The Collin County Observer
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Candidate Forum videos: Plano City Council run-off
03/08/10
Candidate Forum videos: Plano City Council run-off
On Saturday, the League of Women Voters held a candidate's forum for the Plano City Council, Place 3 run-off between Andre Davidson and Cathy Fang.
The Observer was there with his hand-held camera.
Each candidate was given a 3 minute opening and then several questions were asked. Here are some clips from the forum:
Bill
Comments, Pingbacks:
Comment from: Davis Standard [Visitor] 
Cathy seems like a great person, but after watching these videos it is very clear who is more prepared to sit on the council. Andre will do a better than good job. I don't expect to see a Reagan on the council because it's exactly that, the city council. Out of these two candidates, Andre seems to be more in touch with Plano.
Permalink
03/08/10 @ 23:20
Comment from: Fang will Make a Difference! [Visitor]
I agree Andre comes across as more comfortable, but unfortunately her election doesn't seem to do much for Plano. She doesn't bring any experience to the council that is not already there.
I have spoken with Fang on many occasions, and she is a sharp lady. Her personal and business successes are a good test of her ability to make a difference. She brings a new skill set and a fresh set of eyes to a board desperately in need of some external influence.
Right now there is glaring absence of any substantive debate on the issues because all the council members have learned about the system by being a part of the system. That's not a very effective way to educate or manage.
We see it all the time in corporate America. Leaders being groomed by the system working their way up the ladder till they get their opportunity to be an executive. Then the company becomes complacent and loses market share, competitiveness, etc. Eventually they bring someone in from the outside to fix things. A new vision and a new perspective coupled with real experience can spur growth and efficiency.
Cathy has that fresh vision, and she wouldn't be where she is today if she didn't have the ability.
Permalink
03/09/10 @ 01:14
Comment from: Emma Berry [Visitor] · http://emmaberry.org
· http://emmaberry.org
Bill, thank you for posting your videos! This is great! It is so helpful for citizens to see the candidates candidly answering relevant questions. You have done a great service in assisting voters in making an informed decision.
It makes it much easier for voters to decide--especially so when these discussions are led by groups like the Women League of Voters because we know that the candidates will be required to answer real questions that make a difference in the lives of the citizens instead of phony politically staged questions that we see during our presidential "debates" such as why a candidate doesn't wear a flag pin or whether they believe in evolution or creation.
If any citizen reading my comment wants to know what happened to the presidential debates and why they are so "dumbed down", look up "Commission on Presidential Debates" in WIKI. Walter Cronkite referred to the formation of this corporation of the two parties as "the greatest fraud that was ever perpetrated on the American people." I agree with him.
This is but one of the many reasons why we see such little difference between the two parties today.
It makes it much easier for voters to decide--especially so when these discussions are led by groups like the Women League of Voters because we know that the candidates will be required to answer real questions that make a difference in the lives of the citizens instead of phony politically staged questions that we see during our presidential "debates" such as why a candidate doesn't wear a flag pin or whether they believe in evolution or creation.
If any citizen reading my comment wants to know what happened to the presidential debates and why they are so "dumbed down", look up "Commission on Presidential Debates" in WIKI. Walter Cronkite referred to the formation of this corporation of the two parties as "the greatest fraud that was ever perpetrated on the American people." I agree with him.
This is but one of the many reasons why we see such little difference between the two parties today.
Permalink
03/09/10 @ 02:26
Comment from: COLLIN COUNTY ATTORNEY [Visitor]
Davidson has my support. She is well qualified for the job. I would give Fang greater consideration if she wasn't burdened with the "Tea Party" label. She is a smart lady - why she got mixed up with those folks is a mystery to me. That Tea Party stuff doesn't fly in Plano.
Permalink
03/09/10 @ 06:36
Comment from: Mike O [Visitor] · http://datatroll.wordpress.com
· http://datatroll.wordpress.com
The North Texas Tea Party has not backed anyone as a group in this race; however, some members have joined the highly diverse group that is backing Cathy. Aisians, Southeast aisians, conservative hispanics, regular GOP conservatives and some of us Tea Party types.
And, other than duncan Webb's squeaker win in only a subsection of Plano, the 'establishment' has only pulled 41.5% and 43% to date. What doesn't fly in Plano?
And, other than duncan Webb's squeaker win in only a subsection of Plano, the 'establishment' has only pulled 41.5% and 43% to date. What doesn't fly in Plano?
Permalink
03/09/10 @ 07:30
Comment from: Davis Standard [Visitor]
Mike, I encourage you to keep taking credit for the victory of Keith Self. Hopefully, that will finish the job of damaging his reputation that he has already started.
But hey, you seem to be a positive guy. You're one of the few that can claim some type of victory when there actually wasn't one. In PLANO, races specifically for Plano voters only, you're group went 0 for 2. You can create all the dillusions you want and maybe that's why you and Keith Self get along so well. You guys should become bffs.
But hey, you seem to be a positive guy. You're one of the few that can claim some type of victory when there actually wasn't one. In PLANO, races specifically for Plano voters only, you're group went 0 for 2. You can create all the dillusions you want and maybe that's why you and Keith Self get along so well. You guys should become bffs.
Permalink
03/09/10 @ 15:39
Comment from: Allen Town Visitor [Visitor]
Question from video - what do you do about the budget?
Fang - payroll is 75% of the budget. We need to cut there.
Davidson - we need to raise revenue.
Bing! We have a winner - Fang.
Davidson didn't answer the question about the arts hall and convention center. Fang answered the question.
This is to Collin County Attorney and Davis Standard:
"The loosely organized group made of up mostly conservative activists and independent voters that’s come to be known as the Tea Party movement currently boasts higher favorability ratings than either the Democratic or Republican Parties, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll coming out later today."
Fang - payroll is 75% of the budget. We need to cut there.
Davidson - we need to raise revenue.
Bing! We have a winner - Fang.
Davidson didn't answer the question about the arts hall and convention center. Fang answered the question.
This is to Collin County Attorney and Davis Standard:
"The loosely organized group made of up mostly conservative activists and independent voters that’s come to be known as the Tea Party movement currently boasts higher favorability ratings than either the Democratic or Republican Parties, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll coming out later today."
Permalink
03/10/10 @ 09:47
Comment from: Plano Resident [Visitor]
I've read that Ms. Fang says she'll be a financial watchdog.
I'd normally think that an accountant would be very qualified for that role. Just to confirm that she's licensed, I pulled up her license status at http://www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/php/fpl/indlookup.php?x=4uM3l5yHivI%3D
It looks like someone filed a complaint against her with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy regarding her competence. It also looks like she was reprimanded by the Board as a result of that complaint.
This wasn't right after she was licensed - it was a decade and a half after she was first licensed.
It's been a long time since that case, but it may be worth noting.
Take that for what it's worth.
I'd normally think that an accountant would be very qualified for that role. Just to confirm that she's licensed, I pulled up her license status at http://www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/php/fpl/indlookup.php?x=4uM3l5yHivI%3D
It looks like someone filed a complaint against her with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy regarding her competence. It also looks like she was reprimanded by the Board as a result of that complaint.
This wasn't right after she was licensed - it was a decade and a half after she was first licensed.
It's been a long time since that case, but it may be worth noting.
Take that for what it's worth.
Permalink
03/10/10 @ 15:46
Comment from: COLLIN COUNTY ATTORNEY [Visitor]
Just got my Cathy Fang mailer today. Note to self - get someone to proof read that. Be that as it may, I find this one quote from her mailer to be notable:
"'We all know there is a slowdown (sic) in growth in Plano, but we need to SPEND money to make money,' Cathy said in a recent interview."
She also wants "good pay" for police and firemen. So, with her desire to adequately pay for our men and women and uniform and her desire to spend our money to make money, what exactly is she going to cut? She can't cut that payroll, which, by her definition, constitutes 75% of the budget. And she has some plan to "spend money to make money." Does she want to buy an Arts Hall or something? Just askin'.
"'We all know there is a slowdown (sic) in growth in Plano, but we need to SPEND money to make money,' Cathy said in a recent interview."
She also wants "good pay" for police and firemen. So, with her desire to adequately pay for our men and women and uniform and her desire to spend our money to make money, what exactly is she going to cut? She can't cut that payroll, which, by her definition, constitutes 75% of the budget. And she has some plan to "spend money to make money." Does she want to buy an Arts Hall or something? Just askin'.
Permalink
03/10/10 @ 18:40
Comment from: Allen Town Visitor [Visitor]
Collin County Attorney, the answers to all of your questions are right in those videos. Did you watch them?
In the videos posted on this article, you'll see Cathy Fang refer to the economic incentive fund when she talks about spending money to make money. That fund is not the general fund.
She also specifically addresses the arts hall in the video and mentions that a convention center creates more tax revenue than an arts hall.
In regards to what salary she'll cut, I think the city employs more than just police and fire. You know that, right? She specifically mentions the average amount of increase for government employees and how Plano's average increase is much higher. She has actual figures in the video above. You should watch them again.
In the videos posted on this article, you'll see Cathy Fang refer to the economic incentive fund when she talks about spending money to make money. That fund is not the general fund.
She also specifically addresses the arts hall in the video and mentions that a convention center creates more tax revenue than an arts hall.
In regards to what salary she'll cut, I think the city employs more than just police and fire. You know that, right? She specifically mentions the average amount of increase for government employees and how Plano's average increase is much higher. She has actual figures in the video above. You should watch them again.
Permalink
03/11/10 @ 08:47
Comment from: Davis Standard [Visitor]
Allen Town Visitor and anyone else that doesn't have a clue on how this works. I take it that you don't understand that Cathy Fang or Phil Dyer or Lissa Smith or any of them can't do anything about Police/Fireman salaries? Anyone running for city council that even mentions the notion that they would make cuts in those salaries should not be voted for because they don't even understand that they have no pwer to do that. So when Fang talks about salaries making up 75% of the budget, doesn't she realize that the majority of that 75% is untouchable due to the union agreements that police/fire salaries have with the city?
Make sure you are voting for someone because they understand what they are talking about and not because they say things that sound good in this political environment.
Make sure you are voting for someone because they understand what they are talking about and not because they say things that sound good in this political environment.
Permalink
03/12/10 @ 09:46
Comment from: Allen Town Visitor [Visitor]
Davis, who in this thread said that police and fire should have their salaries cut? Nobody. You are arguing by yourself.
That is twice in this thread that someone has made a straw man argument.
And you are way off in regards to your perceived impotence of the city council in regards to public safety hiring and salaries. Those associations do not have collective bargaining. Nobody does in Texas. That's a big reason why cities in Texas aren't hit nearly as hard as cities in other states with retired city employees collecting 90% pensions from age 50 on...
The city council, mayor and manager control the budgets of those departments and have already cut fire and police positions over several rounds of cutting the last two years. How did they do that if they can't be touched because of their powerful unions?
You are way off on this. But, again, nobody here actually stated that Cathy should cut police or fire salaries.
That is twice in this thread that someone has made a straw man argument.
And you are way off in regards to your perceived impotence of the city council in regards to public safety hiring and salaries. Those associations do not have collective bargaining. Nobody does in Texas. That's a big reason why cities in Texas aren't hit nearly as hard as cities in other states with retired city employees collecting 90% pensions from age 50 on...
The city council, mayor and manager control the budgets of those departments and have already cut fire and police positions over several rounds of cutting the last two years. How did they do that if they can't be touched because of their powerful unions?
You are way off on this. But, again, nobody here actually stated that Cathy should cut police or fire salaries.
Permalink
03/13/10 @ 17:05 Leave a comment:
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