Keith Self's Blog

Citizens,

If you have already voted, thank you. Thank you for exercising your right to actively engage in determining the future of Collin County.

If you have not yet voted, rest assured that your vote WILL make a difference. Only 5,500 early votes have been cast through Monday, October 29, two thirds of the way through the early voting period. Your vote could eventually represent 75 taxpayers.

If you did not see my article in the Dallas Morning News on Sunday, click on http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/collin/opinion/stories/DN-north_self_1028edi.ART.North.Edition1.426445d.html

As I wrote before, this contest is David versus Goliath. If you have not yet voted, pick up 5 stones by inviting 5 friends to go with you to the polls. Better yet, pick up 10 stones by asking 10 friends. We are up against massive special interest money from Austin, yet we continue to receive support from individual taxpayers/voters.

Our work is not done. There are still three days of early voting, plus Election Day next Tuesday, November 6. Many of you have not yet cast your ballot and I'm sure the results hang in the balance. Let's finish well.

Thank you for your support. I appreciate the calls and the emails that you send encouraging me. It is an honor to serve you.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

You can put all the lipstick you want on a pig, but it's still a pig.

Voters are more informed today. They want to know the details of issues. They want to know where their hard-earned dollars are being spent. They want results from government, not just more taxes. They want to cut down congestion, not just talk about cutting down congestion.

We have discussed the details of the pork proposal in depth in the blog postings below, and you may read through all the issues at your leisure.

As Election Day draws near, let's remember the important details of the pork proposal:

1) Three out of four taxpayers will actually receive less money from the county match than they pay in county taxes into the bond funds. Those taxpayers who lose money are from large AND small cities.

2) The same taxpayers pay both portions of this "match" - county match and city match. The county match is not free money.

3) The bond "partnership" is actually just a single source of taxes - you.

4) Our county government is growing too fast; 16% growth in debt payment this year and 13% estimated average growth in maintenance and operations from 2006 for six years.

5) The total bond package more than doubles our debt payment, from $33 million this year to a peak of more than $60 million.

6) This debt will not be paid off until your small children have small children of their own.

7) Many of our smallest cities are penalized by this bond and receive little or nothing from it.

8) The transportation pork proposal does not relieve congestion at the major chokepoints.

9) And there is an alternate program already submitted to the state that will quickly start to relieve our congestion chokepoints if we fully fund it.

Have you voted yet? Through 6 days of early voting, the number of early votes so far indicate that many more voters will vote in this election than in the 2003 bond election, and every vote will be critical. The discussion and the debates have raised the interest in this bond election, and your participation will increase the percentage of registered voters that take the time and trouble to exercise their right to vote.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

In the last transportation bond election held in Collin County in 2003, only 9,404 total votes determined the outcome of a $142 million tax for approximately 600,000 citizens. Less than 3 percent of registered voters bothered to exercise their right to vote to determine how much tax the entire county would pay for 20 years.

Even for our traditionally low voter turnout, that was very low. You can change that.

Many of you courageously voted for change in the last election. NOW you have the opportunity to make changes that will slow the growth of county tax dollars and at the same time start to fund core programs that actually relieve our traffic congestion.

However, you are hearing doomsday predictions about Collin County coming to a halt if the transportation bond does not pass. Nothing could be further from the truth. But you may be wavering on your vote because you believe that the county "needs something" to keep us moving, even if that "something" is a bad bond.

We have an alternate plan ready to substitute for the transportation pork bond.

The Pass-Through-Financing program was produced by a committee, approved by the Commissioners Court and submitted to the State of Texas in April with a commitment to hold a bond election for the county costs. This program is ready to go on the next available ballot and the delay should be minimal.

The Pass-Through-Financing projects are very large compared to the projects in the pork proposal (twelve projects for $330 million compared to 113 bond projects for $235.6 million) and will start to relieve our congestion. The projects were specifically selected to be attractive to TxDOT and should bring a significant reimbursement percentage when negotiated. That's right; the state will reimburse a major percentage of our costs, which makes this program especially attractive to you, the taxpayer. While this program will be partially funded by the SH 121 concession fee, it will not be fully funded because there is not enough concession fee to do that. County tax dollars will fill that gap and start to relieve our congestion.

The way ahead is to defeat the transportation pork now, then turn around and place the ready-to-go Pass-Through-Financing program on the next available ballot. We will know the unfunded amount by the end of the year and it should be well within the maximum $271 million that we should bond.

We have a plan in place. Let's make the change that is necessary to implement the plan. Vote AGAINST the transportation pork proposal.

Sincerely,
Keith

Concerned Citizens,

The last transportation bond proposal in 2003 was not wildly popular with the voters either. Almost 25% voted AGAINST the last transportation bond proposal, even without ANY serious critique and analysis of the proposal. And there were very few votes cast, less than 9,500.

Be encouraged! You are a much more informed voter. You are aware of the pork in the 2007 bond proposal. You are aware of the debt payments that will double if the pork passes. You are aware of the alternate highway funding program that will be underfunded if the pork passes. If you need to look it over again, please review the blog posts below for extensive analysis.

While our mission to defeat the 2007 transportation pork proposal looks difficult in light of the special interest money coming out of Austin to fund political mailers for our opposition, just a small swing of votes AGAINST the pork proposal can win this victory for the taxpayers of Collin County. Even though we will be outspent by the special interests, this victory is possible if we all work together at the grassroots to find those voters who are sick and tired of how their tax dollars are being spent. And spent. And spent.

We can break the cycle of congestion. We can set the stage to start relieving our congestion.

Yesterday, the day early voting started, USA Today ran the article, "38 big-money issues in balance on ballots." It read in part, "Voters in Texas, New Jersey and Maine are being asked to approve large bond issues to continue a year of record borrowing by state and local governments....State and local governments borrowed $198 billion in the first nine months of this year, up 10% from a year ago." We are not the only local government that is growing too fast. And do we want to start being lumped with high tax states like New Jersey? My wife was born in New Jersey, but it a high tax state - one of the highest.

Early voting has started. Have you voted yet? You can vote today at any early voting location. You can find the location nearest you at http://www.collincountytx.gov/elections/election_information/2007/110607/EV110607.html

Sincerely,
Keith

Concerned citizens,

Now it is up to you. The talking is over, the head-to-head debates are history, the editorials and articles are written. Now the future of the transportation pork proposal rests with you, the taxpayer/voter.

I believe that as of today, Sunday, October 21, it is clear that we are dictating the debate verbiage on the bond election by presenting actual analysis of the pork proposal, offering new ideas, and educating voters on the issues. You are making a difference in the community. Several items published today clearly demonstrate that bond supporters are no longer defending bond details, but are only attacking our positive ideas to break out of the cycle of congestion and to address our increasing congestion. Several points made in the articles clearly indicate that the authors do not understand our protection of the taxpayer. Even the very good, positive alternate funding proposal approved by the Commissioners Court and submitted to the state is under attack, even though the April letter to the state approved by the Court was very positive. It is clear that supporters of the status quo congestion are worried about the impact of an informed electorate.

The shrill tone of those opposed to our efforts to fully inform voters on the details of the pork proposal reminds me of the strident, and often violent opposition when President Reagan deployed tactical nuclear weapons to Europe in order to defend our allies against Soviet invasion. Just as the Soviet Union understood the impact of Reagan's initiative, you can tell by the strident language that our opposition understands the impact of the taxpayer rising up to defeat this transportation pork proposal.

In spite of the current vitriolic tone by supporters of status quo congestion, I ask that you not make personal attacks in return. We will maintain our focus on the details of the transportation pork proposal. If you have any remaining questions, please contact me.

There is much work yet to be done. Bond proposals almost always automatically pass because very little analysis and no opposition are presented to the voters. In spite of our progress, we are still like David facing Goliath. I ask that you pick up five stones by inviting five friends to go with you to the polls. Better yet, pick up ten stones by inviting ten friends to go with you.

Thank you for reading the emails and blogs over these past weeks and months. Election Day is now only sixteen days away. I appreciate your support, and your efforts to educate yourself on a complex issue. Thank you for standing with me and giving me the opportunity to fulfill my campaign promises to you.

Early voting starts tomorrow, Monday, October 22. Now is the time to act. Now is the time to stand firm in the face of strident opposition. Now is the time to make a change. We have changed the debate verbiage, and I believe that we can now change the usual outcome by rising up to defeat this pork proposal.

Sincerely,
Keith

Concerned Citizens,

You are making a difference. Taxpayers all over Collin County are awakening to the fact that the transportation bond proposal is NOT fiscally responsible.

Now is the time to get the facts to your friends who are registered to vote. Now is the time to start asking your friends to go with you to the polling stations to vote AGAINST the transportation pork proposal.

Shining the light of day on the transportation pork proposal is revealing details that would otherwise never be known:

1) Three out of four taxpayers will actually receive less money from the county match than they pay in county taxes into the bond funds. Those taxpayers who lose money are from large AND small cities.

2) The same taxpayers pay both portions of this "match" - county match and city match. The county match is not free money.

3) The bond "partnership" is actually just a single source of taxes - you.

4) Our county government is growing too fast; 16% growth in debt payment this year and 13% estimated average growth in maintenance and operations from 2006 for six years.

5) The total bond package more than doubles our debt payment, from $33 million this year to a peak of more than $60 million.

6) This bond debt will not be paid off until your small children have small children of their own.

7) Many of our smallest cities are penalized by this bond and receive little or nothing from it.

8) The transportation pork proposal does not relieve congestion at the major chokepoints.

9) And there is an alternate program already submitted to the state that will quickly start to relieve our congestion chokepoints if we fully fund it.

I thank you for standing with me. Early voting starts on Monday, Oct 22. I ask you to vote and to take your friends with you.

You are making a vast difference in getting the truth out. We are seeing people come and join us as they understand the facts behind the bond. Now I ask you to make the crucial difference at the ballot box.

A head-to-head debate on the bond election will be held Thursday, October 18, at 7:30 PM at the McKinney Performing Arts Center on the square in downtown McKinney. Doors open at 6:45 PM. I invite you to attend and hear for yourself.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

1. Last week, I had eight speaking engagements on the transportation pork proposal, including two head-to-head debates and I continue to be delighted with the amount of discussion and interest being generated.

It has become obvious through these speaking engagements that the prevailing belief that government funds are free money has now filtered down to county level. Many consider the county match in this bond proposal as "free money."

However, there is no free lunch. Not in your family budget, not in business, and not in this bond proposal.

You, the county/city taxpayer, pay both the county match and the city match. It is all your money. There is no free lunch.

However, the notion that county money is free money, rather than your hard-earned tax dollars, is obvious when I field questions. Very few in government want you to consider these bond funds as your tax dollars. They only want to be able to say to you that they are providing some benefit. But remember, they are spending your tax dollars. Always.

As Ronald Reagan said, "...when it comes to spending your hard-earned money, they act like they have your credit card in their pocket. And believe me, they never leave home without it."

The only problem with these three bond proposals, they have reached too far and charged too much - almost $60 million too much. We need to live within our means.

Every level of government should focus on their particular core functions; not just the county level, but every level. If our cities, the county, the state and the federal level of government focused on their respective core functions, we the taxpayers could be sure that the tax dollars sent to each level of government would be spent on appropriate city, county, state, or federal level projects. Instead, our tax dollars are mixed and matched and spun around like a shell game that makes it hard to identify where your tax dollars are being spent, a confusion that used to be reserved only for the federal level. It may be the way that business is done, but there is a way to make this more transparent to you, the taxpayer - focus on core county functions instead of dishing pork across the county.

I also hear how the traditional bond funding by mixing county and city taxes supposedly "generates" additional funds. Government does not generate funds; government collects taxes that have first been earned by citizens and businesses. Do not be deceived by claims that additional funds are generated by this method of mixing funds. There are no outside funds in the traditional match between county and city - it is all tax dollars collected inside this county from you, the taxpayer. There is no free lunch.

2. Bonus coverage of the Parkland Hospital issue.

I wrote a letter to the editor to the Dallas Morning News in response to the article on October 6 reference Parkland Hospital. You may read the article at http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/collin/stories/DN-indigentcare_06cco.ART.North.Edition1.424a760.html

The Morning News did not print my response so I copy it below for your review.

Quote:
Collin County pays for treatment provided to Collin County indigents by Parkland Hospital, and we verify indigent claims before we pay. We take responsibility to protect our taxpayers from false indigent claims.

Indigent claims are based primarily on state requirements, not county. Counties can only control the percentage of federal poverty level (FPL) at which the county will provide indigent care. Collin County recently increased that level to 100% of FPL. In addition, the state requirements do not include non-citizens, an issue often confused with indigent citizens.

Organizations act based on incentives. The incentives for Collin County are different than Parkland Hospital.

Collin County has two fundamental incentives:
1) Pay for treatment of Collin County indigents.
2) Protect our taxpayers against false indigent claims.

Parkland Hospital has different incentives:
1) Maximize federal dollars flowing to the hospital through several federal programs.
2) Which is accomplished by maximizing the number of indigent visits to Parkland.

Every month, I send a letter to Dallas County Judge Foster, the Dallas County Commissioners, and Dr Ron Anderson, detailing the payments Collin County makes to Parkland Hospital for treatment provided to verified Collin County patients.

I raised the verification issue at the September 24 public hearing hosted by Representatives Laubenberg and Jackson. I believe that Collin County taxpayers deserve to know that their indigent care tax dollars are being spent only for verified indigent claims.

Eventually, I would like to see Collin County take care of its own. A vibrant and growing county of 730,000 citizens with outstanding hospitals should be able to develop relationships that provide care for our own indigent citizens, rather than continuing this debate over who owes what to whom.
End quote

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

A group of concerned citizens have established a political action committee to oppose the transportation pork proposal.

"Vote NO on Transportation Pork" was established yesterday. I appreciate very much these citizens listening to my message of fiscal responsibility and the need to attack congestion on our major highways.

Please consider a financial contribution to support this effort. Please make your check out to:

Vote NO on Transportation Pork

Please mail your contribution to:

9720 Coit Road
Suite 220 #130
Plano, Texas 75025-5833

There are several great opportunities to hear head-to-head debates on the transportation pork proposal. These all include presentations on both sides of the issue. These are excellent opportunities to educate yourself on this complex issue before you vote.

Debate sponsored by the McKinney Area Republican Women's Club
Thursday, October 11, 7 PM
McKinney High School

Frisco Chamber of Commerce
Government Affairs Committee
Friday, October 12, 10:30 AM
Frisco Chamber

Smart Talk with Trey Graham
Saturday, October 13, Noontime
KTXG, 90.5 FM

Debate sponsored by Mark Yablon
Thursday, October 18, 6:45 PM
McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC)

Dialogue sponsored by McKinney Chamber of Commerce
Friday, October 19, 8 AM
Eldorado Country Club, McKinney

I continue to be delighted with the amount of dialogue that is being generated by a frank and open discussion of the future of transportation funding in Collin County. The sheer size of this large bond package is daunting to citizens. And the fact that it does not attack congestion on our major highways is concerning to citizens as they look at the growth of the county and yet see the county abdicating its responsibility to address congestion.

I look forward to seeing you at one of the head-to-head debates.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

We must be doing something right in our efforts to fight higher taxes and county pork in the 2007 transportation bond proposal.

Bond supporters are getting desperate. Putting it kindly, a press release put out today, but dated October 8, is misleading.

The individual elements of the press release are correct. However, the press release suggests that $1 billion is a direct result of this bond election. That is misleading. This bond election only deals with your permission for the county to spend $235.6 million in county tax funds for the pork projects outlined in the bond proposal.

The $898 million from the SH 121 concession fee is a done deal. Those funds are already allocated to Collin County. And $290 million of that is not immediately available, but is paid over the next 50 years.

The $188 million from city taxes is a city decision. It does not depend on our county bond proposal. Cities will decide their individual city taxes.

That leaves us where we have been all along.

The central question remains, "Do you, the voter/taxpayer in Collin County, believe that the $235.6 million in pork projects that do not help relieve congestion on our major highways is how you want to spend your increasing county tax dollars?"

The "no increase in the tax rate" statement must be cold comfort when you watch your taxes skyrocket every year. You know that the county watches its tax revenues skyrocket based on the rapid increase in your property appraisals. I could not convince the Commissioners Court to lower your tax rate this year, in spite of holding more than $100 million in SURPLUS funds when we started the budget process.

Make no mistake about it - if this bond proposal passes, the county debt service will go up from $33 million this year to a peak at over $60 million, almost double.

Let's put it this way. If you have small children, these bonds will be paid off when your children have small children of their own.

The debt service increases next year in 2008 by more than 16%, even before we start selling these bonds.

The maintenance and operations budget is forecasted to increase by an average of 13% EVERY YEAR for six years, starting back in 2006.

Is your salary growing by 13% or 16% every year?

Collin County government is growing too fast.

This is the issue before you on November 6.

Do not be deceived. Get the facts. Ask questions. It is your tax dollar at stake. Read previous blog entries below for more details.

If you do, you will agree that the transportation bond proposal represents government pork and runaway growth.

Vote AGAINST Collin County Proposition #1, known affectionately as the transportation pork proposal.

Sincerely,
Keith

"Our problems are both acute and chronic, yet all we hear ...are the same tired proposals for more government tinkering, more meddling and more control - all of which led us to this state in the first place... We must have the clarity of vision to see the difference between what is essential and what is merely desirable, and then the courage to bring our government back under control and make it acceptable to the people." Ronald Reagan, 1980

Concerned Citizens,

Ronald Reagan could have been addressing Collin County transportation woes. We are a dynamic county that is on the move, except down our major highways. There we have to crawl along. We have extreme and costly congestion - no one can deny that.

Leaders in positions of responsibility have to eventually be accountable for the successes and failures that happen on their watch. It is true for business leaders. It is especially and publicly true for football or basketball coaches. Their successes and failures are followed closely and daily in the media.

At some point, if current operations are not working, teams try something new. The Dallas Cowboys made the change from Drew Bledsoe to Tony Romo in mid-season last year. Why? Because the current quarterback at that time, Drew Bledsoe, was not producing. There comes a time when pointing fingers, making excuses, blaming others, not taking responsibility comes to an end and a change is made.

The same should be true for political leaders.

Collin County did not start growing yesterday; in fact it has been growing for decades. Our current growth is not a surprise. The congestion has been growing for years right along with the population. And the same system of transportation bond funding has been around for decades as well. When do we admit that the current system does not work and make a change?

The citizens of Collin County have expressed their frustration with congestion for years. The time for change is NOW.

As Ronald Reagan stated, we must have the clarity of vision to see the difference between what is essential and what is merely desirable. This takes difficult choices, just like the Cowboys made a difficult choice to change quarterbacks in mid-season.

You have a choice coming up during early voting that starts on October 22, or on Election Day, November 6. Make a choice for a better future, for relieving our congestion.

Vote NO on the flawed 2007 Transportation Bond Proposal that takes more taxes from 3/4 of our citizens than it returns to them.

We must get our citizens moving again on our major highways. We must ensure that we work together with our regional and state transportation partners to relieve congestion on our major highways. It is time to make a change.

At a reception and dinner for Texas Transportation Commissioner Ned Holmes on Monday, October 1, Commissioner Holmes said that our highways will be funded in the future by multiple sources. Collin County must participate in that partnership for the sake of our citizens, our transportation network, and our county's future economy. Just as the Dallas North Tollway has proved a great economic generator, our other major highways will prove the same if we attack the congestion.

I ask that you make the change NOW. Early voting starts October 22 and runs through November 2. Election Day is Tuesday, November 6.

Vote NO on the transportation bond proposal and let's join our transportation partners to attack our congestion together.

I stand ready to be accountable to you to accomplish the campaign promises that I made to you when you elected me. I have not forgotten those campaign promises. I still want to address our congestion. I need your help to defeat this proposal so that we can stop passing out pork and start aggressively working together to defeat congestion.

Sincerely,
Keith