Salaries – Commissioners, Judges

Salaries & Pay – Commissioners, Judges
When people have more information, they can make decisions clearly come election time, and even begin to trust those who we put in public service. We’ll have these lists on the left-hand sidebar with the other salaries of the probation department and county attorney’s office.

Note that former Precinct 2 Commissioner Jerry Holland, D, Ennis, is still employed in our county’s “minority” precinct (Pct. 1 was designed to give the county a “minority.”) And Commissioner Ron Brown, considered the most conservative of the court, employs David Duke. No, we’re not kidding. David Duke works for Commissioner Ron Brown in Precinct 4.

Commissioner – Precinct 1 (Palmer, Ferris, Ennis)

Dennis Robinson		72,381.00
Roy Bobo		19.03 per hour
Carol Haden		16.98 per hour
Gerald Holland, Jr.		19.03 per hour
Charles Jones		15.65 per hour
Sam Knoll		19.03 per hour
Edwin Krajca		15.65 per hour
Lawrence Krajca		13.55 per hour
Cayetano Marin		16.98 per hour
Larry McKenney		15.65 per hour
Roger Melton		19.03 per hour
Guadalupe Nieto, Jr.		15.65 per hour
Thomas Pelzel		15.65 per hour
William Todd Robinson		20.59 per hour
Abel Rodriguez		16.98 per hour
John Williams		12.16 per hour

Commissioner Pct. 2 (Ennis, Waxahachie, Bardwell)

Billy Dodson		72,381.00
Ruben Benavidez		16.98 per hour
Judy Borders		16.98 per hour
Ojimer Cannaday		15.65 per hour
Kenneth Clary		14.32 per hour
Billie Copeland		19.03 per hour
Rodney Dickerson		19.03 per hour
Marvin Dorton		19.03 per hour
Ronald Holubar		15.65 per hour
Patrick Meyer		19.03 per hour
Randy Novak		19.03 per hour
Sammy Pleiner		20.59 per hour
Johnny Rankin		8.68 per hour
Billy Slovak		12.77 per hour
Kelton Spence		16.98 per hour
Robert Wilkinson		15.65 per hour
Tim Zabojnik		16.98 per hour

Commissioner – Pct. 3 (Italy, Maypearl, Midlothian)

Heath Sims		$ 72,381.00
Jonathan Blundell		15.65 per hour
Chad Bradley		13.61 per hour
Kelly Cravens		17.13 per hour
Johnny Hanes		16.98 per hour
Billy Isom		16.98 per hour
Bobby Johnson		19.56 per hour
Charles Johnson		17.13 per hour
Glen Johnson		9.30 per hour
Alysa Kirton		17.50 per hour
Ather Marion		16.65 per hour
Brian Mathiowetz		16.65 per hour
Henry Montez, Jr.		19.56 per hour
Jessie Phillips		16.98 per hour
Lonnie Reavis		19.98 per hour
Dane Southerland		12.77 per hour
Edward Vaughan		19.98 per hour

Commissioner – Pct. 4 (Midlothian, Red Oak, Ovilla)

Ronald Brown		72,381.00
Gregory Butler		13.02 per hour
Gary Davis		17.21 per hour
David Duke		14.32 per hour
Larry Feaster		13.00 per hour
Leobardo Grifaldo		14.32 per hour
Garry Herrell		15.65 per hour
Kenneth Hindman		15.45 per hour
David Hyles		13.02 per hour
Stacey Lee		16.51 per hour
Liborio Luna		15.45 per hour
Julio Perez		15.06 per hour
Thomas Logan		15.75 per hour
David Thompson		20.59 per hour
Rob Yates		11.00 per hour

County Judge

Chad Adams		93,002.00
Dawn Rousseau		16.42 per hour
Nelta Dayton		6.74 per hour

County Treasurer
		Judith Burden		63,469.00
County Auditor
		Michael Navarro		83,733.00
Audit Division		Cheryl Chambers		50,281.00
		Linda Lake		17.67 per hour
MIS Division		Teral Crawford		36.38 per hour
		Mathew Edington		20.72 per hour
		Jocelyn King		20.72 per hour

County Court at Law 1
	Gregory Wilhelm		$129,250.00
	Charletta Middleton		27.94 per hour
	Merced Urias		$ 34,159.00
County Court at Law 2
	Gene Calvert		$129,250.00
	Tierney Ledbetter		27.94 per hour
	Patricia Marshall		16.42 per hour

Open Letter to Ellis County, Texas

Open Letter to Ellis County, Texas

Citizens of Ellis County, our beautiful county is growing, our children are faced with numerous opportunities and challenges…and just maybe in all of this, the people who read this blog are getting a better account of why this project exists.

I consider our courthouse the most beautiful building I have ever seen. The courthouse photo on The Ellis County Observer banner is the best photograph I’ve ever taken. However, past the beauty of that building – past the beauty of our family farms, of our scenic county roads and open space…is a disease that infects thousands of counties and cities nationwide.

The disease is corruption. And before I go further, allow me to say that, after watching A Time To Kill, I became convinced of the proper role God has me here for: and that’s to tell it like it is. Call a spade a spade, call bad leadership what it is…and expose the “unfruitful works of darkness.” You won’t get a sugar-coated message from me. You’ll get what’s happening here and now, in the past, and what could very well happen in the future — if we don’t teach our children, grandchildren and current leadership the right way to do things.

Corruption is moral perversion, or dishonest dealings. It is the disease that has taken its toll on the body of Ellis County taxpayers. When God told me to launch The Ellis County Observer in October of 2005 (I’m not shy about admitting who calls the shots, either), my first focus was to apply the principles I learned from my family (honesty) and the years I spent at The Ellis County Press (honesty in government, an oxymoron at best). I had no idea how much of an impact this blog would be on the political structure in this county: and make no mistake, whether your politics agree with my views or not, no one can afford not to read this blog. It’s that simple. Some actually have quit reading due to certain gripes or statements made. That’s fine. It’s just another statistic of why we have the problems we do.

Because people would rather bury their heads instead of fighting for what’s right. Whatever the fear, retaliation of business, home, family…people are too afraid, and just too focused on other things to care about what’s right.

My family values (honesty) trump any political persuasion I may hold, or any political party I may become involved with. So allow me to make it simpler: I am an honest young man trying to make a name for doing what’s right in politics. That’s almost unheard of, but it has been done. (That’s why I love Barry Goldwater so much)

Now let’s get to the main point of this: we have a disease that has wrapped itself in every body politic in this county; cities are being run by good old boys; school districts tax the fire out of people (still); our county government at times seems to care more about special interests than the people.

And there’s a cure: honesty in government. I have struggled and struggled with myself these past six to eight months over just what God wanted me to do, how he wanted me to do it, and where he wants me to go. And I became convinced — it took a great movie to do it — that regardless if I ever raise my right hand to swear an Oath to defend the Constitution as an elected or appointed official — I will be honest, and I will expect the same from public officials everywhere.

And if God allows me the opportunity to serve in some capacity, I’ll be excited; but I’m confident now that the proper role for Joey Dauben in all of this is to be the watchdog on Ellis County. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Just because something has existed for so long doesn’t make it right. And I’ll call people out on it. I’m no longer afraid of what I do. I stopped being afraid about two years ago. It just clicked that if I were doing God’s will, I would be protected — and so would my family.

There will be times when I post things on the blog that won’t make sense. There will be times on the blog where people will be offended. There will be times that I even make mistakes (gasp!), but know this: it took a 19-year-old getting his first newspaper job in DeSoto to learn the ropes in how to effectively witness to such a dirty industry as politics. I knew politically that I was a threat when I damn-near won a Midlothian school board seat in 2003 (losing by 19 votes in a four-way race); but my calling was already in the hopper before that time; I had most, if not all, of the front page articles on The Ellis County Press. I was 22. No college education. Just a by-the-ropes from the people I consider a second family to me (and more importantly, Sheila Hatfield, whom I consider a mom).

So why the need for an open letter? Why the need for a movie to finally get me to realize? Because for one thing, attorneys and the legal establishment in this county will not tell you the truth about the power juries really hold. That’s not made-up fantasy conspiracy views; our own founding fathers believed strongly in the power of juries.

Some will say my almost-obsession with the Robert Trevino case trumps reasoning; I say if someone is guilty of a crime that heinous, they deserve the maximum punishment; however, if someone is railroaded, like Robert Trevino certainly was, then it’s up to people like me to expose it.

Some might argue that I’ve burnt too many bridges, and recently did I apologize again (I’ve done it numerous times) to the members of the Catholic community for my long-held spiritual views – that I was open in sharing. But realizing that in certain situations, it’s better to have allies on huge issues than enemies on small ones, I cannot apply the same principles to everything. For that I’m sorry.

But make no mistake about it. I will not apologize for what I do. My heart – I believe – is in the right spot. It’s still a learning process, though, navigating the dirty politics of this generation. Of many generations.

The Ellis County Observer exists for one sole reason: to expose the people doing wrong, so that solutions can be done right. That’s it.

There is plenty of wrong in our county. Plenty to make mayors, council members, judges and attorneys sometimes afraid to have their name bolded.

Not to say I don’t have friends who are mayors, councilmen, judges and attorneys. I certainly do have a core group of elected officials that I look up to very much, and short of political strategy or information they might “leak,” they will be treated differently (look, politics is politics; if someone wants to be off the record, I value that relationship more than anything). However, if my friends screw up, make a bad vote, or don’t listen to the people, I’ll call them out on it.

Republican, Democrat, Independent…it doesn’t matter. If you do what’s right, then there’s nothing to be afraid of. If you’re doing something that the people don’t want you to know about, this blog will expose you.

This letter is an extremely in-depth way of saying that I’m convinced of my role, both present and in the future, and that I will not give up fighting for what is right.

And if that makes me “uneducated,” or “extreme” or “radical,” so be it. Honesty is a bitch sometimes. It’s hard to swallow. Hard to comprehend. But in the course of everything, it’s the right thing. If you’re not honest, you can’t be trusted. And if you can’t be trusted, more than likely you’ll be blogged about. I promise you.

-Joseph “Joey” Dauben
Publisher, The Ellis County Observer
elliscountyobserver@hotmail.com

Re: Judge Wilhelm

Discontent with Wilhelm?
Recently appointed-to-fill-the-post-of-the-retired-Bob Carroll Court at Law No. 1 judge Greg Wilhelm…whew…is reportedly causing headaches for a few defense attorneys in the county. Surprise, surprise, none of these attorneys want to go on record, but they say Wilhelm, who won the county treasurer’s position over incumbent Ron Langenheder last year, is inexperienced when it comes to handling jury trials.

More than likely, it’s the Knize Camp that keeps circulating these “complaints,” and if I was given the permission to post the list of who has told me what and why, I would (but I’m not stupid either, if I say someone’s name won’t be published, it won’t be published; hence comment moderation from now on).

So there’s all sorts of rumors as to who might commit political suicide and go up against Wilhelm in the primary next year. And all I can say is that if you’ve got County Judge Chad Adams and more importantly, the Midlothian Bible Church, behind you, it’s going to be a hard race.

(MBC has produced county leaders Adams, Wilhelm, Dan Altman, Paula Baucum, Carroll, and probably the entire GOP executive committee)

Ellis County Facilities Bond Vote

Ellis County Election 2007
County Facilities Bond
Vote Analysis
Compiled By Joey Dauben

Friends of Ellis County PAC
Contributions: $15,625
Expenditures: $13,998.45

Contributors
Larry Burns – $500
Layne Ballard – $200
Joe Gallo – $500
[Mark] Singleton – $5,000
Tom Ed Burleson – $100
John Wray – $75
Danny Humphries – $100
Clay Jenkins – $500
Chuck Beatty – $100
Staubach Company – $5,000
Wayne Boz – $200
Rocky Stones – $500
Gary Stanford – $50
Steve Chapman – $50
Jim Chapman – $50
Craig Anderson – $100
Waxahachie Merchants Assoc – $500
Ellis County Abstract – $1,000
Gary D. Brown – $100
Linebarger, Blair… (city’s law firm) – $1,000

Expenditures
Michael Franks Printing – $7,121.77
Postmaster (2 payments @ $3,438.34 each)

Summary: I’ve highlighted the unique contributors. [Mark] is put in brackets because I assume that’s who contributed (Singleton is head of CNB Bank); Ellis County Abstract is state Rep. Jim Pitts‘ company; the Staubach Company – the consultants commissioners paid $150,000 to study facility needs – pitched in $5,000; the City of Waxahachie’s law firm also pitched in $1,000; Danny Humphries is a Red Oak insurance agent – keep your eyes on that guy. I sense a future political office run for Mr. Humphries, who, by the way, has a very, very nice car he takes out to drag race Now for the fun part:

Election Day – May 12, 2007
Voting Analysis By Precinct
$53 Million County Facilities Bond

Precinct 101, 102, 107, 108, 142
(Midlothian Conference Center)
FOR: 533
AGAINST: 406

Pct. 103, 137
(Ovilla City Hall)
FOR: 284
AGAINST: 192

Pct. 104, 109, 110, 139, 140
(Red Oak City Hall)
FOR: 405
AGAINST: 359

Pct. 105, 106, 143
(Ferris Jr. High)
FOR: 143
AGAINST: 154

Pct. 111, 134, 136
(Waxahachie Bible Church)
FOR: 197
AGAINST: 87

Pct. 112, 118
(Maypearl ISD Administration)
FOR: 219
AGAINST: 201

Pct. 113, 114, 115, 119
(Waxahachie’s Graham Street Church of Christ)
FOR: 218
AGAINST: 109

Pct. 116, 117, 128
(Palmer’s Fundamental Baptist Church)
FOR: 208
AGAINST: 243

Pct. 120, 129, 135, 144
(Marvin Elementary)
FOR: 581
AGAINST: 225

Pct. 121
(Ennis’ Austin Elementary)
FOR: 107
AGAINST: 178

Pct. 122, 126, 127
(Ennis’ San Jacinto Auditorium)
FOR: 205
AGAINST: 339

Pct. 123, 141
(Ennis’ Bright Morning Star Baptist Church)
FOR: 49
AGAINST: 52

Pt. 124
(Ennis Community Center)
FOR: 41
AGAINST: 72

Pct. 125
(Ennis’ Travis Elementary)
FOR: 102
AGAINST: 298

Pct. 130
(Milford Community Center)
FOR: 43
AGAINST: 56

Pct. 131
(Italy Community Center)
FOR: 194
AGAINST: 161

Pct. 132, 133
(Avalon School)
FOR: 51
AGAINST: 38

Pct. 138
(Oak Leaf City Hall)
FOR: 102
AGAINST: 75

It’s interesting to note that the conservative areas in the county are still north – I say this because statistically, the no votes on elections such as this are mainly from conservative or conservative-leaning voters and precincts. It’s very, very interesting to see how many of the Ennis precincts were voting no on the facilities bond. And in Palmer, where the people there absolutely love their commissioners named Robinson (the only dissenting vote in putting the facilities downtown), the box pulled in more no votes than yes ones.

The above information is readily available at the Elections Department, 116 Monroe in downtown Waxahachie. Phone: 972-923-5195

Found a copy of this Waxahachie Daily Light – the Sunday issue about (former) Taxpayers Alliance for Good Government chair Marshall Evans taking down vote Yes signs – “touched up” in one of the county offices. Is this what we pay our county workers to do? It’s a fuzzy photo because it was taken with my camera phone.

And, while everyone’s attention is on this analysis, I want to thank the management at Bent Tree Apartments for “sticking up” for me during the recent city council campaign. They told me that the Waxahachie Daily Light had “ambushed” them with all sorts of questions about who I was living with, for how long, etc., etc. to which Bent Tree replied, “first, pull out your tape recorder and put it on the table,” and “…we can’t give you any of that information.” I didn’t want to make an issue at all about it, but the management came to me telling me what had taken place, and even went as far as saying, “they did it just because they don’t want new blood on the council.”

Ellis County District Attorney Salaries

2006-07 District Attorney Salaries
Due to increasing demand that this blog publish – again – the salaries of some of our local government officials, we are doing just that:

[Source: Ellis County Observer Open Records results]

Note: Grubbs is paid by the state ($100,000+) but is paid for specific county attorney duties.
JOE GRUBBS
COUNTY/DISTRICT ATTORNEY
$10,262
DON MAXFIELD
ASST ATTY VI
$95,696
CINDY HELLSTERN
ASST ATTY V
$82,798
PATRICK WILSON
ASST. ATTY V
$82,798
ANN MONTGOMORY
ASST ATTY IV-CIVIL
$66,387
LINDY TOBER
ASST ATTY IV
$65,122
AMY NGUYEN
ASST. ATTY IV
$65,122
JULISSA MARTINEZ
ASST ATTY IV
$65,122
SARA SPECTOR
ASST ATTY IV
$65,122
AUVENSHINE, W. LEE
ASST ATTY IV
$65,122
KIE WATKINS
ASST ATTY III
$55,066
MONICA BISHOP
ASST ATTY II
$52,463
ANDREA KLEMENT
ASST ATTY I
$51,286
SIPES, RICKY D.
ASST ATTY I
$51,286
As of December 8, 2006

Adult Probation Department
Gary Hunter — $50,232
William Riley — $51,106
Sonja Butler — $46,769
Sharon Levingston — $43,661
Mary Guerra — $40,367
Frankee Velarde — $38,814
Jimmy Smith — $37,231
Justin Bryan — $35,714
Steve Erickson — $34,167
Matthew Hanrahan — $34,167
Jeffrey Roney — $32,705
Hector Verdin — $32,705
Leonor Cerda — $32,705
Kim Satterwhite — $32,705
Brett Beaman — $31,147
Garner Brass — $31,147
Miranda Mercer — $31,147
Marvine Morrow — $37,027
Yvette Gallegos — $31,148
Rita Walker — $27,824
Sammie Hall — $33,410
Norma Kennedy — $27,711
Donalyn Derfer — $25,116
Johanna Sigala — $25,116
Richard Rodriguez — $64,470
Alfred Mims — $80,018

Juvenile Probation Department
Chris Aldama — $73,808.73
Darrin Ray — $52,220.10
Mark Zmolik — $42,600
Janis Burdett — $43,757.71
Chatrinia Bank — $41,789.52
Chad Anderson — $37,130.33
Matthew Martinez — $36,913.72
Lola Spuhler — $35,746.71
Jessica Martinez — $35,000 (starts Oct. 16)
Ryan Payne — $32,930.33
Callie Cole — $31,000
Raquel Piper — $29,061.64
Ginny Lindsey — $17,304 (1000 hours)
Intake Officer — $34,085.70 (to be filled at a later date)
As of Sept. 22, 2006

What a O’Toole

Mr. O’Toole can vote how he wants, but a clarification is needed: we are not anti-government, and I doubt seriously the radio ad he speaks of was the issue that contributed to him voting for the facilities bond. I’m speaking purely from an individual standpoint: I have no intention of eliminating “government.” Such a view that people who hold those platforms, however, should not be in this county or country makes me suspect a very strong authoritarian bent on this guy.

He’s an O’Toole alright.

To the Editor,

This morning I heard an ad on a local radio station somehow trying to connect a childhood hero of mine to the county bond election and in fact it seemed so far fetched that it warranted further investigation. This ad being political in nature ended with “Paid For by Jimmie Simmons.” A Google search brought this quickly into perspective. The man that lays claim to this ad along with Marshall Evans and Joey Dauben are listed as the leadership for a group called TAGG. Now if these other two names sound familiar it could be because Marshall Evans was the man that recently admitted to (taking down) those YES signs. Joey Dauben is the young man whose residency has been called into question in a local council race. He is often connected to anti-government issues on a blog he publishes on the Internet. Smaller government is a concept that most of us can grasp but a group of people that through their actions aspire to eliminate government has no place in Ellis County or this country for that matter.

I may have been on the fence as far as this bond election was concerned but the alternative charge led by such a group has convinced me to vote YES.

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John Thomas O’Toole,
Midlothian

Midlothian Debt

Ellis County Debt
Peggy Venable with Americans For Prosperity told a near-packed crowd at last night’s Taxpayers Alliance for Good Government meeting of what to expect with a successful May 12 $53 million bond: an increase in principal of nearly 288% – the county estimates (according to the Ellis County-AFP handouts given last night)

“a nearly 13% increase in property taxes over the 20 years to pay for the bond package. A $100,000 home could see property taxes change from $350 per year to nearly $400 per year.” [Source: AFPTX.org]

Ellis County Government Debt
Property Tax (2005): $0.35
M&O: 32.37 cents
I&S: 27.3 cents (aka debt service)
Property Valuation (2005): $7,974,096,259
Total Tax-Supported Debt (as of 2006): $25,906,522
Principal: $18,701,262
Interest: $7,205,259
Debt to Assessed Value: .3248%
Debt per Resident: $194.09

What’s more, every resident with a computer and Internet access can obtain the debt information from the Texas Bond Review Board. On. Each. City. And. School District.

http://www.brb.state.tx.us/dbsearch/city.lasso

Put in any Ellis County city and you can find the debt that is still owed, and average it out per homeowner (population stats would be handy).

Then do it for school districts:

http://www.brb.state.tx.us/dbsearch/isd.lasso

Then do it for Navarro College or any other college district:

http://www.brb.state.tx.us/dbsearch/ccd.lasso

Before this week is over, this blog will try to have debt information on every entity in Ellis County posted, linked and readily available for those curious to know how hard the taxes will hit. And don’t kid yourselves. The property tax increases on this much debt for any of these entities will be drastic.

So much for our conservative county, ay?

What Will Midlothian Ban Next?

What’s Next Midlothian? Twinkies? Fast-Food?
The ordinance to ban smoking has wide-ranging support from the so-called conservatives on the Midlothian City Council; north-western Ellis County is, after all, very conservative (based on strong bond election opposition, Dan Altman taking the area in last year’s Altman-Knize primary, etc., etc.). So how do you describe the fact that a Midlothian Chamber of Commerce – which, if it’s anything like the $225,000 Waxahachie taxpayers give their Chamber, is taxpayer funded – and the entire city council support banning smoking in restaurants? It’s a public health issue, you’ll hear them say; it’s for the good of the community.

Well, allow us here at The Ellis County Observer & Midlothian Observer to suggest a short list of “public health” problems that could be solved with more statist-driven council members’ goals at ordinancing away private property rights. After all, it’s all for the “public health” right?

1. Twinkies, sweet rolls, carbonated sodas — all key ingredients in our battle against obesity. Why not ban these foods in places such as Brookshire’s or CVS? Isn’t this a public health emergency? Is public opinion not swaying from California to Texas now? Let’s put an obesity tax on fast-food purchases. Or, only mandate that fatty foods be eaten in private homes and businesses, not in public areas;
2. Additives in gasoline — here’s a biggie: due to the global warming “crisis” (we call it a crock) that we are surely facing, how about banning preservative-saturated gasoline at all gas stations in Midlothian? It’s only a matter of time before these Midlothian City Council Nazis try to regulate every inch of property;

For such a “conservative” community, Midlothian sure has its fair share of left-wingers running their city. We hope to God some of these councilmen or “business leaders” who support this ban come up for higher office later. We will be ready to remind them of their “record.”

Jimmy Beaudoin proposed this smoking ban ordinance during his re-election campaign; that’s like voting to give yourself a $10,000 pay raise a few months before the election (a la county commissioners, county judge). Should it even be a conflict of interest for Beaudoin, who is very active in cancer awareness causes, to have proposed this in the first place?

Citizens didn’t elect the Midlothian City Council to nit-pick and regulate who can smoke and who can’t (we don’t even smoke). It’s like people who come on to this blog and gripe and complain about the comments that are posted, or the blog postings that are here; if you don’t like it, don’t come!

We’ve got major problems with immigration into this county. And no, it’s not from Mexico. It’s from places like North Dallas and California. People move here in droves and then start wanting stuff to be done like they had it back where they were — which was screwed up, messed up, too expensive and downright statist.

So with the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents, that means beer will have to be nixed too right?

Navarro College Up to No Good – Again

Navarro Trying to ‘Impose Tax on Ellis County’
The Corsicana Daily Sun, Navarro College’s version of the Waxahachie Daily Light, has been publishing some interesting little editorials and stories of late, mainly in regards to Navarro College President Richard “Dick” Sanchez trying to lobby the state Legislature to force Ellis County taxpayers to pay a “maintenance tax.” (a nice way of saying “user fee”)

“Let me tell you. I don’t represent Ellis County,” [state Representative Byron] Cook told the group. “If somebody tried to impose a tax on people of my district, I’m going to fight them.

“For me to carry legislation that would potentially impose a tax on people I don’t represent is something that I won’t do ‘yesterday, today, or tomorrow,’ and I told them that,” Cook said.

“I also went to (Ellis County) Representative Jim Pitts who informed me that he was asked to carry (legislation) before I was, and he said ‘No, and not only that, if Mr. Cook carries it I’m going to fight it’,” Cook added.

“I love the college, and I’m going to do everything I can to help them, but the college has got to do things right. They have to do things right,” Cook said.

http://www.corsicanadailysun.com/archivesearch/local_story_104214806.html

See? If not for The Ellis County Observer, nobody would know crap in this county…thank God we have Jim Pitts down in Austin. With all the nice buildings that Navarro’s revenue bonds are paying for in this county, Ellis County doesn’t need a property tax to fund colleges.

As much as the establishment would love to just throw another property tax on us, we’ll have a state legislator fighting against it.

Dick (Sanchez) should be careful; the cotton candy he’s giving people here in the form of new school buildings is a nice gesture, but we’ll fight another property tax – if that’s the route he’s willing to take, and it looks like Navarro County taxpayers are about to foot the bill for more expansion – in a place not called Navarro County. In fact, Navarro College’s problems would be solved if they just chunked half of their board of trustees and Dick himself.

There’s more (we’re starting to become fans of state Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana):

“I’ve asked them to have transparency in their financial disclosure. Right now they have a consolidated financial statement, which means … you will not have a clue how the money is being spent.

“It’s not allocated by campus, by community, overheads are not allocated in a way that anybody in this room would be able to understand,” Cook added. “You can never truly look at a business and make a determination when you can’t break those things down.”

Navarro’s Board of Trustees will meet May 17 at the Midlothian campus; what the recent Waxahachie Daily Light failed to mention in their little article about Navarro’s Waxahachie expansion is that a $3.5 million bond will be floated to pay for the expansion; thank you, Navarro County taxpayers!

This is getting good:

Sanchez said he confirmed with an attorney that such discussions, including at least two recent closed door meetings held by trustees in March, were in fact in violation of the [Open Records] act, something both Sanchez and Wasson said they were not aware of. Trustee meetings held March 3 and March 22 both included closed door sessions they admitted were in violation of open meeting laws; a March 3 meeting with State Rep. Byron Cook where trustees discussed proposed legislation they wished Cook to carry; and a March 22 meeting, when trustees and other college administration officials discussed proposed increases in tuition and fees.

Navarro is trying to slip this tax on us secretively. Well, thanks to the reporters at the Corsicana Daily Sun for shining the light on this stuff.

We’re starting to miss Waxahachie resident Fred Weldon. He always had great editorials about what Navarro was up to.

Maybe some citizens should attend the May 17 Navarro board meeting and casually bring up the fact that the violations of the Open Meetings Act to discuss a potential Ellis County property tax will not be tolerated….or a tax on our residents of any kind for that matter.

Smoking Ban in Midlothian

Smoking Ban in Midlothian
The sheer outrage over the Midlothian Mirror article this week regarding a smoking ban ordinance the Midlothian (liberal) City Council plans to foist on that city has gotten numerous voters, residents – and bloggers – ticked. On the surface, this is a “public health” issue; but in reality, the conservative voting bloc that comprises Midlothian, Ovilla, Red Oak and northern Ellis County is showing their muscle at the public hearings and citizen comment forums on this ordinance — so much so that the city council, according to the Mirror, has tabled the issue three times. Here’s the “compromise” ban so far:

1. Smoking would be banned in city parks
2. Smoking would not be allowed within 25-feet of the door of a city building
3. Smoking would be banned in “pool cars” owned by the city
4. Smoking would be banned in lobbies and conference areas
5. Smoking would be allowed in private offices
6. Smoking would be allowed in private homes
7. Smoking would be allowed in designated hotel rooms, private clubs and private vehicles

Just the mere fact that smoking “would be allowed” is scary; because what government can “grant,” government can take away. (it would be a good time to go gun store shopping, folks, just in case; we might have ourselves a revolution soon)

Every single one of the 6-0 votes on the Midlothian City Council need to be thrown out of office; two such candidates — Ken Chambers & Sam Hartson – are running and are opposed to the ordinance.

This is quite simply the most liberal position a taxing entity could take outside of eminent domain. Private property rights of individuals far outweigh “public health,” and the council members in Midlothian who support – and vote for – this ordinance need to be sent back to the private sector.

Chambers’ opponent, incumbent Jimmy Beaudoin, first proposed banning smoking in all public places. Voters in Midlothian would be better served if they voted this borderline communist out of office; if government can force an issue like this onto public space, it’s only a short matter of time before they do it on private space.

Conservative, free-market minds are still on the city council, however in a very symbolic way. If this quote from Mayor Boyce Whatley is anything, then the future political aspirations of this mayor will be severely hampered by the re-publishing of it:

“I would like to see us give up to five years to allow businesses to put money back to pay for new air conditioning and any renovations,” said Whatley. “I don’t know how expensive it would be to make these changes but five years would give time to put back $10,000, $15,000 or the $20,000 necessary to make these changes.”

We personally like Mayor Whatley, but we’re really starting to wonder where his 2004 opponent, ex-Councilwoman Paula Baucum, stands on this ordinance. Beaudoin said the Midlothian Chamber of Commerce supports a smoking ban. That’s easy for the Chamber to say; that’s easy for any chamber to say: they’re subsidized by the very taxpayers this private-property-rights-raping ordinance would screw.

Dusty Fryer, a councilman who opposes the ban but still needs to be defeated for re-election the next time he’s up (for another issue altogether), had a pretty good stance:

“There is something about this that is a little too much ‘big brother,’” said Fryer. “I go where I feel comfortable going and I believe we ought to allow businesses to regulate their own establishments.”

Councilman Wayne Sibley definitely needs to go. The Mirror reported him as saying, “Sibley said he favored an outright ban but would agree to a compromise that would be phased in quickly.”

Richard Reno needs to consider running for city council next year. Here’s what he had to say:

“I moved to Midlothian 11 years ago because of the sense of community and degree of independence I found here,” said Reno, a downtown business owner. “I don’t smoke and it is not the role of government to tell me how to run my business or my life.”

Councilman Tommy Mitchell is sending mixed signals; on one hand, the Mirror says he doesn’t want government telling businesses what to do; on the other, any ordinance the city passes, Mitchell said it should specify how to “guide and regulate” smoking and non-smoking areas.

“I don’t want anyting that says at the Fire Chief’s or City Engineer’s discretion,” said Mitchell. “We need clear rules and clear ways to measure and enforce those rules.”

The chambers in every Ellis County city — including Waxahachie — will be watching this ordinance very closely. And when those taxpayer-funded organizations begin to see the council-led opinions sway the debate, start watching for Ennis and Waxahachie and Red Oak; they just might be dumb enough to push a ban in those areas. And The Ellis County Observer has news for any candidate or elected official who tries pushing a smoking ban in their towns: the barrage of blogging will not stop. And we will make life a very living hell for those who support and vote for a ban.

(note: keep in mind that a majority of Ellis County Observer bloggers do not smoke)

Endorsements

The editors and contributors of The Ellis County Observer City Blogs – this one in particular – have endorsed write-in candidate Sam Hartson and Ken Chambers for Midlothian City Council.