Third Court panel affirms Ramus deadly conduct conviction

Hays County District Attorney, Sherri Tibbe, subpoenaed Ramus’ military records after HaysCAN filed a documented complaint containing numerous perjury allegations against Ramus

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Charles at codell@austin.rr.com or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor

The Texas Third Court of Appeals Friday issued a Memorandum Opinion in the case of Nicholas George Ramus, Jr. v. The state of Texas, regarding Ramus’ June 2010 conviction of deadly conduct by Hays County Court at Law Judge, Linda Rodriquez.

The Appeals Court affirmed Ramus’ conviction by Judge Rodriquez.

Justice Henson wrote the opinion for the Court comprised of Chief Justice Woody Jones, and Justices Bob Pemberton and Diane Henson.

Ramus has thirty days to appeal the decision to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. This is Texas’ highest court for criminal cases. The Court consists of a presiding judge and eight judges elected by Texas voters. The Court has discretion to hear or refuse to hear a case.

Deadly Conduct charges were filed against Ramus on September 5, 2008, after he pointed a loaded shotgun at Carolyn Logan while she was mowing her pasture. Following several delaying tactics, Ramus was found guilty of deadly conduct on June 1, 2010. He was fined, sentenced to two years probation and required to complete community service. All of that has been on hold while Ramus appealed his conviction.

The Back Story

At the time of his deadly conduct charge, Ramus was running as the Republican candidate for Hays County Precinct 1 Commissioner. Ramus was recruited by Commissioner Will Conley and supported by then Hays County Republican Chair, Linda Kinney of Dripping Springs. Both Conley and Kinney called Ramus, “A great man and a great candidate.”

Incumbent Debbie Ingalsbe (D) easily won reelection.

Ramus has a long history of criminal convictions and of lying under oath. Hays County District Attorney, Sherri Tibbe, subpoenaed Ramus’ military records after HaysCAN filed a documented complaint containing numerous perjury allegations against Ramus. Tibbe claimed the statute of limitation had expired for most of the alleged perjury, but will examine Ramus’ military records that are expected to arrive next week from the military records center in response to a subpoena.

Ramus became County Commissioners Pct 2 Jeff Barton's and Pct 3 Will Conley’s cause célèbre in their 2007 scheme to force then County Judge Liz Sumter out of office.

After the County revoked Ramus’ illegal septic permit issued by Tom Pope by a 3 – 2 vote in April 2007, Barton and Conley encouraged Ramus to sue the County, planning to settle the suit for up to a million dollars and blaming the cost to taxpayers on Sumter.

Even though the septic laws were violated, Conley and Barton insisted they were, “protecting County staff,” because, “that’s the way the law had always been interpreted.”

Their scheme failed because Logan, the actual injured party, intervened in the Ramus suit against the County and refused to settle because she believed every citizen should enjoy protection under the law and that no one should benefit from breaking the law.

Logan’s tenacity in the face of repeated official harassment saved the County taxpayers from the expensive Barton/Conley scheme. District Judge Robert Pfeuffer dismissed the Ramus lawsuit and vacated his previous partial summary judgment.

Barton was defeated in his 2010 bid for county judge.

It was Conley who started spin that the Ramus septic case was simply a “feud between two hostile San Marcos neighbors,” and Conley is now trying to distance himself from Ramus by claiming that he had nothing to do with Ramus’ candidacy or with the scheme to oust Sumter.

Conley is expected to run for reelection in 2012.

A shout-out to pass the word!

We need to work on those things we agree on, to stop paying all the bills that both the Texas Legislature and the Local School Districts keep passing on to us. We need to send this plate of bad pork back up the line every time they serve it up

Note: Dripping Springs ISD officials and school board members are welcome to send a letter and to chime in on the comments.

Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Val Asensio at PropertyTaxAbuse@stopthehaystaxincrease.com or click on the "comments" below the letter


An Open Letter

"The House is On Fire"

First, I'd like to thank Bob Ochoa, the editor of the Roundup for giving area residents a source of news and opinion. Austin Statesman doesn't cover DS, the DS Century News is irrelevant. I agree with the post-er (scroll down to story below this letter) who said we need to deal with the larger problem that leads to tax increases, but we need to deal with the house fire right now, which is this unwarranted 9% tax increase. Voting will start on Oct. 24.

Without lobbyists working on our behalf, we have a small chance to impact change, especially when most don't vote. How do we get the attention of the decision makers? We act to vote down a tax increase and we keep voting them down. Not because we hate anyone, or don't like this or that. We'll never agree on some things, but it doesn't matter. We need to work on those things we agree on, to stop paying all the bills that both the Texas Legislature and the Local School Districts keep passing on to us. We need to send this plate of bad pork back up the line every time they serve it up.

I've been at these school board meetings and haven't seen a lot of you there. I know that because the last one I went to was 99.99% for the tax increase and only myself making the argument that they need to possibly make some cuts to their budget before taxing us more. That was big fun. Believe me when I tell you: DSISD School Board and admin staff does not feel your pain. It's totally about their wants, right now. And they want more. It's still not clear to me how they're justifying it. They have a $16mil surplus. Their average administrator salary is $95K / year, higher than Austin's, and I could go on. They fired 11 janitors in a very public way. Wow. Talk about a cosmetic cut. It got a lot of press, though. It was a smoke screen. I feel bad for the janitors who were used as a political pawn. It's not fair.

In the meetings, School Superintendent Dr. Mard Herrick said that deeper cuts will only take place if the tax increase fails. You see, it's tax first, cut only if absolutely necessary. They have not made real cuts and won't unless the voters send a message. There's a tremendous amount of grousing and hopelessness here from commenters on this site. We don't have time for armchair bitching about things. Back it up, guys, with doing. If the residents of the 'burbs don't know about this - tell them. Blog, post to newsgroups, write letters the editor, post signs on telephone poles. This is our time to act. Now, not after the tax increase is voted in. I refuse to believe it's hopeless. The costs of just giving up are high and will continue to increase for anyone who owns property in DSISD.

I'm re-invigorated since attending the unpublished Executive Board Meeting yesterday, 10/13. Property owners are not a part of their decision making process. I sat there and said "It's not all about you, DSISD. We homeowners are hurting. Many are unemployed, under-employed, or like myself and my husband, our business revenue is down 40%."

You know what a nice lady told me in response, "If we don't raise taxes and the schools go downhill, I'll move and everyone else will, too (lots of nods of agreement in the room) and you'll lose 40% *more* revenue."

That's the response to your pain, and mine. I almost fell out of my chair. Of course, there will be *no* businesses in Drippin' if these guys keep raising taxes, but there's no connection with that reality, in that room anyway.

This is what we're dealing with. Open your checkbooks. There is no limit to what they want from you. Talk even commenced that the current $1.17 rate cap was "too restrictive." Among the school admin there was a clear longing for the old days of the $1.50 cap, and how that was too low.

The house is on fire and I'd really like to see some of y'all get on board with the StoptheHaysTaxIncrease website and movement. There’s so little time before early voting starts. Stop bitchin', Drippin'. Start acting. Let's do this.

All the Best,
Val Asensio
StoptheHaysTaxIncrease.com

What/who to believe? DSISD says one thing, TEA says another about tax and spend

[T]he important numbers are how much revenue they collect per student, $11,291, versus how much they spend on instruction per student $4,444. That’s not 54% spent on instruction; it’s 40%


Note: An information war being waged over a huge property tax increase proposed by the Dripping Springs school district seems to be boiling down to two central questions – does the school district have a revenue problem or a spending problem, and, is it spending far less in classroom instruction than the state's 65% rule ?

We hope voters get some clear answers before the Nov. 8 election. The school district has a measure on the ballot proposing to increase the property tax rate from $1.04 per hundred valuation to $1.17, the highest rate allowed under law. Early voting begins Oct. 24. There's nothing like an honest campaign and a well informed vote.

Two school sponsored community forums have been held. The third and last is scheduled Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. in the Dripping Springs High School Lecture Hall (940 Highway 290 West).

This update was sent by a Dripping Springs concerned taxpayer . . .

Point: The position of DSISD is that the tax rate caps put in place by the Texas Legislature in 2005-06 have reduced revenue into the district. Budget data, however contradicts this assertion.

Counterpoint: In the meeting Tuesday night (school district's second of three community forums), DSISD Superintendent Dr. Herrick mentioned several times the negative revenue impact of the 2005-06 property tax rate caps that were put in place. Research done using the actual financial reporting data on the TEA system (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147495078&menu_id=645) shows rather than a revenue decrease, that per student tax revenue has increased by 14% since the rate caps were put in place.

What the TEA report labels "Total Revenue Per Student" has increased from $9,880 (2005-06) to $11,349 (2010-11), representing a per student increase in revenue of 14%, not a decrease as Dr. Herrick implied.

The problem is clearly on the spending side, not the taxing side.

2010 TEA report on DSISD: Tax revenue per student $11,291, amount spent on instruction $4,444, $8,209 on “operating expenditures.”

This TEA report shows revenue collected per student of $11,291 and instructional expenditures per student of $4,444. That’s about 40% spent on instruction. $8,209 per student per year is listed as “operating expenditures.”

This TEA report also lists the 54% number that DSISD uses for percent spent on instruction. The calculation inexplicably omits a large part of their spending from the calculation.

But the important numbers are how much revenue they collect per student, $11,291, versus how much they spend on instruction per student $4,444. That’s not 54% spent on instruction; it’s 40%.

The report link is: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/snapshot/2010/district.srch.html
Go directly to the report at this link: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/cgi/sas/broker

Council nixes wind turbines, receives CAMPO approval for road upgrade through the Square

The current (wind turbine) technology would appear to provide more of a sight and noise nuisance than benefit when used on individual lots within an area such as Wimberley

Note: City Hall Briefs, written and edited by Bob Flocke to inform the citizens of Wimberley about city activities, is neither an official nor an authorized publication of the City of Wimberley. City Hall Briefs is distributed by e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive it. Anyone who wishes to be added to the distribution list should send their email address to Mayor Flocke (below). The RoundUp has edited the Briefs for length and style.

Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. Flocke at rflocke@austin.rr.com, 512.847.5421, or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the report

Council approves temporary ban on swimming pool construction in the city

In a 3-1 vote at its Oct. 6 meeting, the Wimberley City Council approved an ordinance prohibiting the issuing of building permits for new construction of in-ground and above-ground swimming pools within the city. The ban is temporary until drought conditions ease. Place five Councilman John White voted against the ordinance.

Current drought conditions are such that a growing number of area water purveyors such as the Wimberley Water Supply Corporation are prohibiting the use of their water to fill new pools and to refill existing pools. The city continues to receive occasional requests for permits to build new pools from property owners hoping to find the water needed to fill their pools once built.

City to lease voting machines for May '12 election

The city council approved a lease agreement for electronic voting machines for the May 2012 city council election. Under the one-year agreement, Election Systems & Software will provide the city up to eight touch screen voting machines along with various election materials and on-site support services needed for the election. The cost to the city will not be more than $11,640, and the city had the option of extending the agreement for a second year at the same "not to exceed" price. The city is in discussions with the city of Woodcreek and the Wimberley Independent School District about the possibility of contracting with Wimberley to hold a joint election in May with the participating entities sharing the costs of the election.

Blue Hole swimming area to close after Oct. 16

This coming weekend will be the last opportunity to swim at Blue Hole this year. The swimming area will close Sunday and will not reopen for the public until Memorial Day weekend next year. The swimming area is available for private party rental. This is the first year since the city has operated the swimming area that it has remained open after the Labor Day weekend. Since Labor Day, nearly 500 people have passed through the Blue Hole gates, putting the total attendance for the year at more than 22,000.

Planning and Zoning to consider boarding house regulations

At its Oct. 13 meeting, the Wimberley Planning and Zoning Commission will discuss the possibility of amending the zoning code to allow limited adult care facilities or boarding houses in residential areas, as a conditional use. Current regulations do not allow for such facilities in residential areas. The commission may recommend changes to the zoning code to the city council.

CAMPO board decisions a mixed bag for Wimberley

One Wimberley transportation project qualified high on the list for funding while another failed to make the list in Monday night Oct. 10 voting by the Capital Area Mobility Planning Organization's Transportation Planning Board. The panel had not taken action on a third Wimberley area project by press time.

CAMPO approved full Texas Department of Transportation funding for the $400,000 project to realign the intersection of Old Kyle Road and Ranch Road 12 on the Square. That project includes drainage, sidewalks, a left turn lane through the Square and revised entrances to the Square parking area. The project had been jointly funded by TxDOT, Hays County and Wimberley. Following Monday evening's CAMPO action, TxDOT will fund the entire project.

The CAMPO board voted to designate Wimberley as a "small center" for its 2035 Transportation Plan. Cities designated as small centers receive a higher priority for transportation project funding. Twenty-four cities in the CAMPO five-county area have the designation.

TxDOT's request for funding for a sidewalk project on RM 2325 was turned down by the panel. The $2.6 million project would have provided for construction of a sidewalk on the west edge of the Wimberley highway from its intersection with Carney Lane to its intersection with Ranch Road 12. It is possible for the project to be reconsidered for funding in the future.

A decision had not been made on the completion of a hike and bike trail from the Winters Mill Parkway/Ranch Road 12 intersection to Joe Wimberley Blvd. by the deadline for this newsletter.

CAMPO is responsible for channeling federal and state transportation dollars to projects in its five-county area.

Council bans wind turbines in Wimberley

The city council at its Oct. 6 meeting approved an ordinance prohibiting wind turbines and accessory equipment along with utility grid wind systems within the city limits. The ordinance was proposed by the Planning and Zoning Commission after considerable discussion about the possible development of regulations relating to the installation of turbines in the city. Published information about individual wind turbines indicates that such towers would range from 45 to 85 feet in height. In addition to issues relating to tower height, concerns have been expressed in some communities about the noise made by the turbines.

The Planning and Zoning commission indicated that it is possible that future technology will provide a less intrusive way of harnessing energy from the wind, but until then, the current technology would appear to provide more of a sight and noise nuisance than benefit when used on individual lots within an area such as Wimberley.

City to urge construction of a traffic deceleration lane on RM 3237 at Winters Mill Parkway

The city of Wimberley will urge the Texas Department of Transportation and Hays County Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley for construction of a traffic deceleration lane on RM 3237 north of Winters Mill Parkway for added safety. The city's Transportation Advisory Board recommended the action based on experience with crashes and near crashes between westbound traffic continuing toward Wimberley and traffic slowing in the travel lanes for a right turn onto the Parkway.

City plans brush-collection event

The city is proposing a one-time brush collection event to help prevent the start of wildfires and to slow any that might get started in the city. With a burn ban in place, residents have no current way of eliminating the large piles of brush they have gathered. The city staff has met with representatives of Texas Disposal Systems and Hays County in an attempt to develop the details of a proposed one-time community brush collection effort.

Join the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's in San Marcos on Nov. 5

The Alzheimer's Association will hold its annual Walk to End Alzheimer's in San Marcos on Saturday, Nov. 5. Visit the website at www.alz.org/walk, pick out the Wimberley teams and join one. Or you can call 512-738-7048. The non-competitive walk begins at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the San Marcos City Park Recreation Hall.

Numbers indicate DSISD spending less than 25% on classroom instruction

Dripping Springs’ total expenditures by the last TEA Snapshot available was $75,218,200/year. Total Instructional expenditures was $18,346,049. Thus, only 24.39% was spent on instruction

Note: The Stop the Hays Tax Increase Political Action Committee of Dripping Springs is expanding its outreach effort to alert local taxpayers of an unprecedented property tax hike proposed by the Dripping Springs school district. (They say signs are being torn down almost as fast as they are put up – check the website for a report.) Dripping ISD voters will consider the tax measure and a $3.6 million school bond measure in the upcoming Nov. 8 election. Early voting begins on Oct. 24. Check the Hays County website, elections office, for the sample ballot and early voting dates, times and places. The school district has scheduled three public meetings on the tax measure. The first is Tuesday Oct. 11, 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria of Rooster Springs Elementary School, 1001 Belterra Dr.

Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to the Stop Hays Tax Increase PAC at http://www.stopthehaystaxincrease.com/contact/, to the school superintendent at mard.herrick@dsisd.txed.net, 512.858.3002, to Empower Texans (Texans for Fiscal Responsibility) or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Dustin Matocha

Reprinted from Empower Texans

Map of DSISD / Click to enlarge
or go to the Google address

Think it’s only big city school districts pushing for tax hikes to cover their negligent spending habits? Think again. Dripping Springs ISD wants to raise taxes to the maximum allowed by law, despite the fact that they spend less than 25 percent of their total expenditures on classroom instruction.

Come November 8^th, Dripping Springs ISD residents will be asked to ratify a new property tax rate of $1.17 per $100 of appraised property value, the maximum allowed by state law. The state requires voter approval because the new rate exceeds $1.04.

With no surprise, Dripping Springs ISD lays blame for the need to raise taxes on the state for not adequately funding enrollment growth. In an information flyer they published, the school district claims they have the lowest Funding per Student figures out of comparable neighboring ISD’s, and that 54% of their total budgeted expenditures for 2011-2012 will be going towards instruction.

What they don’t tell you is how they manipulated the Texas Education Agency data to come up with those figures.

Dripping Springs ISD actually spends less than 25% of their total funds on classroom instruction, with per pupil spending reaching almost $17,500. Compared to the other ISD’s, here’s how the other central Texas school districts they cited compare:

• Wimberley ISD – $22,354 per student
• Dripping Springs ISD – $17,448 per student
• Eanes ISD – $13,598 per student
• Lake Travis ISD – $12,656 per student
• San Marcos ISD – $12,385 per student
• Hays CISD – $11,835 per student
• Austin ISD – $11,598 per student

So where did Dripping Springs get such distorted numbers to claim they spend less per student than all other ISD’s listed above? The answer is simple, and it has to do with manipulated data from the Texas Education Agency.

Instead of using total district expenditures, school districts like Dripping Springs base their per-pupil spending numbers solely off their total Operating expenditures (like administrative and teacher salaries, utility usage, etc…). This completely ignores an entire sector of spending, like repaying debt on bonds issued by the school district.

Dripping Springs’ total expenditures by the last TEA Snapshot available was $75,218,200/year. Total Instructional expenditures was $18,346,049. Thus, only 24.39% was spent on instruction. It’s only by ignoring non-operating expenses ($41,333,262) that they can claim a 54% instructional spending rate.

So how does a school district like Dripping Springs end up with such pathetic instructional spending rates? The fact that the district has it’s own performing arts center should shed some light on it.

Kurpiewski/DSISD

At a Dripping Springs 9-12 meeting on September 22nd, DSISD school board president Tim Kurpiewski spoke about the district’s new High School Auditorium and how the district could justify such spending. His explanation?

“We just…you know… we just felt like we would go ahead and put that in…”

Such an irresponsible mind-set is probably how the school district set such high administrative salaries. According to the last TEA Snapshot, Dripping Springs ISD average central administrative salaries exceed that of Austin ISD, at $95,612. Their average school administrative salaries compared to their neighboring districts are even worse. DSISD’s average salary at $72,213 is greater than Austin ISD at $66,342, Wimberley ISD at $68,400 and Hays CISD at $69,074.

But the most egregious administrative spending as of late has to be at the very top of the school district. Superintendent Dr. Mard Herrick, with two years left in his contract, will be retiring at the end of the year. According to his Voluntary Separation Agreement obtained through an open records request, he’s scheduled to walk away with over $150,000 (a full year’s salary).

In other words, Dr. Merrick is being paid three or four annual teachers’ salaries for voluntarily retiring from his position. The cost Dripping Springs ISD will pay for a search committee to replace him? $6,800!.

(You can watch Mr. Kurpiewski try to justify the board’s decision here).

Clearly, Dripping Springs ISD is nowhere near the dire straights that the Texas Tribune would like you to think they are. Just because they are a small district doesn’t mean they aren’t plagued by the same irresponsible spending habits as our state’s larger districts. Approving a tax hike in the midst of such poor instructional spending will do nothing but perpetuate the problem.

The Most Money Democracy Can Buy

As soon as the banks were saved with public money, the Republicans, the Wall Street Journal, and most of the right wing political class conveniently swung back to deregulation. They voted against reforms for Wall Street

Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Rocky at arrowbiz@texasorp.com or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Rocky Boschert
Financial Editor

How can we restore politics to the true mainstream of American values, rescuing democracy from the clutches of corporate power that the Republican Party and more and more Democrats champion – in deeds if not in words?

In addition to the freedom of true free markets, the ideals of individual liberty must also be protected with the beneficence of a fair and limited government. Governments are the only entities that can regulate banks, protect the environment from pollution, promote science, fairly tax millionaires and billionaires, and limit the lobbying power of the naturally greedy and sociopathic corporation charters. When one is on the far right of the political spectrum like most of the Republican Party today, even moderate and sensible policies look like "unlimited government."

Republicans think an economy mixed with government incentives and citizen protections is anti-American. History, however, shows otherwise. From the start of the republic, our Founding Fathers and our greatest presidents have championed an affirmative role of government in the economy.

Most Republicans seem to be unaware that Jefferson vigorously opposed the untrammeled actions of commercial banks and corporations. Jefferson famously wrote, "I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies." He declared the need to "crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

From Jefferson to Abraham Lincoln to Teddy Roosevelt to Franklin Roosevelt to now, the federal government has played a vital role in public works (canals in the 19th century, highways in the mid-20th century, and someday a low-carbon renewable energy system in the 21st century). From the founding days until now, government has championed public education, such as in 1862 when Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act establishing America's great land-grant universities. From the founding days until now, the federal government has championed research, from Lewis and Clark's expedition under Jefferson to the mission to the moon under Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.

The neoRepublicans ignore extensive evidence showing that Americans support the values of a mixed economy, not the extremism of free-market libertarianism. Americans today by large majorities support public education, Medicare, Social Security, help for the indigent, stronger regulation of the banks, and higher taxation of the rich. The problem is not with American values – as the Tea Party claims, but with the failure of our government to translate American values into American policies.

On issue after issue, Washington is presently shunning the public's values, rather than respecting them. A majority of the public wants to preserve social programs, but they are being cut anyway. A majority wants higher taxes on the rich, but they are being cut rather than raised. A majority wants to end the wars, but they continue anyway.

The reason America is losing its democracy is because the politicians are trading their responsible representation for campaign contributions from the corporate lobbies. We clearly now live in a corporatocracy now rather than a democracy. And that corporatocracy is most clearly represented by the neoRepublicans (and the big money corrupted Tea Party), the Wall Street Journal and Fox News (both owned by Rupert Murdock) and most other big broadcast and cable media, including NBC, CNBC and MSNBC (owned by GE), and CNN (owned by Time Warner).

Even the old guard top hierarchy of the current Republican Party fought to prevent effective oversight and regulation of the banking sector. In 1999 they strongly supported the repeal of Glass-Steagall regulations on behalf of Citibank and other wannabe financial giants, helping set the stage for the financial crisis just a few years later.

Yet both the neoRepublicans and now more and more some Democrats are being consistently bankrolled by the insurance, banking, and energy and commodity industries – at the direct expense of the middle class. Banks such as the Bank of America and Citigroup, two of the largest bailout recipients, have been high on the anti-regulation politician contribution list; as have major lobbying groups for the financial industry, such as the American Bankers Association and the Securities & Financial Market Association.

America's corporatocracy is governed by elite vested interests rather than moral or economic principles. After financial deregulation led to the 2008 collapse, the neoRepublican politician’s tough enthusiasm for free enterprise suddenly took a second place to their new enthusiasm to rescue the banks through giant taxpayer-funded government bailouts. The "free-market" Wall Street Journal similarly defended the bank bailout, all of a sudden lecturing its readers about market failures and the limits of the free market. They were and still are the epitome of hypocrisy.

As soon as the banks were saved with public money, the Republicans, the Wall Street Journal, and most of the right wing political class conveniently swung back to deregulation. They voted against reforms for Wall Street. They rallied against taxing or otherwise controlling the bonuses received by the CEOs and senior managers of the bailed-out banks. When it comes to the poor, however, the Republicans have a different response: slash Medicaid and public education spending, come what may.

What happened to “a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people?” Instead, we now see “a government of the corporations and the rich, by the corporations and the rich, and for the corporations and the rich.” Americans with their eyes open know the truth. The rich and their owned politicians are getting richer, and you and I are being forced to foot the increasingly burdensome bill for public education, public safety and to live in the hazards of a deteriorating national transportation and public health infrastructure.

The 99% rock on

A plain-spoken spokesman for the amorphous Occupy Wall Street takes on Fox News

I’ll Say it: “The Emperor Has Dirty Clothes”

Conley learned early that votes can be bought with public money. More recently, Conley has learned that critics can be silenced with public money


Editor's note: Well, you can't say Commissioner Conley (R-Wimberley) hasn't been consistent in directing gobs of the taxpayers' money to specially targeted groups and constituents. In the narrow view, a small number of people are all smiles, their projects well funded. They have been successfully, politically "rolled" and rewarded, if you will. In the broader view, a very large number of not-so-special citizens and constituents – who are not inside the loop – will never see this kind of generosity from Conley or their county government. They also have been rolled.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Charles O'Dell at codell@austin.rr.com or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

COMMENTARY

By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor

No one wants to admit it, but successful politicians are those who learn to buy off critics with public money. And no Hays County politician has been more successful in learning and applying that lesson than Pct 3 Commissioner Will Conley.

Despite numerous missteps along the way, Conley has managed to work himself to the top of the Good Ole Boy/Girl heap in Hays County with financial help from San Marcos special interests Terry Gilmore and Randall Morris, “Karl Rove” political operatives E. Wally and Linda Kinney of Dripping Springs, and District Attorney Sherri Tibbe who covers the backs of Hays County Good Ole Boys/Girls.

Some of Conley’s more notable stumbles include his 2007, retaliatory law suit against an elderly Pct 1 couple who asked Conley to leave their home after he pitched the FM110 road project for two uninvited hours; Conley’s botched 2008, behind closed doors True Ranch development agreement; Conley’s thwarted attempt to have the County purchase Wimberley First Baptist Church property at an inflated price from an insider LLC group that hadn’t paid property taxes for two years; Conley’s resurfacing, without City of Wimberley authorization, 8,908 feet of Flite Acres Rd at County expense; and Conley’s RR12 expansion to pave the way for development, to name but a few.

Conley learned early that votes can be bought with public money. More recently, Conley has learned that critics can be silenced with public money.

For example, Conley held off the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District until his no-government Dripping Springs supporters got control of the GCD board. This, along with Conley’s, “any development is good development,” record created strong critics within the environmental community.

Then, Conley not only completely silenced his Pct 3 environmental critics, but he also turned them 180 degrees when he directed $5 million of County bond money to Jacob’s Well and to downstream Blue Hole.

David Baker, now Executive Director of the Jacob’s Well Natural Area, was Conley’s opponent in the 2003 election, after former Pct 3 Commissioner Bill Burnett (the commissioner who sold the 2000 road bond management contract to TCB, and son of disgraced PEC board member Bud Burnett) designated Conley as his heir apparent, along with Burnett’s special interest financial supporters.

Many of Baker’s campaign supporters are now “celebrating” Conley for throwing public money their way, even when Conley resorted to back room tactics previously opposed by his environmental critics. Clearly, “the ends justify the means,” when Conley’s critics are the beneficiaries.

As Conley’s last reelection campaign opponent wrote: “The county has allocated $2.7 million to Blue Hole Regional Park. I think all should praise when an elected official does what we want them to.”

That mentality is disappointing and doesn’t set well with those who understand that Conley is simply buying silence with public money so he can continue to use his office and direct hundreds of millions of public dollars to his specials interests.

I believe Conley is a corrupt elected official who has learned how to corrupt his critics and to fool voters who want to be fooled.

So I’ll Say it: “The Emperor Has Dirty Clothes.”

Top Chef producers sue state to keep marketing payment secret

The Dallas Observer dissected the spin: While state money may not have been spent bringing Top Chef to Texas, the governor's office did agree to pay an estimated $400,000 'for the integration of [the state's] brand in Bravo's production of Top Chef cycle 9.'

Top Chef website

Top Chef Texas: Season
premier Wed Nov. 2

And here we are – an AG ruling and lawsuit later. All over some food, some greed and a pay-to-play agreement that may or may not bring some hungry people to the state . . .

"Magical Elves and Bravo have been successful at soliciting brand integration and trade-out agreements with over 100 brands ..." the company explained, adding that it applies the same tactics to "the location of episodes, including agreements with hotels and government tourism boards."

– Other news –

Arlington school district considers joining lawsuit against the state | Fort Worth Star-Telegram | By Robert Cadwallader | ARLINGTON (Oct. 6. 2011) – Frustrated at the lack of state funding for schools and how it's distributed, Arlington school trustees Thursday night appeared ready to join like-minded districts that are planning to sue the state.

Houston Tea Party opposes Texas Constitution Prop 2 amendment on state water bonds (Oct. 6, 2011) – All manner of debt at all levels of government should receive closer scrutiny, and no “autopilot” debt models should be approved.

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Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Texas Watchdog (complete story), or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

Read the complete story

Texas Watchdog | By Steve Miller (Oct. 6, 2011) – When the state shoved $400,000 at a television show aimed at foodies, it never thought the taxpayer-funded gift would land it in court.

But Magical Elves, the producers of Bravo’s Top Chef, have filed a lawsuit against the Texas Attorney General aimed at stifling state officials who are otherwise required by law to tell us what that four hundred large is going toward. The AG’s office ruled last month that the state must release the information.

Occupy Wall Street spreads to Austin, thousands of demonstrators expected

KXAN News Austin, Tx – More than 4,000 people have said they are attending the “occupation” via the group's Facebook page . And while the rally kicked off with a seemingly slow start Thursday morning, it quickly grew outside City Hall.

Group organizers have said the protest will be peaceful. Still, there are extra officers on hand, as was Austin Fire Department Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr.

Occupy Austin takes over City Hall: kxan.com

Watering restrictions, bans on swimming pools and wind turbines on council agenda

The Wimberley City Council meets tonight, Thursday, at 6pm at City Hall Council Chambers, 221 Stillwater Dr

Eye sores or safety
issues – what's the problem?

Contact City Hall for more information: 512.847.0025, or email at this link

Agenda items include:

- status report on the development and operation of Blue Hole Regional Park
- status report on the city's street improvement program
- status report on the Cypress Creek Nature Trail
- status of transportation projects under consideration by CAMPO
- status of RFP for the operation of the recently acquired wastewater treatment plant at Blue Hole Park
- consider approval of an ordinance to prohibit wind turbines within the city limits
- consider approval of an ordinance prohibiting watering lawns and other water restrictions in response to the drought
- consider an ordinance to prohibit issuance of building permits for all new construction of in-ground or above ground swimming pools within the city limits
- discuss and consider possible action regarding a proposal to allow gray water systems and rain water collection systems on all new residential or commercial development

County to try another route to cushion or fend off sale of 290 water line

What the ad doesn't mention is that, like all PUAs, it will have authority to issue bonds (= debt) and will have limited power of eminent domain

Note: In a recent phone interview with Pct. 4 County Commissioner Ray Whisenant (R-Dripping Springs), Mr. Whisenant confirmed to the RoundUp an upcoming County resolution proposing to join the West Travis County PUA. By joining, Whisenant briefly explained, the county can have a say in moderating future increases in water utility rates in northern Hays County.

Last month, the county lost its bid to purchase LCRA's Hwy 290 water pipeline and distribution system that serves an estimated 7,000 customers in north Hays County subdivisions and supplies water to the member-owned Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation. LCRA's board of directors instead decided to review bids from the Canadian firm, Corix, and the California Water Group. Some members of the Dripping Springs Water Supply board of directors, the county and other interests, are reported to be determined to stop the sale of the 290 water line to the two out-of-state companies.

LCRA, for its part, is not saying whether Corix or California Water Group are the preferred buyers of the system. LCRA's public information office emailed this statement to the RoundUp today: “Since LCRA has not fully negotiated purchase/sale agreements with either party, LCRA has not determined with certainty that the system will go to either bidder.”

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Ms. Hopson at hopsonbarbara@yahoo.com, to Commissioner Whisenant at ray.whisenant@co.hays.tx.us or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Barbara Hopson
Guest Commentary

Without much fanfare or information distribution that I'm aware of, Hays County Commissioners Court is now engaging in an effort to create – along with neighboring entities – a Public Utility Agency (per a public notice in a local newspaper).

Besides Hays County, the City of Bee Cave and the West Travis County MUD #5 have already signed to establish the PUA. Two maps accompany the published notice.

This PUA is a last ditch effort for north Hays County to acquire the West Travis properties of LCRA. The plan is that if, somehow, the UDC ("Coalition") should be successful in its bid to buy the West Travis properties, the UDC would immediately transfer ownership of those properties to a newly-formed West Travis County Public Utility Agency. North Hays County would then retain access to the Lake Travis surface water it covets via the Hwy 290 pipeline.

The published notice mentions that "The PUA will be a non-taxing public entity." What the ad doesn't mention is that, like all PUAs, it will have authority to issue bonds (= debt) and will have limited power of eminent domain.

The ad advises that "Hays County will consider the adoption of the resolution to create the PUA at a meeting of the Hays County Commissioners Court at 9:00 am on October 18, 2011 at Hays County Courthouse . . ."

State officials fix tests of unsafe radioactive Radon in drinking water

Here's an update on a story that has been brewing for a while now, from KHOU TV in Houston. Do you know what's in your water?

$18 million approved for Hays County road projects

Contact: Laureen Chernow
Hays County Communications Specialist
laureen.chernow@co.hays.tx.us
Office: 512.393.2296

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX (Oct. 3, 2011) – The Hays County Commissioners Court learned last week, Thursday, that the Texas Transportation Commission has approved more than $18 million in funding for area road improvement projects in Hays County. The funds approved in Hays County do not require local matching funds.

The projects include $3.02 million for adding a center turn lane to Hunter Road (FM 2439) between Centerpoint and Posey roads south of San Marcos and $15.2 million for improvements along IH-35 between Buda and Kyle. Those improvements include adding two lanes to the bridge at Cement Plant Road as well as improving entrance and exit ramps and adding turnarounds at Cement Plant Road, FM 1626, FM 150 and FM 2001. The County anticipates that construction will begin in FY 2013.

“Growth throughout Hays County has created a major impact on roads,” Jerry Borcherding, Hays County Transportation Director, said. “This money will fund projects complementary to those already underway along I-35, helping to ease congestion and allow residents and businesses along the interstate safer, easier access. We’re very appreciative that the Transportation Commission recognized our area’s needs.”

In total, the Texas Transportation Commission on Thursday approved distribution of some $3 billion in Proposition 12 bond funds that will go to improve safety and mobility statewide. Some of those funds went to CAMPO, which in October will consider funding additional projects submitted by Hays County and other jurisdictions in the five-county CAMPO area.

Update: Dripping Water Supply board plows ahead with major revamp, possible rate hikes

Video surveillance and a card system are planned for the bulk water fill station to replace the current honor system

Note: As they say, onward through the briar patch and upward with the water rates. We haven't seen the end of this story. Old timers in Dripping Springs and customers of the DSWSC best get ready for big changes from the big city folks who now populate your board of directors.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Charles at codell@austin.rr.com, call the DSWSC at 512.858.7897, or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor

The DSWSC board of directors meeting last night was a triumphant march by the majority directors as they pushed forward their plans to revamp the Corporation following the September 19th firing of long-time General Manager, Doug Cones.

President Ron Kelly also went to great length berating the RoundUp article reporting his board majority firing of Cones.

Kelly tried to correct previous conflicting statements he made regarding the Attorney General Office review of WSC records and Kelly’s request for a Hays County District Attorney investigation of alleged transgressions by Cones. He ardently claimed that he had been misquoted several times in the media and wanted to set the record straight.

In an attempt to give some substance to his earlier innuendos of Cones transgressions, and to demonstrate his investigative skills as a former FBI employee and a retired Temple-Inland Director of Security, Kelly went through a litany of items that he claimed necessitated his going to the Hays County DA.

Holding up various documents, Kelly tried to make his case that Cones was guilty of theft, nepotism, and negligence.

Several observers felt that Kelly’s performance was more theater than substance, and one person later remarked that, “Kelly’s so-called evidence should be laughed out of the DA’s office.”

Acting on a final agenda item, the board agreed to a proposed settlement with WSC member, Bruce Turbow, that included a motion to dismiss the WSC civil suit filed against Turbow for stealing WSC letterhead and issuing a WSC media press release supposedly from the previous WSC board. There are those who believe that one or more members of the Dripping Springs City Council had encouraged Turbow to publish the fake press release.

During the course of the meeting it became clear that the 1,400 WSC members are in for substantial changes, and higher water bills.

Kelly and board member Marge Foster are spearheading installation of an elaborate computerized system that will connect buildings, allow payments with credit cards and streamline record keeping. One member asked if that meant she would no longer be able to pay her water bill with a check.

There will be elaborate security measures taken to ensure that the new system will be protected from “terrorist actions.” Video surveillance and a card system are planned for the bulk water fill station to replace the current honor system. Kelly said he calculated that approximately 66,000 gallons of water had been loaded without payment. At $8.05 per thousand gallons, Kelly figured it cost the WSC more than $500 in lost revenues.

Plans are underway for the $3 million capital reserves accumulated by Cones to be fully deployed by the new board majority. Foster, who is a CPA explained, “It is possible the $3 million reserve might not be enough for the WSC capital needs.”

As the board adjourned, someone in the audience noted that the posted agenda included the footnote, “Please call Doug Cones, General Manager at (512)858-7897 for further information.” Kelly responded that they were using up printed forms to save money.

Trouble again at the Dripping Water Supply: Firing of GM points to official misconduct

Ron Kelly (WSC board president) called to say that our request for documents and correspondence was costing the WSC a lot of money and that we should come to him if there were any concerns about him or the WSC board. Kelly repeated that he, “had a lot on his plate and our open records request was interfering with his efforts and the WSC.”

Water supply's service area
(Click on map to enlarge)

Note: Photos of the officers and directors of the Drippings Springs Water Supply Corporation are no longer posted on the water supplier's website, nor will you find anything about their background and bios. DSWSC is a member-owned water utility. It serves about 1,400 home and commercial customers in the Dripping Springs area. The board is holding its first meeting tonight (Monday) since GM Doug Cones' firing at 7 p.m. at the corporation's headquarters, 101 Hays Street, Suite 406. Meanwhile, Cones' attorney says they are evaluating possible legal action. And the Texas Attorney General's Office will not confirm reports that it is investigating the operations of the DSWSC.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Charles O'Dell at codell@austin.rr.com, the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation, 512.858.7897, or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor

A newly appointed board majority did what three previous members of the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation (WSC) board who were forced out of office by a recall election last April for trying to do – fired its long-time General Manager.

The new board majority, appointed in April to replace the three ousted board members, fired General Manager Doug Cones in a 3 – 2 vote at a special meeting held September 19, 2011. The firing of Cones came after a closed session. Board president Ron Kelly would only say the firing was, “For cause,” but indications are that personal motives, official deception and outside interests may be behind the action.

Cones served as General Manager for more than twenty-four years. During that time the public water system consistently received a Superior rating from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and customer/members consistently gave water service high marks.

Former Dripping Springs
WSC GM Doug Cones

Many Corporation members are confused and disappointed by the board action that appears to be based on earlier claims against Cones already proven to be false, and new unsubstantiated claims apparently fabricated by board president, Ron Kelly, with help from Dripping Springs city officials.

“I don’t know who’s running the water system now,” said one WSC member.

Less than six days after the abrupt firing of Cones there was loss of water pressure in Meadow Oaks, a Dripping Springs subdivision. WSC personnel attributed the loss of water pressure to a “computer glitch.” The official explanation was that a computer indicated the nearby storage tank was full when it wasn’t. Then three days later water pressure failed for a second time in the same subdivision. This time it was, “lightening striking the equipment,” according to office personnel.

“When I tried to shave and take a shower early Sunday morning there wasn’t sufficient water pressure,” said Terry Phillips, a retired Ag teacher, who lives in Meadow Oaks. “I called the office but no one answered. Then I called Doug Cones WSC cell phone and finally Cones home phone before reaching him. Doug told me that he no longer worked for WSC,” said Phillips.

When Phillips moved to Dripping Springs eleven years ago, “The first person to introduce himself was Doug Cones,” Phillips said. Cones gave Phillips four telephone numbers to call if ever there was a problem with his water. “Any time day or night,” Cones had told Phillips.

“We hope the water is safe now,” Phillips said.

Unanswered Questions

When contacted by phone, Kelly identified the interim operator to be PGMS of Dripping Springs. Kelly said he entered into a $6,200 a month “rollover” contract with PGMS to “oversee the water system until a new GM was hired.” When asked how PGMS was selected, Kelly said, “Our attorney, Phil Haag (McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore) recommended them.” In a later telephone call, Haag said that, “I don’t know how PGMS was selected.”

Other contradictions exist and unanswered questions remain. Who authorized Kelly to enter into a contract with PGMS, and to do so without a public bidding process? Who is telling the truth about how PGMS was selected? Who wrote the “rollover” contract with PGMS? Who signed the contract without board authority? Why was Cones fired before an interim operational plan had been approved by the board and put into place?

HaysCAN has filed open records requests with the WSC, the City of Dripping Springs and the Texas Attorney General seeking documents that will help answer these and other important questions, and determine if the firing was justified or retaliation.

Kelly was elected board president after he and his two fellow board members were appointed in April to replace Steve Harris, Larry Brewer and Gilbert Wolf, all who resigned rather than face a recall election count. While the three new board member credentials looked impressive enough, they did not prepare anyone for what was to follow.

Initially, Kelly and Cones appeared to get along well enough. Cones continued managing the Water Corporation operations and Kelly concentrated on WSC policy. The previously ousted board members had actively engaged in micro management of the water operations in clear violation of Corporation By-laws.

Kelly began acting outside the collective authority of the board by taking actions on his own and then asking the board to, “ratify and approve” his unauthorized actions. This can be seen in various board meeting agenda, including the October 3, 2011, agenda.

The September 29, 2011, News-Dispatch edition reports that, “Kelly said a comprehensive plan for the future of the WSC will be presented to members and the public at the next regular board meeting October 3.” A review of board minutes didn’t produce any board approval of such a plan, and the board members we spoke with weren’t aware of any such plan having been authorized.

In a September 29, 2011, letter to his fellow WSC board members, Board Vice President, Jim Walden, listed 7 specific actions that Kelly engaged in outside his authority.

Hidden Agenda

In July, Kelly’s relationship with Cones began to turn sour after the board approved a succession agreement that gave Cones the option to retire at age 66 or to stay on as General Manager.

When Kelly told his board that the WSC was going to, “double its operations when it purchased the LCRA 290 water line, and needed to gear up for it," Cones pointed out that there wasn’t sufficient information to make that decision. There have been no open discussions regarding the vague Kelly purchase plan.

Cones had developed a close working relationship with LCRA personnel when its water line was extended along 290 to supply WSC, and Cones knew that Kelly’s vision lacked any meaningful analysis. Cones encouraged the board to scale back Kelly’s requested financial contribution to the quickly formed Utility District Corporation coalition that was preparing a bid for portions of the LCRA water infrastructure.

For Kelly this was the last straw and Cones had to go, apparently even if Kelly had to fabricate a crisis.

“I investigated Cones” Kelly Said

Kelly set out to fire Cones by resurrecting the Steve Harris accusations already proven to be false. When that didn’t work, Kelly began his personal investigation as board president even though a Texas Attorney General Office review of two CPA audits of the WSC financials found nothing amiss.

After the fact, Kelly got two other board members to join him in authorizing an investigation that he had already commissioned, along with a process that required the investigator to present his findings to the corporation counsel, Haag, who in turn would report the findings to the full board. But that’s not what happened.

Kelly, a former FBI employee and retired Security Director for Temple-Inland, had already hired his private investigator friend, Craig Young, who also happens to be a friend and neighbor of board member Greg Perrin. Young is a member of the WSC.

Violating the board approved investigation procedure, Haag failed to report Young’s findings to the board, only to Kelly. That report indicated there was no evidence of a problem with Cones. Kelly did not share this report with the other board members.

Faced with an empty gun, Kelly created an easement issue that really isn’t an issue at all. Kelly got help from Dripping Springs City officials who it is believed gave Kelly a list of easements they had problems with when constructing the City sewer lines. The claim is that Cones failed to file some easements and thereby placed WSC at risk of trespass.

At the September 19, 2011, board meeting Kelly told the board about these new “transgressions” by Cones, but refused to show them any documentation. Kelly also announced that he had sent the, “Young investigation materials,” to the Hays County District Attorney for their review. The DA had not looked at the materials as of September 28.

Why did the other two appointed board members, Perrin and Foster, join with Kelly in voting to fire Cones without seeing any evidence of wrongdoing?

Kelly had previously suggested that board member Perrin become Cones deputy, and board member Marge Foster had previously asked Cones for the Office Manager job.

The Set Up and A Public Hanging

According to sources, Kelly had taken it upon himself to convene a private meeting on the morning September 6, 2011, preceding the regular September 12th WSC board meeting the night before. Kelly, using the Young investigation report to create a list of questions, confronted Cones at that meeting with allegations of wrong doing, despite them having been previously shown to be unfounded.

Others at that private Kelly meeting included Michael Grimes (CPA), Joel Wilkinson (long-time engineer for the WSC), and general counsel Phil Haag. Kelly asked Cones to leave the meeting while he conferred with the others. Grimes and Wilkerson both are reported to have told Kelly that, “Nothing is there.”

Firing Cones at the September 19 special WSC board meeting appeared to be an advertised public lynching and Cones’ adversaries were present to witness it. An eclectic group of participants included the previous three board members who had been forced to resign, the corporation member, Bruce Turbow, who was facing a WSC criminal complaint of theft and fraud, and Dripping Springs City officials who have long coveted the corporation for its $3 million cash reserves and only $250,000 of debt.

The five Dripping Springs City officials and employees in attendance were Bill Foulds (Mayor pro-tem), Spider Williams (city councilman), Ginger Faught (Deputy City Administrator), and Shot Glosson (City road inspector).

Kelly appears to have cooperated with the former ousted board president, Steve Harris who owes $850 for a newsletter he sent to members trying to save his job and using a WSC credit card for payment, Bruce Turbow, the WSC member facing a criminal complaint for stealing WSC letterhead and forging a fake press release by the board, and City officials who want Cones fired and out of the way.

Kelly wants the board to forgive the Harris $850, and to drop the criminal complaint against Turbow. On his own, Kelly instructed attorney Haag to prepare a settlement agreement after having received a letter from Turbow. It’s on the October 3, board meeting agenda.

Open Records Violation

On the morning of September 28, 2011, HaysCAN hand delivered an open records request to the WSC office. At 2:15pm that same day Ron Kelly called to say that our request for documents and correspondence was costing the WSC a lot of money and that we should come to him if there were any concerns about him or the WSC board. Kelly repeated that he, “had a lot on his plate and our open records request was interfering with his efforts and the WSC.”

Kelly’s telephone call was a clear and blatant violation of the Public Information Act (open records). This violation is being reported to the Texas Attorney General.

Conflict of Interest and Professional Ethics

Over the past two years, WSC costs associated with its attorney, Phil Haag, exceed $300,000. At one point Haag was taking and editing minutes of board meetings, preparing the employee handbook, is still writing the board meeting agenda, and we believe has participated in multiple Open Meetings Act violations by the WSC board.

In new stance, water board advises on planning for risks of climate change

The state's worst recorded drought lasted from 1950 through 1957 and prompted the creation of artificial lakes all across Texas to supply water to a state that at the time had a population of 15 million – a whopping 10 million fewer than today

– Other news –

San Antonio panel to start process of creating temporary redistricting maps | Sept 30 2011 – Under the court’s order the parties are to file briefs by October 7 advising the panel about their thoughts on drawing temporary maps and file proposed plans by October 17.

Grim predictions say 9 more years of drought posible | By Jim Forsyth | San Antonio Sept. 29 2011 (Reuters) - A devastating Texas drought that has browned city lawns and caused more than $5 billion in damages to the state's farmers and ranchers could continue for another nine years, a state forecaster said on Thursday.

Courts deny enforcement of Texas sonogram law | By Christy Hoppe | Dallas News Sept. 29 2011 – On Wednesday, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to allow the law to go into effect pending appeals and on Thursday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, acting on behalf of the high court, also refused to lift the lower court order.

Budget trickery worsens in shortfall year | By Jason Embry Austin American-Statesman Wed. Sept. 28 2011 – In a report released this week, Comptroller Susan Combs illustrates the trickery that legislators and Gov. Rick Perry used . . . lawmakers assess fees under the guise that they will be used for a specific purpose — to help low-income residents pay electric bills, for instance — but then leave much of that money unspent to balance the state budget.

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Send your questions and comments to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Texas Climate News, editor@texasclimatenews.net, or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

By Bill Dawson
Texas Climate News
Sept 29 2011

Read the complete story

In outlining recommendations for avoiding a major water shortage by 2060, the new plan has a more detailed discussion of manmade climate change than the 2007 State Water Plan did, including advice for regional water planning groups on how to “address uncertainty and reduce risks” associated with its projected impacts. The Water Development Board drew criticism from some climate scientists for deciding not to factor climate change into its 2007 plan.

The draft 2012 plan warns that water demand driven by rising population is projected to outstrip supplies by a projected 8.3 million acre-feet of water by 2060 if the state doesn’t construct new supply projects or management strategies.

“Annual economic losses from not meeting water supply needs could result in a reduction in income of approximately $11.9 billion annually if current drought conditions approach the drought of record [a multi-year drought in the 1950s], and as much as $115.7 billion annually by 2060, with over a million lost jobs,” the plan warns.

Texas Climate News is a project of the Texas Climate Initiative at the Houston Advanced Research Center.