MO-CITY COUNCIL VOTES 5-1 IN FAVOR OF HIGHER TAXES, AGAIN!

During a relatively quiet council session last night the city council voted another tax increase. This in a city with some of the highest taxes in Fort Bend County already. The action did not go unchallenged when Kevin Tunstall approached the podium late in the evening to chastise the group for voting to raise taxes in a community with retirees and others living on fixed incomes. Tunstall stated, "that you should practice fiscal responsibility first and reduce spending before considering this option". He continued by quoting Nancy Reagan and the "just say no campaign" and asking council not to take the easy way out and "just say NO to more taxes".

Cynthia Lenton-Gary, city council representative for district B, was the lone dissenter on council which drew some applause. Professor Gary was elected as the reform candidate in a landslide victory over long-time incumbent Don Smith, heavily endorsed by special interest backed Allen Owen & Jerry Wyatt in the May run-off elections (Owen was not present for the vote). After Tunstall's statements several on council seemed visibly defensive.

Stay informed and keep in touch!

FB Star: State Sets Contested Hearing Date On Blue Ridge Landfill Near Mo-City, Arcola, Fresno & Pearland--

State sets contested hearing date in Blue
Ridge Landfill permit issue for October 16

By Cheryl Skinner
Opponents and proponents alike will be gearing up for a court battle on whether the state of Texas will give final approval on a permit that will allow Blue Ridge Landfill, near Arcola, to expand. The date of the recently granted contested hearing has been set for Oct. 16 here in Fort Bend County.

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.

The state granted an appeal by those impacted by the dump last month and last week set the date for the forthcoming hearing, which is, according to legal representatives, similar to a civil court lawsuit with both sides of the issue presenting evidence.

The hearing on the Blue Ridge Landfill Expansion Permit Hearing is set for 10:00 a.m., Oct. 16, 2007 in the Fort Bend County Commissioner’s Courtroom on 309 South 4th Street, Suite 701 in Richmond. . .(click title link for the full story).

FB Star Looks At Wyatt Opposition To Gary In This Late Election Report On The Eve Of Gary's Oath!

Click the title link to get this late election report on Smith/Wyatt opposition to reformer Gary's landslide victory in Missouri City, TX council races. This victory really shook up the local industry and establishment folks (and Owen's pol. network).

OP/ED: MissouriCityChatter & CRD celebrate coming 3rd year with a look back!

OP/ED: MissouriCityChatter & CRD celebrate coming 3rd year with a look back!

MCC ©2007

Over two years ago a developer run HOA denied access to the membership supported newsletter to paying members for notifying fellow homeowners of a land-use project that may threaten their property/home values and negatively impact the tax base of the community (usually what HOAs are intended for). The threatening statement, which would lead to the founding of this free, non-advertisement supported resident run blog-site, and others (now shut down), that caused consternation and an eventual SLAPP-suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) by a Houston corporation in an attempt to muzzle/chill the local community, lead to a reform movement that now has an extended multi-partisan family network throughout the local area well beyond Sienna Plantation and growing into other nearby communities.

When Matthew Feinberg founded SiennaTalk.com in 2004 he opened it without opposition and grew his online community without interference for 6-7 months. A committee of Sienna and Sienna area homeowners began to share information and meet on development issues that may impact school over-crowding and home & property values as well as daily activities on that site, after their developer run HOA refused them access to simply post an e-mail contact address in the member supported newsletter. Once the apartment/land-use battle reached the site a fairly large network had been established with 7-8 local neighborhoods involved in opposing this project. In Feb. ’05 many residents of this community marched on city council only to be told that the project was a done deal and the voting reflected it (5-2) to the dismay of hundreds in attendance. Later, after it was found that the mayor and several on council had been receiving campaign contributions from this company and voting on their projects (an apparent violation of the city ethics code of conduct), a petition of over 1100+ homeowners against this project was submitted to city council along with ethics complaints against the mayor for failure to recuse himself in the voting (it was following this action that the mayor’s top developer supporter initiated the SLAPP-suit). You can get much of this story and background at:


http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/?c=Sienna-Plantation

&

http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com/search?q=SLAPP-suit

http://www.exposingnewhomebuilders.com/2007/02/johnson_develop.html

http://www.ahrc.com/new/index.php/src/tools/sub/comments/action/view/mediaid/2101/mediadb/directory (unconstitutional dissemination of information CCR)

(search either site for more or google SLAPP-suit, Johnson Development Co., Houston or view the entire session via the Missouri City streaming video minutes at: http://www.ci.mocity.tx.us/streamfiles/2005_video/050221/050221.htm )


Not to beleaguer the story, but much has been learned since then and a subsequent investigation of several judges and a county commissioner, possibly involved in the SLAPP-suit case, by the State Commission On Judicial Conduct is on-going. This, thanks to the efforts of pressure by taxpayers/voters & homeowners from this community.

During this time a family lost their home, life savings, college fund, but not each other and found a great deal of friends and support in their community. After much pressure from one corporation, SiennaTalk.com and later its sister site MissouriCityTalk.com were shut down. MissouriCityChatter.blogspot.com was founded about 1-2 months prior as a support blog-site so that alternative communications would still remain in this isolated community. We have remained open through 3 SLAPP-cases and numerous other tactical attempts to stop these broadcasts/postings. We announce that we are proud that we are still here and have expanded our scope of coverage to most of the South area of Missouri City, TX and have networked with numerous community and political organizations, which lead to the replacement of two of the council members who voted on the original land-use project while accepting campaign contributions from the development company involved (we have always believed that these council members should have recused themselves in this voting along with the mayor). Another full slate of candidates is scheduled to run in ’08 against the mayor and his backers. --Enough abbreviated history.

The cornerstone of MCC is the stories people e-mail to us and the follow-up provided. Please keep them coming no matter where in Missouri City you live!

We look forward to year 3 and more to come! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MCC/CRD!!!


Chris Calvin, Ph.D.
Co-chair
Committee for Responsible Development
Responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com
MissouriCityChatter.blogspot.com
Missouri City, TX



Additional useful homeowner/taxpayer/consumer links:

http://www.ahrc.com (National homeowners resource center)

http://pages.prodigy.net/hoadata/ (the real Harvard study on HOA abuse, get the list of leading HOA forclosure attorneys in the Houston area and ask yourself is your home at risk in this racket?)

http://www.texashoareform.org/ (Homeowner advocacy group here in the Houston area)

http://www.texaswatch.org/TW/ (track legislation that helps/hurts homeowners and taxpayers)

http://www.hobb.org/

http://www.stoptexashoaforeclosures.com -- Texas Homeowners Advocacy Group (NHAG affiliate)


“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead
US anthropologist & popularizer of anthropology

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