Power grab

The Pat Ahumada power grab continues.

The Brownsville mayor now wants to take over control of the Brownsville Economic Development Council, Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau.

He notes that while the three quasi-governmental bodies all operate to promote the city's economic growth, "we are not communicating with each other. This makes us go in a different pace and direction."

Given the disunity that seems to be drawn to Ahumada like pigeons to a statue, it hardly seems that putting him in charge would foster cooperation among the entities. Even in the hands of a different mayor and City Commission, putting all functions under one ruler isn't what this city - or any city, for that matter - needs.

Lumping agencies together only consolidates power, and leaves all of them more susceptible to manipulation by one person or commission. Decentralization, on the other hand helps protect agencies from influence by corrupt individuals or small groups of officials.

That's not to imply that the current administration is corrupt. But less than honest people have been elected in the past, and could be in the future. Temptations to build little empires are much easier to prevent than rectify once dishonest people are in positions of power.

This latest proposal follows Ahumada's penchant for trying to take control of everything in his universe. While he has offered viable ideas, the mayor needs to learn that the ideas of others can be just as good, and sometimes even better.

As mayor, Ahumada has seats on the boards of all three agencies, and that is all the influence he should need. Beyond that it is his job to either sell his ideas to a majority of his fellow board members, or work with the majority to carry out whatever decision it ultimately makes, whether it is his idea or not.

Ahumada also needs to learn that no single person can run a city the size of Brownsville, and no single person should have that much authority.

It also stands to reason that each office works most efficiently when allowed to focus on its own respective duty, and has its own autonomous governing body, as is currently the case.

If the mayor's concern is a lack of communication, then communication is the only solution. Ahumada would do well to promote cooperation, and even act as a liaison, or appoint one, to help foster dialogue and unity among the agencies.

The mayor is correct in saying that the three agencies can better help build and promote Brownsville if they communicate and work together. That is best done if someone begins building bridges of communication, rather than place them all under the direct control of a mayor who already has established a reputation for being less than cooperative.