Richard Morrison announced for pct. 1 commissioner (MCC FULLY supports his candidacy)--

Attorney Richard Morrison, of Sugar Land and Rodrigo Carreon (Fresno) have filed for candidacy to run against long-time entrenched incumbent for precinct 1 county commissioner Tom Stavinhoa's seat (click the above link for more). Most remember Mr. Stavinhoas stance on the expanding airport near Sienna (and Missouri City) as well as the Blue Ridge Landfill tipping fees and his inability to oppose the tolling of a public roadway in the controversial TX99 corridor project near segment C...MCC wants to openly endorse these two in their run against professional politicians who do not represent homeowners and taxpayers in this community. Please vote Mr. Stavinhoa out of office (it might also interest readers to know that the commissioners, just last year, voted themselves a 15% pay raise on our dime along with accepting out of state campaign finance support from vendors involved with the TTC project and TS was no exception)....stay informed and keep in touch!

Morrison Press Release:

RICHARD MORRISON FOR COMMISSIONER, PRECINCT 1

Residents of Precinct 1 have lost confidence in Tom Stavinoha. His choice to approve a toll way as an extension of the Grand Parkway, his support of I-69 through the middle of Fort Bend County, his conscious decision to ignore flooding and drainage problems in the precinct, and his approval of the location of a 20 story pile of Houston’s garbage in Precinct 1 demonstrates how little he cares about the current families of Precinct 1. Residents of Precinct 1 are tired of leaders who will not stand up to the big moneyed interests and who engage in "pay to play politics" which leaves current residents without effective representation. Stavinoha has lost his focus on the families that live in Precinct 1 and their critical issues of quality of life and an honest ethical government.

That is why today I filed to run for Fort Bend County Commissioner of Precinct 1.
The families of Precinct 1 are demanding a leader; someone with a backbone, willing to fight outside interests that want to pillage our county resources to the detriment of our current residents. I am a seventh generation Texan, whose parents and grandparents taught me to stand up for what you believe in, work hard and play by the rules. I will apply those lessons to the office of Commissioner. I will S.T.O.P the Grand Parkway Toll Road. I will keep I-69 and the Trans Texas Corridor as far away from Fort Bend County as possible. I will fix the flooding and drainage problems that exist in the precinct. I will fight against the location or expansion of any landfills in the county. And I will make sure that Fort Bend County acquires no more debt goes back to operating on a pay-as-you-go basis.

I want to reform the Commissioner’s office, making it a place where leadership, responsibility and ethics prevail. I will mount a strong, issues based campaign to win this most important post in the 2008 General Election. I will campaign as a voice to the families of Precinct 1. I am pro-business and pro-growth, but these issues should not diminish the quality of life of the families that already live in the precinct. I have chosen to raise my family in Precinct 1. My family and I have lived in Fort Bend County for 12 years. We are residents of Greatwood. My law office is in Precinct 1. My church is in Precinct 1. My children attend school in Precinct 1. My wife shops for groceries in Precinct 1. The County Commissioner needs to know how to prioritize the growth of Precinct 1 with the needs of its current residents.

Fort Bend County has a budget of more than $214 million per year, much of it is spent without explanation. No-bid contracts for expensive professional services are awarded primarily to big donors. Hundred million dollar bond issues are passed for roads to nowhere. When elected I will fight to pass ethics reform, so that Commissioner’s Court will not be able to accept donations from entities that have or will have no-bid contracts with the county.

I will restore the words "fair, honest and hardworking" to the office of the Commissioner. The Commissioner’s office will not operate in secrecy. I will make decisions based on facts, not campaign contributions. When elected I will do everything in my power to open up government to the voters. Budgets, appointments, contracts, and campaign contributions will be made available on the web for anyone who wants to see them. Every decision I make will benefit the current families of Precinct 1.

In filing for my candidacy for County Commissioner, I am sending a strong message that it is time to run Precinct 1 on behalf of the current families that live there. I will fight for higher ethical standards, provide stronger oversight to manage future growth, and make quality of life for the current residents a top priority. I hope to have the support of all the families in Precinct 1. I need your time talent and treasure to get to take back seat on Commissioner’s Court.

For the latest on efforts in HOA reform here in Texas click the title link!

Click the title link to get the AARP endorsed homeowners bill of rights.

See these interesting and related pieces at: http://www.realestatejournal.com/propertyreport/residential/20030829-kim.html (an interesting twist to another SLAPP-suit filed involving developers in Texas, which made it to the Wall Street Journal )

http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/news/sub/pressrel/action/ShowMedia/id/4078

http://www.writeyourownstories.com/article.cfm?articleID=17126

....stay informed and keep in touch!

MCC/CRD Wishing Everyone A Wonderful Holiday Season & Joyous New Year!

Check this Holiday v-site for seasonal images (click the link above).

Guest Editorial: Politics, Families & Justice for the Holidays!

Recently MCC/CRD had the opportunity to speak with Prescott Small on his views of the coming elections and politics in general. Mr. Small is currently serving as a precinct chair in Stafford, TX, is a successful family man and businessman and ran for a county commissioner seat in 2006 pledging off all special interest funding (a rare move these days).

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I think there are several key issues that need to be addressed in politics regardless of party and on all levels of government whether it is local, county, state or federal elections.



The Voters:

There are two major players in what is wrong with elections, the “middle of the roader” and the person that refuses to vote. While the middle of the roader tends to be balanced in their opinions they are very seldom moved to take action and are just willing to “go with the flow” while the non voter doesn’t care about the flow at all. The only people that are typically active with elections and causes are the far right and the far left and combined we are a minority in this country, yet we get to decide how things will be.



Americans operate under a delusion where this is a majority rules country. This is not true at all. For example; let’s say we have a 60% voter turn out and the election is won by a 51/49 split. That means that roughly 30% of America just decided what is best for the country.



Being legal don’t make it right:

Then there are the Americans that are of a mind set that just because something is not illegal it is still just.



We all remember a certain representative from Sugar Land and how he took truckloads of money and gifts to pass legislation and that it was “legal at the time he did it.” That did not make it right.



The system is rigged:

Then there is the system, which is rigged. The real problem is how much it cost to get elected. You and I all want the best candidates and people that have a sense of responsibility and are willing to protect the real working men women in our country. The average person like you and I will find the campaign process a burden that is most difficult the bear. The average person can’t quit his or her job to run for office. Campaigning is essentially a full time job with a hell of a lot of overtime these days. The average person doesn’t have a spare quarter of a million dollars lying around. The average person is not willing to sacrifice their personal lives and their privacy not to bear the burden of the stress it takes to run for office.



Candidates still have bills to pay and families to feed. So the only people that are really able to run are those that can raise a ton of cash or have a ton of cash.



The candidates have to be willing to sacrifice any personal life they have or had. They also have to make the greatest sacrifice of all; that is to sacrifice time with their families.



In my opinion the effort to run for office and the sacrifice that it demands should be enough of an incentive to keep people honest and re-enforce their spine. However, when we are presented with the evidence this appears to not be the case.



Corruption:

Based on all that we have seen of the corruption of both parties, one would have to assume the burden of maintaining that status of “Elected Official” must be too great to bear for too long; for that re-enforced spine appears to collapse with time.



I believe that people that do business with the county. When companies that make millions in revenue from government contracts while contributing money to elected officials that grant the contracts is just questionable at best. In my gut I would feel wrong accepting such monies because I would perceive it as a conflict of interest. My personal integrity would make me feel uncomfortable.



Lobbyist making contributions and “sponsoring” fund raisers for elected officials is also a huge conflict of interest. When you seek specific legislation passed that benefits your organization and those you represent directly, it is immoral to give money to those same people.



Both parties are plagued by these corrupting influences. All parties have got to take a stand and change these practices.



Religion, meet State:

Religion and politics need to stay separated. Many of the candidates we see today are wearing their religion on their sleeves. They are in essence flying in the face of the constitution by endorsing a non-formalized process in which a politician not only has to have a profound sense of faith, but also be of a particular faith. For Example: Although I would never endorse Mitt Romney as a candidate I find it despicable that there are people in his party that refuse to vote for him solely because they believe his brand of faith is a cult.



The United States Constitution states in Article VI, section 3 that“ ...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States. ”



What has happened is a minority of Americans, about 23%, have hijacked one party and made faith a requirement to hold political office. They are very clear in this goal and their influence has spread so that no candidate in any party has a chance of getting elected unless they talk about their faith and express a profound belief in God.



This requirement is un-American as can clearly be seen by taking the time to read your constitution. And yes, I am aware that the Texas State Constitution has a religious requirement for a belief in a higher being to hold office; however that is trumped by the U.S. Constitution.



Religion and Government are a poisonous combination; one need only read a history book to know this. And if you want more proof, just turn on any news station and what is happening in the Middle East and around world where people live in theocracies today. Our founding fathers had a pretty damn good idea and they were well aware of the dangers of mixing religion and politics. That is why they have the No Religion test and the 1st Amendment.



Ok, it’s time to leave:

All elected offices should have term limits. While the people that get elected most often have a sense of civic duty and purpose, far too many fall to the dark side of campaign contributions and the trap of getting re-elected. They stop taking chances and aren’t will to stick out their political necks to do what really needs to be done for fear of loosing their chances at re-election. Many of them consider a large part of their job to be getting re-elected. So much of their time is spent campaigning that they are no longer able to perform the jobs they were sent there to do.



To summarize what is wrong with elections:



1) Apathy

2) Corruption

3) Religion

4) Term Limits


Prescott Small
Stafford, TX


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MCC: To get more on the context of this piece please visit the title link above from FBN.

FBW: Why IS FBISD With-holding This Report From The Public?

Original report from FBN:

Why IS FBISD With-holding This Report From The Public?

Attorney General Ruling Means FBISD Investigation Probably Will Remain Secret
by Bob Dunn, Dec 15, 2007

Results of an investigation of Fort Bend Independent School District business operations, conducted in 2005 at the request of the district’s board of trustees, probably never will be made public.

Prepared by Houston attorney Lloyd Kelley and forensic auditor Mir Fox & Rodriguez, the so-called Kelley Report was commissioned by the FBISD board as the result of findings in an August 2005 audit report of the district’s risk management department.

Investigators in Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey’s office had been given much of the report two years ago, but on Nov. 30, Healey said he has concluded “there are not provable criminal charges contained in Kelley’s report.”

On Friday, FBISD outside legal counsel David Feldman, acting on behalf of the district, declined to provide a copy of the Kelley Report, requested by FortBendNow in a Texas Public Information Act request made on Nov. 30.

In doing so, Feldman revealed that a TPIA request for the Kelley report also was made in 2006, and Assistant Texas Attorney General Anne Prentice ruled in March of that year that the document may be withheld from the public. . . (get the full story and comment at http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/3625/attorney-general-ruling-means-fbisd-investigation-remains-secret?commented=0#txpCommentInputForm)

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FBW comment:

This is the same law firm that was involved with the GISD SLAPP-suit just a month or so ago. Why are they trying to keep this report from the public? This seems very much like recent votes on access to public committees and the recent restrictions on speakers at the last BOT meeting regarding the academies.

What happened to the more open access promised during the build-up on the last bond election (must have been window dressing and PR as usual)...

See FBN: 7 East FBISD Schools Score Low Enough TAKs Scores For Student Transfers

Click title link for the full story...

FB Star Column On Blue Ridge Landfill Hearings--

From the FB Star column by Cheryl Skinner

...The controversial Blue Ridge Landfill expansion issue remains controversial, but things need to be kept in perspective. The attorney representing the grass roots organization fighting the landfill’s plan to expand says from now until the summer court hearing, attorneys from both sides will be filing motions sure to punch the buttons of one side or the other. Such is the case with any civil lawsuit and basically that is what the court hearing basically is. The apparent “slant” of one of the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality board members and how that will play in the overall picture seems to be on the minds of all who hope to quash the expansion efforts.

Glenn Shankle, executive director of the TCEQ, filed a motion at the end of November that urges state administrative law judges to shift the burden of proof from the company, Allied Waste, to three local television stations. That is not good, say opposition forces. In fact, some residents believe the TCEQ is actually looking out for the landfill and not the community that they are supposed to protect. Perhaps it is time for the part-time state legislators to take a look at the commission to make sure all is fair and to define which side of the bread is buttered as far as the administration of the TCEQ is concerned. . .

. . .There is a lot more to come and I am sure that the road to the courthouse will include a number of twists, turns and detours.

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Comments:

MCC/CRD appreciates these and any coverage or comments relating to this expansion proposal. We agree with Cheryl that the legislature should fully review how this taxpayer supported agency is functioning (or not).

See This Recent FBISD Monday Board Meeting Report From FBWatchdogs (FBISDWatch.blogspot.com)--

Click the title link for the full report...

Area Homeowners Still Waiting For Tax Relief Says Chronicle: Appraisals the problem (See Ad valorem taxation)

With the recent city council vote on implementation of another taxing zone which relies on ad valorem taxation in Missouri City and a 5%+ property tax increase voted in almost 8 weeks ago too by council. This chronicle piece may prove interesting. See this quote and click the title link above for more:

"Ever-rising property values will continue to eat up tax savings, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt warned. He advocates a much tighter cap on yearly residential appraisal increases than the current 10 percent limit.

"Here's the bottom line that everyone has to recognize — the tsunami force in property taxes is appraised value increases," Bettencourt said."

Stay informed and keep in touch!

Chron: Mo-Cty Annual Snow Fest Coming Saturday!

Click the title link for the full release...

FB Star Covers Recent Contested Case Hearing Rulings & Commissioner Stavinhoa's Response--

Discovery continues in Blue Ridge Landfill case
No new revelations says attorney for grass roots group

By Cheryl Skinner
Richard Morrison, the attorney for a grass roots group opposing the planned expansion of Blue Ridge Landfill, says there are no new revelations in the case and that discovery is continuing at this time.

In a blog site called “Missouri City Chatter,” an update posting last week indicated that some progress and changes were being made in the case. However, Morrison said the events posted on the site were not set in stone because the events were simply a part of discovery with both sides asking for more facts or information from each other. “This is just part of the normal discovery process, pre-hearing, and nothing has changed. I don’t look for anything until the actual hearing, which is sometime in July,” Morrison explained.

On the blog site two recent events, described as “decisions” were mentioned. One was a request to get more support for the claims by television stations that the expansion would interfere with Doppler signals.

Morrison said that is simply a request by Blue Ridge attorneys to get substantiation and not any type of official ruling.

The other thing mentioned was an attempt by those same attorneys to have the case moved from Fort Bend County to another location, which the site said had been denied and was a victory for those in opposition. This too, was a pre-hearing/trial move and standard operating procedure, Morrison noted.

Opponents and proponents met in Fort Bend County in October for a meeting to determine if a contested hearing on the landfill would be granted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It was and now the discovery portion is ongoing in anticipation of the hearing, which is similar to a court trial.

The hotly disputed landfill expansion plan is being vigorously opposed by area television stations and a grass-roots organization that claim the expansion will hurt the media’s ability to forecast severe weather, including hurricanes and tornados, reduce property values, and pose a threat to the health and well being of residents who live in the shadow of the landfill. . .
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Also see related pieces at:

http://www.fortbendstar.com/120507/n_Tipping%20fees%20explained%20by%20Commissioner%20Stavinoha.htm (Commissioner Stavinhoa defends "tipping fees")

http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2007/12/tv_stations_dea_1.html (recent chron blog on this)

Chronicle Update On Landfill: TV stations dealt a blow in landfill controversy

Click on this article for the full story!

Some City Leaders Speak Up Against Formation Of TIRZ #3

Griffin Concerned About Misuse of "Reinvestment Zones" In Prime Commercial Areas of Missouri City

Rodney Griffin issued this press release after the city council vote in favor of establishing TIRZ #3 in Missouri City near the ETJ (and the Fort Bend Toll Road):

"I'm very concerned about the direction this council continues to take with regards to its over-emphasis on development near the city limits out on highway 6", said Rodney. His concern stems from earlier Spring debates with council members over the neglect of Texas Parkway, Cartwright and the 1092 corridors. The more established communities have been asked to carry the tax burden for some of these large Houston development companies operating along the highway 6 prime commercial corridor.

Rodney, former district A city council candidate and local businessman, was vocal earlier this year on this decades long neglect under the current city administration.

We will update this news as it becomes available...

See background at:

http://www.fortbendnow.com/opinion/2801/the-politics-of-land-development-and-tax-breaks#c021076

Chronicle Reports: TIRZ #3 Approved By Council (May increase ad valorem taxes for city and county residents)-

Click title link for more...

MCC Exclusive: Poats Confronts Council On Possible Misuse Of Reinvestment Zones In Prime Commercial Areas--

At the December 3rd city council session on item 7a the council was taking the second and final vote on a new taxing zone that may increase the ad valorem taxes coming from Missouri City and county taxpayers. Mr. Poats expressed his concern about setting up such a tax zone in a prime commercial area rather than using them to rehabilitate older areas of Missouri City, as is the intention according to chapter 311 of the Texas Tax Code.

When Greyling engaged the mayor on the misuses of reinvestment zones in this manner, a somewhat heated exchange took place between Owen and Poats, which lead to the district B council member, Cynthia Gary, asking for a return to civil debate. Repeatedly, throughout the evening, council member Jerry Wyatt and mayor Allen Owen grilled resident after opposition resident speaker in an attempt to defend the project.

One of the opposition speakers pointed out the potential for conflicts if Owen and two other council members continue to participate in this vote based on their campaign disclosure reports, which links the mayor and two others on council with some of the principle corporations that will be benefitting from their overt support and vote on the establishment of this zone (TIRZ #3).

This piece will be updated at intervals. Currently 3 TIRZs are either proposed or confirmed for this 2 to 3 mile stretch of prime commercial land along highway 6 in Missouri City.

How Is Your HOA Functioning? See this linked piece from NHAG for a better understanding...

Follow the link above for the full story...(is your HOA one of these? see http://www.ahrc.com for more).

Split Ruling Impacts Upcoming Contested Case Hearing Involving The Blue Ridge Landfill (Click the title link for background)-

Blue Ridge Landfill Expansion Contested Hearing Update:

Just in to MCC is this report referencing a letter on the 1505-A Application- Blue Ridge Landfill Contested Hearing near Missouri City, TX. According to the letter, from Chris Ekoh, a staff member with the TCEQ, two rulings were recently handed down that impact pro-expansion and opposition parties in this case. The first allows a request for more evidence to support the claims by the t.v. stations that the expansion will actually interfere with doppler signals. This is viewed as a small victory for the landfill company, but the opposition forces scored one too. Apparently in the rulings the landfill lawyers from Austin were attempting to move the case from Fort Bend County courts in Richmond, but this was disallowed, causing many in CABRLE (and affiliated organizations) to rejoice.

Moving the case from the area that is impacted would have the effect of neutralizing the publics involvement.


Background:

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2007/10/mcc-exclusive-blue-ridge-landfill.html

http://www.fortbendnow.com/search/?q=landfill

http://www.fortbendstar.com/Archives/2007_3q/071107/n_Waste%20firm%20claims%20weather%20radar%20blockage%20not%20public%20welfare%20concern.htm

Pict file courtesy of FBN