The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 254, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 2005 Page: 4 of 20
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Thursday, August 18,2005
Opinion
Wasted
>
tax dollars
tcmown.
TO.
THEiXKK.
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8/19 Texas
Public school system is ‘non-functioning
blockade or defense to inflict
Today is Wednesday, Aug. 18,
ABOUT US
TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY IN SUN HISTORY
Long Neck
shouldn't be
dependent
on alcohol
Special session on education
a failure from the beginning
Today's editorial was written by David
Bloom, managing editor of The Baytown Sun,
on behalf of the newspaper's, editorial board.
fund netting $200 million year-
ly. It seems like the “good old
boys” (and girls) in Austin have
drained the fund in order to bal-
ance the budget. They tell us
the funds will be used for other
programs unrelated to electrici-
bills for love income residents.
Ten percent may not seem like
much but it means a lot to
seniors and others living on low
incomes.
Customers pay a fee on their
Leonard Jensen
Fort Worth, TX
Bill Jones
Baytown
David Bloom,
Managing Editor
Constitution, which guaranteed the right of
all American women to vote.
In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
dedicated the Thousand Islands Bridge
connecting the United States and Canada.
In 1954,50 years ago, during the
Eisenhower administration. Assistant
Secretary of Labor James E. Wilkins
became the first black to attend a meeting
of a president’s Cabinet as he sat in for
Labor Secretary James P. Mitchell.
In 1963, James Meredith became the
first black to graduate from the University
of Mississippi.
In 1982, for the first time, volume on the
New York Stock exchange topped the 100
million level as 132.69 million shares were
traded.
Ten years ago: Florida Gov. Lawton
Chiles declared an immigration emergency
and demanded federal help to cope with the
largest surge of Cuban refugees since the
1980 Mariel boatlift.
Our editorial board
The Baytown Sun’s editorial board meets weekly at 2 p.m.
Wednesday. Individuals are encouraged to visit the editorial
board to discuss issues affecting the community. To make an
appointment, contact Managing Editor David Bloom by calling
281-422-8302. r,
Members of the’ editorial board include: Wanda Gamer
Cash, editor and publisher; David Bloom, managing editor;
Jim Finley, retired Sun managing editor; and Jane Howard
Lee, retired Sun reporter. v
W JBartoton Sun
Founded 1922
Wanda Gamer Cash,
Editor and Publisher
Fred Hartman, Publisher Emeritus
1950-1974
MNCESS.
The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.
Let us hear from you
The Baytown Sun welcomes letters of up to 300 words
and guest columns of up to 500 words on any item of public
interest. Guest columns should include a photograph of the
writer. We publish only original material addressed to The
Baytown Sun bearing the writer's signature. An address and
phone number not for publication should be included. We
ask that submissions be limited to one per month. All letters
and guest columns are subject to editing. The Sun reserves
the right to refuse to publish any submission.
Please send signed letters to: Wanda Gamer Cash or
David Bloom, riie Baytown Sun, P.O. Box 90, Baytown,
77522. Or, fax them to: 281-427-1880. Or send us an
email at sunnews@baytownsun.com.
Residents want correct
street name back
I just read the article in today’s generally there to stay. If you
have quit, you are still at risk.
paper by Wanda Orton on tilings
we should know about Baytown.
The first thing that caught my
eye was the comment about
Schreck Street being named after ABC News broadcast several of
Mr. Schreckengaust. This is the
second or third time this fact has
been printed in your paper. The
problem is that several years ago
some new reporter stated this
street was named after a Bill
Shreck and our knee-jerk city
officials went and changed the
street sign to Shreck, so now we
have two names. The county, my
deed, and even the address from
the city on my water bill did not
How do we get our “C” back in
the name?
Our lawmakers should quit
squandering our tax dollars,
take a pay cut, and keep their
hands out of funds that were
meant to help those in need.
Birdie Jimenez
Baytown
always tarry near 400,000; each damage to the enemy. If the
and every year.
The uniformed also like to
emphasize that the moral
degradation of alcohol and
drugs is riiore of an issue that
tobacco industry is the enemy,
then the blockade is surely Rep.
Barton and Sen. Hutchison.
If the citizens of Texas have
any morals at all; they will dis-
continue their support of
Barton and Hutchison. But then
again, the people of Texas, have
an uncanny ability to excuse
immorality in the name of cor-
simply dying or dead. There is porate greed.
TT'W'ouse Speaker Tom Craddick was
B—I right. The second special session on
JL JLeducation has been a colossal waste
of time and money.
With negotiations stalled and an impasse
as obvious as the pink granite dome, both
the House and the Senate could have cho-
sen to end early, but neither took that
option.
Instead, the state spends an estimated
$60,000 for each day of a special session,
with lawmakers collecting $128 per day for
living expenses. The Associated Press notes
that the money spent on the session this
week alone, $420,000, could have provided
health insurance to 250 children for a year
or given 1,000 teachers a $4,200 pay raise.
The second, 30-day special session on
education called by Gov. Rick Perry offi-
cially ends on Friday. But it’s been a failure
from the start. To bum even more taxpayer
dollars when a lack of funding is our prob-
lem is a total failure of leadership.
Most observers agree that lawmakers,
specifically those in charge- never intended
to overhaul the state’s system of school
finance — instead focusing on reducing the
tax burden on the most prosperous Texans.
The fact that raising and spending money
on the state’s most basic of responsibilities
education is the Legislature’s job didn’t
seem to bother our leaders.
The impacts of the state’s failure to act in
recent years have been well publicized on
the school finance front, and there has been
a corresponding loss of citizen confidence
in our current state government.
It’s clear that in the absence of legislation
and leadership, the Texas Supreme Court
will have to step in and finish the job.
Troops in Iraq:
The Pentagon said the number of American mili-
ffiy forces in Iraq could increase this fall as Iraqi
Actions loom. The news comes even as many in
Congress and around the country clamor for the
United States to set a date for its troops to come
home.
It hurts to see reports every day of Americans
killed by roadside bombs or sneak attacks by Iraqi
terrorist insurgents. The nation mourned with the
families of the 20 Ohio Marines killed. But such
reports should strengthen our resolve, not weaken it.
The United States has made a commitment to Iraq
and to its own fighting men and women. If military
planners believe the situation warrants additional
troops, a buildup is right. To be committed only to a
strategy of withdrawal would put the Iraqi people
and our own troops in greater danger. The United
States needs to be committed to finishing the mis-
sion. Setting a date to remove our troops or to bring
them home before the mission is completed would
be a disservice not only to the people of Iraq and the
U.S. forces fighting there, but also to those who have
sacrificed for this war.
— The Greenville (S.C.) News
tl 231st
day of2005. There are 135 days left in the
year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On August 18,1983, Hurricane Alicia
slammed into the Texas coast, leaving 22
dead and causing more than $1 billion
worth of damage.
On this date:
In 1587, Virginia Dare became the first
child of English parents to be bom on
American soil, on what is now Roanoke
Island, N.C.
In 1846, U.S. forces led by Gen. Stephen
W. Kearney captured Santa Fe, N.M.
In 1894, Congress established the
Bureau of Immigration.
In 1914, President Wilson issued his
“Proclamation of Neutrality,” aimed at
keeping the United States out of World
War I.
In 1920, Tennessee became the 36th
state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the
Representatives should
oppose tobacco
One of the more consistent
misguided justifications for
leaving tobacco on the market
is a comparison of tobacco to
alcohol and drug related deaths
and morality. The facts are that
alcohol related driving deaths
in 2004 were 16,694 (and drop- must be able to go through the
ping); while tobacco deaths
Let’s talk reality.
Public school is a mandatory
government system to which we
are required to send our children
— for 13 years.
This 13-year system now gives
our children what used-to-be the <■ tobacco. This thinking is also
equivalent of an 8th grade edu-
cation. It delivers this 8th
grade-level education for $536
billion per year — about
$9,000 per student per year.
Our legislators are desperately
trying to fund this non-fiinction-
ing system. Why?
More importantly — what is
wrong with us that we are will-
ing to let our children be educat-
ed by the government?
In 1950, living standards in Baytown were well
above the average for the nation. Residents of
Baytown enjoyed good incomes in 1949. The
earnings for the 7,700 families averaged $5,089,
per household per year.
In 1975,24 new police vehicles were proposed
in the police department budget for 1975-76, cost-
ing $136,672.
In 1983, Alicia, a category 3 hurricane, made
landfall on the west end of Galveston Island in the
early hours. With 96 mph sustained winds gusting
as high as 127 mph, Alicia unloaded five inches of
rain in most places and nearly 11 inches on the
east side of Houston.
In 1990, the United Way campaign was
announced, with that year’s collection goal of
$1,060,000.
In 2000, the Texas Education Agency
announced the Goose Creek school district
earned recognized district status. To reach that
benchmark, at least 80 percent of all students had
to pass each TAAS subject area, including read-
ing. math and writing, by a score of 80 percent.
K
Come on at least get the name
right!
After reading the editorial
comments from Wanda Gamer
Cash and David Bloom on
behalf of the Baytown Sun’s edi-
torial board on Sunday Aug. 14,
2005 I was left some what con-
cerned.
First of all comments about
our Mayor and City Council
over the vote to rescind an ordi-
nance to allow the sale and con-
sumption of alcohol on city
property was very
unprofessional.
If the successes of the Long
Neck festival, a planned street
dance on Texas Avenue and
other adult only fund-raisers on
city property are dependent on
the sale of beer, my suggestion
would be to change your venue.
Any event that is dependent on
beer sales to determine its suc-
cess is lacking in leadership and
understanding of the human
nature of man.
It may be that Wanda Gamer
Cash and David Bloom need to
understand that some of the con-
stitutions of some churches
within the city limits of Bay town
have articles of covenant against
the sale and consumption of
alcohol. When members and
pastors of the body of believing
Christians take a stand on an
issue such as happened on
Thursday August 11,2005 it not
to be taken lightly either by our
city leadership or the Baytown
Sun.
I was an eye witness to the
council meeting on Thursday
August 11, 2005. What I
observed was a group of men
being lead back from where
some special interest groups had
taken them in the past.
The meeting hall was full and
only a very few in attendance
were in support of not rescinding
this ordinance as was made evi-
dent in the response at the con-
clusion of the one person who
spoke in their behalf.
I for one want to commend
our Mayor Calvin Mundinger,
Councilman Ronnie Anderson,
Councilman Brandon Capetillo
and Councilman Dr. Don
Murray for the stand each took
prior to the vote on this most
important matter.
It may be that the Publisher
and Managing Editor of the
Baytown Sun are supporting the
sale and consumption of beer on
city owned property due to some
special interest. Please under-
stand the position taken by the
Baytown Sun and its editorial
staff is not one that is looked on”
with favor by the majority of the
citizens of Baytown.
And by the way the name is
not “aginners” or zealots it is
Christian, followers of Christ!
Emmett Bingham
Baytown
wasting our money
I was appalled to learn that
Texas lawmakers are going to
discontinue the ten percent sav-
Jennings’.specials; even though ings now allowed on electric
the specials focused on Rep. v;"-e—;--------; J—i-
Joe Barton (R-TX) and Sen.
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX).
While it is sad that tobacco
change. So why the sign change? killed Peter Jennings; it is also
,.«> mu- “c” ironic that the public, unknow-
ingly, has continually supported electric bill each month for this
Stephen Turnbull and re-elected Barton and
Baytown Hutchison. It is even more
ironic that Barton and
Hutchison represent a non-
tobacco state. What do think
their motives are?
While there are a lot of
efforts to reduce tobacco deaths ty including medicare,
(re: Anti-smoking campaigns);
those efforts are typically coun-
tered by the innovative market-
ing techniques of the tobacco
industry. As in any conflict you
AN^AUiTHEUSUAL.
fiNAWTEKAWW
r . _. __
his specials on tobacco that
exposed key members of tobac- Lawmakers should quit
co s congressional blockade and
colossal mistakes by leaders of
the FDA and even the Surgeon
General. However, the public
did little to respond to
Local reader agrees
with letters
Mr. B.C. Jennings letter, pub-
lished in today’s paper, was
excellent. I do not believe one
had to take a hard ‘pro’ or ‘con’
postilion to enjoy learning
about any new idea or proposal.
The following letter by
Calvin, Cormier was also inter-
esting in that it shows that intel-
The most well know advocate ligent design also has its share
of anti-tobacco efforts was of failures.
Peter Jennings of ABC News.
misguided. While drug and
alcohol addicts may be coun-
seled and reformed, most tobac-
co induced cancer patients are
no opportunity for counseling.
Additionally, while quitting
smoking has many health bene-
fits; a reduction in the risk for
lung cancer is NOT one of
those rewards. About 50 per-
cent of new lung cancer
Mike Ford patients are former smokers.
Austin The lungs are sponge-like
material that just does not heal
or rebuild itself very well.
Once the tar and poisons from
tobacco are induced, they are
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Cash, Wanda Garner. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 254, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 2005, newspaper, August 18, 2005; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1190715/m1/4/?q=architectural+drawings: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.