"The same companies cited in the Comptroller's report have contributed to Jeff Barton’s campaign, and they have received over a million dollars in road work contracts in Hays County so far this year."
Note: This letter to the editor is from Lenee Lovejoy of San Marcos. The RoundUp received confirmation via email that she is the author. The information matches what the RoundUp has previously researched on budgeted road construction and engineering projects in Hays County. So, we're wondering, where have the Statesman, that has endorsed Mr. Barton for Hays County Judge, and all the other Hays County press been all this time?
Open Letter from Lenee Lovejoy, San Marco, Tx
Some of the buzz about NO BID road contracts seems legit. Questions came up because the companies doing road work for Hays County were cited in a State Comptroller's report for overcharging on NO BID road contracts in Williamson County (the old WilCo and TxDOT toll story).
The report described "a handful of individuals, chosen without competition, resulting in the appearance of favoritism and self-enrichment". The report is at www.window.state.tx.us/
The same companies cited in the Comptroller's report have contributed to Jeff Barton’s campaign, and they have received over a million dollars in road work contracts in Hays County so far this year. This, combined with Barton’s resistance to answering questions about bidding of contracts, does give an appearance of favoritism and self-enrichment.
Some of the companies: Prime Strategies / Mike Weaver (got $521,956 for road consulting in Hays this year), HNTB and HDR (got $814,674 this year), Survey and Mapping, Inc.
It didn’t help that Mike Weaver sprang for refreshments at Barton’s spring fund raiser last year - $1,352 that didn’t make it into Barton’s July 09 campaign finance report with the other $$ from the fundraiser. To Barton’s credit, he did later reimburse Weaver. (See Barton’s Dec. '09 finance report.)
All of this info is from Barton’s campaign finance reports and Hays County 2010 disbursement reports on the county website. See www.elections.co.hays.tx.us/
The bottom line is that Hays county is spending a lot of $$ on county roads. Some people are worried that the abuse of tax payer $$ that went on in Williamson County could be going on here. Some straight answers from Commissioner Barton would help clear it all up.
7 comments:
Barton and his supporters don't get it. We want (and demand) transparency. Barton is not capable of telling the WHOLE truth. This perplexes me. How can anyone vote for Barton?
Dr Strangelove, do you really have to go back to the Bush administration to defend your boy? Your comparison is pretty lame and you could have done better; maybe comparing Barton to Conley. You are letting your Bush hatred cramp your style.
Let me follow the logic.
Williamson County issued no bid contracts.
The same firms contributed to Barton Campaign.
Therefore, Hays County has issued no bid contracts.
Logic? Facts?
I don't think so.
Anon
You omit one important element.
Mike Weaver and his Prime Strategy orchestrated the no-bid road contracts in Williamson County and now are operating as transportation consultants for Hays County.
Do leopards change their spots?
The Senate Committee on Transportation still needs to be revamped as does TxDOT.
The House and Senate gave a lot of lip service to revamping the runaway agency but no one has done anything.
We are still at the mercy of Perry, TxDOT and legislators who are paid to do what the special interests want.
Anon 2, you are right. I will probably never let go of the corruption and downright disrespect the Bush-Cheney war criminals laid on the American voter.
But our nation is once again planning to vote again the same empty-hearted war hawk Republicans into partial control of the government.
And we still have no-bid contractors in Afghanistan even under the "pacifist" Obama.
So it is the nation that is going back to worst times, which makes my historical comments very appropriate.
But I appreciate your faith that I could have done better.
Funny how when someone points out political hypocrisy as Dr. Strangelove did, he is charged with Barton being "his boy," It looks to me like Strangelove clearly states he is no fan of Barton.
Amazing how biased to the core and mentally corrupted readers are.
Post a Comment