3-14-2021

By J. Noel Espinoza/riograndeinfo.com

Rosalinda Garcia, a realtor in San Benito and local school district activist, is in a mission to allow residents voice all their own opinions during public school meetings.

Although the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District grants residents to sign up for public comments during meetings, it doesn’t tolerate residents to voice their opinions about items not included on the agenda.

SBCISD policy is uncommon in the surrounding area since Los Fresnos, Brownsville, and Harlingen actually encourage residents to speak up about any other school issues during public school board meetings.

“I am hoping that when I get elected, I can be a voice for the people of our town who want open

public comments placed back at board meetings,” Garcia, who’s been involved in public schools issues since 2005, said. “It’s a practice that is common in most towns in the Rio Grande Valley.”

Garcia remembers that just a few years ago SBCISD also allowed residents to speak openly about any other matters concerning school issues. Everything changed after former SBCISD Board of Trustees President Michael Vargas, who was part of the school board majority, faced driving while intoxicated charges in 2019. The school board majority began to stifle comments during public school board meetings. Eventually, the school board stopped letting people to speak up about any other issues except items on the agenda.

“Many of you have seen me making public comments before this present board and priors,” Garcia said. “I have requested information and participated in public comments before the board in order to bring local issues before them in the years when they were still allowing regular citizens to speak.”

As a real estate agent, Garcia said she will be an asset to the school district since she’s familiar with banking procedures, loans, how to expedite and explain amortization schedules, land evaluations as well as surveys, construction cost needs and payments.

Garcia, who’s a member of many local civic organizations, said she received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas-Brownsville, now UT-RGV, and holds a Texas real estate license. She works full-time for a large real estate company in the area. She said she owns her own home and she’s current with her property taxes.

“My platform is that  I will strive to bring

transparency back to the school board by asking questions,” she said.  “I also want to bring back public comments; I will expect financial

accountability for our tax-payers and examine all aspects of how and where our tax funds are spent.”

The next elections for SBCISD Board of Trustees is May 1, early voting begins April 19. Garcia will face off incumbent Sonia Weaver and two other challengers in Place 2.

Anyone who wants to help Garcia on her campaign can reach her at 956-357-3569.