Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 2, 2007 Page: 2 of 14
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Cherokeean
HERALD
Page 2A
Wednesday, May 2,2007
www.thecherokeean.com
OPINION
LETTERS POLICY
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683-5104 or mail to P.O. Box 475, Rusk, Texas, 75785.
State representative explains
position on school counseling,
voting rights
STATE REP. CHUCK HOPSON
State Rep. Chuck
Hopson
D-Jacksonville
AUSTIN — State Rep.
Harvey Hilclerbran and I
successfully amendedHouse
Bill 2136 which directs school
counselors to report student
referrals to the school dis-
tricts administration. The
school dis-
trict would
then have to
make that
informa-
tion public.
The Hopson
amendment
e x e m p t e d
school dis-
tricts that
have an en-
rollment under 5500 stu-
dents, which includes all
the school districts in my
legislative district.
Texas school counselors
tell me that up to one-third
of their time is spent filling
out paperwork, not helping
our students. Many of the
counselors in my district
called me on this one and told
me that the bill, as written,
would prevent them from
spen(li ng needed time with
students and would cause
some students not to seek
help based on fear.
That fear is one that my
wife, Billie. a former school
counselor expressedMonday
afternoon.
"Unfortunately there is
still a stigma about getting
counseling. This bill would
continue that stigma and
stop families and their chil-
dren from seeking valuable
help," she said. "In small
towns and Communities,
it is likely that everybody
knows what everybody else
is doing. Or at least, they
think they do."
The Texas House also
heard House Bill 218 requir-
ing a voter to present certain
forms of identification in
order to vote. This bill would
make it more difficult for
Texas senior citizens to vote.
Our office joined leaders
from the AARP, the League
of Women Voters, and other
group s Monday in opposition
to an assault on Texans' vot-*
ing rights.
Let's be clear about this:
there is no voter imper-
sonation problem or voter
fraud epidemic in this state.
This is an effort by a small
group of legislators to keep
seniors from voting. I voted
against House Bill 218 in
order to protect the rights
of thousands of voters in
East Texas.
Unfortunately, the voter
suppression bill passed
the House last week. If it
passes the Senate, it will
require voters to present a
photo ID card at the polls,
in addition to a valid voter
registration card, in order
to vote. As a practical mat-
ter, this requirement would
disenfranchise thousands of
elderly Texans by denying
them the right to cast a ballot
because they no longer have
a valid drivers license. The
Senate has pledged to keep
the bill from final passage if
changes are not made.
In 2006, the non-partisan
Brennan Center for Justice
found that 18 percent of
seniors over 65, do not have
a government-issued photo
identification. For many
seniors and even working
families, getting a photo ID
takes time, money and mo-
bility that others may take
for granted.
HB 218 is a poll tax—photo
IDs are not free. This bill
will particularly hurt se-
niors, but it will also place
an extra burden on many
Texans, effectively limiting
their right to vote.
Please contact our offices
at (866) 33-5100 or (512)
463-0592 should you have
any questions or concerns re-
garding issues or a particular
pi eco of legislation.
Michael p. Wallace
Attorney at Law
BANKRUPTCY
CIVIL LITIGATION • PERSONAL INJURY
WILLS & PROBATE
(903) 683-1907
We are a debt relief law firm.
We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the bankruptcy code.
The Tortuga Agency
Private Investigations
Texas License #A13962
Licensed by the Texas Commission on Private Security
For all your investigative needs: criminal, civil and insurance.
First Consultation is Free
125 E. Sixth St.
Rusk, Texas 75785
Phone: (903) 683-5309
Email: Tortuga@cebridge.net
BRANDED fry CHRIST
COWBOY CHURCH
Branded by Christ
Cowboy Church
Meeting at Ike Daniel's Feed Store
Hwy 69 South • Rusk
Sunday • 10 a.m. Worship Service
Thursday • 6:30 p.m. Bible Study
Curtis Oliver ■ Pastor
(936) 867-5533, home or (936) 675-3205, cell
COME JOIN US AND SING ALONG WITH THE
"Branded by Christ
Cowboy Gospei Band"
Rusk, Jacksonville break with statewide
trend, post lackluster sales during anuary
While the state economy
churned out a healthy 9.7
percent growth in March
compared to a year ago,
the localeconomyis moving
into negative numbers.
The city of Jacksonville,
which collects sales tax at
a rate approximately four
times greater than the rest
of the county combined,
posted a drop of almost
.six percent compared to a
year ago.
For the first three months
of the year, Jacksonville is
also in negative territory
with a cumulative decline
of 1.7") percent.
Despite the bleak num-
bers from the north end of
the county, other cities are
posting gains.
In the year-to-date col-
umn, Alto is leading in
sales tax rebates with an
increase of 36.63 percent.
Wells follows with 20.86
percent: Rusk with 12.9 and
New Summerfield, 6.39:
and Cuney, 2. I I.
County sales taxes are
also collected, and the
Cherokee County auditor's
office received a 20.56 in-
crease for the first three
months of the year, when
figures from one year ago
aré compared.
State Comptroller Susan
Combs called the Texas
economy healthy, even
though the national econ-
omy is showing signs of
weakness in the housing
sector.
Approximately $404 mil-
lion in sales tax allocations
were returned to cities,
counties, transit systems
and special purpose taxing
districts.
Comptroller of Public Accounts
3nd County Sales Tax Rebates Released January 200
January 2007
Cities
Rate
Net Payment
Comparable payment
% Change
2007
2006
% Change
this period
prior year
to date
to date
to date
payments
Alto
1.0%
6,123.68
2,264.55
170.41%
27,419.30
20,067.89
36.63%
Cuney
1.5%
2,788.12
4,275.05
-34.78%
19,993.55
19,517.28
2.44%
Jacksonville
1.5%
213,675.09
227,195.16
-5.95%
940,157.72
987,059.34
-4.75%
%w Summerfield
1.0%
1,008.02
990.72
1.74%
5,405.26
5,080.37
6,39%
Rusk
1.5%
36,594.64
26,200.30
39.67%
149,711.95
132,602.18
12.90%
Wells
1.0%
1,414.16
871.01
62.35%
7,410.73
6,131.50
20.88%
Total
261,603.71
261,796.79
-0.07%
1,150,098.51
1,170,458.56
-1.73%
Cherokee Co.
0.5%
119,809.99
99,433.78
20.49%
520,370.20
431,604.66
20.56%
graphic: Cherokeean Herald
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 2, 2007, newspaper, May 2, 2007; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152780/m1/2/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.