South Texas Anti Incumbent Candidates

Anyone who vies for an elected office and gets elected, must understand that he/she is elected on the platform they present....and should be held accountable, no one is above the law.... Submitted By Registered Voter

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Kenedeno Blue Ribbon Committee Endorsements For Del Mar Board of Regents Candidates

Kenedeno & Associates Editorial Blue Ribbon Committee Responds to Article Published By Corpus Christi Caller Times Editorial Board on October 15,2006

CCCT: Del Mar regents play key role in community

JK: Why has the Award Winning Caller Times not consistently reported the events surrounding the Board of Regents? Why has the CCCT gone on aggressive PR campaigns to drown out the truth?

Presently, within the Del Mar Board Room, a certain group is horny and the other greedy.

It is common knowledge at Del Mar College, The Powers That Be, gather and utilize dirt on each other. One group can cite overruns and an Avaricial Fultonian influence; the knowledge of the creative accounting and financials enables the President and Instructors to target female students for sexual encounters without fear of recourse. Of course President Garcia or Ben Blanco’s word is more credible than the student’s word.

Whether it be in their dreams, or where “Dreams Come True”, the liaisons and encounters between student and Instructor, student and custodian, or student and president are a desecration of the student’s inalienable rights and approach felonious commissions of abuse of power and official oppression.

CCCT: Thousands of South Texas residents have been educated at Del Mar College over the history of the local tax-supported community college. And thousands of those former students live in the area, hold jobs here, pay taxes to local government and contribute to its economy and to its civic life.

JK: Out of those thousands of South Texas residents, all of them were students at one time; at one time they were in the subordinate position to Del Mar Faculty and Hierarchy. Del Mar at one time exhibited exemplary Professional conduct and educated the students and civil rights were not violated. The formal and informal grievance process was not a complex protector of the Superior Institution. Why do the regents continue to sanction the deviant, aberrant and corrupt?

CCCT: Throughout the years, Del Mar has not only delivered first-rate educational services; it has been a powerful engine for change, transforming the lives of individuals, families and, ultimately, the entire community it serves. There may be no institution of higher learning so integral to the future of the Coastal Bend as Del Mar College.

JK: At one time this was true. It was first rate.

Yes, there are lives being transformed, but it matters not the summation of all the positive results but the negligent destruction of students’ lives.

The student body function and influence has deteriorated. The Student Government Association cratered under Joseph Ramirez. In Mr. Ramirez’ own words, he don’t know, “I don’t know if I’m even the president of any club at this point,” he said. “Things are being done without my knowledge”. According to the Foghorn (the official College Publication) membership of the Del Mar College East Campus Student Government Association (SGA-East) was reduced from 11 to eight this week after three members resigned via e-mail, Joseph Ramirez, president, confirmed. Joseph Ramirez failed the students who elected him. His tenure as (SGA-East) president was, in a nutshell, a comedy of errors. Ramirez’ questionable judgment and alignment with the President does not serve in the best interest of Del Mar College. He has surrendered what he was elected by the student body to uphold.

CCCT: The regents in the coming years have a major responsibility as they oversee the implementation of a $108 million bond issue approved by the voters two years ago.

That makes the election of the college regents a major decision for voters. More so because the regents are elected for six-year terms: We are all going to be living with the choices we make in these contests for a long, long time. The Editorial Board recommends to the voters the election of the following:

District 1: Gabe Rivas

District 3: Elva Estrada

District 5 (unexpired term): Jim Boggs

At-large: Minerva "Minnie" Arriaga

Los Kenedenos recommends to the voters the election of the following

Anti Incumbent Candidates

District 1: Linda Garcia

District 3: Elva Estrada

District 5: Howard Karsh or Israel Garcia

At Large: Nick Adame

CCCT: The case for the re-election of Rivas, the president of the Board of Regents, is a powerful one. Rivas, since his election as leader of the board in 2003, has brought a steady and calming brand of leadership to a board that had been in chaos under the previous president, Olga Gonzales. He has been strikingly effective in promoting healing in an environment that was once driven by rivalries and distrust.

JK: There has been no healing. The same environment remains; the difference is the perception of the CCCT. The CCCT has turned a blind eye to the public and the student’s information. Jaime Powell does not want to hear the information and even with attached documentation she chooses to remain ignorant. Gabe has sided against placing the President on Administrative leave and in doing so demonstrates DMC as a multi-tiered system with respect to due process and civil rights of students Rivas should have done the JOB he was elected to do and act in the best interest of DMC. Rivas has allowed the Board to unfairly apply the same rules differently (depending on the rank of the individual) to the detriment of the institution. The drop in enrollment is a reflection of the injustice. Parents are sending their children elsewhere.

Linda Garcia is our choice for District 1.

CCCT: Rivas is neither dramatic nor confrontational. He does his homework on the issues assiduously, guides the board through challenging decisions and gives the voters of District 1, which mostly encompasses an area immediately west of downtown, a responsible and informed voice to articulate their interests and needs.

JK: I respectfully disagree. Need we rehash?

Linda Garcia is our choice for District 1.

CCCT: Rivas has a hopeful but realistic outlook on the continuing issue of expanding the college's taxing district. "I do not see a lot of help from the Legislature," Rivas told the Editorial Board. That means the Board of Regents, including Rivas, must make up for the lack of area leadership on an issue that puts too much responsibility for supporting the college on the taxpayers of a district that mostly includes only City of Corpus Christi taxpayers. Yet the college serves all of Nueces County and several surrounding counties. Rivas' challenger, Linda Garcia, did not respond to the Editorial Board's invitation.

JK: More money, more problems for this group of regents. Why should Linda Garcia respond? The CCCT already had their mind made up. This is evident in the brown nosing prevarication the Editorial Board Leadership conjured up. Where did they get their information? Or shall I say misinformation?

Linda Garcia is our choice for District 1.

CCCT: The District 3 incumbent, Gonzales, did not respond either. But as mentioned earlier, her tenure as board president was, in short, a failure. We cannot recommend her re-election. Gonzales was first elected to the board in 1994, but her questionable judgment does not serve the constituents of District 3 well. The endorsement of retired educator Elva Estrada is made with the expectation that she will be a quick study on the weighty issues that will face the regents in the future. Estrada is a former teacher and principal with more than 30 years experience in public education. That is a good beginning for a post as regent.

JK: Elva Estrada will affect Positive Change and wields the supporting network to help her achieve these goals. She can and will stand up to Chris Adler.

Elva Estrada is our choice for District 3.

CCCT: The resignation of attorney William Chriss, who left the city, opened the District 5 seat for the rest of his unexpired term. Architect James Boggs gets the nod over former college employee Howard Karsh and business owner Israel Garcia. Boggs has a better grasp of the college's potential than do his opponents.

False Statement: ”Boggs has a better grasp of the college's potential than do his opponents”

JK: Boggs is pro establishment. Furthermore for the CCCT to make the bold statement, “Boggs has a better grasp of the college's potential than do his opponents” is demonstrative of the Editorial Leadership’s misinformation. Howard Karsh and Israel Garcia have demonstrated their mastery of current issues and without a doubt have a much more informed outlook regarding Del Mar College’s potential. Both candidates embrace each other and have produces only positive results from their dialogue.

CCCT: Arriaga, a local attorney, has shown she deserves election to a second term as an at-large regent. She is the choice over Nick Adame, a chiropractor and president of LULAC Council No. 1, and Joseph Ramirez, a Del Mar student. Arriaga demonstrated to the Editorial Board a firm grasp of the wide range of issues issues facing the college. After one term, voters should expect that Arriaga's learning curve is over and should look for her to emerge as an energetic and independent regent.

JK: Joseph Ramirez has demonstrated his lack of leadership as President of the SGA-East. He has also displayed arrogance and lack of common respect towards established community leaders yet ignorantly defends the President without regard to his training in criminal justice and death investigation. He is much too immature at this time to lead our community. The only vote we recommend for Joseph Ramirez is a vote of no confidence.

. Minnie Arriaga is the incumbent in the at large race. Minnie, a very respectable lady; has been lackluster at best. Minnie appears too demure and appeasing to grapple with the current issues facing the BOR. Her plate is too full and her representation of clients is not up too par.

Nick Adame on the other hand brings a refreshing invigoration with him. Nick’s energy, determination and diligence coupled with his leadership abilities and charisma make him the best man for the JOB.

Nick Adame is our choice for Regent At large.

Link: CCCT: Del Mar regents play key role in community