By: Jesus Nava, IHN President,  

Finance Director/Treasurer, City of Burlingame, CA

 

 

Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín was born March 24, 1829 in the village of Bahía del Espíritu Santo, now Goliad, Texas but then post-revolutionary Mexico. The Tejano was a general in the Mexican army best known for defeating the invading French troops at the Batalla De Puebla, the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862.

 

Ignacio was born to Miguel G. Zaragoza and María de Jesús Seguín, cousin of Juan Seguín and surviving hero in the Texas War for Independence. Zaragoza joined the Mexican army during the political unrest of the 1850's and commanded a volunteer army that defeated the Mexican dictator Santa Anna in 1855. Zaragoza then helped reestablish a constitutional democratic government in Mexico.

 

He served President Benito Juárez as Secretary of War but resigned to lead the Army of the East against the European nations that threatened Mexico over its external debt.

 

When Napoleon's army invaded, Zaragoza first fought them at Acultzingo but was forced to withdrawal to Puebla which provided a more defensible position. On May 5, 1862, he repelled repeated French attacks with a much smaller, less equipped army. Defeated, the French troops were forced to retreat. News that a rag-tag army commanded by a Tejano had held the most powerful military force in the world spread like wildfire and became lore.

 

Cinco de Mayo is now more of an American holiday than a Mexican one. Heck, I was unaware that the event was even commemorated until I attend the University of Texas at Austin. My personal feeling is that the celebration has more to do with the fact that General Zaragoza was a Tejano then anything else.

 

For Tejanos possess that immutable fierce sense of independence and self-sufficiency. They are a tough, salt-of-the-earth bunch. They stand up to dictators and despots and readily defy all threats to personal liberty. They believe that land and liberty are worth dying for; that any and all who are willing to work hard to succeed are welcomed; and that neighbor helping neighbor is the best way to live.

 

It's of no surprise to me that Texas would be chosen by God as the birthplace of a new culture, a culture so unique in its place and time that it is world renowned as "Tejano." Texas was after all the crossroads between two very different worlds: one English, the other Spanish; one Protestant, the other Catholic; one Anglo and the other Mestizo -- two very different worlds indeed.

 

But these two worlds continue steadily to become one in Texas, especially in San Antonio. For visitors from the south, San Antonio is America. For visitors from the north, it is Mexico. The reality is that it is both. It has been since its inception. You can not divide the two cultures. They are one. San Antonio is and always will be intrinsically tied to the history and the future of Latinos in the U.S. This is what makes the city so exciting. What happens here among Latinos will lead the nation.

 

I had the opportunity to travel to Puebla, Mexico a few years back at the request of ICMA Latino America. I was there to help the city of Puebla strengthen its municipal credit rating. Each time that I introduced myself and indicated that I was from San Antonio, the Pueblanos would exclaim: "A Eres Tejano!" Instantly I was family and was bestowed the same honors as if I were General Zaragoza myself.

 

I politely stated my unworthiness with the comparison. I could not take credit for such brave acts of selflessness as those exhibited by the army of Zaragoza against such formidable odds. But my words did not change their minds. The fact that I was Tejano was good enough for them for it spoke volumes.

 

 

Conference Notes:

 

Seguín, TX neighbors San Antonio and is located on the banks of the famed Guadalupe River. Tubing down the Guadalupe River is a popular tourist attraction.

 

There is a mural by San Antonio artist Jesse Trevino entitled, "Crossroads of Two Cultures" located in the lobby of the Wells Fargo bank in the Las Palmas Shopping Center. It depicts two cultures coming together as one.

Top 10 Things To See in  

San Antonio

by IHN President Jesus Nava

 

10. The View of San Antonio from Atop of the Tower of the   Americas

 

9. The Spanish Governor's Palace (Plaza De Armas)

 

8.  San Fernando Cathedral

 

7. Our Lady of the Lake Sanctuary

 

6.  San Antonio Missions (Concepcíon, San José, San Juan,    Espada)

 

5.  San Antonio Market Square

 

4.  McNay Art Museum

 

3.  The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower

 

2.  San Antonio Murals (various Westside locations)

 

1.  Japanese Tea Gardens (at Brackenridge Park)

Smart Uses for Your  

 

 

Cash windfalls are hard to come by in this economy which makes it all the more important to take advantage of these rare opportunities. Here are five ways to magnify the value of your tax refund to improve your financial situation.

 

 

Pay down high-interest debt. Paying off a credit card with an 18 percent interest rate is like earning an 18 percent tax-free return on your money. And as you pay off your debt, money that would otherwise go to interest charges can be devoted to other goals.

 

Build your emergency fund. You should have at least three to six months' worth of living expenses in an accessible account, to help you avoid expensive debt to pay any unexpected bills.

 

Save for short-term goals. A tax refund can jumpstart saving toward concrete goals, such as buying a car, putting a down-payment on a house, saving for home improvements or starting a vacation fund.

 

Boost your retirement savings. Using the money to fund additional 457 or IRA contributions can plant a valuable seed for your retirement. Contributing a $1,500 refund to a Roth IRA now can grow to more than $8,000 tax-free in 25 years if your investments return 7 percent per year.

 

Give Yourself a Raise. It might feel good to get a tax refund, but wouldn't you rather have more money in every paycheck instead? If you routinely get refunds, adjust your tax withholding to increase your take-home pay right away. Use the  IRS's Withholding Calculator to pinpoint how many allowances you should claim on a new Form W-4. File that form with your employer and you'll see the results in a bigger check next payday. See  IRS Publication 919 for more information.

 

This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not to be construed or relied upon as investment advice. Except as expressly permitted by ICMA-RC, reproduction or redistribution of this content in its entirety or any portion thereof, is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of ICMA-RC. For more information, contact ICMA-RC at 777 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4240. 800-669-7400. Copyright © 2009 ICMA-RC. All rights reserved.

 

Member News & Notes 

 

Denise Gallegos from the City of San Antonio Texas and her husband Michael are happy to announce the birth of their third child, Renesmée Yzabella Gallegos, born on October 24, 2011.   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 Veronica Lara from the City of Austin, Texas, and her husband Sal are happy to announce the birth of their second child, Andres Salvador Briseño Lara, born on  

May 2, 2011.    

    

  

 

 

 

 

 Susan Thorpe, Deputy City Manager, City of Peoria, AZ was selected by the Arizona City/County Management Association to receive a scholarship to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  Susan will attend Harvard's three-week Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from June 4 through June 22.     

 

 

 

Julie C.T. Hernandez, IHN Executive Director, recently traveled to Boston, MA, to watch her daughter-in-law, Melissa Hernandez, complete the Boston Marathon in record-setting, 87 degree heat.

New & Returning Members

Stephen Elkins Veronica Briseño Lara Tony Ojeda John Kim Fernando De Aguero Dinah Lockhart Sasha Keller Eva Wolf Evelyn Hernandez Alejandra Lopez   City of Glendale     Don Logan Edward Beasley John Carnero Martina Longoria Greg Dominguez Alenna Langer Gloria O'Laya Ernest Ruiz Lorena Sanchez-Zumph Lupe Sierra Horatio Skeete Raquel Benavidez Kristen Krey Pauline Valenzuela Maria Villasano             ICMA-RC Gregory Dyson Regina Hargraves Rod Alcazar   University of Texas Marianella Canton Mariano Loradel Richard Torres Veronica De La Garza Timothy Clark

City of Austin Rudy Garza Bert Lumbreras Marc Ott Michael McDonald Anthony Snipes Rolando Fernandez Michael Trimble Jason Garza Deanna Brown Darlene Berghammer Ray Baray Rosy Jalifi Mark Washington Laura Esparza   Town of Golden Beach         Raquel Castellon Maria Camacho Dan Neida Reniel Diaz Erik Fuste Lissette Perez Rodolfo Herbello Eric Garcia George Cadavid    San Antonio Antonio Aguilar David McCary Denise Gallegos Edward Gonzalez Erik Walsh Melissa Galvan Sarah Cazares