SBCISD PLACE 4 RACE: Padilla critical of ‘financial irresponsibility’

By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

Arnold Padilla

Arnold Padilla

June Aguilera

June Aguilera

The hotly-contested race for the Place 4 seat on the San Benito CISD Board of Trustees just got a little hotter after challenger Arnold Padilla recently shared his thoughts on the financial stability of the school district as well as the controversial suspension and subsequent investigation into Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón.

Incumbent June Aguilera, who Padilla is challenging, could not be reached for comment as of presstime Tuesday.

“Sound decisions that are being made that affect the school district financially are most important,” said Padilla, who currently serves as the Executive Director of the San Benito Housing Authority. “If you don’t have a fiscally-sound school district, you can’t provide the services you are required to provide.”

Padilla argues that he can provide “sound” management thanks to his experience with the SBHA and previous tenure on the San Benito City Commission, which spanned from 2001-05.

“I bring a business perspective that can understand the financial background that comes with a $100 million business environment, such as this school district,” Padilla said. “We want to offer our management perspective and create a positive work environment for everybody, because this will provide the students with what they need, which are teachers that want to come to work and that are going to provide a service to the students that students can learn from.”

Padilla was also critical of the style of leadership implemented by the Board.

“Trustees are not managers of the district,” Padilla said. “Trustees approve budgets and they hold people accountable. Holding people accountable means that you hire a superintendent, and you instruct or lay the groundwork, lay the vision of what you want a superintendent to provide, then you hold him accountable. He manages the district, not the trustees. It is the responsibility of the trustee to inform him where you may see things that are not done correctly so that he, in turn, can fix the issue, per se, and move it forward.”

On Limón’s paid leave, which came via a 4-3 split of the board on May 23, 2013, pending the outcome of the subsequent investigation which remains ongoing and spawned the hiring of two interim superintendents, Padilla was again critical of the Board.

“I don’t know, and I’m not privy to any of the accusations or things that were brought to light, but I think its fiscally irresponsible to hold a superintendent at bay under suspension for over a year, paying dual salary to another superintendent, yet here we are a year later and we’re no better off from where we were when we got started,” Padilla said. “That’s just financially irresponsible … It’s an environment that’s not good for anyone.”

Padilla was referring to Limón continuing to make an annual salary of $165,303 while under paid suspension; meanwhile, Alfonso Obregón, who was originally appointed interim superintendent, made $717.25 per day until his contract expired on Nov. 27. Dr. Ismael Cantu now serves in an interim capacity for $550 per day. The district has also paid more than $20,000 in legal expenses to Houston-based law firm Guerra and Farah PLLC, which was hired by the Board to conduct the investigation into Limón at a $150-per-hour rate.

When asked about his opponent, Padilla said the following of Aguilera:

“I think she’s a wonderful young lady, and I commend her for being involved at such a young age. I do believe that, unfortunately, she may not have been able to bring to the position the experience that is needed. She has strong, bright ideas, but as we get older and are involved through many different organizations, I’m able to bring that history and that background with me, which helps me evaluate the decisions I’m going to make before I make them.”

Early voting will begin on Monday, April 28 and end on Tuesday, May 6. Election Day is on Saturday, May 10.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/04/15/sbcisd-place-4-race-padilla-critical-of-financial-irresponsibility/

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    • Please tell me ..(Denny Crane, Jr.) on April 18, 2014 at 4:30 pm
    • Reply

    Running for political office is very similar to applying for a job. The voters are the employers and in order to impress the voters a candidate must:

    1) Have a solid work resume with real accomplishments and some form of formal education where they can at least be able to form a complete sentence, be able to read and understand a contract, and

    2) Have a minimum of 6 hours of Introduction to Accounting to know the difference between an asset and a liability, and

    3) Not have been on probation for having done something stupid, and

    4) Be financially responsible and pay their property taxes on time, and

    5) Have a skeleton free closet with no surprises (forgot to pay property taxes, bankruptcy, divorce, had an affair, DUI conviction, etc), and

    6) Be mentally and emotionally prepared for the slings and arrows because you won’t make everyone happy. Critics will tear you apart in the media., and

    7) Identify and list what you really want to accomplish and how you intend to do it.

    These few requirements will all work in any election. Desafortunadamente, we are talking about San Benito where it is more of a “popularity contest” instead of an issues election. We have become so blinded by our allegiance to our friends or friends of friends who will try to convince you to vote for so and so because we can’t let “them” win. It has come to who has the most or biggest political signs.

    Our streets have become wastelands of political signs. It is very difficult to vote for a candidate just by reading their political signs. For the school board candidates my 1st question is “How many school board meetings have you attended? Have you spoken up at school board meetings outlining your concerns? Is this the 1st time the public has heard of you?

    For the incumbents running for re-election for City Commission or the School Board, what have you done for the city or the taxpayers and please be specific in your answers? Don’t just tell me you are working on some projects, what projects?

    Don’t tell us to vote for you because, in your opinion, “you are the people’s candidate” or that “you are doing it for the children” or “you have been married for so many years”.

    Tell me why the number of employees running the city has almost doubled and the services remain the same or have become nonexistent. Why is Travis Street behind city hall being resurfaced before other heavy traffic streets in worst shape?

    Tell me why you suspended a superintendent, with pay, over allegations you refuse to release and publish? And why are you paying two superintendents and legal fees for a never ending investigation?

    For the new candidates, What have the incumbents done wrong and how would YOU address it? What would you do different? How would you handle the increase in stray dogs polluting the Resaca trail and the introduction of “chickens and roosters” and loud music into our neighborhoods? Why the low test scores? Why are teachers revolting against or for a principal or policy?

    I think these are all valid questions. However, I will probably be asking the same questions three years from now because “Voter Apathy or people just not caring” will triumph again and the incumbents will thump their chest and say how they will represent all the citizens of San Benito and that this is a “win for the children”. Blah! Blah! Blah! blah!

    Meanwhile, Brownsville will annex more of San Benito and Harlingen has already indicated they don’t want us, yet!

    C’est la vie and have a safe weekend as we celebrate the “Resurrection of Jesus Christ who gave His life for our sins!”

    Please Tell Me,
    WeThePeople,
    in all due fairness,
    truth, or truth be told 2,
    (are),
    TwoCentsWorth,
    Ridiculous,
    Really Ridiculous,
    Bad Dog.

  1. @ truth
    I applaud the idea of the FBI or TEA come and investigate all board members actions the past several years.. I will promise you there’s one on the board for the past 8 that will get locked up if investigated, hands down.. I really hope FBI/ DEA or TEA come in to San Benito and expose and get ride of the trash.. Than the ” truth” can go visit their friends or political alliances in jail !!!

    • TRUTH on April 17, 2014 at 7:23 pm
    • Reply

    @Ridiculous

    I am with you 100% I hope June wins, along with her group!! I can’t wait to see them removed from office by TEA and or arrested by the FBI! That way I can remind you, how ignorant, RIDICULOUS people like you continue to bring down San Benito. It’s people like you in this town that make me ashamed of what my hometown has become!

      • Reform San Benito on April 17, 2014 at 9:21 pm
      • Reply

      TRUTH! Ridiculous is…ridiculous. Word to the stupid who think they can steal this election: feds are watching, AG is watching. There will NOT be another 300 ballots printed by City Secretary, as in 2011, that helped Hernandez win by 297. Not this time! There will be people going to jail this time. It’s a whole new world in 2014!

  2. Bottom line ” reform whatever” I will vote smart and trust me Padilla does not stand a chance.. I will remind you again after the election results prove me right!!! So go try to ” reform whatever” somewhere else.. Padilla will lose this time around because he stands for the wrong reasons and he has proven it before… So your feeble attempt at trying to justify this candidates attributes are falling on deaf ears…

    • truth be told 2 on April 17, 2014 at 2:53 pm
    • Reply

    The leadership of June or Pappi. The insurance consultant hired by district recommended that Valley Baptist Health Systems run the district clinic. June in the meeting pushed for the current organization to run the clinic against the recommendation of the consultant. The current group had problems with the IRS earlier as you recall. Well, Guess who has even bigger tax problems with the IRS. (Look for future stories in the SBNews) Great Job June and the other three for voting against the recommendation of the consultant. It was a 4-3 vote. Now the district is in danger of not having a clinic for the employees that signed up to the managed care plan. It is time to send June home to Pappi.

    • in all due fairness on April 17, 2014 at 9:41 am
    • Reply

    yes, blame all 7! stroke, no stroke, raise concern, not raise concern, insurance, no insurance – at the end of the day, look at the results. it got the district nowhere. nothing was done. more money wasted. students and teachers left with less to fight and work with in preparation for the students’ future and STAAR testing coming up next week. and because of that, yes they are all 7 to blame.

  3. @ Selena
    I agree with wholeheartedly but the joke is on ” reform San Benito”.. That person must live on another planet and not see the mess Mr. Padilla ” wonderful” and Medrano ” super board member of the decade” has done as elected officials. Dam who’s the moron now!!! Go ahead ” reform San Benito ” should reform their thoughts and be realistic …. I guarantee you less than .01 percent of the votes / taxpayers think like reform whatever… Done… People must go vote smart!!!! Padilla is a joke – Medrano has been …

      • Reform San Benito on April 17, 2014 at 5:58 pm
      • Reply

      The joke is your feeble attempt to put together a coherent sentence. Ridiculous, you are aptly named. You’re claiming Padilla will receive only 2.5-3 votes? Or is that 25-30 votes? What are you trying to say? Apparently, you are incapable of voting smart…or being smart.

    • Selena on April 16, 2014 at 5:19 pm
    • Reply

    The end of this mayhem and havoc will begin when we clear the board of candidates that have served on the board making bad decisions that turned out to be very costly to the school district. The morale in the district is at an all time low. Miller Jordan is just one example of the instability and disgruntled employees, students, and parents. Everyone seems to pass the buck and there is no correction or accountability. We the parents do not have a voice in any decision making . The children and employees are suffering. Many of our best staff want to leave and many have already left.

    • truth be told 2 on April 16, 2014 at 5:06 pm
    • Reply

    The leadership of June or June’s Pappi. She was instrumental in debating that 100k commission should not be paid to a certain insurance agent. The commission was withdrawn from policy. One year later she was instrumental that 100k should be paid to a different insurance agent. The commission was paid to the agent.

    June participated in the discussion about buying the ipad fakes from Pappi. That was a clear violation of policy to do so. She didn’t vote for it during board meeting, but had already participated during the committee meeting.

    All of June’s contributions were from Pappi. Can you say special interest? I wish someone would request public information and find out how much Pappi has made from the district. However, Pappi says he has saved the district. Lol

    June loves to hear herself talk. Just listen to youtube channel. She talks and talks and makes no sense. It is time to send June home to Pappi.

    • Bad Dog on April 16, 2014 at 3:48 pm
    • Reply

    Oh boy election time is just around the corner. Who will be reelected and who will be replaced. I hear Mr Huerta is not really talking as arrogent as he was before. Maybe he is alittle bit worried that he may not make it ? That Ms Aquilera girl and her dad are trying to cover up all their personal vehicles with stickers on them. Daddy needs his daughter to get reelected so he can still know what is going on in close session.

    GET OUT AND VOTE SB…..THIS IS YOUR CHANCE.

    • TwoCentsWorth on April 16, 2014 at 3:46 pm
    • Reply

    Ridiculous: An executive director of a housing authority is not–that’s “is not” required to have a college degree. AS far as his appointment being a political appointment, you are “spitting into the wind.” As a matter of fact, San Antonio HUD holds him in high esteem. Try butting heads with HUD, sir.

  4. Doesn’t surprise me that once again certain board members are not held accountable for their horrific actions in the previous years. Minority Medrano and Leal a huge reason out school district is in horrific shape and the laughing stoke of the valley.. Thanks to these characters that our taxpayers money’s goes out the window with the abuse of paying certain coaches( high salaries) and certain administration that- brown nose- get payed ridiculous salaries because of the political side their on and with no accountability.. It’s time for these guys to go, and sympathy has been thrown out the window this time around!!!!!! Vote smart

    • Really Ridiculous on April 16, 2014 at 2:33 pm
    • Reply

    Blame the minority? You mean the guy who rushed his return from suffering a mini stroke so he could continue to serve and hold accountable the actions of the majority, and who also asked for an investigation into the board president because she tried to unilaterally bypass the board’s authority in the insurance-gate scandal? The same minority members who were all over the Valley Morning Star and San Benito News raising concerns about why the list of accusations against the superintendent was not shared with them?

  5. Financial irresponsibility is something that Padilla is very familiar with himself. Just look at the mess he made with the ” stonewall Jackson hotel” – financial irresponsibility.. He thinks we forget the mess he made made as a previously elected city official. Keep talking Padilla and all your financial irresponsibility will continue to be exposed. By the way, Padilla holds a job that requires a college degree and politics placed him their, a total joke. Vote June…

      • Really Ridiculous on April 16, 2014 at 9:38 am
      • Reply

      Arnold Padilla helped the FBI expose Dora Perez for stealing a quarter of a million dollars from housing tenants. He spearheaded the acquisition of Stonewall Jackson and locked its doors to secure it until ready for future use. Stonewall Jackson is now no longer a safe haven for drug activity or sexual predators who molested and raped children. Don’t believe me? Click on the link https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/04/25/minister-former-stonewall-jackson-manager-faces-child-abuse-charges/. The Housing Authority under Arnold has constantly been recognized by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for excellence in finances. And your vote is for June, who along with her allies on the board helped cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars purely out of a political vendetta??????? Now THAT is REALLY ridiculous.

      I’m sure Ms. Aguilera is a good girl, but my vote isn’t reserved for good girls. It’s reserved for good leaders. June had her chance but became part of a board that’s now known as the worst ever in San Benito. THE WORST EVER. You can’t blame that on Arnold, he’s not on the board! You can’t blame that on Oscar Medrano, Hector Leal or Anna Cruz, BECAUSE THEY’RE THE MINORITY! June is part of the MAJORITY, which has left the district in shambles and made San Benito the butt of a joke that all of South Texas is laughing at. Her inexperience is painfully obvious and its even more clear how inappropriate her relationship with her father is since he knows so much about everything going on in the district., and sometimes he talks about information that was only shared in closed session! That means June is sharing matters discussed in closed session with her dad.

      If you’re really concerned with the welfare of the district, then you should forget whatever alliances, relationships, or friendships you have with the board members who represent the majority and just call a spade a spade. Getting the district on the straight and narrow is more important than whatever grudges you hold or allegiances you serve.

        • in all due fairness on April 16, 2014 at 11:16 am
        • Reply

        you can blame the minority. pancho villa stood up for the minority. hispanics across this country stood up for the minority. african americans across this country stood up for the minority. etc. etc. they sit back and let it all happen instead of trying hard enough to do something. the school district up north did enough to where tea finally realized and took notice and stepped in to help. tea has done nothing down here because there has been no one who has done enough to where tea will take notice. that includes the minority 3. they are to blame as well as the majority 4. all 7!

      • WeThePeople on April 16, 2014 at 10:14 am
      • Reply

      Your misguided sentiments, Ridiculous, are well, ridiculous.
      Mess? What mess? As I understand it, if there is blame to be placed, the City is the culprit. Here is why.
      The board of directors for the SB Housing Authority is appointed by the City Commission. They have no power to enforce building code violations or close any structures within the City. Mr. Padilla cannot purchase a building without the unanimous approval of the SB Housing Authority board. In addition, the SB elected officials, (Mayor and City Commission) could have nixed the deal at any time. So, if there is a ‘mess’, it must be on the City, not an employee of the SB Housing Authority!
      I believe you will also find Mr. Padilla is currently securing funds to renovate the property and maintain decent housing for the elderly, instead of squalor the previous owner was allowing.
      As far as a college degree, please read the quote below.

      ~~
      “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

      • Reform San Benito on April 16, 2014 at 9:04 pm
      • Reply

      “Vote June” if you’re a moron who wants to see the district fail and the needs of the children ignored. Same with “Papas” Lopez. Their sole reason for running is not the best interest of the children of this city, but to carry out petty vendettas. Shameful that the honor and privilege to serve our community has been reduced to a mockery by this group.

      If, as you say, politics placed Padilla in his current job, he has made the most of his opportunity. His record of excellence at the SBHA is recognized all the way to the Federal level.

      Politics placed June where she is and she has failed miserably. She is an embarrassment to herslf and this community.

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