News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 14, 2006 Page: 6 of 14
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pinion
News Bulletin
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Letters to the Editor
20(
Dis
For
Making Texas proud
(ne of the privileges of serving
Cas a Member of Congress is the
opportunity to nominate outstanding high
school students for appointment to the
nation’s five service academies: Army,
Navy, Air Force and Merchant Marine.
Over the past several years, I have had
the honor to endorse an extraordinary
group of young men and women as future
leaders in our armed forces.
As the last bell rings and our students
head home for the winter break, it is
my hope that many of these outstanding
young people will consider pursuing a
career in our nation’s prestigious mili-
tary.
The service academies offer a ful-
ly-paid, world-class education for students
willing to dedicate at least five years
to the branch of their choice. The
ommendations to the academies, which
make the final decisions on which stu-
dents receive appointments.
Those who succeed the arduous appli-
cation process then face a rigorous educa-
tion that requires academic excellence,
athletic performance, character develop-
ment and so much more.
To be eligible, the applicant must
reside in the 23rd District, be at least 17
years old, but cannot have reached his or
her 23rd birthday. Additionally, he or she
must be a citizen of the United States,
be unmarried, not be pregnant, and have
no legal obligation to support children or
other dependents. The service academies
welcome applications from all students
regardless of race, color, ethnic origin, or
creed.
Many of our nation’s most notable lead-
ers have graduated from the academies,
Aston is true professional
Surprise a day
Dear editor, Dear editor;
I would like to address the article written A surprise a day is how it was described at the
by Mr. Alfaro (ex police chief) As far as Lean Castroville city council budget workshop. This
recall Mr. Alfaros antics have been in the news ' after Mayor Pro Tern Hank Seay III disclosed
papers for several years. The only one thing Mr. that $41,000 for jet fuel and $30,000 in aviation
Alfaro is truthfill about, is why DID the city of gas is missing. On top of missing money
Lacoste keep him employed for eight years? I the SMART card system which was used by
have never seen any other police chief in the Castroville Airport Association members to pur- 1
surrounding areas act has unprofessional as Mr. chase gas on “city credit” was tampered with and ' 9
Alfaro did. It is my belief and the belief of many information is missing. CAA members refuse :
others, whenever anyone in law enforcement t° pay for their fuel unless they get an invoice J
• and
Nu
Qu
Re
Main
Junio:
1. Jon
including Presidents Ulysses
Grant and Dwight Eisenhower
as well as General Norman
Schwarzkopf When looking at
potential students, the acad-
emies consider a number of
qualifications, such as char-
acter, scholarship, leadership,
physical aptitude, goals, and
academies are the U.S.
Air Force Academy
(Colorado Springs,
CO), the U.S. Military
Academy (West Point,
NY), the U.S. Naval
Academy (Annapolis,
MD), and the U.S.
Merchant Marine
CoMMENTARY
by Congressman Henry Bonilla
motivation. All of these factors are used
to consider each applicant’s "whole-per-
son" evaluation.
There are many good reasons to seek
admission to a service academy -- a
top-notch education, family tradition, a
desire to serve or the need to take on an
exceptional challenge are just a few. No
doubt about it - students at our service
academies are united by a desire to bet-
ter themselves and serve our nation by
becoming tomorrow’s leaders.
You could be one of them.
If you are interested in applying for
a nomination to the Class of 2012,
which will enter a service academy
the summer of 2008, please visit my
website at www.house.gov/bonilla <http:/
/www.house.gov/bonilla> or call (210)
697-9055 for more information regarding
the nomination process.
Academy (Kings Point, NY). The U.S.
Coast Guard Academy (New London,
CT) does not require a nomination and
offers appointments solely on the basis of
a nationwide merit-based competition.
Selection for placement in the acad-
emies is highly competitive as students
from all over the country compete for
a limited number of appointments. In
addition to being in the top of their
high school class academically and in
peak physical shape, students must be
nominated by the President, the Vice-
President, a Secretary of the Armed
Forces, or a Member of Congress.
Once a student submits an appli-
cation, a local citizen advisory board
of academy graduates and retired mili-
tary officers from the 23rd Congressional
District will review all of the nominations.
I then forward the advisory board’s rec-
puts their badge on and heads out the door, they from the city. Shredded documents and deleted *
should represent their community with pride account information may make it impossible to 1
and dignity. Mr. Alfaro should keep mum and generate invoices.
not try to convince himself or others, that he was It’s easy to understand why the system is
this great ‘Pillar of society”. called SMART. These smart operators pur- I
It’s plain to see Mr. Alfaro, is trying cover chased air gas using credit cards issued by the ’
up for NOT doing the job he was appointed to airport manager. Then when the truth of illegal :
do. The fact is Mr. Alfaro maybe you did indeed loans, illegal transfers, and misappropriation 1
resign on your own, due to the pressure of the of city tax dollars to the airport was about 1
mayor and city administrator. Pressure to do to surface, someone shredded documents and 1
your JOB and not cruise around town allowing deleted account information. Now the civic 4
many crimes to go unnoticed. Including your minded CAA members, who used to come to city ,
own immoral behavior Mr. Alfaro. council meetings to bash Hank, Joe, and Terry :
Thank you, Chief Aston for your great work are not to be found.
ethic. I hope you continue to excell and represent What was not so smart was allowing the :
your badge and your community with pride and airport manager to run the airport as if it was ,
dignity, his personal business without accountability. ,
Margaret Doubois What was not smart was allowing Byars, Dowell, |
Rio Medina and Foose to fool citizens into believing that NO :
Prepare for development now city tax dollars were going to the airport. What :
PP- was not smart was believing that the Castroville
Airport Association truly cares about Castroville *
Dear editorand its tax paying citizens.
Present City Council members have done T u A . .11
========= ======== :
=========== =========
thatallow them to get two steps ahead of the can be quickly replaced with honest, PAYING
public.customers.
Castroville and the surrounding area are
faced with development interests that would
Ow
Raymond Martinez, Jr.
Castroville, TX
this fall. The Texas Comptroller’s Office
reported that the sales tax deduction
saves a family of four $310 a year, or a
total of about $1 billion each year for the
state’s residents who itemize deductions.
Maintaining this deduction is an issue
of fairness. Taxpayers in Texas,
Alaska, Florida, Washington, ■
Commentary
Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee
and Wyoming were set to be penal-
ized had this deduction not been
reinstated. In states where revenue
is collected through state income
taxes, residents have long been my remain competitive
allowed to deduct state income taxes on with increased competition from foreign
their federal tax returns. From 1986-2004, countries and leads to additional American
the residents of states without a state jobs in high-tech industries.
income tax were penalized because of their Low tax rates continue to stimulate our
state’s choice to collect revenue through economy and create jobs. The economy
sales taxes. has grown for 20 consecutive quarters. In
Congress approved a two-year sales the past year, almost 2 million jobs have
tax deduction in 2004, but that expired been created, and the unemployment rate
at the end of last year. Had Congress is 4.4 percent, which is lower than the
not reinstated this deduction for 2006 and average rate of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s,
2007, Texans would have been unfairly and 1990s.
penalized again. Thankfully, Congress I firmly believe that taxpayers know
did and ensured tax equity. However, this better than the government how to spend
unfair limitation is set to return in 2008. their money, and I will continue to support
I remain dedicated to making this deduc- pro-growth policies, because our nation
tion permanent, so Texans are not treated benefits when taxpayers are allowed to
like second-class citizens in regards to keep more of what they earn.
paying taxes.
fax equality for Texans The tax extenders package included! forever alter the historical and social character
. . . several other measures that benefit our I of the area. One developer intends to jam
holiday shopping season is upon state’s students, citizens and businesses. | houses together in the ETJ on postage-stamp School was out
Xus, and over the next few weeks, Among them is a deduction for college | sized lots that are one-half the minimum sized
Texans will spend millions of dollars pur- tuition and fees. This saves families I allowed by Castroville’s ordinance Hi gh dollar Dear editor,
chasing gifts for friends and loved ones, thousands of dollars and allowsa greater condominiums would bethe only buildings on In response ^ Ms. Gilliam’s letter con- :
Added to each purchase price is a sales number of students to attend college each j such small lots that would benefit Castroville. cerning the education system / athletics at :
tax, which is higher in Texas than most year. It allows those who earn up to If this situation is not forestalled by control-MVISD.
other states. In the past, these purchases $65,000 (or $130,000 for a married cou- | ]ing minimum lot size in the ETJ the future Perhaps the next time she writes, she [
were essentially taxed twice -first by the ple) to take an educational deduction outlook caused by the initial precedent is plain should get her information correct before tak-
federal government on the earnings used worth up to $4,000. Families with higher | to see Our schools will be saturated both school ing unfair jabs at MVISD and its students,
to make tiie purchase, and then by the incomes (up to $80,000 for an individual and property taxes in general willskyrocket and First. The Victory Lane football send off
state on the purchase itself. However, a or $160,000 fora couple) may Qualify for a I ewas not a regular school activity. Many f
1.1 1 1 „ .1e borne by a base of owners, and quality of P . ,
bill passed by Congress m the last days deduction worth up to $2,000. life in the area will be diminished forever non-school fans and boosters participated. J
of our December session allows Texans to Another important part of this bill | Because the city does not have a zoning A lot of the signs were made by parents, :
deduct the sales tax from their federal benefits classroom teachers, who will be | authority in the ETJ the only way to control siblings, and visiting relatives during the -
incometaxes. allowed to deduct $250 for classroom] such situations is through lot size. Recently, Thanksgiving weekend. One of ours said, 1
Extending the state sales tax deduction supplies and expenses. Our teachers | the Planning and Zoning Board approved an "Beat Whimperley”...why wasn’t it published? :
was one of my top legislative priorities certainly deserve a break for reaching into | ordinance the required 5 acre lot sizes in the Slang terms are always used in posters and
their own pockets to improve the learning | ETJ. They saw the future and the need to activities such as this. 1 also saw the “Ias°” :
environment of our children. block just such situations that are now on our sign and laughed. Get over it!:
Technological innovation makes cru- | doorstep. Along with other mysteries at CitySecond. School had been dismissed i
cial contributions to long-term economic | Hall, the lot size was changed and approved by Tuesday afternoon for the holidays. The send
growth, and research and development is | Council at 12,000 sq. ft., which leaves no room off was on Friday. A teacher cannot approve
the lifeblood of innovation. To support this, to negotiate if we have to. The City should not posters for a non-sponsored activity during
the research and devel- accept any ETJ development proposals until the which school was not even in session. It is :
opment tax credit was ordinance for lot size is amended back to 5 acres, not a teacher sjob to baby sit"their students :
also extended. | Areas north of San Antonio, seeing what is being during these off times. Yes, parents still have :
Supporting research | done to former peaceful areas, are also proposing some responsibilities. .
and development helps I the adoption of 5 acre lots in self defense. Third. MVISD students have consistently ,!
American manufactur- In the meantime, plans and strategies need to placed in top positions in UIL academic
ers and the U.S. econo- I be considered. The strategy should include the competitions. Furthermore, athletes and 1
Council and a chosen group of citizens seeking other extracurricular activity students are ::
legislative assistance from our Representative held to higher academic standards (no pass,
and Senator while the Legislature is currently no play) than non-participating students,
in session. A legislative sponsor is needed to Traditionally, the upper 10% of graduating
allow necessary zoning authority in the City’s classes are comprised of athletes and extra-
ETJ for sufficient reason to protect the area’s curricular participants.
• unique historical character. The fact that First In regards to her comment about :so many
Lady Laura Bush designated Castroville as graduates taking remedial courses in col-
a “Preserve America Community", one of the lege, does she have solid statistics to back up
nation’s treasures, should be promoted in Austin this claim versus other school districts? Or,
to get the needed political support. This has is this just casual remarks and hear say?
been done successfully before. , MVISD has made tremendous strides in -
School system planners and directors should t eir school system over the past years. I “
be receptive to joining in a plan that could limit commend them for their efforts. This year
and control potential school overcrowding. Can has been extremely successful and upbeat N
the school system capacity be limited by voters with more to come. Too bad some folks inthe -
if they should elect not to approve further bond community are always digging to point out :
indebtedness for the MV School District? the negative with so many positives happen- :
It would be wonderfill if all the area newspa- ing. Terrific job students, staff, teachers and 1
pers could whip up support from the Medina coac 6S' Keep the spirit alivel h
Valley residents for this area of the county. After Randy Ray 5
all, they could be next on the chopping block. Castroville 5
Col. and Mrs. Irvin Keefer
!
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4
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
N EWS - B ULLETIN
The News Bulletin is published by
Legacy Newspapers, Inc., of Castroville, Texas,
Natalie Spencer, publisher
Castroville
Reporting - Christina Barbee,
William Alonso
Advertising -
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Victoria Johnson
Circulation -
Warren McDaniel
Photography - Jeff Wilton
Sports - Ken Gallegos, Daryl
Perales, Andy Rangel
Graphic Design -
Veronica Salzman
Production - Stella Besa
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Serving Castroville, La Coste and Rio Medina
501 Madrid Street
PO Box 1 547
Castroville, Texas 78009
538-2556 • Fax 931-3450
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Send letters to the News Bulletin, P.O. Box 1547, Castroville, TX,
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News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 14, 2006, newspaper, December 14, 2006; Castroville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1694140/m1/6/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Castroville Public Library.