Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 89, No. 9, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 28, 1996 Page: 4 of 18
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Page 4A-PalJ*rio« Beacon-Wed., Feb. 28, 1996
Letters to
the Editor
Support proposal for street repairs....
Dear Editor,
We totally agree with Mr. Thill’s proposed method of fi-
nancing the repair of our deplorable streets. (Letter to the Edi-
tor. Feb. 21.) we would gladly forgo the property tax reduc-
tion to help finance better streets in our city.
Jerome and Bonnie Kimball
Mayor to seek referendum on proposed....
Dear Editor . * - '
In reference to Mr, R. B. “Bob” Tran’s Utter to the Edi-
tor in the Palacios Beacon on Feb. 21,1 feel that I should
offer a response. While Mr. Trull previously spoke to me re-
garding his suggestion concerning a different and temporary
use of the one-half cent sales tax to reduce property taxes, I
feel both the citizen/voter and Mr. Trull should be re-apprised
as to the original promise by the Mayor/Council for the use of
this sales tax money. i; - ». v n :
Before die citizen/voters of the City of Palacios voted to
impose the one-half cent sales tax to reduce property taxes,
the Mayor/Council agreed to use die funds generated to re-
duce the city’s property tax rate. The Mayor/Council has kept
their promise by reducing the property tax rate by 9-cents
over a two year period. The tax rate was 70-cents and now is
61-cents, so the promise has been kept.
The City of Palacios has approximately 35 miles of streets.
Of these streets, approximately 18 miles need repair and seal-
coating at a cost of approximately $10,000 per mile: 10-miles
need total rebuilding at $75,000 to $85,000 per mile: and ap-
proximately 7-miles are maintained by the State of Texas qr
will hasre $
private matching gn
grant money
ssee,at
private grant
have a program and a start for some street improvement in the
future. Although the $50,000 per year that is now being set
I’s suggestion,
with the City Council die possibility of placing a non-binding
referendum'on the Mav 4,1996 City Election ballot. If the
Council agrees to a referendum to ask the citizen/voter of
Palacios to raise the city property tax back to 70-cents, the
amount raised by the sales tax to reduce property tax could—
with Council approval—be used toward street repairs. Over a
five year period as requested by Mr. Trull, die amount per
street repair would amount to between $250:000 and
$290000. > ii'
If I can be of service, or provide an explanation concerning
Mr. Trail’s suggestion or the city’s tax funds, please feel free
to call on me. -\ , & j -x ■;
• v, Sincerely,
Geo. D. Holst, Mayor
City of Palacios
Jeffy to be missed around Pet. 3....
Dear Editor:,
Palacios team Early Fites
; J
5 YEARS AGO-1991
Years of enjoying one of die lowest tax rates in the state are
expected to come abruptly to an end for Palacios 1SD taxpayersi
year as the state legislature hammers out a school financing refx
bill which couldskyrocket the local tax rate from 66% to 138%over
a four year phase-in. At the same time, the district’s expenditures
per student may be significantly curtailed.
10 YEARS AGO-1986
Leonard Kunefke, Jr. and Margaret Lawson McElrath were in a
two way race for Place 2 on the Palacios City Council.Robert E. Lee
was running unopposed for the Place 1 position as was Incumbent
Mayor Leonard Lamar. James (Jim Bob) Murry, Jr. was seeking the
Position 3 seat on the PISD School Board cutffenftyheld by Bert
Miller.
30 YEARS AGO-1966
Gabriel C. Gatica and Fred O. Rojas were electrocuted last
Thursday when a TV antenna they were helping install came in
contact with high voltage wires.
Nineteen parents met last Thursday to re-organize the Palacios
Youth Organization.
Linda Walton represented the local FFA Chapter in the district
FFA sweetheart contest held in Bay City.
35 YEARS AGO-1961
Palacios’ new post office was nearly completed but die date for
moving into the new quarters was not known as they were waiting
for an official inspection and approval
The Texas Baptist Encampment had a new charter and it was
now on record as the Palacios Baptist Encampment.
F.M Jackson filed for re-election to the city council.
Prvftrh Roy Wauson’s eighth grade Hornets defeated Crain of
Victoria 41-39 for a perfect season, 22 wins, no losses or ties.
R.G. "Bob” Herlin was elected president of the Palacios Rotary
Oub.
KT 40 YEARS AGO-1956
According to a report released by the Bureau of Census retail
sales in Palacios in 1955 topped 3-million dollars.
Kay King and Helen Warn, Palacios girls attending John Peter
Smith School of Nursing in Fort Worth, received their nurse’s caps
SU2rriLt. Charles Shreve, forma- Junior High doaeix was serving -]
in Korea.
45 YEARS AGO-1951 § <
W/O.K.C. Linton, aboard the destroyer U.S& Evans, and his
brother. Nathan, aboard the U.S.S. Princeton, got close enough to
wave to each other recently as their ships re-fueled from the same
tanker at die same time in Korean waters.
Increased interest in the proposed bond issue in Navigation
District No. 1 assured a good attendance at the public hearing at the
Chamber of Commerce building tonight to discuss the proposition.
A city Civil Air Patrol squadron was to be fcnned at the
Municipal Airport Sunday afternoon.
50 YEARS AGO-1946
Plans for the new city hospital were almost completed and ]
preliminary work was well underway. The location site, between *
First Street and Bay Boulevard, had been surveyed in prepared#
for ground woik.
55 YEARS AGO-1941
With favorable weather the construction program on tire present
appropriation at Camp Hulen will be completed by die end of
March.
The Camp Hulen branch post office officially opened March 1
60 YEARS AGO-1936
Many improvements were being made in Camp Huteo and ihe -
Coast Artillery of Missouri and Arkansas were scheduled for
training there in August. It ^ - ||
Miss Beryl Forehand resigned as teacher at Turtle Bdy to take a j|
place in the schools at Port Lavaca. M
6$ YEARS AGO-1931
The Palacios Volunteer Fire Department held their annual ban- I
quet at the Do Drop Inn L.S. Appleton was elected chief. , ; ||
CJP. Conner opened a grocery store in his building two doors }l
west of Brandon’s. « ^
l\i I a(’* i ns
('•■Perspective
AG says statelfreasurer acted illegally
I
IA AUSTIN — State Treasurer
Martha Whitehead acted Illegally
in December 1994 when die shored
up the state-run Tfexpool investment
fond, according to a Tfexas attorney
general's opinion made public hist
**Tfexpool lost an estimated $2 bil-
rocktog to invalidate the $34
minion contract between the Tkxas
Department of Criminal Justice and
VitaPro Foods Inc. of Montreal,
QmB, die supplier of a scybean-
based meat substitute used to feed
Tfexas prison inmates.
tea report in foe
die March 12 primary, Tfexans will judge, according to aa advisqty
at last be free to bring voter’s by the U.S. Marshal's Seryfefc,
itirk* newspaper MiAnranmnita fee Houston Ckamide report! d
r printed materials into the last week. A memorandum dated
HHi ..... ta ^
sional way that he did bis job. fife has
couple of weeks. -
I sure am going to miss seeing old Jeffy all over Precinct 3,
coming down die toad with his hat and head cocked at about 30*.
Jeffy, thanks again.
Leon B ullock
“Bowers has a personal axe to grind”
Dear Editor,
I have seen many improvements come since I have lived in
Palacios. The fishing industry has had many advances and
imp
the
The present 1-----------------— ^ .JB.11,
years and are responsible for these improvements. I have seen
past elected county commissioners of pct#3 work well with
MCND#1 commissioners and support these projects. It puz-
zles me that all of a sudden we can have an appointed county
commissioner of pct.#3 who cannot work with the MCNDil.
Not only is he not willing to work with the MCND#1, he says
that he has numerous complaints about diem. If this is true
then the public needs to know what the complaints are and
who or how many persons are complaining. Then Commis-
sioner Bowers wards to replace all three commissioners at tire
same time, which will leave zero continuity to my projects
which are ongoing. This remind* roe of tire mother who went
to watch her son marching with the band to t parade and when
the band was going by she said, “Look, my son is the only
one in step. The band would look much better if drey twuld
get in step with him.”
State Ca;
HIG
HI do not understand Commissioner Bowers' stitement-that
changes need to be made for progress. The MCND#1 HSs
been working since some time in 1991 to acquire tire purchase
of approximately 16 acres of land to build * new Turning
Basin on property which will have a construction cost savings
to the tax papers. The purchase of Tony Carr’s property has
been ongoing since some time in 1992 to provide possible
recreational boating <tock facilities. Both of these (teals are
now under contract for sale. The new properties w0l provide
600'ofdokso«ceonniioothd*otTBnffSWfefer ,
concerned after news’!
regarding similar invest-
ments to high-risk "derivatives”
that caused the bankruptcy of Or-
ange County, Calif.
Whitehead responded by using
Treasury money to buy back some
of fee securities at book value,
to prevent losses for Tfexpool
members. The bailout cote Tfexas
taxpayers about $55 million, die
said.
The non-enforceable opinion —
requested by the director of the
Stele Pension Review Board —
was written by Assistant Attorney
General Susan L. Garrison.
•The state treasurer’s use of
funds to the state Treasury in De-
cember 1994 to purchase Tfexpool
fends at a price above the market
value was not authorized by law,”
Garrison wrote.
Whitehead told toe Houston purchase should bare been made
ChtmteU toe acted only after toe through its purchasing agency, toe
bad been assured tea Dec. 9,1994 General Services Commission,
meeting with three of Attorney ust week, slate Sen. Mike
General Dan Morales’ suffers that Moncrief, D-Fort Worth, __
her action would be "proper, legal, Collins of lying to a Set
necessary and toe best solution committee to October when be
to prevent devastating losses for -mder oath that his private
taxpayers at toe local level."
Morales called Whitehead's char-
acterization of toe meeting “un-
true." He dkl not comment on pos-
sible of toe alleged
violation of the atate cuosuiutice.
About 1,400 local school dis-
and other
polls.
Prior law prohibited voters from
bringing primed materials into
voting booths, but did allow
I\
Feb, 8 warned judges
Houston-based Southern
federal judicial region, to
serve 18 “ ‘
m
•mb
w
IGHTS
By LyndaU Williams • Texas Press Association
Austin American-Statesman, the
contract — now under investigation
by state and federal authorities —
was approved without competitive
bids by James A. “Andy” Collins.
Collins retired Dec. 31 from his
$120,000-a-year post as executive
director of the TDCJ, but continued
on die payroll through Jan. 31. In
January, VitaPro hired Collins as a
consultant at the rate of $1,000 a
day, said Thnk Barry, toe company’s
chief executive officer.
The state is seeking a refund
of $3 million already spent on
toe meat substitute,
#*vork to
Laredo, McAllen,
Galveston, Victoria and
Chritei.
n Austin State District
Joseph Hart fined John E. P
to bring sample ballots and jmdhis Maovdtex Inc., of
zorto County, a record $91
to
ter system so polluted tote tap ]
ter would catch fire. The
Atorney General’s Office
Bouton lawyer David Fttriow
challenged the 93-year-old law
and won a federal court decision
overturning toe law to November.
The Tfexas Secretary of State
decided not to appeal toe ruling.
"It’a not likely to adversely
affect to toe slightest degree what
goes on to elections," Furicw said.
Other Capitol Highlights
■ A Central Tfexas militia group
is plotting to kidnap a federal
gated the case at the request <
Tfexas Natural Resource r
tion Commission. Furaac
water well to i region with
gas and oil wdle without a
ing toe TNRCC or cuteomers i
47-home system aerved by his i
pany.
business (dans would not conflict
with his state job. Tfexas law
prohibits officials from conducting
business with state agencies for two
:tioa ft appears
progressing will
with some appropriate long
commissioners are
range plans
“Sweetheart Deals” only appear that way to someone who
has not done any background research or bear to the meet-
ings to keep up with the goings on. Maybe someone needs to
research the real “Sweetheart Deals” made by Commissioner
Bowers in his business deals, many of which he denies. If
people would come to the MCND#1 meetings (which are al-
ways open to the public and meet every third Thursday of
each month) they would be able to keep up with fee plans and
make suggestions to the district. I feel that when the dust set-
tles the truth is Commissioner Bowen has a personal axe to
grind against the MCND#1.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my opinion.
Sincerely,
___ Gladys Murphy
entities invest cash for short periods
in Tfexpool.
Comptftating matters beyond toe
difference between "book value”
and “market value" is toe feet
fete Whitehead’s office will be
abolished Sept 1, to accordance
with • 1
■ VHaPro Probe, Lawsuit
The state has Hied a lawsuit
Inmates pay for p
TteevWona and sports equipment In
purchased with state tote, but are
years after they have left office.
Alton rolunsky, chairman of toe
Tfexas Board of Criminal Justice,
ordered an investigation of die
VitaPro contract after the arrest
test moteh of Houston businessman
Patrick Graham.
Graham, who allegedly matfer-
a foiled prison escape plot,
"~7carrv»ng # bumness card show-
ing be was an independent salesman
for VitaPro when he was arrested.
Voters Guides OK el Polls
With early voting under wav for
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,' ' __ : *•• • * KP17 *
Inmate Trust Fund
Inmates receive
monay from family
and friend* that Is
^Jm&EaS
sP
fund.
Minimum
inmates
violent
spend up to
$60 every
weeks on
* such
things si
nygiene
•ospsnd
•swell as
Local Funds
Proceeds frbm
coiwnieeaiytotlee—
$4.2 million In fiscal
i SS5—are used to
pay for
such
ee
weight IWn$ ™
equipment, basket-
balls, board games
end TVs, as well mi
reoraettonel
ostsonnel.
4.
I > !•; a. r: o r\
Si'tx inn tin* ( if\ its ‘7/ir Vm Air-
Second Claw Postage Paid At Palacios, Texas 77465 (USPS 41846)
'
NICHOLAS M. WEST.
TON! SAYLORS......
LUCY WHITE._________
IEITA HOOPER.
•**•••*•••••••••«•••••••••••«•**• *1
1A
MEMBER
1995
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
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PALAfflQ? BEACON POLICIES
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m whole or in part
•Deadline for submitting articles or advertising is 12 noon Monday.
•At material published is at the discretion of the publisher. The publisher ]
reserves the right to edit all letters and other articles submitted to meet j
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content
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letters must bear the handwritten signature of the writer and include the 1
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the Palacios Beacon or its staff ,,
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tries, indudes picture Wedding sterlet are 10-col. inch#*, $3,001
anniversaries, includes picture. Wedding stories are 10-col. i
tor each additional inch Weddtog stories mutt be i
three weeks after tine ceremony to be
resoontible ter mistakes resultino from I
I seywiewaa ra* r.frswmws iw»wiw»tjp 11 W*l f r
•A $16.00 lee it charged on a pictures which t
i rieeoon is not responsible for any <
I no later tean!
;±r
•Any erroneous r
if brought to the attention of toe pubfisher
•The Nsean'i MbMy for any mistake m any advertisement»|
value of toe advertisement
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West, Nicholas M. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 89, No. 9, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 28, 1996, newspaper, February 28, 1996; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth725292/m1/4/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Palacios Library.