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Letters to the editor
The following letters were submitted by our readers.
City should freeze taxes for seniors There are four cities within Williamson County that have frozen the amount of taxes that their residents have to pay that have the age 65 homestead and/or disabled exemption. Because of that exemption our school taxes are frozen. Thank God for that! Within the City of Taylor there are 991 residences with the age 65 or older homestead exemption plus 110 residences with a disabled homestead exemption for a total of 1,101 residences. That is a minimum of 1,101 votes. If the cities of Cedar Park, Florence, Georgetown and Leander can freeze the taxes for their senior age 65 and disabled citizens, then the least that this city council of Taylor should do is freeze our taxes. I would hope that if this city council does not freeze our taxes, then their names and how they voted should be remembered at election time. The information gathered for these comments was obtained from the Williamson County Appraisal District. Roy Miller, Taylor
This election offers some welcome ‘1st’s Here we are, ready to elect a new president and vice president this year, 2008. Another “first” for America: Remember 1920? Women were given the right to vote. That was the year I was born. Mom was only 18 so she could not vote. However, when she reached voting age, she always voted. Now we have a very fine black man nominated to head the Democratic ticket, Barack Obama, and his running mate is Joe Biden. The Republican nominees are John McCain, a senator and Army man 72 years of age, and a lady who is Gov. Sarah Palin from Alaska. Each party has a “first” nominated. I am glad. We need to change a lot of our government programs as our Baby Boomers are getting to be senior citizens now and they want a change for their children. Maybe this is what it is going to take to get families more together and taking better care of their children and seeing that they are going to school as they should. I know there are a lot of single mothers, but each baby has a daddy somewhere. See that they step up and do their duties. Blessings to all, Lois Gainer, Taylor
Do your part to be an educated voter My family and I first arrived in Williamson County, the city of Round Rock, in 1979. I now live on property outside of Georgetown that I purchased in 1981. I was born and raised in Texas. My family has lived in Texas since their Comal County settlings in the 1840s. The elections in November, and the ones that follow, are going to decide the future of Williamson County as well as this region of Texas. These elections are important to the citizens of the county but also are the center of evolving statewide Texas changes. Williamson County has played an important role in central Texas for many decades. This role is well discussed in a recent book, “Road, River, and Ol’ Boy Politics,” by local author Linda Scarbrough. This book is a highly accurate account of the way politics and power has existed in this county for the past 100 years and beyond. This approach to government is not unique to Williamson County. It has been practiced this way in many variations in many other counties in many other states. Basically, this concept is a small number of people control the power and direction of a large community. Those in power who do not want to discuss these relationships, point fingers and label others as conspiracy theorists. This is not conspiracy. History is an easy source to document how this has continuously occurred at all levels. Government and community decisions to this day continue to be made by a small number of people exercising their control over the majority. A small number of key elected offices ensure challenges made to this power base go nowhere. Offices such as county judges, commissioners, city and county attorneys, chief appraisers, sheriffs, state representatives and senators guarantee that the goals of the power network are carried out. All indications are Williamson County has always operated in this mode. This mode of government is not one of political parties. Those who are familiar with Texas history or have read the aforementioned book know that this power base used to call themselves Democrats. Those in the role of power broker will take on any label expedient to maintaining control. The current power network of Williamson County is taking this area in a direction that will make many non-county and non-Texans richer, and, at the same time, send money out of the country to companies competing for a place in an accelerated development promise and Governor Perry’s aspirations. Giant out-of-state developers, out-of-state and out-of-country toll road builders and the like use your money and tax dollars mostly out-of-state for other areas of opportunity. The primary concern of a well-devised plan for any county should reflect concern and the best interest of its citizens and their families with a future that makes sense for future generations. Williamson County has no master plan that looks at the entire future, not just five or 10 years out but 50 and 100 years from now. No plan that focuses on the citizen, the quality of their life, keeping profits and tax benefits in the county, for the people and by the people. Grandiose projects that have no tie to a long range plan should never be initiated in any form, expensive studies or otherwise, without open involvement of its citizens showing a clear path to a master plan that benefits the citizens. Such grandiose thoughts, like a 12-lane toll road to connect IH 35 to, most likely, Highway 281 will result in expense to the taxpayer, huge increase in air pollution and noise pollution, more intense traffic and a higher crime rate without showing how this benefits the citizen. Just a point of historical interest: Highway 281 was originally called the Pan American Highway because it runs from Alaska all the way to Argentina. Effective transportation management and planning in Williamson County is essential but must benefit the citizens without decreasing quality of life. Williamson County already has one cross-county interstate artery in IH 35. Massive expansion of Highway 29 is only one example of initiating a project whose primary benefit is not for the majority of the population but for a smaller but more powerful minority. The main theme of this editorial? This is an important transition time in Williamson County and, probably for the first time in history, a chance to establish a truly representative government of the people by the people. This is not one party verses another party. To do our duty, under the constitution, one must vote for the candidate who best represents the citizens, their expectations and desires. Our nation was founded on a concept of representation for the people, by the people with checks and balances to ensure a viable democracy. Many people who have had to deal with the current Williamson County power base, myself included, have experienced officials in power disregarding the law and sometimes outright violating Texas laws because they know their buddies won’t investigate, prosecute or rule against them. This editorial is not telling you in any way for whom to vote. My editorial is just asking you, the voter, to vote. And, when you vote, be educated or enlightened about what is going on and be able to apply history and current knowledge to choose the leadership of the county that represents you, your needs, your future and your children’s future. By now, from what I have written, some readers will have formed some strong opinions of my words. Some will label me a crackpot or a conspiracy theorist. However, I have spent my life being a realist and a pragmatist. So, you are asking who is behind these words? From what I have just stated, I have been politically independent ... and have never voted a straight ticket for any party. Although I have probably made more Republican choices, I have always voted for the right person to lead citizens and whose primary concern is the citizen. I have a master’s degree in engineering. I have retired after 30 years from international industry, Texas Instruments, Raytheon and General Telephone. I am also a retired Navy captain with 30 years reserve and active duty, which includes Vietnam, Cambodia, Falkland Islands, Desert Shield, NCIS, Naval attach/ and intelligence. I have served at church in leadership positions, on boards of directors of international organizations, on boards of directors for retired military organizations, multiple corporate-wide committee leadership positions at both Texas Instruments and Raytheon and been involved in various community activities over the years. I consider myself a concerned citizen. I plan to spend the rest of my life in Williamson County and contribute to its’ welfare. I urge you to understand the issues and vote this November and in any follow-on elections for the future of Williamson County and you, its citizen. The current direction of those in control of Williamson County, in my strong opinion, does not focus on all the citizens as their primary concern. As I stated earlier, it’s time Williamson County had a truly representative government, “for the people, by the people.” It can only happen with everyone’s vote. Bill Kelberlau
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