TACO GATE: City Commissoner Uribe’s taco sales to city jail violates City Charter

By RAUL GARCIA JR | The Harlingen Times

HARLINGEN– Commissioner Richard Uribe said it loud and clear when he recited the oath of office to become Harlingen’s next Commissioner for Precinct 1 in May 2016.

It’s the same oath all newly elected officials recite that they will execute the duties of office and not be paid or interested in any gain or be disqualified from office.

That doesn’t seem to be the case for Uribe anymore.

Beginning October 2021, the City of Harlingen paid out checks weekly for food services totaling more than $3,000 to Richard’s Mexican American Grill, a business owned by City Commissoner Richard Uribe.

The qualifications according to the Harlingen City Charter, state elected officials will not seek nor receive contracts or payment from the city for services.

The city charter and Texas Constitution states such violations result in forfeiture of office.

“Any officer or employee of the city who shall cease to possess any of the qualifications herein required shall forthwith forfeit his office and any such contracts in which any officer or employee is or may become interested may be declared void by the city commission,” the charter states.

Uribe, who business Richard’s Mexican American Restaurant, located in Harlingen carries his nameske presented a bid to sell food to the city jail in August 2021.

The bid offered to deliver meals to the City jail for breakfast, lunch and dinner at a cost of $2.75 per meal.

Richard’s Restaurant beat out other bidders: Franky Flavez, $5 per meal and Los Cazuelas Restaurant, $2.25 for breakfast tacos and $3.99 for dinner tacos.

City records show Richard’s Restaurant was paid six checks between October 29 and December 10, 2021 to cover invoices for breakfast and lunch tacos delivered to the city jail.

Records show Uribe confirmed each of the purchase orders.

Now city leaders are questioning if Uribe’s services is a direct violation of the city charter first occurred, or if he’s disqualified from office.

At a recent city meeting, Mayor Chris Boswell and City Commission Michael Mezmer questioned if Uribe’s stepped down from office for providing business services, if the act disqualifys him from holding office further, and if passed votes are at risk since the act began.

It is not clear if Richard’s Mexican American Restaurant continues to deliver tacos to the city jail.

Uribe who is currently holding his office was not available for comment.

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