Auditor lawsuit
The auditor requested an AG's opinion that basically asked that he be given control, not audit ability, but control over all computer systems in the county by way of access to the deepest programming codes. We sued to stop him from even having the chance to acquire that control - we defended state law and the authorities of all elected officials. If he had prevailed, he would have overturned state law for the entire state and usurped elected officials authorities. The status quo prevailed and we stopped a very dangerous possibility. We welcomed his independent auditing function, we fought his control over all computer systems. He resigned (retired) soon after. The idea that the auditor only asked for audit ability is not correct. He mistakenly equated auditing with control of the deepest programming codes, which is not correct.
SH121 Toll road
If you read my blogs from March 16, 22, and 30, 2007, you will see that I did not advocate for either foreign companies or NTTA; I advocated against new tolls and for the state to build the road with gas tax funds, then for the state to make a decision and get it built. Some quotes from those blogs: March 16, 2007 "My position has not changed since before I was elected - I do not believe that we should establish additional taxes in the form of tolls, but for years the legislature has abdicated its responsibility to build the state transportation network and we in Collin County need SH121 built in order to continue our growth." March 30, 2007 "I ask that our legislature fund transportation as a top priority of the state."
Transportation Bond
I did not support the program because it did not did not address the congestion on our major roads, yet it spent precious taxpayer funds on roads that will carry little traffic in 2030. Once the citizens voted, I committed to carrying out their vote. My vision for highway funding is now in place with the $1.1 Billion in the bank, much of it for our major highways. For example, US75 has some $500 Million committed to it, and congestion on many major roads across the county will be relieved.
Florida Trip
My expenses for my one night trip to Florida were $203.31. The other $19,800 in expenses were spent by other elected officials and appointed officials. I had every opportunity to throw the other elected officials under the bus during that TV ambush, but did not. I didn't even have a rental car on this trip -- the staff picked me up at the airport and dropped me off. I did not have lobster, valet parking, room service, etc. I released my travel voucher on this web site. As has been pointed out, the county directly paid for my airfare, so it is not reflected on my travel voucher, but even if it had been included on the voucher, my expenses were about 1/3 of the average for elected officials on the trip. See the Florida Trip Voucher (pdf).
New Courts
The Commissioners Court used exhuastive data from the State Office of Court Administration (OCA) when we determined that we did not need to request new courts during the 2009 legislative session. In addition, discussions with the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee suggested that the new court that started in January, 2009, (429th District Court) had not had time to effect a change in Collin County judicial statistics.
