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If there’s one thing that gets people more fired up than raising their taxes, it’s bullies messing with animals. Our animals are to be loved, cherished and cared for. We show them compassion, and they provide us comfort. We feed all those neighborhood cats even when we know we shouldn’t. Our critters are our best friends, our companions and an integral part of our families lives.
’Tis the season to renew the contract between the city of Harlingen and the Humane Society.
Our elected officials, specifically the Harlingen mayor, Commissioner Rene Perez and City Manager Gabriel Gonzales, are attempting to shut down our Humane Society animal shelter. Apparently hitting us up for another $1.2 million in property taxes just wasn’t good enough. These City Hall cats miss out on opportunities, like money for nonexistent “shovel- ready” projects, and then complain that they need more money. So now they are on the hunt, and looking for a vulnerable target. Lo and behold, there it is — the Humane Society. Harlingen wants the Humane Society funds for their other pet projects (pardon the pun). The Humane Society is expendable.
The city is setting up the Humane Society for failure. The city has offered a contract imposing new terms that are impossible for the shelter to abide by. when the Humane Society defaults, the mayor can swoop in, shut it down, take the money and run. Guaranteed, if the city gets its way, within a week the Harlingen Humane Society will again become a kill shelter.
According to Commissioner Perez, the city is doing the Humane Society a big favor by donating $400,000 per year, paying to keep the lights on and providing a dilapidated shelter building. Can someone please remind the good commissioner that the Humane Society provides much-needed services to our community, and these services cost money? Let me remind Commissioner Perez that election season is just around the corner.
Also at issue is the deplorable condition of the building the city provides for the shelter. The building should be condemned. The condition of the current facility is unsafe, and a danger to staff, citizens and the animals. Harlingen should be ashamed of its condition, as the city has not properly maintained this property to any safety or health standard. I have a copy of two pencil-whipped inspections from the Texas Health and Human Services from last year with an overall grade of Satisfactory. I promise you there is nothing satisfactory about this city-owned property. Let’s take some of those millions in interest income being generated by the tens of millions sitting in the general fund and purchase a suitable building for a new shelter.
The Humane Society is not asking for the world, they just want to renew their old contract. We don’t need 120 days to hammer out an agreement. Mayor Sepulveda, stop bullying the Humane Society out of business and find a safe and inviting facility for the shelter. Do not anger the animal people! We bite back!
DawnRae Leonard lives in Harlingen.
