The Llano Ledger


Newsletter Text V20

This Website Is Full. Starting With The December 25, 2000 Newsletter, All Future Editions Will Be Posted In The Llano Ledger 2, Found By Clicking http://maxpages.com/llanoledger2.

*************************December 13, 1999**************************

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) may begin paying property taxes on its electric utility assets. Further action by the Board of Directors as well as the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is required. Although far from fruition, Chief Appraiser Gary Eldridge and County Judge J.P. Dodgen are salivating in anticipation. After all, the County will have more to loot.

Think we'll see a reduction in taxes? ... For a year or two before the Commissioners find additional ways to waste funds and line the pockets of their cronies? Readers should clearly understand this is no windfall to the County. Despite assertions to the contrary, electric consumers will ultimately bear the brunt and pay the price. -- Someone has to. Nothing is free, -- except the bull from our officials.

Our illustrious Chief Appraiser apparently thinks the addition of LCRA to the rolls will enhance tax stability. Is that right, Mr. Eldridge? Let me pointedly remind you sir, you and your cronies could quickly and truly accomplish the same purpose much more effectively by appraising lakes' area properties properly and fairly, -- instead of approximately twice reality. We can't have that now, can we sir? After all, lakes' area taxpayers from Tow to Horseshoe Bay are indeed convenient targets for looting, aren't they? Who else can carry the County, no?

Our equally illustrious County Judge is crowing about a possible reduction in taxes. Amusingly, to the tune of some 7%. Is that right, Mr. Dodgen? How would you know? ... The properties haven't even been "appraised" yet by Gary and the "Boys". Besides sir, any possible reduction won't make up for the increase in taxes looted from property owners this year due to another egregious increase in appraisals. -- A bit disingenuous, aren't you Judge?

Corporate welfare is indeed alive and well in the City of Llano. Hotel/Motel Tax funds distributed to the Llano Chamber of Commerce will increase $10,000 to a total of $35,000. How sweet it is, no? How many of these greedy hypocrites argued passionately against welfare and food stamps for the state's impoverished women and children? -- Nothing like "rugged individualism", no? ... As our government officials and business leaders gleefully laugh all the way to the bank. ... Giving thanks each Sunday for THEIR good fortune. -- "Ain't" hypocrisy grand?

Chamber Executive Director Regina Eldridge will apparently receive a 50% increase in salary to $24,960, -- courtesy of Hotel/Motel funds. ... Readers should carefully consider the significance of this last statement. -- We have a business leader in private enterprise receiving a 50% increase in salary directly from Hotel/Motel Tax funds. Money has been legally looted from taxpayers to pay the salary of an official in private enterprise. ... Can it be any clearer? This is indeed "welfare" in all its splendor and glory. Whatever happened to capitalism and free enterprise? Now, not only are taxpayers legally looted by the Chief Appraiser, but by the Executive Director of the Chamber as well. "Ain't" welfare grand? Where's the indignation of this county's Extreme Right? Their current silence is indeed deafening. ... Who can forget their self-righteous and phony piety during welfare reform? While the economy is certainly booming, there ARE hungry people in this county. -- Many of them elderly. ... Think our government bureaucrats and business leaders will go without this Christmas?

Readers are reminded Ms. Eldridge ignored repeated requests for information from _The Ledger earlier this year during an investigation of a proposed Hill Country Wildlife Museum (HCWM)-Chamber merger. HCWM President James Babcock had apparently pressured Mayor Terry Hutto and Councilman Lance Center to threaten the Chamber with a loss of Hotel/Motel Tax funds if it didn't quickly agree to the deal. ... Of course, our illustrious prosecutors apparently had their heads securely lodged in a bodily orifice that seldom sees the light of day. ... What's new, right?

Who says Llano doesn't need a second hardcopy newspaper? Sadly, this electronic publication was the only area media outlet to expose the fiasco. When Ms. Eldridge stonewalled repeated requests for information, copies were sent to every Chamber member for whom I could find an e-mail address. -- Dozens. Apparently, enough pressure was then brought to bear, forcing Babcock to back down. Readers should fully understand these businesses were not spammed. Each copy was sent separately with a cover message. -- An enormous amount of work. ... Relentless? You bet. Determined? No question. ... Should this publication become profitable, think Regina will extend an invitation to join?

All joking aside, receiving considerable taxpayer support, why isn't the Chamber subject to the Texas Open Records Act? Not an attorney, maybe it is. If not, why not? Receiving public assistance, why shouldn't it be subject to disclosure? At the time of the proposed HCWM-Chamber merger, I had no time or interest to force the issue. Time to reconsider, no? Readers should also understand the Chamber wanted the County to pay for an upgrade to the Courthouse electric service system. The upgrade is necessary to provide power for Christmas lighting Chamber businesses directly benefit from. While the Chamber has spent some money of its own this year, the issue has NOT been settled. -- Clearly, there's no end to corporate welfare or greed.

While Ms. Eldridge's husband, the Chief Appraiser, has been a frequent and continued target on this website, this writer has carefully kept both issues separate. Apparently, Ms. Eldridge cannot, -- as her failure to reply to information requests would indicate. Sadly, providing information to this publication WAS indeed in the best interest of the Chamber, -- especially when it was faced with an unethical, unwanted merger attempt.

From recent remarks in another publication, apparently Mayor Terry Hutto has finally seen the light and now understands the Council cannot manage the Chamber. Interesting, no? Clearly an epiphany. Not to be slighted, HCWM received $9,000 in Hotel/Motel funds. ... The Council has to take care of everyone, no? -- Except the taxpayers. Sadly, all seem to have forgotten this money has been looted from citizens visiting the city. Downright neighborly, no? So much for rugged individualism. That's reserved for the poor, right? Not the "haves". Certainly not for business. Taxpayers are apparently willing to obligingly bend over and await the shaft. ... Rest assured, it'll continue unabated. This writer is not opposed to small business, and has been self-employed since graduate school in a variety of endeavors. My opposition is to the greed, guile, and hypocrisy.

Indeed, the level of hypocrisy, greed, abuse, disingenuousness, and outright lying in our community is staggering. It's time for the taxpayers to finally wake up and understand what's happening. It's certainly the function of this publication to facilitate the process, -- no matter whose beak's tweaked. My apology to the readers for not getting to the jail statistics this edition. Late-breaking shenanigans of our government and business leaders must take precedence.

Regarding the jail stats, there is indeed much to be presented, analyzed, and discussed. This will take weeks, if not several months to adequately cover. I'll intersperse their presentation with other ongoing issues. If necessary, I may publish more than one edition weekly. We'll see. ... Readers should understand there is much going on behind the scenes not readily apparent, but critically required for production of each edition. More importantly, there is also a continuing time-consuming effort to contact former prisoners listed in the jail records. Some offenders have been clearly and egregiously abused by the system. Others have not. Determining the truth takes time and considerable effort. Fairness to officers as well as offenders is paramount.

I had originally intended to start presenting the results of the jail study this edition with the Public Intoxication and Driving While Intoxicated figures. It will have to wait until next week. Suffice it to say for now, the numbers are truly staggering for a small community. Indeed, these charges have become a financial cash cow for the County. While alcohol is certainly used and abused, the legal system is employing questionable tactics, -- particularly in the area of Public Intoxication. All this will be fully discussed next week.

... A gentle reminder: As previously mentioned, the pop-up and banner advertising belongs to Maxpages. _The Ledger receives no income from either, and remains non-profit. As always, this publication needs and appreciates donations from readers. Sadly, no other publication is willing to challenge corrupt and abusive officials. Readers can expect continued aggressive, relentless, officious, tireless pursuit of our most egregious offenders. ... Figuratively speaking, a "take no prisoners" approach, regardless of whose toes are stepped on, feathers ruffled, tail feathers plucked, or beak tweaked. Things CAN change in our community. Be part of it. Help me to help you. Support this publication.

Tim Chorney, Publisher



Tim Chorney, Publisher
P.O. Box 997
Buchanan Dam Tx. 78609

llanoledger@mailcity.com

Page Updated Tue Oct 9, 2001 1:30pm EDT