Enough is enough
As many of you know, CORPS organized a petition drive to make sure the taxpayers had a chance to vote on the $10 million the county commissioners want to spend on the "TajMaHadley project." We needed about 900 signatures from registered voters to force a vote on the bond issue, and we had a goal of 1,200 in order to make sure there were plenty of signatures after deducting names that weren't registered, etc. Well, we turned in the petitions on Aug. 4 and our overall count was 2,986 signatures. On Aug. 14, the county clerk's office certified that we turned in the required number of voter signatures.
As it turns out, attempting to spend $10 million to build a new courthouse for five county departments and some 35 employees who need not be in the same building any more has become what is referred to in politics as a "hot-button issue." The most common refrain seemed to be something along the lines of "enough is enough" of continual unnecessary spending of taxpayers money.
The next step will be to keep this issue in the forefront of the minds of the taxpayers of Ellis County until the November election. CORPS will remain active to accomplish this task. But the more important issue will be whether or not county commissioners Vernon Berens, Dennis Pfannenstiel and Perry Henman will honor the will of the people if, as we suspect, the bond is defeated by a wide margin in November.
If commissioners Berens and Pfannenstiel are re-elected, they can still try to purchase and develop the TajMaHadley by other financial means. Public and private comments made recently by these two commissioners indicate they do not feel compelled to follow the wishes of the majority. As many people as possible need to contact them and ask them directly if they will honor the vote of the people. If they say yes, have them put it in writing. If they say no, please let everyone know about it through letters and meetings and any other means possible.
To the 116 plus circulators who helped CORPS get the necessary signatures, a big "thank you." Thanks also to all of those who signed the petition and got their family and friends to do so too. Just remember it's not over until the commissioners agree to honor the results of the vote in November.
Robert J. Schibi
2011 Main Street Terrace
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