The Freestone County TEA Party on Monday evening was opened in prayer by Henry Horton and the pledges to the U. S. and Texas flags. Freestone County Judge Linda Grant was our first speaker. Judge Grant gave an overview of how and when the county budget is determined to cover all expenses. By looking at past budgets you can generally get an idea of future needs. All years are different, however. Because of a sizable drop in mineral values this year, as well as a protest by Luminant on their appraisal by the appraisal district, there is a large gap in anticipated revenues and budget requirements. The difference in income requires a tax increase of no less than 5.4 percent to meet the effective tax rate which is what the tax assessor needs collect to have no change in the budget. The budget needs to provide services to all our people.
Logan Wilson spoke passionately about his experience with Texas Central Railroad and their threat to condemn their family farm at Personville. The Texas Central Railroad owns no tracks, no cars, no locomotives, no engineers, no brakemen, nothing related to trains! One would think this is a Texas based company funding this project, however 80 percent of investment money is provided by the Japan Bank of International Cooperation. A petition to STOP the high speed rail has been signed by thousands. Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, many Legislators, county judges county commissioners, and good citizens of Freestone and Limestone Counties are supporting stopping the High Speed Rail! It is now up to the State of Texas to decide if TCR should be granted the use of eminent domain. Please write your Congressmen!!
Kyle Workman, founder of Texans Against High Speed Rail, talked about working as a cohesive unit to coordinate all efforts to STOP the high speed rail. He began in February of 2015 traveling up and down the corridor, taking the fight to Austin and DC. The group was successful in arguing before the federal Surface Transportation Board that the TCR is not interstate business, and does not qualify for eminent domain rules under the federal government. He told us that once this deal is started with Japan, it must continue only with Japan, i.e. cannot be transferred to another foreign company such as France or Spain – any other country in the world – once track is laid because Japan uses non-standard specifications for rail, materials, etc. He also stated that Japan is trying to export their out of date high speed rail technology because they cannot expand within their own territory. Mr. Workman was most informative and has been a great help to the Wilson’s and all parties fighting the high speed rail project. He advised that it is now up to the State of Texas to decide if TCR should be granted the use of eminent domain. This will be a big issue in the 2017 Texas Legislature session, will get mean, and we all need to be involved, contacting our representatives. Please see his website at www.texansagainsthsr.com for more information.
The Cayuga Project in Corsicana was defeated, thanks to Governor Abbott and Senator Birdwell, citizens and The Conservative Society of Navarro County.
Our meeting was closed in prayer by Karen Albright.
God bless America! Donations welcomed.
