Keith Self's Blog

Citizens, thank you for reading and participating during the last months as we have debated and discussed the recent bond election.

As you know, each of the three bond propositions passed, and they now represent the settled will of the majority of the voters. Now we will carry out the bond propositions as approved by the voters.

As promised during the budget cycle, I will reduce the number of blogs and emails now that this election is past. There are many other things happening in the county that I have not had space to include, and I look forward to sharing them with you as time goes by.

And always, it is an honor to serve you.

Sincerely,
Keith

Concerned citizens,

Election Day is Tuesday. I need your help now. Let's exercise fiscal responsibility, stop the pork proposal, and then move forward to the alternate program that WILL relieve our congestion.

If you did not vote early, you can still help us stop the pork proposal on Tuesday.

If you did vote early, you have friends who have not yet voted and THEY can still help us stop the pork proposal. Your friends will listen to you if you explain the details of this bond proposal. The details are at the end of this entry.

On Election Day, you must vote at your precinct designated polling location. You may find those locations at http://www.collincountytx.gov/elections/election_information/2007/110607/ED110607.html

Meanwhile, the momentum against pork continues to grow stronger.

Pork opponents have developed a YouTube pictorial piece that demonstrates in pictures what we have discussed for weeks. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Electronic bulletin boards around the county now have bond opponents openly advocating a vote AGAINST the bond proposals. Bond supporters are playing defense while we continue to advocate fiscal responsibility. Taxpayers have awakened to the fact that this pork does not relieve our congestion while it does give us excess debt. I am delighted at the activity now being generated against the bond in many venues.

As you go to the polls or ask your friends to go to the polls on Tuesday, remember:
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.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

Now is NOT the time to add excess debt to your county tax bills.

1) Today, Texas has the 10th highest mortgage foreclosure rate in the nation. Texas is not immune from the mortgage and credit market problems.

2) Today, Nov 1, the Fed pumped $41 BILLION liquidity into the financial system. That is a total of $240 BILLION that the Fed has injected since August in an effort to stabilize a fragile financial system caused by the mortgage and credit market fallout. Do you think the Fed is concerned about a possible recession? I do.

3) Today, Congress is openly considering what is called the Mother of All Tax Bills. Stand by.

Now is NOT the time to add excess debt to your county tax bills.

I have every confidence in the entrepreneurial spirit of Americans and in our free markets. We may manage to fight through this period of instability with little long term effect. However, I have no confidence in excess government spending because increasing government debt and spending can eventually overwhelm even the hardiest entrepreneur or competitive business. Government taxing and spending stifles our free markets.

Now is NOT the time to add excess debt to your county tax bills.

You only have the last day of early voting, plus Election Day next Tuesday remaining to cast your ballot. The special interest money from Austin is pumping out mailers and radio spots in support of the pork proposal. Your vote AGAINST is vital.

Now IS the time for you to vote AGAINST more taxes and more congestion.

Time is running short.

Vote AGAINST Collin County Proposition #1, the pork proposal.

Sincerely,
Keith