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As you likely know already, the University Medical Center (UMC) in El Paso is on the verge of losing its accreditation. This latest development is further proof of the incompetence of the county government under the tutelage of Veronica Escobar and cohorts. As much as they want to spin it, the fact is that the county government is responsible for two very specific reasons. They are responsible for your money and they control UMC’s purse strings.

The first reason is that the County of El Paso fully controls the budget of the county hospital, also known as UMC. Whether UMC is a separate entity or a self-standing taxing entity is immaterial because they cannot operate or spend money without the approval of the County Commissioners. That is why Jim Valenti and by extension, UMC goes before the County Commissioners each year to get approval for its budget.

Therefore no matter how much Veronica Escobar, Vince Perez and their useful idiots try to spin this latest debacle by arguing they have no authority over UMC; the fact remains that they have full control of UMC’s budget and therefore can easily force them to comply.

Try this, tell your credit card company that you are about to file for bankruptcy and try to use your card. What do you think will happen? Your transaction will be declined because even though you may have enough credit available the ultimate authority allowing you to use your credit is the credit card company. They will not allow you to add more debt if they know you will be filing for bankruptcy.

It is as simple as that.

Veronica Escobar and Vince Perez can easily end the charade by ordering UMC to update their budget immediately and if they do not comply, they can order the County Auditor to suspend their accounts.

However, the ultimate authority is you, the taxpayer. It is your money that UMC uses. It is you who elects Veronica Escobar and Vince Perez into office. It is you that they owe an explanation for this latest example of monumental incompetence by UMC.

How many more pieces of bad news is still lurking within UMC and other County departments that Veronica Escobar and Vince Perez will be “shocked” to learn about? It may have been Jim Valenti that is responsible for alerting the County Commissioners to the accreditation problem but it is ultimately Veronica Escobar’s and Vince Perez’ responsibility to take responsibility and address the myriad of problems instead of playing the political pass the potato blame game.

Martin Paredes

Martín Paredes is a Mexican immigrant who built his business on the U.S.-Mexican border. As an immigrant, Martín brings the perspective of someone who sees México as a native through the experience...

4 replies on “The El Paso Hospital Incompetence Allowed By Commissioners Court”

  1. Are you saying that Vince Perez & Escobar are the only two that can make a decision? Last I checked there’s a full elected court, why are you singling them out?

  2. There may be a full elected court but without gonads might as be just one person.

    Vince is it being singled out, it’s his job to tell her everyday how great she is. So he will take a bullet for her, thus the growling. David carries her briefcase therefore attends meeting with her. One just sits there, the other has grown one testicle.

    All the shock, anger and not knowing makes for a wonderful act. What drama !

    And to think she was re-elected. Which by her headline was a landslide, all 10 per cent of El Paso, lol. How many more incompetent decisions before we’ve had enough and take measures to implement change. What heck did she say that hypnotized the few voter.

  4. Well I agree with Sammy, to a certain extent. Carlos should be included in this fiasco. Stout and Haggerty have only been in office for a few months (much too soon to place responsibility at their feet, much like Ordaz, right?). I mean, Carlos and the Vi (Veronica & Vince) have been in office since at least 2012. It shouldn’t take a Georgetown BA more than 3 years to sift through the paper work, that’s what they’re trained to do, right? Wouldn’t you agree, Guillermo?

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