Hays County Courthouse
Dear Hays County Residents,
You may have heard the disturbing news that the U.S. Treasury Department took back almost $800,000 from Hays County in December 2021 because—according to the County itself—it failed to meet “targeted milestones for distribution” from the federal Emergency Rental Assistance program. This money was intended to provide rent and utility assistance to help low-income residents and families in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is unacceptable.
Wesley Matthews, former Hays County manager of the program, said that the initiative “was set up for failure.” He said that the County failed to provide the resources necessary to administer a program of this size. This was clear from the fact that Hays County received the grant in January 2021, by the end of November, had disbursed only about 7 percent of it. The federal spending target for November 2021 was 40 percent. Which begs the question, “How many Hays County families went without heat and a roof over their heads because of this failure?”
Brandon Burleson, Democratic candidate for Hays County Judge agrees with Erin Hahn, a research analyst for the nonprofit housing advocate Texas Housers, who cautions that “This is the start of a piecemeal process of Hays County potentially losing a lot of money every two months . . . until it’s all gone.”
“This is is about leadership,” said Burleson. And the individual who should have been leading the charge to protect those who need these benefits most, County Judge Ruben Becerra, was missing in action on this issue.
It’s all well and good that Becerra is now begging Hays County congressional representatives to restore the funding he let run through his fingers. But apparently, the welfare of needy Hays County residents wasn’t that important to him until it became an issue in his reelection campaign.
But when it came to feeding at the County trough, Becerra made sure that he got his share. He received a stipend of $25,000 a year in both 2019 and 2020—on top of his salary of more than $88,000—claiming he spent at least 40% of his time on “judicial functions.” According to a Hays County court administrator, Becerra has never presided over a Hays County court docket. While a lawsuit challenged Becerra’s windfall and sought his removal for taking money for work he did not do, it was dismissed: not because Becerra established that he performed any judicial functions but on a pair of technicalities. The law in question did not define “judicial functions.” And because of that squishiness, the case does not involve a “clearly defined duty or obligation” as required by Texas Law for removal of a County Officer from Office. So, Ruben Becerra, king of the loopholes, rides again!
Burleson pledges that he would never request or accept the court stipend without performing actual and specific judicial duties to earn it. Further, he made a clear commitment that “If elected, I will work with my fellow Commissioners to ensure the allocation of 100% of federal grants intended to assist our residents, and I will work tirelessly with our federal representatives to have the Emergency Rental Assistance grant funding restored to Hays County. This must never happen again.”
Sincerely,
Brandon Burleson,
Candidate for Hays County Judge
The San Marcos City Council received a presentation on the Sidewalk Maintenance and Gap Infill…
The San Marcos River Rollers have skated through obstacles after taking a two-year break during…
San Marcos Corridor News has been reporting on the incredible communities in the Hays County…
Visitors won't be able to swim in the crystal clear waters of the Jacobs Well Natural…
Looking to adopt or foster animals from the local shelter? Here are the San Marcos…
The Lone Star State leads the nation in labor-related accidents and especially workplace deaths and…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
Burleson lies much the same as Becerra.
Burleson here claims that "Wesley Matthews, former Hays County manager of the program, said that the initiative 'was set up for failure.' ” REALLY ?
If true, then why didn't Matthews simply bring this to the attention of the Commissioners Court ?
Because the "failure" was allowing Matthews to run the job. That is what set it up for failure.
Burleson, as the accuser here, admits that Matthews was in charge of a lot of "resources" (money).
Burleson, however, claims that Matthews was not given enough "resources" to do the job.
Perfect example why Burleson is just another Becerra waiting to happen.
The above letter (allegedly written by Burleson in which he describes himself as a third party, e.g.: "Brandon Burleson, Democratic candidate for Hays County Judge agrees with. . ." ) was apparently written by some operative for Hays commissioner Mark Jones who is the Republican candidate for county judge, and who as we all know, was there the whole time aware of the whole thing and who didn't say spit because he wanted Matthews to fail and cause Becerra embarrasment---at the cost of every Hays citizen who stood to benefit from the program.
Make-believers may say that Burleson is not Becerra is not Jones, and if only we believed, things would change.
The good news is that the entire Commissioners Court prior to election will be facing a new and immense scandal.
Brandon Burleson is in it for the money. And so is Ruben Becerra. Its a letter written by Brandon and it says "Burleson pledges that he would never request or accept the court stipend without performing actual and specific judicial duties to earn it. " Whoah stop the presses he won't take money without getting trained. We all know his family ties, will the public even get a fair shake?
Nice try, Burleson. The two members of Commissioners Court tasked with overseeing administration of the ERA funds, by hiring the right people to manage it, were Walt Smith & Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe.
What a pathetic attempt to contort their failure into something you could squeeze political advantage from -- shameful.