convince them that while Brownsville Independent School District trustee Catalina Presas-Garcia was chair of the budget committee, the district's finances got put back on an even keel.
Predictably, we will probably hear the same tired regurgitation of invective and defamation of the messenger by pots calling kettles black, but facts are facts and we'll stand by them. For example, in the two years that Caty has been holding the gavel on that committee, that group has had to do without $24 million in state revenue after the legislature played Robin Hood in reverse.
Yet, in those two years, the committee presented two balanced budgets without the use of the fund balance, as was the practice when former BISD superintendent Brett Springston and his former board majority were running roughshod over the district's finances.
And when these same quarters were spreading rumors that the one-time $1,200 stipend for district employees was just a switch-and-bait election tactic by the trustees Presas-Garcia, Lucy Longoria, Christina Saavedra and Enrique Escobedo that would be forgotten as soon as the voting was done, they were proven wrong. The employees got their stipend.
There are still revenue shortfall measures in place to meet decreased state revenues and new time and attendance system in place to make that process more effective. With the early notification of the voluntary resignation incentive program in place, longtime district employees have the choice of leaving on their own terms and receiving compensation while freeing the BISD to employ entry-level workers  and stretch the district's resources.
If you must argue, argue over this: For the first time in 2011-2012, cost-saving strategies put into place at the committee's recommendations resulted in revenues exceeding expenditures for the first time in recent memory. Student have also gained some things during this time. The athletic program now includes power-lifting as a sport, a crucial component for physical development and the bandwidth capabilities in the district have been greatly enhanced.
Oh, yeah, and by the way, property taxes have not been increased and the rampant abuse of overtime in the Transportation Department have gone down dramatically to the tune of some $10,000 less per month.
You know the department, that's the one that new trustee Hector Chirinos ran like a generous Mrs. Havisham (the benefactor) to his underlings. Need we bring up the fact that it will be Mr. Chirinos who will replace Ms. Presas-Garcia as budget committee chair, no doubt based on his credentials as a financial manager.