The
Baumbach Campaign for February
4 ,
2006 |
Vol. 2 No. 7
FROM BILL - Good old boy games, Collin County style
The 2006 election season is here... campaigns are heating up in Collin County, and civic groups are holding candidates forums. Unfortunately, many of these groups exclude Democrats under the guise of only inviting candidates from "contested primary races". This is an old Collin County custom that keeps the voters from hearing both sides of the issues, and it has to stop.
I and my campaign have decided to not allow this undemocratic practice to continue unchallenged.
The Collin County Teen Court, a county supported activity in Justice of the Peace Peyton's court held one of these "forums" this Saturday. When I heard of it, I protested to Judge Peyton, and when he still refused to allow me a seat at the debate, to the press. My protest was based on the fact that the Teen Court (which I think is a fine organization, worthy of support)had been misled by it's Republican adult leaders and had no business holding what amounted to a Republican Party rally on Plano city property.
About 15 of my supporters and I went to the forum to pass out campaign literature and to let the audience know that no Democrats were allowed a place on stage. My fears of the so called "forum" being a GOP rally proved to be well-founded. The moderator was an elected Republican State Rep., the sponsor an elected Republican JP, and the organizer, a staff member of GOP Congressman Sam Johnson's office. Even the black-suited teen ushers were all Young Republicans, sporting little elephant lapel pins.
I don't know if the teens of Collin County smelled a setup or not, but they sure stayed away! There were more Baumbach Campaign volunteers at the "forum" than there were teens. And it appeared that most of the teens there were related to the candidates.
I want to thank those volunteers who answered my appeal for help at the last minute to spend a Saturday afternoon listening to Republicans. The GOP good old boys couldn't help but notice we were there. My protest got page 1 coverage in the Plano paper - I tell you, we got their attention.
I put all the good old boys on notice. If you call yourself a "civic group", then act like one! Invite all candidates. If you exclude Democrats, I and my supporters will be there, and we will be heard!
BAUMBACH - VAN OS JOINT RALLY
& FUNDRAISER
Make plans to attend a rally and fundraiser for the David Van Os campaign for Texas Attorney General, and for Bill Baumbach for Collin County Commissioner on Friday evening, February 24th. The details and location will be announced next week.
If you've never heard "the people's lawyer", David Van Os speak, you're in for a real treat. His famous quote, "Fight-em 'till hell freezes over, then fight-em on the ice" aptly describes the battle David is waging across Texas. In his 30 years as a labor lawyer he’s fought for the rights of thousands of working people in every walk of life, and now he's fighting to represent all Texans as the state's top lawyer.
Come enjoy meeting and hearing David and Bill speak, and helping them in their campaigns to elect new leadership in Texas and Collin County
IN THE NEWS...
| On the front page
of Saturday's Plano Star Courier Democratic commissioners court candidate Bill Baumbach plans to attend today's Collin County Teen Court candidate forum, even though he wasn't personally invited. His Republican opponent for the Precinct 2 seat, Jerry Hoagland, said he was informed about the 3 p.m. event at the Plano Municipal Center, but cannot attend. Only candidates in races contested in the March 7 primary will speak, said Justin Nichols, who organized the event for John Payton, the Precinct 3, Place 2 justice of the peace who heads the Teen Court. Neither Baumbach nor Hoagland are opposed in their party's March 7 primary. They will face each other in the Nov. 7 general election. "The way your forum is structured perpetuates the exclusion of the minority party," Baumbach wrote to Payton. He called today's function a "Republican rally." "All public officials were informed of the forum, but they will not be able to participate unless they are in a contested race," Nichols said. "This debate is not about Republicans debating Democrats. Everyone is welcome to attend." Payton is disappointed that an event designed to get youth informed and involved is being questioned. The Teen Court plans another forum before the November elections and is allowing only those under 21 to ask questions. "Bill Baumbach is trying to create an opportunity to get his name in the press," Payton said Republicans scheduled to attend include Collin County Judge Ron Harris and opponents Keith Self and Rick Neudorff, County Commissioner Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Hatchell and his opponent Jeran Akers and Collin County Clerk Brenda Taylor and her opponents Matt Hilton and Stacey Kemp, said Justin Nichols, who is organizing the forum. . "The teen court is holding party to expose youth to the political process. If there was a contested Democratic ballot, we would hold that as well," said Payton, who was elected to office at age 18. "We have directed the candidates to comment on how their offices impact the youth." Still, Baumbach said, today's forum is part of Collin County's method. "We have to try to break the habit," he said. "I draw the line right now." Contact staff writer Amy Morenz at 972-398-4263
or amy.morenz@scntx.com. |
| Fricso Enterpise February 3, 2006
.... With May elections on the horizon, the future of SH 121 will undoubtedly become a campaign issue. One Democratic candidate in Collin County has stood up and spoken against the NTTA plan, calling it "Robin Hood." In a letter to supporters today e-mailed to supporters yesterday, Collin County Commissioner Precinct 2 candidate Bill Baumbach called the plan "hasty" and called on the Commissioners Court to "slow down and call for public input" before adopting or endorsing the SH 121 plan by the NTTA. Baumbach is running uncontested in the Democratic primary for County Commissioner in Precinct 2. In November he will face off against long-time incumbent Jerry Hoagland, who also has no primary opposition. Baumbach said his position that tolls should only be collected to pay for the cost of the road, after which time the toll booths should be "torn down." "Monday, January 30, the North Texas Turnpike (sic) Authority board hastily endorsed a plan, drawn up over the weekend, for the expansion of SH 121 under its control," Baumbach wrote, "NTTA board members rightly complained they had no time to study the proposal adequately before they were asked to vote for it. I am troubled by the haste with which it was conceived and ram-rodded through the NTTA. This plan proposes to expand the road as a toll road. Where it loses my support is the proposal to turn $500 million in collected toll revenue to Austin over the next 50 years. This is nothing more than highway robbery, a Robin Hood plan for roads. I've repeatedly stated my belief that if a toll road must be built, tolls should be used to retire the original construction costs, then the toll booths should come down." Baumbach's objections about SH 121 toll revenue stem from the proposed mechanism of taking the excess money, paying it to the state, and the state turning it back around to Collin County officials for local highway projects, he said. "As badly as we need this expansion, let's not rush headlong into a decision that is nothing more than a new tax, one we'll be forced to live with for half a century," he wrote. "It is only prudent that before creating this or any other tax, the commissioners call for detailed financial analysis, and for public input." The Frisco City Council will review the NTTA plan at its next meeting Feb. 7.
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CAMPAIGN APPEARANCES
Look for us, and come join us at -
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Monday
February 6th |
Collin county Deputy Sheriffs Assoc Candidate forum Southfork Hotel, Plano 6:30 PM |
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Thursday
February 9th |
Stonewall Democrats Mario's, Plano 6 PM |
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Friday
February 10th |
DPCC Fellowship dinner 6:30 PM Location TBA |
CAMPAIGN WEB SITE - We need your support!
The website contains issues papers, a volunteer form, and now has an online donation page.
We need your financial support to take our campaign to 87,000 Collin County voters.
Checks can be mailed to:
The
Baumbach Campaign
505
Rustic Place
Wylie, TX 75098
or call Bill at 972-979-6449, and he'll be happy to pick up a check.