Print Your Own Vote No! Signs

Ellis County's Taxpayers Alliance for Good Government has posted a link on their Web site for irate taxpayers to download and print their own 11x17 Vote No! yard signs.

To view or download your own 11x17 Vote No! yard signs, click this link

They're generic enough to be used for any election, too.

"By doing this, regular taxpayers can bypass the political action committees and just do it themselves," said TAGG chair Joey Dauben, who publishes The Ellis County Observer. "It's like the We The People Starter Kit. It costs nothing to produce .pdf yard signs, though our recommendation would be that people print out 100 of them. It still costs less than $10-$20 and we encourage taxpayers to assemble them like we show in our example below..."

Taxpayers Spend A Quarter Million Dollars for Superintendent NOT to work 3 months a year

Round Rock taxpayers, take note. The Round Rock ISD Superintendent accrues 2 vacation days each month. I may not be an educator, but I figure that to be 24 days a year – that’s almost 5 weeks. Now, that vacation time is on top of the regular school holidays. How many holidays do they get a year? Hum…according to the website, Round Rock ISD Holidays- 08/09 School Year include:

July 2008: 5 days
August 2008: 0 days
September 2008: 1 day
October 2008: 2 days
November 2008: 3 days
December 2008: 8 days
January 2009: 4 days
February 2009: 1 day
March 2009: 5 days
April 2009: 2 days
May 2009: 1 day
June 2009: 0 days

Total School Days Off: 32 days

So if you take the 24 days the Superintendent gets (per his contract), and add the 32 days all school employees get (including the Superintendent, per his contract), that figures to 56 days a year.

So Diana Maldonado, then RRISD School Board President, signed a contract that actually pays the Superintendent a quarter million dollars a year NOT to work 56 days.

That equates to 11 weeks…almost three months.

So while taxpayers are working hard, earning a living, paying their school property taxes, those same taxpayers are paying a Superintendent $250,000 to NOT work three months a year.

A quarter million dollars a year to take 56 days off each year. Good work if you can get it!

Edinburg officials can't count on their legislators

The City and Edinburg Economic Development Council don’t trust their legislators. That’s right, Sen. Juan Hinojosa and Rep. Aaron Pena have gotten a vote of “no confidence” by local officials and leaders. Edinburg leaders, in “preparing for legislative session” have hired a lobbyist who they credit with past legislative victories. That’s right – they don’t praise their legislative representatives, but the lobbyist for “establishing a known presence at the State Capitol in Austin,” according to City Manager J.J. Rodriquez. So much for Sen. Hinojosa and Rep. Pena...

Edinburg taxpayers, you are paying for a lobbyist who may very well lobby against taxpayer interests. Most city and county lobbyists oppose taxpayer protections. It is up to taxpayers to review the legislative agenda for the City and chamber of commerce. Make sure the legislative priorities are YOUR TAXPAYER priorities to keep more of your hard-earned money. After all, tax dollars are being used to pay your lobbyist.

Read about the lobbyist hire here:
http://www.edinburgpolitics.com/2008/09/14/edinburg-prepares-for-legislative-session-eedc-city-government-to-split-lobbyists-60000-annual-fee/

Hero of the Taxpayer: Jeb Hensarlin

Congressman Jeb Hensarling, R-TX, gave an impassioned speech against the bailout on the House floor today. He calls the bill a "slippery slope towards socialism." Great job, Jeb! I am proud of you!

Explaining the financial melt-down

This is the best video I've seen explaining how we got to the Wall Street Meltdown situation. It is a "must-view" for all voters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH--o

You will likely be surprised by some of what you learn in this video!

-- Peggy Venable

HILCO Incumbent Ousted From Office After ECP Story

Good news for those seeking information about what's really going on with HILCO, a southern Dallas-area co-op.

Incumbent Jim Perkins, who told The Ellis County Press' Megan Gray he wasn't "allowed" to speak to her about allegations listed on RescueHILCO.com, was ousted from office, according to a tally of votes in the District 1 race -- D1 includes Glenn Heights, Oak Leaf (Perkins' hometown), Lancaster, DeSoto, Ovilla and Midlothian.

Former Glenn Heights mayor Stephen Pape (pronounced "Papi") was Perkins' challenger.

(Megan will post the official tally of votes as soon as she gets them)


Click here to read the article that was posted a day before the election.

Send Palin to debate Obama

Since Sen. McCain is headed back to DC to do the people's work (after all, that is a Senator's full-time job and we do have a financial crisis on our hands), why not have Gov. Palin offered up to debate Sen. Obama? It's clear Obama believes he can do his Senate job and campaign full-time, cerntainly he wouldn't blink an eye at debating a Governor on foreign policy.

Bring it on!

AFP: leading the drilling ban countdown

AFP is making the blogging circuit as policy director Phil Kerpen provides direction and a Congressional action (and inaction) blow-by-blow
From Phil Kerpen, Americans for Prosperity, “A Stunning Pro-Drilling Victory“:
With the clock ticking down to what some are calling “Energy Freedom Day” — October 1, 2008, when the congressional bans on offshore oil drilling and onshore oil-shale development are set to expire — anti-drilling Democrats have backed down from a high-stakes stand-off that could have caused a government shutdown and will now result in the complete demise of the drilling bans. This is a stunning victory for grassroots activists over environmental special interests and business-as-usual in Washington. If not derailed, it also will be great news for all American consumers.
Phil follows with a blow-by-blow of how opponents of the ban achieved their legislative goal.
More…
Statement from Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), House minority leader, “House Republicans Score Victory for the American People After Democrats Capitulate on Offshore, Oil Shale Energy Production Bans.”
CNN story, “House Democrats will allow offshore drilling ban to expire“
Here’s the blog: http://www.shopfloor.org/2008/09/24/an-expiring-ban-what-a-good-development/

Taxpayer Forum Sept 22 in Round Rock, Texas

Texas Townhall Tour to Defend the American Dream
In Round Rock, Texas

Goal: Putting Taxpayers in Control

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is hosting a public forum in Round Rock on Monday, Sept 22, at the Round Rock Library.

Featured speaker will be Trent Seibert, nationally recognized investigative reporter. AFP State Director Peggy Venable will also present information on property taxes, local government debt and taxpayer-funded lobbying.

Due to the overwhelming response of the AFP Texas Summit, the organization is hosting a series of town hall meetings and blogger training sessions throughout the state to educate individuals about important issues and the tools we can use to be more effective.

The goal is to put taxpayers in greater control over how much government we want and are willing to pay for. We’ll be Defending the American Dream as we discuss property taxes, government spending and debt as well as other pocketbook issues that impact our insurance and energy costs, education, and property rights.

This meeting will provide an opportunity to learn more about issues facing taxpayers.

Texas Tour Townhall meeting, Round Rock, Texas
Date: Monday, Sept 22, 2008
Time: 7-9 pm
Location: Round Rock Library, Room B, 216 E. Main Street, Round Rock, 78664.

If you have any questions, email or call us directly at 512-476-5905 or email AFP at: info@afptx.org.

The two-hour session will provide issue information and online training for activists who want to blog – or know more about blogging and internet activism.

Why Sept. 22? On that date in 1871, a taxpayers’ convention convened in Austin to denounce “unconstitutional and repressive” government acts.

If you are in the Round Rock/Austin area, sign up now – RSVP to: Eliza@afptx.org

Paul Burka doesn’t speak for Texans

In a long narrative regarding the Wednesday speeches at the Republican National Convention in St Paul, BurkaBlog -- Texas Monthly’s Paul Burka -- revealed again his liberal elitism in some of his critique of Gov. Sara Palin’s speech.

“One thing Palin did not mention was her views on social issues, some of which are way out there, like her support of creationism. In fact, the whole evening seemed designed to avoid any discussion of wedge issues that were so central to Bush’s presidential races.”

“Way out there?” Really, Paul?

Paul should know Texans better than that. But you live a liberally-sheltered life in Austin, away from the small towns and the churches.

The Texas Republican Party Platform supports teaching the strengths and weaknesses of scientific theory, including intelligent design (i.e. creationism)

Paul Burka regurgitates the rhetoric of the Left. We can imagine he doesn’t share the “way out there” view that life begins at inception.

Does Burka even believe there is a God? For the record, most Texans do. We added it to our Texas Pledge of Allegiance. But we are just commoners to you. We are folks who believe in God and country and Texas values.

Perhaps it is Paul Burka who is “way out there.”