Friends in MoCo On Sat., May 9th, MoCo voters will go to the polls to decide whether or not they believe our leaders are giving us the best solution to our dire transportation/mobility needs around the county. (Early voting starts Mon. April 27th http://www.mctx.org/election/
But are the contents of the mega-loan a good, well thought out solution, or is it just another appearance of a ruse – more busines-as-usual (i.e. just throwing feel-good and development projects on the wall, for friends, to see what sticks) and not coming up with a comprehensive plan and fixing urgent, priority needs?
Unfortunately, we’re afraid it’s a Rube Goldberg affair, where three out of four commissioners have cobbled together a patchwork of needs and (primarily) wants. In what has also been referred to as a “buddy bond”, this has resulted in basically a “blank-check” loan request, chock full of earmarks, including gifts to developers and over $100M(million) designated for items which should be a part of their routine maintenance, and not in a bond. (See attached Composite Wish List).
But the powers-that-be say “we’re so far behind and will be moreso if we don’t hurry and pass this bond …..we have to have this right now!!” As Obama strategists say, never let a crisis go to waste! They’d be proud!
And in the spirit of Obama to have “every vote count”, the commissioners’ closed the Mitchell library voting location(ground zero area for the Woodlands Parkway Extension), and opened a location near Rayford Rd. (to make it more convenient for those local residents, who’re most affected by traffic and will vote for just about anything for relief. Wow, what a maneuver by the commissioners!! http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/county-approves-early-voting-location-east-of-i/article_4ebbf6b3-66c8-5dbd-a2f9-6d79b2df84b2.html
And how did we get in this predicament? Over the years, current and prior commissioners {Judge Craig Doyal(2) himself, Mike Meador(1) Ed Rhinehart(4), and Ed Chance(3), whom both retired after the Joe Corley fiasco}, failed to initiate long range plans and take those to appropriate quasi-government agencies like Tx-DOT and H-GAC (Houston-Galverson Area Council) to secure the state and fed money we’ve paid into the funds via taxes/fees. And in not doing so, they’ve left us woefully short of funding and behind in planning/execution. Especially when compared to our peer groups, like Ft. Bend County. And we don’t see MoCo making up much ground during this bond election either, though proponents would like to have you believe otherwise by adding a lot of lipstick to their pig.
One of the many reasons for the haste, is the recent road construction in The Woodlands. And they couldn’t have caught The Woodlands residents at a better time. While they’re still seething from recently completed, drawnout and painfully overdue projects (Woodlands Parkway bridge fiasco and the WJPA pipeline), which seemingly lasted forever, however, now is not the time to write a blank-check out of frustration. And that’s what you’ll be doing, if you vote for this “special-interest, pork-laden” bond!!
Another reason for the haste and voting on this without a plan, is that CISD is coming back to us in November for a multimillion dollar school bond, and then shortly afterwards the county will be back to ask for around $200+ million more for a new jail, to relieve the current overcrowding (remember the Joe Corley and Mental Health Facility fiascos?). Good thing they can’t just print money like the feds, that would pile onto our already $500 million county indebtedness!
This is a fairly complex issue, with many moving parts to disect, complicated even more by many high-profile people involved (though it’s the usual suspects – movers and shakers around the county), spinning their propaganda machines (including The Courier/Villager), w/a lot of money backing them. Get ready for their flood of TV ads and propaganda mailers!!
And the commissioners hope that you’ll be so frustrated by the above referenced traffic issues (recently completed), that everyone will just follow the herd and vote forit. But from our in-depth analysis below, we hope you’ll also conclude that this is not a good bond, save for the H-GAC-backed plan that Noack has in Pct. 3, though lacking because everyone else wants their “fair” share of dollars.
While we’re very disappointed that Rep. Mark Keough(HD-15) supports this (due to bad advice) and James Noack voting for it(rock in a hard spot), as well, we have no issue w/Noacks’ list, as most of those in the other 3 precincts are not bond worthy. Consequently, if we vote down this bond, and we should, the commissioners thenhave to listen to you and go back to reallocate prioroites and resources bring it back to the voters in November….so there’s plenty of time to get it right.
In the following summary down below, we’ll try to lay it all out w/links/docs and allow you to do your own homework (we did the research), if you so desire. In the meantime, save the date for the big debate next week, where stakeholders on both sides will be squaring off. It’ll be interesting to see how the establishment tries to defend the indefensible.
Meeting Location:
The Church Project
295 Sawdust Rd
Spring 77380
Thursday, April 2, 2015
6:30 p.m.
SPEAKING IN FAVOR:
Craig Doyal – Montgomery Co. Judge
Nelda Blair – Co-Chair: Move Mo. Co. Forward PAC
Co-Chair – MC Road Bond Committee
Joe Michels – Former Mayor, Oak Ridge N.
Treasurer – MC Road Bond Committee
SPEAKING AGAINST:
Steve Toth – Former State Representative, Dist. 15
Laura Fillault – Board Member, Indian Springs Village Assn.
Ken Vaughn – Board Chairman, Montgomery Co. Tea Party
See you at the debate!
Grassroots
