By Lindsay Kastner - Express-News

San Antonio Independent School District Superintendent Robert Durón received a one-year contract extension Monday night, settling weeks of speculation about the future of leadership in the district.

The extension means his contract runs through June 30, 2013, but it comes with a catch. He agreed to a stipulation that he will no longer automatically receive a comparable raise when other district employees get a pay increase.

“I think the superintendent is committed to the district,” board President James Howard said after a closed-door meeting concluded. The board also voted to give Durón a satisfactory performance review.

Durón said he was “very excited, very appreciative.”

He addressed a small crowd at the start of the meeting, saying he joined the district “knowing that we as a community had a lot of work to do” and citing several accomplishments, including academic improvements at Sam Houston High School, improved fiscal stability and plans to launch Teach for America in the fall.

Interest in Durón's evaluation has run high. Recently, his administration has focused much of its attention on a long-range facilities plan that includes school closures and renovations contingent on a successful bond election.

The plan and the superintendent have both supporters and detractors, and both factions are keenly aware that leadership at the top influences momentum.

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By Gary Scharrer - Express-News

AUSTIN — Even if allegations about an illegal petition drive are true, knocking Green Party candidates off the November general election ballot before they can be proven imposes “a death penalty,” lawyers for the party argued Monday in a written appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.

The party has until Friday to certify its candidates for the fall election, but a judge Friday ordered it not to proceed because of an “unauthorized illegal contribution” by a corporation with Republican links.

“Despite the signatures of over 90,000 Texans, entrenched career politicians and their lawyers want to deny voters the right to choose in November,” said David Rogers, one of the Green Party lawyers.

A GOP front group — with help from Texas Republicans — raised $532,500 in anonymous contributions to help the Green Party get enough signatures to make the ballot. Democrats assume the liberal Green Party gubernatorial candidate, Deb Shafto, would siphon votes from Democrat Bill White and help GOP incumbent Rick Perry.

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USAA employees know what it means to serve, but we like to have fun too. Take a look at these employees rapping about our mission at our employee meeting. Special thanks to Quincy Lydell Jones, a USAA employee, for his great songwriting skills.

By Lindsay Kastner - Express-News

The San Antonio Independent School District should hold a $502 million bond election in November, a community-based committee told trustees Monday night.

The committee, chaired by state Rep. Mike Villarreal and parent Celina Peña, has met four times since mid-May to discuss district facilities, finances and voter proclivities.

Monday night was their first presentation to the full board.

The 35-member citizens' group recommends that all schools not slated for closure receive certain improvements, such as technology and security upgrades. Select other schools would receive a range of additions, renovations or other infrastructure fixes, primarily related to the district's long-range facilities plan.

The board recently decided to move forward with the first phase of that plan, which calls for closing some schools and renovating others, but those changes are contingent on the passage of a bond. Trustees have until Aug. 24 to decide whether to hold a November bond election.

“I don't want to do the same thing again, where we feel like we have to touch every school,” said trustee Carlos Villarreal, referring to a previous bond.

The committee also wants the district to conduct a fresh survey of potential voters, to answer questions like whether it would be advantageous to break a bond proposal into different propositions or stick with a lump sum.

The district commissioned a survey earlier this year to gauge the community's support for a bond, but Mike Villarreal said the committee wanted a new, more specific survey and one that includes Spanish speakers.

“There's no confusion on our part,” he said to the board. “You guys are the final decision maker.”

Then he began to laugh.

By Josh Baugh - Express-News

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff on Tuesday called for a multi-pronged approach to help ease traffic congestion that could include a local-option gas tax, an increased state gas tax and a local rail system.

Wolff said San Antonio drivers waste a week's time each year sitting in gridlock, and because of failures at the state level, local governments have had to “use every means possible” to combat worsening traffic conditions.

The county judge gave his annual State of the County address to a sold-out crowd in the county-owned AT&T Center during a luncheon held by the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

Though Wolff said he expects jobs to increase throughout the county in the second half of 2010, the local economy continues to be threatened by deteriorating traffic conditions.

“Our greatest threat to the continued economic expansion of our region is our transportation systems,” he said. “Our ability to move people and goods in an efficient and effective manner is slowly grinding to a halt.”

During the past decade, he said, San Antonio's congestion levels have increased at a faster clip than other American cities.

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By Josh Baugh - Express-News

Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson cast the tie-breaking vote Monday on a legal matter that centers on his own decision to disregard a Texas attorney general directive and instead sue the state office.

Early in the meeting, Adkisson said he would recuse himself from the decision. But he apparently changed his mind when it was clear that he otherwise wouldn't have enough votes to move his initiative forward — and after County Judge Nelson Wolff encouraged Adkisson to vote.

Wolff, who sided against him, said he would not prohibit Adkisson from voting because the Commissioners Court's attorney said it was unclear whether the commissioner had the right to vote. However, Wolff and the court's attorney agreed that Adkisson's vote could be challenged legally.

Voting with Adkisson were Commissioners Paul Elizondo and Sergio “Chico” Rodriguez, making the vote 3-2.

After the meeting, Adkisson said he was “not at all” concerned about the public perception of his voting in a matter that concerned him.

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By Gilbert Garcia - Express-News

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill White blasted Gov. Rick Perry Friday as a crony-appointing head of a “political machine.”

The former Houston mayor, a San Antonio native, stopped here to shoot a campaign ad revisiting his childhood, and also took time to speak to the Texas Press Association at a downtown luncheon.

White's success in November hinges on his ability to attract independent voters and disaffected Republicans.

Describing himself as a “fiscal conservative,” he told the TPA that the race is “not a matter of partisan or ideological difference, it's a deep matter of values.”

He said Perry consistently bases his decisions on the short-term political implications, rather than the long-term needs of the state.

White also contrasted his own vision of the state's future with what he described as Perry's failures in the areas of education, transportation and governmental transparency.

“In our Texas, our schools teach problem-solving ability and basic skills that are necessary to learn over the course of a lifetime, rather than how to simply take one big multiple-choice test a year,” White said.

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By Gilbert Garcia - Express-News

In his first year as mayor, Julián Castro prided himself on achieving City Council unanimity on most key votes, and has praised this council as a highly “collegial” group.

That bond might be tested next Thursday when a Castro-led resolution denouncing Arizona's immigration law comes before the council.

The council's three North Side members — Elisa Chan, Reed Williams, and John Clamp — all have indicated they won't support the resolution.

“The truth of the matter is, we are elected to do city business, which is to take care of our own challenges,” said Chan, a native of Taiwan who's the first immigrant ever elected to the council. “Whatever we do, we're not going to change Arizona's law. Do you think Arizona cares about what we think? So why are spending all this energy? I just don't think this is a good use of taxpayer dollars.”

Castro contends the resolution's power would be more than symbolic, adding its primary purpose is to dissuade the Texas Legislature from passing a similar measure.

“It's important for San Antonio to articulate its perspective on this issue because this legislation will be introduced in the next legislative session,” Castro said.

Two East Texas lawmakers, Leo Berman, R-Tyler, and Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, have indicated they plan to introduce bills similar to the Arizona law at next year's legislative session.The proposed resolution already have put a spotlight on San Antonio's thorny political demographics.

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By Josh Baugh - Express-News

The City Council on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a San Antonio Water System plan to create a tiered rate structure and a 6.5 percent overall rate increase.

The new rate structure, which will go into effect Nov. 1, is intended to send a message of conservation to the utility's largest consumers, who will see large increases in their water bills. The higher rate also will help pay for needed infrastructure improvements across the water system.

But for most customers, water bills will stay about the same or drop slightly because the new tiered rate will shift more of the burden to the city's largest users.

That was little consolation to Councilman John Clamp, who cast the lone dissenting vote.

He said some customers will benefit from the new structure while others won't.

“I'm not altogether comfortable with that scenario. I think there are some good things in this ordinance,” he said “And I also think there are some not-so-good things. So it's a mixed bag for me.”

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By Josh Baugh - Express-News

Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed has told Commissioner Tommy Adkisson that her office can't represent him in a lawsuit he wants filed against the Texas attorney general because her office could eventually prosecute him for violating the state's open-records law.

The county had sought an opinion from the AG as to whether Adkisson had to release e-mails from his personal accounts if they contained information on public business. The San Antonio Express-News requested the e-mails under the Texas Public Information Act because of potential insight they could offer to Adkisson's management of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, of which he is chairman.

When the AG ruled that Adkisson must turn over the e-mails or face criminal prosecution, he instructed the district attorney's office to sue the AG in a Travis County district court.

But because the district attorney could eventually have to prosecute Adkisson in the matter, Reed said there is a potential conflict, “and we're not representing him.”

Reed said her office must prioritize criminal prosecution over civil matters.

“As the attorney general, in his opinion, pointed out, there could be criminal violations,” she said. “I'm not suggesting that there are at this point, but because of that ... I'm required to withdraw.”

Reed said her office is not currently investigating the matter.

“I want to be clear that I'm not opening an investigation into him at the moment,” she said. “You just never know.”

Adkisson said Tuesday that he would not ask the Commissioners Court to fund his legal battle, even though it arises out of his official duties.

“I think I should by all rights (receive county support) — this is only occurring because I'm a public official,” he said. “But there's no reason to hand you guys a knife to stab me with.”

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By Josh Baugh - Express-News

A tougher anti-smoking proposal emerged Wednesday from the City Council's Governance Committee, though opponents of the measure remained resolute that it wouldn't eventually become law.

The strengthened recommendations, which will be considered in August by the Quality of Life Committee before heading to the full council later in the month, now include banning smoking in several public spaces, including the San Antonio Zoo, the River Walk, Alamo and Main plazas, parks and outdoor stadiums.

That's in addition to extending the city's smoking ban to bars, pool halls, comedy clubs, restaurants and bingo halls, as introduced in April.

Last week, when the council held a public hearing on the matter, public sentiment was fractured and council members largely remained silent.

Since then, Mayor Julián Castro said, his colleagues have had the chance to review the empirical data and consider the two sides' arguments from the hearing.

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By Aleksa Costa - Hearst Newspapers

WASHINGTON — South Texas is one of the poorest areas in the country, but the congressional delegation representing the region includes several millionaires, financial disclosure forms released Wednesday showed.

Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, remains one of the wealthiest U.S. senators, with a stock portfolio and other assets plus non-salary income — dividends, rent and royalties — totalling as much as $7.3 million, her report showed.

Those in the House with assets and outside income worth more than $1 million include Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi.

“Members of Congress are far wealthier than the population,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director for the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan watchdog group that tracks money in the political process.

Krumholz said that in South Texas, “a region that is so poor, there is perhaps a need and expectation that the members are really going to have to go to greater lengths to do their due diligence to appropriately represent the needs of their constituents.”

The 28 counties of South Texas have a population that's 81 percent Hispanic and a median income of $20,300 per person, less than half the state average of $42,139, according to the Texas Comptroller's Office.

Cuellar reported property and assets of nearly $1.8 million, offset by personal loans and a mortgage totaling nearly $600,000.

The third-term congressman said his humble beginnings as a child born to migrant farm workers keeps him in touch with constituents.

“I've worked hard for everything I have. I washed dishes to pay my way through college,” Cuellar said. “Whatever I've attained, I've done so for the betterment of my family.”

Lawmakers by law must report holdings, outside income and liabilities for public disclosure. But members of Congress are allowed to report assets and liabilities in monetary ranges that make it difficult for the public to determine exact net worth.

By David Espo - Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Displaying its remarkable clout, the National Rifle Association agreed on Tuesday to permit House passage of tougher disclosure requirements on campaign advertising and other political activity, one day after Democrats pledged to exempt the gun owners’ group from the bill’s key provisions.

Supporters of the measure conceded that without the NRA’s acquiescence, it was doomed to defeat.

“Any efforts to silence the political speech of NRA members will, as has been the case in the past, be met with strong opposition,” the organization said in a statement in which it pledged to refrain from lobbying either for or against the legislation’s passage as long as the exemption remains part of it.

The measure requires the listing of the names of the top five donors to an organization running political ads, including unions, businesses and nonprofit organizations. It also mandates that any individual or group paying for independent campaign activities report any expenditure of $10,000 or more made in excess of 20 days before an election. Expenditures greater than $1,000 would have to be disclosed within 24 hours in the final 20 days of a campaign.

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A coalition of students from across Texas will gather at the San Antonio offices of Congressman Henry Cuellar today in support of legislation that would give citizenship to some unauthorized immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.

The news conference begins at 2 p.m. outside Cuellar’s office at 615 E. Houston St.

The legislation at stake is the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. If passed, the law would apply to unauthorized immigrants who meet a list of requirements.

Texas DREAM Act Alliance, a collection of DREAM Act advocacy groups, and United We Dream, a network of immigrant youth organizations, are leading the rally.

By Gary Scharrer - Express-News

AUSTIN — Both major political parties signaled Monday that neither side is ready to give an inch on the politically divisive voter ID issue expected to come before Texas legislators again when the next session starts in January.

Republicans want to make elections more secure. Democrats, citing the lack of any large-scale fake voter problem, contend the GOP simply wants to make voting harder for Texans most likely to support Democrats — low income folks, minorities and the elderly.

Only 11 states have some sort of photo ID system for voting. Several of them, including Republican-dominated Idaho, allow voters without ID to sign an affidavit attesting to their identity. An affidavit creates a paper trail for prosecution if ineligible voters commit perjury.

But Texas Republicans won't go for that, House Elections Chairman Todd Smith, R-Euless, said Monday after his committee received reports about voter fraud in Texas.

Texas lawmakers will have to deal with a multi-billion-dollar state budget shortfall, contentious redistricting and growing problems with school funding next year — and a strict voter ID bill will again poison the atmosphere, Democrats warned.

Republican state senators changed Senate rules last year to get around Democratic opposition and approve a voter ID bill. House Democrats responded late in the session by stalling legislation to kill it.

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Peggy Fikac - Peggy Fikac

AUSTIN — GOP strategist Royal Masset thinks Republican Gov. Rick Perry is unlikely to debate Democratic challenger Bill White, and his reasoning has nothing to do with Perry's call for White to release more tax returns first.

“I think there's a real probability we won't have a debate. I just don't think Rick sees it in his interest to have one,” said Masset, former political director of the Republican Party of Texas. “All he'd be doing is giving name ID to an opponent.”

Masset — who disagrees with those in his party who offer angry rhetoric on issues like immigration — backed U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the GOP primary but plans to vote for Perry in November. Masset noted that voters rarely see an unscripted answer in a debate, but White could bring something different — and that's no advantage to Perry.

“He (White) is plain-spoken. He is very specific-oriented,” Masset said. “He's kind of our nightmare ... Why give him a chance?”

Democrat Garry Mauro, who pushed successfully for a debate in his doomed 1998 race against then-GOP Gov. George W. Bush, noted it's typical for an incumbent who's ahead to shun debates, since a face-off offers the chance for an error and grants stature to an opponent. He thinks candidates owe it to the public to debate but said, “There's no reason for Rick Perry politically to want to debate.”

Political observers agree on debates' value.

“We're making judgments not just about what they are saying, but how they look when saying it. There's a reason (unsuccessful GOP gubernatorial contender) Debra Medina's poll numbers seemed to shoot up after the first debate. She looked like she belonged on the same stage with Gov. Perry and Sen. (Kay Bailey) Hutchison,” said political scientist Jerry Polinard of the University of Texas-Pan American.

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By Gilbert Garcia - Express-News

DALLAS — “Are we running against Barack Obama or Ciro Rodriguez?”

That was the question posed Saturday at the GOP state convention to Scott Yeldell, campaign manager for San Antonio-based congressional candidate Francisco “Quico” Canseco, by a Canseco campaign chairwoman.

Without missing a beat, Yeldell said: “We're actually going after (U.S. House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi much more than Barack Obama.

“This election is about taking the gavel out of her hand.”

In order to do that, the GOP must gain 40 House seats this November, and both Democrats and Republicans say the Rodriguez-Canseco race will be a litmus test for that push.

Democrats privately say Rodriguez's position could be vulnerable, partly because much of his sprawling district — which runs northwest from San Antonio to El Paso — is rural and solidly Republican, and partly because Canseco's Latino roots could help him to cut into Rodriguez's strong base on the South Side of San Antonio.

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By Joe Holley - Houston Chronicle

U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, announced Saturday that he’d file legislation early this week that would rescind the Obama administration’s six-month ban on deep-water offshore oil drilling.

The moratorium “is turning a tragedy into a nightmare,” Olson said at a news conference at the state Republican convention in Dallas.

Several owners of offshore-drilling supply companies said their businesses and the industry as a whole will be devastated by the moratorium.

“There will be massive layoffs if the moratorium continues,” said Billy Brown, owner of Blue Line Manufacturing, a Houston tool manufacturing company.

Houston, he noted, is the manufacturing hub of the offshore industry.

“We should not kill the patient in order to save the patient,” said Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “The Obama administration decision to have what they call a temporary moratorium is exactly the wrong medicine. Tens of thousands of jobs depend on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Barton noted that drilling in the gulf produces about 1.5 million barrels of oil a day and that 80 percent of that amount comes from the deep zone.

Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, said that “if this moratorium continues . . . we risk putting out of work 46,500 workers.”

June 8 Examiner Todd Kinsey

Last week in speech at the K. Neal International Trucks Plant in Maryland, President Obama trumpeted the May Unemployment Numbers. "The economy added 431,000 jobs. Now this is the fifth month in a row we've seen jobs grow. - This report is a sign that our economy is getting stronger by the day" the president said.

Well let's dig a little deeper into this 431,000 jobs. Only 41,000 of these jobs were in the private sector and 390,000 of these jobs are temporary census workers bringing the total to 550,000 census workers (an estimated 1.4 million temporary workers will be hired in total). To put that in perspective, that is once census worker for every 560 people in America.

I find it hard to believe that it takes that many people to conduct the census. How does that compare to other sectors that actually contribute to the economy?

* Census = 550,000 Workers
* Airline workers = 456,000 Workers
* Electronics & Appliance Store = 480,000 Workers
* Oil & Gas = 165,000 Workers
* Rail = 216,000 Workers
* Utility = 557,000 Workers
* Source - Bureau of Labor & Statistics & iMarketNews.com

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Current Texas 2010 November Election Candidates List Bexar County

Order: Republican (R), Democrat (D), Libertarian (L), Independent (I) Candidates

20th District US Representative

Clayton Trotter (R)
Charlie Gonzalez (D)
Michael Idrogo (L)

21th District US Representative

Lamar Smith (R)
Lainey Melnick (D)
James Arthur Strohm (L)

23th District US Representative

Quico Canseco (R)
Ciro Rodriguez (D)
Martin Nitschke (L)

28th District US Representative

Bryan Underwood (R)
Henry Cuellar (D)
Stephen Kaat (L)

Texas Governor:

Rick Perry (R)
Bill White (D)
Kathie Glass (L)
Thomas Ritter Helm (I)

SEE Everyone By Clicking Read More

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Kinky Friedman Bashs Democrats and Republicans. Now he is running as a Democrat for Agriculture Commissioner

For Immediate Release
Monday, January 04, 2010
For further information Contact: Choco Meza at 273-8783 or
Chris Alderete, Campaign Manager at 240-5344

Choco G. Meza, files for Bexar County Democratic Party Chair;
Pledging to Achieve Full Disclosure and Accountability

On Saturday, January 2, 2010, current Democratic National Committee (DNC) member, Choco G. Meza filed for Bexar County Democratic Party Chair. Flanked with family and friends, Choco filed pledging to work side by side with Democratic voters, precinct chairs, elected officials, long time party leaders and donors who want to help restore the integrity of our party.

Fully understanding that the Democratic Party is strapped for cash and mounting bills to pay, Choco is not deterred from filing to lead the Democratic Party. Immediately after filing the required forms, Choco told her supporters: “It is imperative that the Democratic Chair move aggressively to restore missing funds, meet all financial obligations and comply with all law enforcement agencies in achieving full disclosure and accountability. I am committed to create a professional environment that is open and inclusive; setting up transparent financial records and establish a committee of professional accountants to ensure annual independent audits.“

Choco has been involved in Democratic Party politics for over 30 years. She currently serves as the Precinct Chair for Precinct 3079, is one of 12 Texans elected to the DNC, a member of the Southern Region DNC Caucus; Women’s DNC Caucus, and Chair of the Southern Region for the National Hispanic DNC Caucus.

County Judge Nelson Wolff, the highest county Democratic official, and a supporter of Choco’s candidacy feels strongly that, “The Democratic Party needs someone like Choco, she has local, state, and national political experience, tremendous organizational skills and someone who will not compromise the integrity of the party.”

Her website lists hundreds of supporters from throughout Bexar County, which include a host of elected officials, precinct chairs, and individuals with a long and rich history of community and political participation in San Antonio, Bexar County, the State of Texas, and the nation.

According to State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, “Choco is a breath of fresh air and stepping up to lead the party at the right time. She brings integrity, a deep desire to unite our party, and a respectful approach to voters regardless of political affiliation; she is committed to promote the party’s public policy agendas and create confidence which will help grow the Democratic Party.”

State Representative Ruth Jones McClendon wants an inclusive party and states: “I am confident that Choco will include the Eastside, Westside, Northside, and Southside in all Democratic activities, she always has and I know she always will,” Representative McClendon is listed as a supporter on Choco’s website at www.chocomeza.com.
Choco is married to Daniel S. Meza, has a son, Daniel J. Meza, currently working at the US Department of Commerce, a daughter, Ivalis M. Gonzalez, a first year law student at St. Mary’s University, and a son-in-law, Manuel Gonzalez. Choco is a graduate of St. Mary’s University.
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