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FBCStaff-One candidate, Jacquie Chaumette speaking at a Greater Fort Bend forum for HD-26 stated “I leave Sugar Land with no deficit.”
But the Ft Bend Star reported this in July 2011:
“At the current time, the city owes a tax-backed debt of $138 million, according to Brown, from 18 issues between 2001 – 2010 for parks, streets, traffic, municipal and drainage improvements and some debt from annexed municipal utility districts.”
and Businesswire reported this:
“High Debt But Affordable Rates: While debt levels on a per capita basis are above the category ‘AA’ rating medians and are expected to increase over the long term, rates are relatively low as a percentage of median household income (MHI), limiting the direct pressure on the rate base.”
Sounds like Sugar Land does have some debt and Businesswire reported the debt level was high.
The Tea Party as we’ve come to know is extremely concerned about our debt levels. I suspose Ms Chaumette is tailoring her message to what she perceives her audience wants to hear? One political consultant after the forum said she’s a polished politician. But is that what you want in your elected officials, someone who tells you what they think you want to hear?
watch utube video
FBCStaff-The FBC Sheriff’s Dept has found no wrong doing in the FBCGOP. But some insiders in the FBCGOP wants to keep the Ad Hoc Committee open:
“Meanwhile, Bruce Bond, Rick Miller campaign treasurer, said Miller recently has become the subject of several malicious rumors.
Miller is a candidate in the Republican primary for State Representative District 26.
“While we are pleased with Mr. Miller’s gain in voter popularity, unfortunately, so has the intensity of unfounded accusations. One currently circulating alleges that Miller illegally used Republican Party funds to pay his filing fee. This is not true and I should know. The fee was paid by check from the Rick Miller Campaign Fund. I am campaign treasurer. I wrote the check,” Bond said.
Associated with this rumor is the action of an ad hoc committee appointed by the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Fort Bend County to review the financial activities of the Party during the tenure of former Party Chairman Rick Miller.”
Yes I know it smells like 3 day old dead fish, but it isn’t. It’s just the insiders trying to give the advantage to one campaign over another.
Jacquie Chaumette has said some in the business community asked her to run against Rep Howard. Rep Howard isn’t running due to medical treatments and has endorsed Rick Miller. Ms Chaumette’s web site states, “She is a former Commissioner of the Brazos River Authority, a statewide appointment she received from Governor Perry, where she represented Harris, Fort Bend and surrounding counties on water and wastewater issues.” Is that why the insiders support her? Look for water rates to increase dramatically in the county as the county officials move to annex, and consolidate water districts in Ft Bend County. Sugar Land, while Ms Chaumette was a council member, increased it’s debt by issuing $99 million in certificates of obligation for construction of a surface water treatment plant, water transmission lines, and water plant up grades. Sugar Land residents face scheduled rate increases for “The certificates of obligation will be repaid through the surface water and groundwater reduction plan fees.” Some Sugar Land Council members will tell you they haven’t increased Sugar Land’s debt, but they did and multiple scheduled rate increases are pending: http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000033125
Your choice is Rick Miller who represents the taxpayer or Jacquie Chaumette who was hand picked by insiders. That is the choice in the HD-26 race, elect someone who represent you the tax payer or someone to help the county officials consoldate their power. Choose wisely your water rates and long term debt are riding on your vote.
read more from the Ft Bend Independent
FBCStaff-Most conservatives define conservatives as being for lower taxes and smaller government and they define liberals as supporting higher taxes and growing government. The conservatives are growing in number and the liberals are losing. You can look for more liberals to become “conservative” republicans.
How does one go about identifying them. Actually it’s fairly easy. Look at their message, who supports them and of course who funds them.
First let’s look at messaging. Obviously being called a liberal is a quick way to lose an election so simply change the definition of conservative and run as a conservative.
The new definition of a conservative by Dr Mark Jones of Rice University’s Baker Insitute is twofold:
“an establishment conservative and a movement conservative. An establishment conservative is a fiscal conservative, but recognizes that there is an essential role for government in creating a civilization. An establishment conservative acknowledges that we need an educated workforce, passable roads to drive, and water for daily living, to name just a few. A movement conservative is generally more focused on shrinking or constraining the growth of government at all costs. A movement conservative believes that government, by definition, is inherently wasteful and inefficient and that we can continuously cut government spending and still provide necessary services.”
So you can have it all, you can call yourself a conservative and grow government.
The beauty of this wordsmithing is the average voter is too stupid to see through it. But are we? President Reagan said the American people were smart enough to figure it out. I’m on his side.
Can you be an establishment conservative and belong to the GOP? Yes, just don’t pee on my leg while telling me how conservative you are. Conservative means smaller taxes and smaller government. If a candidate tells you they are a conservative but their roots or resume tell you otherwise, ask questions, talk to others and get the facts. Here’s http://www.chron.com/news/kilday-hart/article/Reaction-to-trans-vaginal-sonogram-a-tale-of-2-3422249.php an example:
Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, was the lone Republican to vote against the measure. Citing the opposition in the medical community, Davis said in a statement over the vote: “In light of my commitment to work against the expanding role of government and my commitment to protect the doctor-patient relationship from government interference, I simply could not support ‘The Sonogram Bill.’ ”
Speaker Joe Straus, a conservative who wants to grow government, endorsed Rep Sarah Davis, who supports Jacquie Chaumette.
The 2013 legislative session will be about spending cuts and smaller government vs raising taxes and growing government. Be informed, identify the conservatives and vote in 2012, it’s your tax dollars being wasted.
more from Robert Miller’s blog
FBCStaff-The lines are clearly drawn in the Texas HD races in Ft Bend County this primary, the insider vs the people’s representative.
HD-26-candidate Jacquie Chaumette was asked to run against Rep Charlie Howard by the insiders. Ms Chaumette with her democrat roots is compliant and will do as she’s told to keep the status quo intact. Rep Howard upset the insiders when he added an amendment to HB-1030 to make the county commissioners more accountable to the tax payers by having them make appointments to the ARB. Then Rep Howard challenged the FBISD BOTs when they raised taxes in 2008.
Candidate Rick Miller has run a campaign based on spending cuts and that worries the insiders.
HD-85-candidate Lee Duggan III is the ultimate insider. He had to resign as Chairman/President of Ft Bend CAD to run in this race.
Phil Stephenson is running on tax cuts and that scares the insiders.
Insiders are elected officials and they are more comfortable with “one of us”, as one recently stated to me. Let me give you an example of how insiders think. When Sen Patrick was pushing the 3% property cap the Muni League was holding training sessions for elected officials, explaining how the cap was a threat to them. One elected official a local mayor explained it to me this way. “If the cap passes, we’ll have to ask everytime we want to spend a nickle.” I countered with “what’s wrong with being held accountable and having to ask the tax payer whenever there is a need to spend large sums of money, obligating the taxpayer to huge long term debt?” Isn’t that how the system is susposed to work?
That’s what these two HD races are about, insiders vs taxpayers representaives. Now insiders are not all bad, they protect the status quo, making sure the elected offcials can raise taxes and spend money without having to face the tax payer. They can point to the system and shrug.
The battle next legislature session will be about cutting spending vs raising taxes. Which do you prefer? Now go vote.
Spirit of Freedom Republican Women
Friday, May 18
Justice (Ret) Felipe Reyna
From janitor to Justice
11:00am meet and greet, 11:30 program begins
Texas State House District 26 Candidate Sonal Bhuchar
is providing lunch at this meeting
an RSVP is requested for those who plan to eat
cindybond7@gmail.com
in the Chapel at Sugar Creek Baptist Church
13213 Southwest Freeway
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
FBCStaff-Endorsements are interesting ie, Bev Carter at the Ft Bend Star endorses Jacquie Chaumette because she’s female, but doesn’t mention her and Jacquie’s democrat roots:
JBCVotingRecord
and SESHADRI KUMAR at the Ft Bend Independent endorses Sonal Buchar. but doesn’t mention her support of the largest bond in FBISD’s history or her defending the 2008 FBISD tax increase when she was FBISD BOT President.
http://fbindependent.com/for-brady-bhuchar-and-duggan-p4835-1.htm Ft Bend Independent.
The Fort Bend Conservative endorsed Rick Miller because he’s a conservative.
The Eagle Forum endorsed Rick Miller because he’s a conservative.
Sen Dan Partick endorsed Rick Miller because he’s a conservative.
So what criteria will you use to elect a candidate in HD-26? Because:
a). She’s a woman, as Bev carter recommends?
b). She’s a tax and spend FBISD BOT as Seshadri Kumar recommends? or
c). Rick Miller the one true conservative as Sen Dan Patrick recommends?
Rick Miller the only conservative in the Hd-26 race will stand up for you the tax payer.
watch video
FBCStaff-In 2009 the Texas Legislature passed HB 1030, it would provide citizens more flexibility in scheduling a hearing before an Appraisal Review Board. That’s a good thing but apparently Ft. Bend Commissioners Court didn’t think so:
But a provision tacked onto Texas House Bill 1030 at the request of state Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land) would give that job to County Judge Bob Hebert and the four commissioners. The provision also would apply to Harris County.
and:
But an amendment, added to the bill by state Sen. Joan Huffman, would change the state tax code to say that members of an ARB are appointed by each appraisal district’s board, “except that the members of the board of an appraisal district established in a county with a population of 3.3 million or more or a county with a population of 350,000 or more that is adjacent to a county with a population of 3.3 million or more are appointed by the county commissioners court…”
Fairly straight forward, HB-1030 would make it easier for taxpayers to schedule a hearing with the Appraisal Review Board on line. But the bill was met with great resistance by Ft Bend County Commissioners:
“However, Hebert also said Commissioners Court shouldn’t be appointing ARB members because the court and the county government it represents has a stake in using the money that flows from property taxes in order to operate county government.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison said Howard is undertaking “classic passing-the-buck, adding “Charlie doesn’t want any responsibility for controlling property taxes. They’re trying to put all the heat on local government.”
“I’m sorry if that makes them uncomfortable,” Howard said. “But hey – we’re not asking them to appoint people who will be on one side or the other. We’re just asking them to appoint people who would be fair. That’s all the citizens want. Right now they feel the Appraisal Review Board is not independent.”
The bill passed but the ARB appointments are made by the District Court Administrative Law Judge:
Appraisal Review Board & District Board of Directors
Members of the board of directors of the appraisal district in Harris County and in a county next to Harris County with a population greater than 350,000 (presumably Montgomery and Ft Bend) will be appointed by the District Court Administrative Law Judge rather than by the vote of the taxing units. (HB 1030 amends Section 6.41, Tax Code; Effective 1/1/10)
What does that have to do with the Ad Hoc Committee? The Ad Hoc Committee Chair Pat Hebert, stated in an approved release by Bruce Bond Treasure for the Rick Miller campaign,
“I can tell you that I have not seen transactions in any checking accounts that would indicate any funds were transferred or delivered to you during that time frame. The only checks to you seem to be for legitimate re-imbursements.”
But that hasn’t stopped one Ad Hoc committee person from falsely alleging FBCGOP funds may have been used by a candidate to file for office. One candidate for HD-26 has said that they were approached by business people in the county to run against Rep Howard. Is the Ad Hoc committee being used to help this candidate, while casting aspersions about another candidate?
The voters in Ft Bend County have a choice, they can elect a candidate to stand up for the taxpayer in Austin like Rep Charlie Howard did for 18 years, or they can elect a puppet for the County Comissioners Court.
Rick Miller has been endorsed by Rep Howard, go to the polls and elect him and he will represent you the taxpayer in Austin.
read more from InstantnewsFortBend
FBCStaff-Turns out that smell wafting across the Brazos wasn’t a 3 day old dead fish but an old misguided democrat with a history of starting rumors.
The rumor being attributed to a member of the ad hoc committee is, an officer used FBCGOP funds to file for their race this election. The only officer filing for office, with access to FBCGOP funds was Sharon Roberts. Why would this ad hoc committee member make this accusation? Is a candidate’s campaign involved?
It is time for the FBCGOP to distance themselves from this witch hunt and move forward.
It is time to immediately dissolve the Ad Hoc Committee and issue a statement clearing the officers names before it does anymore damage to the party.
The most damaging part of this sad affair is a campaign may have been involved. If true, that candidate should put an end to these tactics and make a statement defending the party.
Now we know what that smell was, it wasn’t 3 day old dead fish but merely a old democrat with a history of spreading rumors about republicans.
Congratulations to Grayle James, Jenny Bailey and Dave Rosenthal on their wins.
Precincts Reporting 111 of 111 = 100.00% as of 10:11 PM
Trustee, Position 2 FBISD, Vote For 1
Patt Snyder 3,182 40.04%
Grayle James 3,536 44.49%
Denetta R. Williams 1,229 15.46%
Cast Votes: 7,947
Trustee, Position 6 FBISD, Vote For 1
Jenny Bailey 4,467 55.83%
Marilyn Glover 3,534 44.17%
Cast Votes: 8,001
Trustee, Position 7 FBISD, Vote For 1
Cynthia Lenton-Gary 3,306 41.42%
Dave Rosenthal 4,171 52.26%
Rodrigo Carreon 504 6.31%
Cast Votes: 7,981
<a href=”http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us/getSitePage.asp?sitePage=5663″>Ft Bend Cty Elections
FBCStaff-Like a three day old dead fish that causes a foul odor to emanate across the county, the Ad Hoc Committee continues to linger in the background of Ft Bend County politics.
Let’s review, an ad hoc committee was formed March 10th, to review the FBCGOP financial transactions. The resolution gave the ad hoc committee 30 days to complete their duties and report back to the EC. One committee person Pat Hebert, announced she “would not be a party to a witch hunt.” Pat it has now been 60 days and I’m hearing the results of the findings would be announced on June 10th after the primary election. That will be 90 days after tasked and after more damage is done to the party.
To be fair and impartial to all the results must be announced before the election or risk doing permanent damage to the party. The comments are already happening, “just more politics as usual” or even worse precinct chairs stating “I’m getting out”. Time to stop the petty politics in the FBCGOP. Announce the results of the ad hoc committee forthwith, or continue to foster the spilt in the party.
Like a house that was trashed by the old tenant, it takes more than a new coat of paint. One must clean up the mess and take out the trash or the odor lingers on……..causing some to ask OoooH Whats That Smell?
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