FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bill Baumbach 972-979-6449 Event Photos and Pledge Text available at http:// www.baumbach.org December 28, 2005 Baumbach Launches Collin County Commissioner Campaign Wylie, TX

In front of a crowd of over 40 cheering supporters at the Collin County Democratic Party headquarters in Plano, Wylie resident Bill Baumbach today officially launched his campaign for the Collin County Commissioners Court.

Baumbach signed and submitted the paperwork to county Democratic Party Chair Deborah Angell-Smith at a 6:30 p.m. rally on the steps of the party office at 18th Street and Avenue K. In formally declaring his candidacy for the Precinct Two Commissioner’s seat currently held by Jerry Hoagland, Baumbach signed a copy of his campaign pledge to Collin County voters, in which he promises to:

• Accept only $70,000 of Hoagland’s current $87,000 annual salary.

• Refuse to accept Hoagland’s $9,100 annual car allowance, calling it “just more salary.” As commissioner, Baumbach will ask to be reimbursed only for actual mileage incurred for county business.

• Work to end the practice of awarding longevity pay, which Baumbach terms “re-election bonuses”, currently given to re-elected commissioners. Baumbach contends longevity pay was originally conceived as a tool to help the county retain qualified fire and law enforcement professionals, not as a reward to politicians for being re-elected.

Additionally, Baumbach said he will not use the commissioner’s job as a way to put his family on the county payroll.

In a speech to supporters, Baumbach labeled these as “taxpayer rip-offs” and a direct result of Hoagland’s 25 years as Precinct Two Commissioner. As Commissioner, Baumbach will push for terms limits for the office.

Addressing the issue of Highway 121 becoming a toll road, Baumbach said he felt tolls should be applied only towards retirement of the original bonds used to fund the highway’s expansion, not as an ongoing revenue source for new county projects. Once the bonds are paid off, “down come the toll booths,” he declared.

In summing up his candidacy, Baumbach said, “These are not Democratic or Republican issues. They’re Collin County issues. It’s all about returning responsibility and accountability to county government, something we all want and deserve.”