GO VOTE SATURDAY MAY 10TH FOR MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES AT YOUR LOCAL POLLING STATION!

Note: MCC/CRD (this site) has endorsed Pinnock, Poats and Tunstall in the Missouri City council races for their ethical stance on city function and other issues!

OP/ED: Capitol Annex & Fort Bend Independent Refuse To Endorse Ron Reynolds In TXHD 27 Race!

"her opponent, Ron Reynolds, has baggage of his own, as we have noted on this blog before. While Mr. Reynolds has offered an explanation for his troubles with the state bar and promises to be more progressive on issues than Olivo, we simply cannot bring ourselves to offer him . . . our full support. We urge voters in the district to meet these candidates for themselves and make their own decisions." Capitol Annex

After much pressure from some local "D" club members, the editor of "Capitol Annex", a respected media/blog-site, refused to endorse Ron Reynolds primarily based on TX Bar sanctions running concurrently through 2009, civil law-suits against him and other concerns. See this piece for more:

http://capitolannex.com/2008/01/06/tx-hd-27-olivos-opponent-anything-but-responsive-reliable/

This was reported last month in Capitol Annex. What MCC finds the most disturbing in this series of cases by former clients is this quote:

"On Nov. 22, 2005, Ronald E. Reynolds, 31, of Houston, accepted a six-month, partially probated suspension effective March 31, 2006, upon completion of his current active suspension, with the first three months actively served and the remainder probated. An evidentiary panel of the District 4-D Grievance Committee found that Reynolds was retained to represent his client in a personal injury case. In January 2004, Reynolds settled the case without his client’s knowledge or consent. Reynolds then received settlement proceeds from the insurer without notifying his client, negotiated the settlement check without distributing the funds to his client, and misrepresented to his client that he was still working on the case after he had successfully negotiated the settlement check. Reynolds violated Rules 1.01(b)(2), 1.03(a) and (b), 1.14(a) and (b), and 8.04(a)(3). He agreed to pay $350 in attorney’s fees."

We will update this as the race continues. If Mr. Reynolds should defeat the incumbent Olivo, this site will endorse the republican candidate due to the ethics issues above and Mr. Reynolds lack of real involvement in a number of grass-roots efforts like the coalition fighting the landfill expansion, which he has continued to claim to be a part of (without any support from the coalition committee). Until then we are fully supporting Ms. Olvio in her run as the incumbent. She is the only incumbent during this cycle that we will endorse!

Background:

http://www.offthekuff.com/mt/archives/011179.html (interview)

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2008/01/report-just-in-from-capitol-annex-on.html

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.

From FBN: Missouri City Residents Ask For Change In Coming Spring Elections!

Rating Missouri City
Oct 12, 2007, 09 08 AM


I see that Missouri City has spent about $62,000 for a company to see why our image is so low. They have compiled a list of our pluses and no where do I see lower taxes on that list. Just recently the citizens had to inundate city hall to protest an ordinance requiring Misery City citizens to be responsible for all infrastructure to the middle of the street. (Ordinance 46-4) Its had a band-aid put over it to satisfy some of the citizens but Id bet the ordinance still requires citizens to be responsible for the streets, curbs, and gutters to the middle of the street. . . (click title link for more)

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MCC comment/editorial: Decades long control of MC council by Houston special interests will be strongly tested again this spring. Hopefully those that live in the city limits of Missouri City will turn out in droves to support challengers and end the politics of division and separation that have dominated the city through the use of intimidation and alienation. Good luck reformers as you work to take back local control, establish term limits and a REAL ethics committee that actually investigates wrongful doing!

We will track this election from the reform perspective up close and personal. Already Nick Lampson and special interest backed mayor Allen Owen have teamed up for an upcoming event. The irony being that Lampson ran against the very political machine Owen is part of to gain his CD-22 seat with promises of change. MCC endorsed Mr. Lampson in his first run, but now offically withdraws it since Lampson is accepting the the same special interest campaign financing that Owen and the network have long used to maintain control of the area. Much has changed in little over a year. So don't follow the party, follow the money and watch the incumbents voting patterns. Already Owen has opposed CAD caps, rate CAPs and supported higher taxes consistently as well as voted for thousands of additional apartments in the Sienna hwy 6 area and Colonial drive communities (is this in your best interests?). VOTE-VOTE-VOTE!

Stay tuned for more!

FB Chronicle Reports On Increasing Tax Vote In Missouri City--

Click on the title link for the full story...

Chronicle: Missouri City Taxes Going Up Again?

Click title link for full story...

FB Star Looks At New Make-up Of City Council--

Missouri City women make history

By Barbara Fulenwider
History was made in Missouri City when District C Council Member Barbara Gibson was sworn into office in May and joined District A Council Member Eunice Reiter. They made history because it was the first time two women had served on city council simultaneously.

With the votes of the runoff canvassed on June 25, District B Council Member Cynthia Gary was sworn into office at Missouri City’s July 2 council meeting and more history was made. Gary is the first black woman to serve on council and now there are three women serving at the same time. When Reiter was first elected to office 13 years ago she became the third woman to ever serve. The first woman elected to council was Carol Eguia who served from 1978 to 1981.

The second was Maris Reynolds, who was in elected in 1985 and held office until 1991. . .

. . .On July 2 a beaming Gary, who ran against an incumbent and soundly defeated

him in the runoff, was sworn in before a room of supporters who stood and clapped well after she had raised her right hand and taken her oath of office. After the oath was administered by Mayor Allen Owen, he said gesturing toward her seat on the dais, “All right council member, take your seat,” and there was more long and loud applause as she did.

Gary is a southwest Houston native who has lived in Missouri City for 25 years. She received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in sociology at Prairie View A&M. She is currently working toward on a doctorate at Texas A&M. She and her husband of 25 years have three sons and work as real estate investors. (click the title link above for the full story)

MCC/CRD comment:

A more different group of elected officials couldn't be more possible. You have two Owen backed council members and one reform council member. The real history is that for the first time a non "insider" was elected and will attempt to bring about more changes and is leading the reform spear-head on a council that has been characterized as out of touch and linked closely with Houston development special interests (that is what makes Reiter's comment so interesting and somewhat misleading IMO).

Stay informed and keep in touch (and keep an eye on this council)!

From FBW: Majority of Missouri City Voters Supported Anti-Owen Challengers! --Click title link for more...

From FBW: 50.6% Vote Against Owen-backed Candidates in MC
Published on 05/14/07 at 09:45:11 CST by MCCNewsUpdates

With Mayor Owen endorsed candidates being challenged extensively across the board in the district A, B & C races, how long before the old order in Missouri City falls?

This and many other questions are being discussed on area blogs and news sites after a record making election leads to an apparent MC first in an election, a run-off between Owen backed candidate Don Smith and district B challenger Cynthia Lenton-Gary. It has been rumored that Lou Hunter, the 3rd candidate in the race, will soon announce his endorsement of Gary and actively campaign for her. Gary will be the first African-American female elected to the Missouri City council and reportedly the first run-off in the cities history.

Greyling Poats, former '06 mayoral candidate, was quoted as saying that "the 50.6% voting against Allen Owen endorsed candidates is a shift in city politics and should be watched more closely as the '08 mayor and at large races approach." He further stated, "I wouldn't be surprised if we see another full slate of challengers in '08."

Get more at these links below:

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/2007/05/close-mc-council-races-by-reform.html

http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/2909/mobility-bond-wins-broxson-reitz-replace-rickert-bryant#c013530