Consistent. Principled. Action.

1. In the aftermath of the legislative session, I often hear the statement, "Republican elected officials won't raise taxes because they fear being voted out of office." I believe that the mood of our taxpayers is just the opposite - they see increased spending and higher taxes to cover that spending (or inflation as the feds print more dollars), and the last thing that taxpayers want is more state/local taxes in addition to the massive federal deficit and debt.

2. Unemployment in Collin County bumped up slightly in September from 7.7% to 7.8%. We are now a full 2 percentage points lower than the national average unemployment of 9.8%. That is more than a 20% difference, which is significant. Can our relatively low unemployment rate have anything to do with our relatively low taxes? Hint: it does.

3. When I hear a state legislator say that 90% of the state budget goes to just three areas, and transportation is NOT one of the three, it is no wonder that state transportation dollars won't fund the state's growing mobility needs.

4. Remember the Local Option Tax during the last legislative session? Collin County has already stepped up to the plate for a local option tax - known as tolls on NTTA toll roads. Collin County has 42% of all NTTA tolled miles and we already pay a significant local option tax (user fees on toll roads) to fund transportation. Because of the NTTA payment for SH121, we have $900 Million in the bank today for transportation projects (plus bond funds); dollars that represent a portion of future tolls that you will pay on NTTA roads.

5. The November 3 Election Day is rapidly approaching, and early voting has already started. I encourage everyone to vote on the 11 constitutional amendments on the ballot. The two amendments that I feel most strongly about are #11 (eminent domain abuse) and #2 (property taxes reform). I strongly recommend a Yes vote on these amendments.

There is a great deal of analysis available from good sources on other amendments from which to make your decisions, and there are other good amendments to support. There is also some false information being circulated about amendments 2, 3, and 5; information that falsely says they will lead to a state property tax or a tax increase. Don't believe this misinformation.

You may vote at any voting location, both for early voting and on Election Day as we test the vote center concept where you do not have to vote at your precinct location. Let me know how you like the concept.

Sincerely,
Keith

Concerned citizens,

There is a lot in the news to be concerned about these days.

But I spent last evening with a group of folks who are the salt of the earth, who appreciate their lives, who came to a public hearing to let their voices be heard.

We held the first public hearing on a proposed bridge over Lake Lavon at the Wylie City Hall. I was very impressed with the citizens who attended and who spoke. As I listened, I thought back over my own lifetime, the changes that I saw in our family land in the panhandle, and I understand exactly where these citizens are.

The public hearing last evening was emotional at times, but always respectful and polite - there was even one apology for a mild interruption. I really appreciated the way our citizens handled their public inputs.

I don't know what the decision on the bridge will be - the study is not complete. I voiced my initial concerns in a recent Dallas Morning News article. But I always remember that politics is choosing between competing public policy options that allocate scarce resources. No special interest group will drive my vote on this bridge - the only special interest group that I recognize is the citizens of Collin County. That is not the issue. The real issue is planning now for roads that make little sense in the current situation so that future infrastructure will meet the needs of our population in 2030 and later. And doing that planning in a way that respects current property owners as much as possible.

Tolling the bridge seemed to be an issue - as it should be. Contrary to popular misconceptions, every road cannot (and should not) be tolled - only those financially viable, and there are very few that are viable. It is a certainty that any toll bridge across the lake would not be financially viable for decades. Even if future traffic counts supported a free bridge, the choice to drive a free route around the lake instead of a tolled bridge would deter some traffic across the bridge, further delaying financial viability.

Almost $50 million is currently allocated to improve SH 78 to help move citizens from the east side of the lake to the west and back. That will not be enough over time. Whether a bridge is the right answer or not and whether or not it will be tolled; more transportation infrastructure will be needed on the east side of the lake.

It was a great evening with great folks with great comments.

Sincerely,
Keith