Note: We've just concluded an exciting election season. Deer season begins at sunup tomorrow. Many variables and questions abound as to how our newly elected officials will answer the challenges of growth. There are a slew of new and proposed new large subdivisions that will require huge amounts of water, many in the north part of the county. The onus is now on new Commissioners Ray Whisenant (Pct. 4), Mark Jones (Pct. 2), and new County Judge Bert Cobb. One of the big questions going forward, "Will the new court follow the extensive positive reforms in subdivision rules and regs adopted by the current court?"
We believe the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District will come under increasing pressure to grant new and increased pumping permits.
The RoundUp will be following these issues and more in the days ahead, including the next scheduled meeting of the groundwater district's board Nov. 18 in Wimberley.
Meanwhile, here is local, state and national political columnist and commentator Peter Stern's response to "one of Sarah Palin's too many promotional articles." Stern says in an earlier missive that he fears a "Palin-Perry" ticket in 2012. Ouch! This one was in The Wall Street Journal, link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704506404575592782619082478.html?mod=WSJ_newsreel_politics
From: Peter Stern
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 7:57 PM
To: peter.wallsten@wsj.com
Subject: re: your Sarah Palin article
Sarah Palin is little more than a gubernatorial quitter, someone who quit her job to pursue self-centered objectives. To state that Ms. Palin is one of the top GOP forerunners for presidential candidate is to admit that the GOP lacks REAL potential candidates. Personally, I would like to see the Party support Sen. Bill Bradley, who has more on the ball than most other Republicans. Bradley is as intelligent as the Devil, a Rhodes Scholar who knows how to be a team player, re: years playing with the New York Knicks and his stint as a NJ legislator.
The GOP has not had a viable candidate for the past decade. It would be nice to see the Party select someone with brains, valid experience and charisma and remove itself from the Sarah Palin "hockey mom" and "joe six-pack" mentality. The GOP needs to get more intelligent, reality-based and stop pretending it is producing a TV Reality Show in presenting its candidates.
Regards,
Peter Stern
Eisenhower Republican
Friday, November 5, 2010
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26 comments:
Stern, you won’t be happy ‘til the Republicans pick you. Fat chance that’ll happen. So continue to be miserable and pound on the GOP and know that nobody cares!
The only thing good about a Palin-Perry ticket is Perry would look smart compared to the hate Bimbo.
The WSJ article also goes to show just how dumbed down the WSJ has become under Murdoch's ownership.
With minds like Stern's, the GOP still has a shot at intellectual relevancy. Good job, Peter.
Also, I want to congratulate the corporations who just won their new US house and senate seats. Money well spent scaring voters and exploiting ignorance.
Hey, Forever Anonymous. With your brain, we all know you will be.
FA, here's something you can comprehend, "DUH!!!"
While there are other Republican who have similar comments and feelings like Stern, they are NOT the Republican majority. And that's the problem.
Unfortunately, there are too many stupid and ignorant "Liberal Democrats" also.
As Stern says, the 2 Party System has killed our American Representative Democracy.
The parties continue to vye for power and each gets its chance, but neither party knows what it is doing. We are screwed for the most part.
Exactly what were the positive subdivision rule reforms adopted by the "current court"?
Last Anonymous, you are slightly off with your comment.
Republicans are stupid, but not so much hypocrites - except with their family values phoniness.
Democrats are usually smarter, but they're hypocrites and cowards when it comes to standing up for their professed values.
Libertarians are usually smart, but out of touch with reality when it comes to large diverse countries like the U.S.
Independents think they are smart, but are really like a bottle in the ocean: they move in any direction the wave pushes them (with nothing but shameless self interest).
Republican and Democratic politicians: The best lackies money can buy.
One is a requirement for developers to organize and hold a public meeting on their proposed developments. Before, the public had to rely on other source info including their commissioners, which was like a game of hide n' seek.
This is why the new regs are viewed by many as "reforms," and in the public's best and positive interest. To prove their effectiveness, the current and new court must ensure they are enforced.
November 6, 2010 6:20 AM
With the new makeup of the CC, maybe we won’t have the same type of idiotic and unconstitutional “temporary” ban on development that Travis County just passed on the 20th. To them, it is all about protecting the Trinity aquifer. Travis County has failed to establish a GCD since the PGMA was created in 1990 and now the TCEQ is taking over the process from them. Now they are in a rush to do something, anything, even throw the Constitution under the bus in order to gain the favor of the almighty TCEQ.
That move will likely not survive judicial review but it is an example what a Commissioners court full of liberal Democrats can do. It is part of the bigger picture of the TCEQ’s dictatorial attempt to combine Comal, Travis and overlay the HTGCD to form a super GCD. The whole thing is unconstitutional and the progress should be watched closely and reported on.
It is funny that no media is reporting on this process. Just so you know, at the hearing on the 28th, Liz Sumter stated she is in favor of the TCEQ’s takeover. The present Hays CC was reported as supporting the measure before it was known what the final plan was.
I believe the new CC will protect the aquifer without destroying your Personal property rights and the Constitution.
Patrick Rose, Jeff Barton and Karen Ford deserved to lose based on previous performance measures.
Rose and Barton both showed voters by their previous actions that they were simply Republicans in Democratic drag, meaning their actions supported the current measures desired by the ruling Republicans, If Hays County voters had wanted Republicans in power they would have voted for them. Karen Ford simply was ineffective as Commissioner for her district.
I suppose Comm. Debbie Ingalsbe was lucky she didn't have to run this time around or she may have been cut by the anti-Dem wave.
So, some of the anti-Dem voting was due to the anti-Obama wave, but the Democrats in Hays County were voted out because voters believed they were not doing the job they were voted in to do.
“So, some of the anti-Dem voting was due to the anti-Obama wave, but the Democrats in Hays County were voted out because voters believed they were not doing the job they were voted in to do.”
What an absurd statement! The Hays Dems were voted out because they were Dems, plain and simple. Do you honestly believe the Dems voted for Repubs because their people weren’t doing a good job? Stern, First of all the Dems stayed home and secondly you give the Dems more credit for a thinking process and objectivity than they deserve. You sound more like a Dem all the time, I sometimes think you and Rocky Boschert are the same guy.
If you read the subdivision rules carefully you will note that they purport to prohibit residential lots with wells lest the lot is at least 6 acres. However, such groundwater control is the exclusive original jurisdiction of the groundwater conservation district - not the county and thus this provision deserves challenging.
The new subdivision rules provide exemptions from this minimum lot size as long as a "central" groundwater based supply (or other supply) is used. If the source of the water is groundwater in either case, shouldn't the "requirement" be that the subdivision have an average lot size of 6 acres? Intellectual honesty is not a virtue of the promoters of this scheme.
So once you remove the mask the objective is really about controlling who is allowed to have water and who everyone else is required to purchase it from - and who the controller will be. Moreover, the preference for higher density housing will result in an accelerated use of groundwater. This isn't about "preserving" groundwater at all. It is about "control" and who profits from it.
Your former groundwater district board members wanted to be in a position to collect "production fees" from those homeowners - in part to fund the compensation plan they tried to get for themselves with their failed legislation. One unsuccessful candidate was adamant that he could refuse to renew a permit if he chose. That's why they want to wholly disenfranchise homeowners from the process. This is what citizens can expect if the new groundwater "Super District" is imposed upon them.
The new subdivision rules need to be exposed for the fraud they are.
The new subdivision rules also practically require an HOA corporation to be imposed on the subdivision. The investors that owns the central water system will be in control of the HOA corp of course.
Those who have already been there are well aware that the investors will use the HOA corp to threaten people with fines and foreclosure in order to achieve an outcome most profitable for the investors - whether it is forcing homeowners to use more water to create the false illusion that grass is always green (marketing to sell more house/lots) OR whether it is threatening homeowners to cut usage in order to avoid obligations to construct a water utility sufficient to provide an adequate supply of water.
The subdivision rules also ensure that some Hays County tax payers will have lesser property rights than others. The argument that it was "taken" before you owned it is a non-starter. Will the county recognize a reduction in appraisal for the restrictions the county is imposing on the property?
"... I sometimes think you and Rocky Boschert are the same guy."
Ha-ha-ha, Anonymous, if you could "sometimes think" you would be dangerous.
Ha-ha-ha!
Hey Anonymous after Stern. Thanks for the compliment if you think Stern and I are the same guy. I know how hard it is for you straight ticket Republican voters to analyze and discern political skills and job competency - which is why it is so much easier to get in line and drink the kool-aid.
Stern's brand of conservatism is the only free markets platform that treats Rep voters like intelligent citizens. Most of the national and state Republicans that just got voted in (Cobb is the exception) are just corporate pimps who are going to shake your hand while they steal your wallet.
Isaac will probably just end up being Patrick Rose with GOP colors.
"Meet the new boss, same as the older boss."
By the way, Anonymous, you remind me of that other Anonymous.
Readers, homeowners, ALL need to be very aware of what's going with water pirates, developers and those elected to do the PEOPLE's business. Keep your eyes on the new HTGWD board, AquaTexas, Wimberley Springs Partners (aka Wimberley Springs Community Association), TCEQ; in my estimation ALL in cahoots. AquaTexas is definitely in bed with Wimberley Springs who is all about scarfing up more and more properties (much to many current homeowners' distress). Promises are being made that they cannot possibly keep given today's economy. Go online and check their 140-page set of deed restrictions. Check into what they say about who owns water in their "covered" areas and who a new owner must "hook up" with for their water!! TCEQ is all about giving AquaTexas all they want with regard to rate increases, depressing real estate markets even further. Once again, check into the Region 11 Directors for AquaTexas and TCEQ. Are they husband and wife?? what's up with that!! Folks cannot afford to purchase homes in Woodcreek North because of the outrageous rates being charged by AquaTexas. The Board of HTGWD is made up of scoundrels seeking only to benefit themselves and their interests. As aware as many made themselves concerning the political pictures, what is going on behind the curtain continues!!
Previous Anonymous, I’m in agreement with you regarding Aqua-Texas, but your take on the HTGCD board is way off the mark. The board members have no agenda except the one they are given to serve, protect the groundwater in their district. All but one are unselfish public servants with only one having been accused but never charged with a possible conflict of interest.
Wimberley Springs Partners is doing what a developer does, it acquires property and develops it as allowed by law. You wouldn’t argue that they didn’t have the right to develop property that they own, would you?
It just doesn’t make sense that WSP and ATI would be “in cahoots” to raise water rates in order to suppress real estate values. That would reduce ATI buyer/members and Aqua Texas’ customers. Tell me where that would be a benefit to either. Wimberley Springs Partners would benefit from LOWER WATER RATES as would all property owners in Woodcreek North.
The TCEQ and ATI have a loving history that does not benefit anyone locally including the HTGCD or WSP. ATI is constantly lobbying the TCEQ for preferred treatment on rate cases and extending their service area, and yes there appears to be some insider trading there.
If you are resenting the WPOA, as you seem to be, you know that Wimberley Springs Partners does not “scarf up” or take any area or section away from you or anyone else except by a vote of the property owners within that area in accordance with Texas law and your own deed restrictions and bylaws. All of this is strictly legal, above board and public.
Just because things don’t come out the way you want it to, you shouldn’t throw around such libelous statements as calling the HTGCD Board members “scoundrels seeking only to benefit themselves and their interests”.
I saw our new Judge at Blue Hole today. I'm already tired of seeing him show up at places he would never be before his campaign. We made a mistake on this one, and he better learn fast.
Last Anon,
We always make a mistake. That's the nature of politics, especially here in Texas.
Voting all Republican throughout Texas ain't gonna make things any better for the masses.
Both parties stink. People seem to go into politics for their own ambition. Look at Patrick Rose. We thought when he first returned from Princeton that he would lookout for all of us. After all, he was a home boy from Dripping Springs and he would watch our backs. Yeah, right.
Rose got what he deserved, but most officials remain unscathed. They just keep on doing business as usual. A prime example of that is Sen. Jeff Wentworth. What a waste of human flesh. He supports his attorney cronies and they him. Yet people continue to vote for him. We never seem to learn.
Wentworth was on the Senate committee that oversees Pedernales Electric but he continues to keep a hands-off policy when it comes to any oversight on PEC.
I believe that usually less government into our daily lives is best; however, when an entity continues to screw the people there must be some intervention.
Most politicians remain useless for the majority. They are bought by their special interests and they work for them.
Why would the new Judge being at Blue Hole AFTER the election be a problem? What makes you think he would never have gone there before? He lives over by Hugo Road near RR12, which is about halfway between Wimberley and San Marcos. Maybe he was by for a cool dip in the river, like everyone else, doofus.
It takes a pretty stupid person to criticize Judge Cobb for visiting Blue Hole. Maybe he was checking to see how much pollution it has from the inattention of the Wimberley City Council. Judge Cobb will be a 100% improvement over Liz Sumter and 1000% better than Jeff Barton would have been.
Cobb hasn't even taken over the office yet and he's being criticized?
How low can you go?
Chill out a bit and let the guy take office. Let him make a few legitimate mistakes before you jump on him.
I'd like to see Bill Bradley run for President also. I think he would be terrific at it.
Almost a week and no new posts. I guess Bob is off bushwacking Bambi.
See the animated Bambi meets Godzilla. Turn up the sound.
http://noolmusic.com/my_video/bambi_meets_godzilla_-_comedy_video.php
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