By LAURA B. MARTINE
The Brownsville Herald

February 15, 2007 — A group interested in keeping Isla Blanca Park from being commercially developed is organizing against an $8 million certificate of obligation approved by Cameron County commissioners.

Friends of Isla Blanca Park, an organization dedicated to preserving the South Padre Island park, wants voters to be allowed to decide on the bond meant for countywide park improvements.

The group began circulating petitions last week. Signatures will be counted on Saturday during the island’s annual beach cleanup, said Mary Helen Flores, a Friends of Isla Blanca Park member.

“We do want new parks for the county,” Flores said. “We don’t want Isla Blanca responsible for paying that money back. We don’t want the park to be in the red.”

Isla Blanca Park is the main generator of revenue for the county park system, so if the county has problems paying the debt, fees at the park could be raised.

Certificates of obligation are to be used for emergency purposes and do not have to be approved by voters. General bonds, which are used for capital improvements, must go to the voters.

The group needs 2,500 signatures to bring the issue to the voters, Flores said. According to state law, a petition must be signed by 5 percent of qualified voters in the county.

As of Wednesday, it was not immediately known how many signatures had been collected.

Flores said Friends of Isla Blanca hopes to get the signatures certified by Tuesday so they can present them at the next commissioners court meeting.

County commissioners approved issuing the $8 million certificate of obligation on Feb. 5 for park improvements and the creation of three new parks in the county.

Commissioners Sofia C. Benavides, John Wood and Edna Tamayo voted for issuing the measure. Commissioner David Garza did not attend the meeting, and County Judge Carlos H. Cascos abstained from the vote.

However, Friends of Isla Blanca Park said the commissioners should have waited to see if the Texas Legislature will pass two bills that would create additional park funding instead. House Bill 6 and Senate Bill 252 would allocate sporting goods sales tax revenue to fund state and local parks. Both bills are pending.

“Isla Blanca has not had any improvements” for quite a while, Flores said. “That’s why we have been making so much noise.”

She said the group fears that if Isla Blanca Park would ever be in the “red,” this would allow the doors to open to developers who want to transform the park into a multi-million-dollar development.

County Judge Carlos Cascos said that would not happen. Under the worst case scenario, the county would have to consider increasing concession fees, park fees or other fees.

Cascos said the group has some legitimate concerns.

“They have every right to do that,” Cascos said. “I don’t think we have any choice” but to accept the petitions if they are certified.

Pct. 4 Commissioner Edna Tamayo said she had heard talk about a petition, but isn’t sure how or if it will effect the projects the county is working on pertaining to her precinct.

Communities scheduled for parks in Precinct 4 include Rio Hondo, Los Indios and La Paloma.
“I’m moving forward with the project,” Tamayo said.

TALKBACK: Should Cameron County commissioners have approved an $8 million certificate of obligation for park improvements