$1,000 Raised for Midlothian Mayor Recall Election

The Ellis County Observer has raised $1,000 for an effort to recall Midlothian Mayor Boyce Whatley. The goal is to raise $2,000 in an effort to fight back against city corruption, malfeasance and Whatley’s unethical record in office. Our goal is to raise $2,000. We think this effort can be done with at least $2,000 (if not more, but $2,000 is our goal.)

[Click Here for the Midlothian City Charter's Recall Provisions]

Key Items:

• We need a Midlothian citizen who is a registered voter to actually file  the petition signatures (once collected)
• We need 25 percent of the qualified voters on May 9, 2009. Example: if there are 7,000 registered voters qualified to vote on May 9, 2009, we need 25 percent of that (1,750 signatures)
• We’ll need petition-gatherers. We’ll need people to promote this effort.
  
• We’ll also need to clarify that a recall petition does not mean the person signing agrees with the removal. It’s just to put the issue before the voters for them to decide.
• For those who have publicly complained about the politics in Midlothian, this is a chance to put your name where it really counts – on a petition.
  

[Click Here for the Midlothian City Charter's Recall Provisions]

[Direct Link: http://codes.franklinlegal.net/midlothian-flp/lpext.dll/Infobase/heading 100001/heading 200015.htm?fn=content_doc.htm&f=templates&2.0#LPTOC9]

The people of the City reserve the power to recall any elected officer of the City. In the case of either the Mayor or any Council Member, such power may be exercised by filing with the City Secretary a petition signed by currently qualified voters of the City equal in number to at least twenty-five (25) percent of the total number of currently qualified voters registered to vote at the last regular municipal election demanding the removal of such elected officer. If the petition is certified by the City Secretary to be sufficient, the Council shall order and hold an election forthwith to determine whether such officer shall be recalled, and if the majority of the legal votes are cast for a recall of the officer named on the ballot, the Council shall immediately declare his office vacant, and such vacancy shall be filled forthwith in accordance with the provisions of this Charter. No recall petition shall be filed against an officer within six (6) months after such elected officer takes office.

Any member of the City Council may be removed from office by recall.

Section 14.10.     Public Hearing to be Held.

The officer whose removal is sought may, within five (5) days after such recall petition has been presented to the City Council, request that a public hearing be held to permit him to present pertinent facts. In this event the City Council shall order such public hearing to be held not less than five (5) days nor more than fifteen (15) days after receiving such request for a public hearing.

Section 14.11.     Recall Election.

The City Secretary shall at once examine the recall petition and if he finds it sufficient and in compliance with the provisions of this article of the Charter, he shall within five (5) days submit it to the City Council with the City Secretary’s certificate to that effect, and notify the officer sought to be recalled of such action. If the officer whose removal is sought does not resign within five (5) days after such notice, the City Council shall thereupon order and fix a date for holding a recall election. Any such election shall be held not less than thirty (30) nor more than ninety (90) days after the petition has been presented to the City Council or after the public hearing provided in Section 14.10 is held; if such hearing is requested, at the same time as any municipal election held within such period; but if no such municipal election be held within such period, the City Council shall call a special election to be held within the time aforesaid.

All qualified voters of the City shall be entitled to cast ballots in a recall election of the Councilman elected at large.

Ballots used at recall elections shall conform to the following requirements:

(a)     With respect to each person whose removal is sought, the question shall be submitted “Shall (name of person) be removed from the office of Council Member by recall?”

(b)     Immediately below each question there shall be printed the two following propositions, one above the other, in the order indicated:

“For the recall of (name of person)”

“Against the recall of (name of person)”

Candidates to take oath

Tonight at 6 p.m. the canvassing and swearing in of the newly elected candidates from Saturday’s election will be on Midlothian’s agenda.

View the entire agenda here : May 12 city council meeting

Dr. Hank Miller ousted incumbent Wayne Sibley in a very closely contested race.

Establishment type Steve Massey defeated anti-annexation candidate Bill Redding.

Thankfully the people at least had a choice. I personally would have liked for both incumbents to be replaced.

Here’s to the new council!

Elections | Miller

Hank Miller sent this on over to us:

“Report Card” on Midlothian’s Financial Strength

Now is the time to vote on who you want to watch over your tax dollars. Before you make that decision, please take a second to rate your current city council’s way of watching your money:

* During the 4/28/2009 city council meeting, Dan Almon (Southwest Securities), Midlothian’s financial advisor, stated that the debt ratio was high for a city of this size.
* The city currently has 90 credit cards in use and has charges ranging from $42,600 to $78,000 per month for the past 6 billing months.
* The city park’s annual bill was over $700,000 last year.
* The city’s tax rate jumped over 3 ½ times in 10 years from 17.4 cents to 65.0 cents.
* The debt service rate of the city is up 5 ¾ times from 6.8 cents to 39.45 cents.
* Each Midlothian resident has a current debt from the city of $8,551. (In 1999, it was $3,492.)
* Over 60 percent of your taxes goes just to pay the city’s debt?
* Our city has a NEW $30,000,000.00 water project in the works

Sit back and think for a second. Is your city better off than it was 5 to 10 years ago? Are you better off today than you were 5 or 10 years ago? Are you happy with the progress that the city has had in that time?

Changes can happen, but it will take you getting out voting. If you are tired of the spending and want change, Vote for Bill Redding and Hank K. “Doc” Miller.

Mid-Way Regional Airplanes to ‘Shoot Out’ Materials?

[[[UPDATE]]] Airport manager Andy Biery’s job is being “evaluated” in executive session today. Look for copies of this blog to circulate at the meeting today…

What the hell is going on at Mid-Way Regional Airport?

[Click Here to Read the Mid-Way Regional Airport Agenda]

Today at 4 p.m., there’s a Mid-Way Regional Airport meeting and one of the agenda items, according to calls The Ellis County Observer has been getting today, is one that will allow a local pilot to drop material out from his plane.

There’s also some commotion about spending $20,000 on poison to keep wild boars and pigs from entering the airport property.

[Click Here to Read the Mid-Way Regional Airport Agenda]

There’s even more: we’ve got two competing agendas for the meeting today. According to pilots who plan to attend the meeting at 4 p.m., one agenda set by airport manager Andy Biery is different from one posted by Midlothian.

[Click Here to Read the Mid-Way Regional Airport Agenda]

See Also: The Ellis County Observer

Sobriety Checkpoints Could Become Legal

May 5, 2009

Dear Fellow Texan,

I’m writing today to call your attention to SB 298 which has passed the Senate 20-11 and is scheduled for a public hearing before the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence tomorrow, May 6.

Texas Senate Guts Property Rights Bill

For those who don’t remember, The Ellis County Press was the only – still the only – paper to have reported on Southwestern Bell’s eminent domain of the old Midlothian post office. We plastered that on the front page of our paper…and to this day, SBC still hasn’t done crap to that land over on Avenue F.

They tore down the old post office that was once housed to a business owned by a prominent Midlothian family, but those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it…read the horrors below:

[Direct Link: http://www.ij.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2681&Itemid=165]

Texas Senate Guts Property Rights Legislation

Key Provisions Stripped from Eminent Domain Bill Prior to Passage; Meanwhile, Strong Bills Languish in the House

Austin, Tx.—The Institute for Justice Texas Chapter issued a warning today to property owners across Texas: despite politicians’ claims to the contrary, Senate Bill 18, which passed through the Texas Senate yesterday, will not end eminent domain abuse in Texas. The Institute litigated the infamous Kelo eminent domain case before the U.S. Supreme Court, and its Austin-based Texas Chapter has led the way to eminent domain reform in the Lone Star State.

“As it stands, SB 18 represents a bait and switch on Texas property owners,” said Matt Miller, executive director of the Institute for Justice Texas Chapter (IJ-TX). “This bill helps protect rural property owners but leaves urban and suburban property owners exposed to private development schemes.” The definition of “public use”—which was the entire focus of the Kelo litigation—was stripped from the bill in committee. All that’s left is a collection of procedural safeguards. Although helpful, those provisions do not address the central problem of Kelo.

Property owners across Texas should be worried about SB 18’s momentum because more meaningful bills are now being stalled by legislative leaders. Property owners from Houston, El Paso and San Antonio, all of whom are today being threatened by eminent domain abuse, rallied at the Capitol in March. They were met with assurances that this session Texas would finally address Kelo once and for all.

“The Governor opened this session saying he wanted a constitutional amendment to address Kelo,” said IJ-TX Staff Attorney Wesley Hottot. “Now, with mere weeks left in the session, time is running out for the legislature and Governor Perry to make good on their promises.”

With SB 18 gutted, Texas property owners must pin their hopes on two bills in the House. The first is a strong constitutional amendment, House Joint Resolution 14, by Frank Corte (R-San Antonio), which offers Texans the strongest protection for their homes and businesses. The second is House Bill 417, by Bill Callegari (R-Katy), a bill that would address the problem of cities using bogus “blight” designations to justify eminent domain for private development. Both bills are out of committee, but have not yet been scheduled for a vote.

“Texas property owners should have the opportunity to curb eminent domain abuse through their Bill of Rights, and Rep. Corte’s constitutional amendment does just that,” said Miller. “Combined with HB 417, HJR 14 would give Texans some of the strongest property rights in the nation. Chairman Dennis Bonnen did what he said he would and got those bills out of his House committee. Now it is up to the Calendars Committee, the Senate and Governor Perry to follow through.”

“If SB18 passes but HJR 14 and HB 417 do not pass, this legislative session will be a failure for anyone who owns a piece of property in Texas,” said Hottot. “People need to pay attention right now and demand passage of the real reform measures, otherwise we will once again have been denied the protection we were promised. This legislative session is starting to look like a repeat of 2005 and 2007 when genuine property rights protection was promised by Texas political leaders, but never delivered.”

# # #

Source:

Institute for Justice Texas Chapter

816 Congress Ave, Suite 960  Austin, TX 78701

(512) 480-5936 Fax(512) 480-5937

www.ij.org

Councilman Wayne Sibley’s Direct-Mail Piece

These are very nice.

For those who don’t already know, I’m a political junkie and I collect campaign and election materials, including yard signs. It’s for a makeshift political history museum I’m constructing.

[Click Here to Read Page 1 of the Wayne Sibley Mail Piece]

[Click Here to Read Page 2 of the Wayne Sibley Mail Piece]

Boards & Commissions: Political Food Chain

Readers, let’s start combing through this list of boards and commissions and partition the members into camps: Citizens National Bank/Danny Rodgers allies; Mayor Boyce Whatley allies; Paula Baucum allies; TXI/Cement Industry allies, etc.

Some can overlap, but tracking Midlothian’s boards, commissions and appointed officials will help us better understand the differing agendas in play.
Remember, we can predict future council/mayoral/school board races based on the appointments to city boards and commissions. We can also track voting records on zoning issues in a property rights-and-liberty bias — and should one of those zoning commissioners seek elected office, we’ll have their records.

Midlothian, Texas Boards & Commissions

Citizen’s Capital Improvement Commission

Reviews and prioritizes community needs for capital facilities
Citizen’s Capital Improvement Commission

Community Development Corporation

Focuses on the maintenance and operating costs of publicly-owned and operated projects
Community Development Corporation

Corporation for Economic Development

Attracts new and retains existing business and industry and encourage economic development
Corporation for Economic Development

Historic Advisory Board

Considers all issues involving historic preservation in the City
Historic Advisory Board

Housing Authority

Promotes, develops and finances public housing in the City
Housing Authority

Industrial Development Corporation

Promotes and develops commercial and industrial manufacturing
Industrial Development Corporation

Joint Midlothian/ Waxahachie Airport Board

Advisory to both Midlothian and Waxahachie Councils and oversees daily airport operations
Joint Midlothian/ Waxahachie Airport Board

Milothian Development Authority (MDA)

Promotes, develops, encourages and maintains employment, commerce, economic development and public facility development
Milothian Development Authority (MDA)

Park Board

Improves and manages City parks
Park Board

Planning & Zoning Commission

Considers all planning issues, and advices on ordinance amendments and zoning issues
Planning & Zoning Commission

School & City Library Board

Establishes library policies and hours
School & City Library Board

Utility Advisory Board

Makes recommendations to City Council regarding the City’s water and sewer operations
Utility Advisory Board

Zoning Board of Adjustments

A quasi-judicial body that determines variances to the zoning ordinances
Zoning Board of Adjustments

Board and Commisssion Application

Board and Commission Application

On Facebook? Become a ‘Fan’

Readers on Facebook can now become “fans” of The Ellis County Observer/Midlothian Observer:

[Click Here to Become a Facebook Fan of The Ellis County Observer]

Sec. of State Monitor to Oversee City Election

The Secretary of State’s office is sending an election monitor to Midlothian for Saturday’s election, according to Kim Thole of the SOS office in Austin.

This will make the second Ellis County city to request and obtain SOS election monitors. Ennis was approved for one last week.

In both cities, concerns over the handling of ballot boxes and the integrity of the election day votes were brought forth to Ennis city marshal candidate Daryl Spence and Midlothian Councilman Ken Chambers, who specifically requested the monitor on behalf of two council challengers he has endorsed.

Both cities use paper ballots. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Update: Cop’s Dog Euthanized by Midlothian Police

A police officer who lives in Midlothian had his dog euthanized by Midlothian animal control — the very agency that both city council incumbents running in the May 9 election tout as having launched — and today, this officer had to break the tragic news to his children.

Kelli Jackson is the animal control officer who carried out this “punishment” and according to the officer, Midlothian PD’s Don Cole contacted him to inquire about the situation.

This is definitely a huge PR problem on Midlothian’s hands.

I have contacted my friend at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Virginia-based organization that got involved in the recent Ferris Police Department dog-shooting policy story.

See Also: MidlothianObserver.com | The Midlothian Observer

Joey,
Sorry to bother you on a Sunday, but I wanted you to know that me and my wife just told our children about the assassination of our dog Hunter. As I expected and told you, my 12 year old, as I send you this email, is crying hysterically, and has been for about an hour. My wife has already called and left KELLI JACKSON a voicemail at work and informed her of the atrosity of her actions. I was also contacted by Cpt. Don Cole of the Midlothian Police Department on Thursday May 1. I chose not to contact him back as I did not want stir up a “honets nest” as I was still very angered.

My neighbor, who was involved in the whole situation, and the one who paid the $20.00 murder fee to the inconsolable KELLI JACKSON for transport fee, has also sent a letter to the Midlothian Mirror in reference to the whole situation.

I just want you to assist in letting people know to make sure there animals are kept and/or “beware of dogs” signs are posted on or about their households so as to stop this inhumane activity to occur again.

We are the humans, dogs are our companions. Who should be euthanized? Maybe KELLI JACKSON should.

Joey, PLEASE post this ASAP on the front page as I want everyone to know the agony of telling children that God didn’t take there dog, but an ignorant human did.

Craig Draxlir

Candidate Yard Signs | 2009

Anyone with Massey/Sibley sign pics?

Photos Courtesy of MidlothianAgenda.com

Editorial Warfare

Some factual and non-misleading information about what’s being spread around among Midlothian voters:

To the editor:

While I’m not a Midlothian voter, I’m being used by a group of malcontents in Midlothian to damage the candidacy of Bill Redding and Dr. Hank Miller.  Their information is an absolute lie, and your dissemination of the truth is appreciated.

They are a registered PAC for the purpose of promoting the candidacy of the two incumbents.  They claim to be for “unity,” but their methods appear hateful and divisive.  Their recent attack is an absolute lie, which demonstrates how desperate they are to maintain their control over the city.

I was a consultant for the RCAA group (www.rcaa.us) in their opposition to forced annexation.  This was the second group with whom I consulted.  The first group was not annexed;  RCAA was.

RCAA internal e-mails were being forwarded to the city manager.  It was difficult for RCAA to believe one of their neighbors was a “mole,” but that was the only explanation.  A Freedom of Information request revealed one of the e-mails was sent to the city manager from an e-mail that appeared to be owned by Jason Kyle, an attorney in your city.  It included a personal comment, “hehehehe.”  It was felt an attorney (a) would not divulge information and sell-out his neighbors, and (b) would never use such a juvenile term as “hehehehe.”  E-mail headers can be forged, so we wanted to know for sure.

I also wanted the city council members to think twice about forced annexation.  I decided to “kill two birds with one stone” by writing a fake e-mail that looked like it was being sent to all RCAA members to see if it would reach the city manager.  It included a “threat” of a lawsuit by a councilman – again, something to give the council members second thoughts.  The e-mail was sent blindly, so the recipients could not determine the distribution list.  It was sent ONLY to Jason@kyle-law.com and me, with a verification copy the communications agent sent to himself.

I knew if it were received by the city manager, it had to come from the e-mail that we sent it to, Jason@kyle-law.com.  Kyle-law.com is registered to “Kyle & Associates, P.C.”  The website indicates their office is at 411 W. 8^th Street, # 100, in Midlothian.  Therefore, RCAA’s “mole” has access to an e-mail owned by Mr. Kyle, so assuming it is Mr. Kyle himself is not too much of a stretch of the imagination.  The use of that fake information in a website owned by Mr. Kyle adds more credibility to that assumption.

This e-mail was a trap for the RCAA mole, but a MODIFIED version is now being used for political purposes, indicating Mr. Redding is responsible.  A partial excerpt from Mr. Kyle’s web site follows:

“While Bill was RCAA President, a letter was sent out to their members in which they stated that if they were annexed “ Midlothian will regret ever messing with us.”  The RCAA planned to “easily win any election” and after elected they planned to de-annex the entire city with the exception of the industrial tax base section.  That way they would not have to pay any taxes and they could get rid of the City employees.  A copy of this letter can be seen to the right.  Perhaps we should ask Bill if his campaign is really his way of keeping his promise to the RCAA members.”

Note it says the e-mail was sent to “their members;”  it was not.  It also presents as fact that RCAA planned to “get rid of City employees.”  That statement was not in the “trap” e-mail.  Since they published the e-mail on their own site, one would think they would know the difference.  Additionally, the wording of the e-mail has been modified from its original form.

I wrote the e-mail, and Rob Shields (their communications agent) sent the e-mail to Mr. Kyle and me.  No one in RCAA ever received the e-mail, and the only RCAA person who ever saw the content was Mr. Shields, who sent it at my instruction.

Dr. Miller knew nothing about the e-mail, and was not active in RCAA at the time.  Mr. Redding knew I was sending an e-mail, but was not shown the content.

Western Ellis County: a Republican Fortress

Midlothian’s Matt Martin famously asked, “how can the most Republican area in our county produce some of the most liberal city councilmen?” That’s a paraphrase quote on what he said, but the idea is the same.

Western Ellis County is the hub of Republican politics. He who wins Midlothian precincts is virtually assured of victory in the countywide race. City and local politics aside, here’s a resource guide for the GOP leadership on the west side of Ellis County:

Midlothian Voting Precincts + Chairmen:
Precinct 101: Alan Gell
Precinct 102: Melody Cawthorn
Precinct 107: Tom Hall
Precinct 108: Marilyn Barnes
Precinct 142: Duff Hale

Ovilla Voting Precincts + Chairmen:
Precinct 103: Charlie Morton
Precinct 137: Jack Hood
Precinct 138: Vacant

Maypearl Voting Precincts + Chairmen:
Precinct 112: Unknown/vacant
Precinct 118: Anita Blackwell

Since many precincts were left off of the above map, click here for a list of all Ellis County Republican/Democratic precincts and chairmen

Midlothian ISD Alumni Forum

For those graduates of Midlothian ISD, there’s now an online message board/forum for us all: http://www.midlothianalumni.org/forums/index.php

So, what kind of student was I during my Midlothian High School years (‘98-01)? Click below to find out:

Side note: I dressed up as H. Ross Perot for fifth grade Halloween at J.R. Irvin Elementary. That was the start of my political upbringing…

Jimmie McClure’s ‘Integrity’ Problem. She Has None.

Former Midlothian finance director Jimmie McClure has no business ever uttering another word about anyone – current, former, or retired – having integrity.

I wrote about her back-and-forth exchanges with Duff Hale (council candidate Hank Miller’s treasurer and a columnist colleague for The Ellis County Press) in a recent Freedom of the Press column titled “Integrity is a joke.”

Since that issue, not a peep has been publicly uttered.

McClure should have been indicted for her role in the Midlothian Justice Center/First Baptist Church real estate deal. Steve Campbell and William Foshea aren’t the only guilty parties to this transaction.

She bitches about how Place 3 Councilman Ken Chambers embarrasses city staff and questions things, and then proceeds to suggest that Chambers and others ask questions before a council meeting. In the real world, Jimmie, a council forum for the public at large so that it is on public record has every right and duty to hear and see the answers from city staff.

Freedom of the Press | Joey Dauben

‘Integrity’ is a joke

It’s not like I ever used the word, but “integrity” will never be used to describe any politician ever. Why? Bill Clinton once used the term to describe a friend of his, and a former adviser of his used it to describe ousted Sen. Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, after the former Health and Human Services nominee disclosed failure to pay income taxes. With guys like that using a word that means “without corrupting influence, honest, completeness,” it’s time to consult another vocabulary.

Locally, the “integrity” label was pinned on City of Midlothian finance guru Chris Dick by the city’s former finance director, Jimmie McClure. McClure was responding to my colleague, Duff Hale, in a few financial matters he brought up in two editorials. Is Dick really a man of “impeccable integrity?” Probably not, and McClure definitely isn’t the one I’d ever use that term on. Why? Every dollar spent on by Midlothian was signed off by McClure. That included the massive corruption that Place 3 Councilman Ken Chambers – another McClure target – exposed in The Ellis County Press regarding the new police station:

Excerpts from Chambers: Former Police Chief Steve Campbell initialed the contract for the city as the city’s representative (buyer), the person responsible for representing the taxpayers … it was his job to acquire the property at the best price for the citizens of Midlothian. Representing our city, Campbell used William Foshea as the broker (realtor). Foshea received $36,000 in commission, according to the HUD Settlement. Coincidence? The Texas Real Estate Commission verified that William Stephen Campbell had a real estate salesperson license and was being sponsored by licensed real estate broker William Foshea (the person who received the commission) during the course of the real estate transaction. The TREC website currently shows the same address for both Foshea and Campbell. The city has verified the buyer’s initials on the bottom of the contract are those of William S. Campbell.”

McClure should have been indicted and prosecuted for this, as should others still working at Midlothian City Hall.

The May 9 elections in Midlothian will prove telling: Chambers’ allies, Bill Redding and Dr. Hank Miller (Hale is Miller’s treasurer), will seek to knock out two incumbents after being annexed into the city in November, and we will see once and for all the meaning of true leadership.

Leadership Void
So, how do you know that a leader has integrity? Integrity is one of those traits that can be seen, not described. If you are a Christian person, you are known by what you do, not by what you say. The same principle applies in politics. When a dishonest garbage can of a politician calls their dishonest friends persons of “impeccable integrity,” cringe. Cringe every time it’s said.

Lord Acton is always misquoted. The popularity of his “power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely” has a secondary quote that is never included: “Great men are almost always bad men.” In the case of McClure, women are included. I don’t tell people I’m Christian, or a God-fearing person. Others should be able to see it. Likewise, honest politicians should never have to tell others that they’re honest. The public should see it. Midlothian is scarce in honest leadership.

Donations to MidlothianTogether.com Need Scrutiny

MidlothianTogether.com claims their donations they solicit and receive are not for profit and are public record. Public record where?

The 8-day out campaign finance report should have been filed by all six candidates for Midlothian City Council and Midlothian ISD school board last week. So, if any donation appears from either of those MidlothianTogether.com folks who are listed on the Web site, one must ask: were those donations sent to the candidates as individuals, or were those donations sent via MidlothianTogether.com?

R. Ted Howard        Gary Hensel               Mark Fletcher        Jason Kyle
203 N. Fourth          1608 Creek Bend     848 Nueces Trl     4461 Sir Lancelot
Midlothian, TX        Midlothian, TX        Midlothian, TX      Midlothian, TX

If sent from the individuals by way of MidlothianTogether.com, there will be a political action committee filed with Midlothian City Hall. If there’s not one, readers need to consult with the Texas Ethics Commission on illegal donations to candidates.

MidlothianTogether.com Endorsements. No Surprise There.

MidlothianTogether.com is appearing damn-near close to the Duncanville Pro-Dunc PAC, and they’ve announced their no-surprise endorsements for the May 9 election.

Place 5’s Wayne Sibley and Place 6’s Steve Massey get MidlothianTogether.com’s endorsements, and the reasons given sound an awful like the talking points that both incumbent councilmen gave in candidate speeches.

Too bad some of that stuff is flat-out misleading and wrong. Take for example the future land for parks that somehow won’t cost taxpayers a dime. That’s a bald-faced lie. Debt obligations end up getting paid off…resulting in higher taxes to pay off just the interest on the debt for future parks. Even maintenance of parks requires money.

Government policy is obviously different in scope to public policy with a few people…

I know Matt Martin, Duff Hale, Sherry Freeland and Ray Williams can vouch for a lot of the misleading information put out by the incumbents.

Truth is, there are people scared you-know-what-less on the thought that Saturday, May 9 could be a post-tea party revolt. And rightfully so.

Another Midlothian Mirror Cancelation

Ray Williams is a former Cedar Hill City Council member.

Mr. White,

I’ve coined a new phrase that I want to share with you, “Floyd Ingram.” It is best described with examples.

Our Sunday School teacher was telling us how some people like to present facts in a distorted fashion to support a particular point of view, and said that was not Biblical. He then lowered his voice to where we could barely hear him, leaned toward us and very seriously said, “I need to tell you something about our pastor; he is sleeping with the organist!” For about 2 seconds there was shock on our faces, and then we burst out into laughter. The organist was the pastor’s wife. It’s a “Floyd Ingram.”

A good friend goes to overnight Toastmaster’s meetings and introduces his dinner companion as his “first wife.” It raises eyebrows. As they finish dining, he asks her if she’s ready to go to bed, and she follows him toward the rooms. People are aghast. You’ve already guessed it – they’ve been married for 45 years and still are. It’s a “Floyd Ingram.”

When I was elected to the city council in Cedar Hill, I was told of an incident a few years earlier; the purpose was to emphasize I should get all the facts prior to making a decision. The story was that a police officer had been charged with a serious prank and the city council was going to fire him; the city manager was opposed to the action. The officer was taken to Dallas for a polygraph on the same night as the council meeting. The city manager received a phone call, and then announced to the council the officer had passed the polygraph. The council certified him as “innocent” with no disciplinary action taken. This cleared the officer from council action, as there could be no “double jeopardy.” The officer did, indeed, pass the polygraph by truthfully telling the operator he was GUILTY of the prank. It’s a “Floyd Ingram.”

Loop 9 | N. Midlothian/Hwy 67 Route

Approximately 1/3 of the e-mail sign-ups at my StopLoop9.com Web site have had 76065 zip codes, and it’s because of this route that the 12 to 14-lane toll road known as Loop 9 has planned for:

Those blue lines are the proposed toll road, and those itty-bitty little gray rectangles are houses. Lake Ridge Parkway is to the north in this photo.

The Ellis County Press carried this photo on its front page in the April 9, 2009 issue: