2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Friday, January 29, 2010

Chron: Jenney Email On Budget Crisis Released By Teacher's Federation--

Superintendent's e-mail "dropped like a bomb"
January 29, 2010 2:51 pm Zen T.C. Zheng wrote:

An e-mail from Fort Bend school district chief Tim Jenney sent out to employees throughout the district on Friday morning created shock waves, representatives of a teacher’s union said.

“It dropped like a bomb,” said Anthony Lacsamana of the Fort Bend Employee Federation. “Teachers were alarmed.”

In his message, which was obtained by the Houston Chronicle, Jenney warned that a set of cost-shrinking measures will be unveiled in late February to end a cycle of the district operating under a deficit budget.

“We must take drastic action to work toward developing a balanced budget for the coming fiscal year,” he wrote.

A total of $18 million must be cut in operating costs, he said...

Full article: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/01/superintendents-e-mail-dropped-bomb#comment-1000

FBISDWatch Supports Dora Olivo For State Representative!


Due to bar association and other legal entanglements by Ms. Olivo's challenger, Ron Reynolds, in the district 27 state house race and her long dedication to education issues locally, FBISDWatch is supporting Dora in her bid for re-election. Get more from her campaign website on her service history and supporters at:

http://www.doraolivo.com/

FBN UPDATE 2-9-10: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/02/09/43849

FBN: HPD Association Endorses Raymond For DA--follow the link below for more--

See: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/01/28/43604

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Chron: New Police Chief For FBISD Is Sworn In!

See: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/01/new-police-chief-vows-open-communication#comment-936

FBN 1-28 update: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/01/28/43593

"In 2008, Campbell came under criticism for reportedly running his campaign to become Galveston County Sheriff while on school district time and from his school district office.

Despite calls from residents for the school district to investigate whether Campbell campaigned on school district time, district administrators never publicly acknowledged the complaints."

Background: http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/2009/10/fb-star-reports.html
Visit this link for more grass-roots groups involved in your local community on the important issues:

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/10/fort-bend-county-local-blogs-websites-independent-sources-info#comment-form

Monday, January 18, 2010

Chron: Asks the crucial questions on GSTC--

Has funding been secured for science center?

January 18, 2010 12:41 pm Zen T.C. Zheng, Chronicle

Here is an update – sort of - on the Global Center for Science and Technology and you may be disappointed with what I have to tell you...

http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/01/has-funding-been-secured-science-center

FBN: District Attorneys 2nd Debate (Sparks Fly)

Click for update....

http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/01/18/43380

Thursday, January 14, 2010

FBI: GSTC Controversy Update

"The conditions stipulated in the June 8 board resolution authorizing the administration to proceed further with the project have not yet been met, he said.

The board has not received any report on the fund-raising efforts for the science center project, Broxson said."

http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2227&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.com

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Get More On FBC DA Debate--click below--

http://mcelectioninformation.blogspot.com/2010/01/fbh-district-attorney-candidates-debate.html

http://www.fbherald.com/articles/2010/01/13/news/doc4b4df75a168d9551028901.txt

http://myfortbend.net/news/local/politics/1290-fbh-fbc-district-attorney-candidates-debate

Chron: Despite Community Opposition Jenney Moves Forward With Duplicate Science Museum (as DA continues investigation)-

Drymalla, SWH top-ranked for science center
January 13, 2010 9:03 am Zen T.C. Zheng, Houston Chronicle

Columbus-based Drymalla Construction Co. and Plano-based SWH Group top the lists of candidates seeking the job to build the Fort Bend school district’s $26 million Global Center for Science and Technology...

...Both companies have Houston offices and have been longtime vendors of the district for various construction projects...

...I asked district spokeswoman Mary Ann Simpson Tuesday if any partners have made such pledges and if the funds are in place. She said she doesn’t know but will check into it.

Superintendent Tim Jenney has said the project would not lead to an increase in the district's property tax rate.

The project, while welcomed by some teachers and parents, has elicited opposition among others, including those who are asking District Attorney John Healey to investigate if the district has violated state laws in its responses to critics’ request for public information on the project.

District officials hope to break ground on the science center early this year next to the district administration building in Sugar Land...


Get the full piece at: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/01/drymalla-swh-could-be-hired-science-center#comment-546

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Statewide Watch Network Picks Up Report On Investigation Of FBISD TPIA Violations

Get the full story on the investigation of FBISDs apparent violation of TPIA and possibly TOMA violations involving the $30 million dollar duplicate "Global Taj Mahal" building project.....

http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/12/fortbendnow-sheriffs-office-investigating-alleged-open-records-violations/

Friday, January 1, 2010

Wishing Everyone A Happy New Year!



FBI update: http://fbindependent.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=89&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=2193&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&r
estatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2531&hn=fbindependent&he=.
com


OP/ED: Another New Year Brings Hope (and more elections)

Every year we go through this. First we close out the old year with the obligatory reflection and then look ahead with hope for the new. How often have we looked back and found that little has changed locally, especially in the political realm. Last years local and national recession appears to be continuing unabated as we look at an unemployment rate in the county of about 8.5%, well up from the 5.5% of a year ago.

Naturally many of our local political leaders won't emphasize these negatives or the facts that our ad valorem (property taxes) increased in this down economy on average by almost 11% making us one of the most highly taxed counties in the U.S., according to the tax foundation, and the leader in Texas for this not so coveted crown, nor will they mention the huge jump in home foreclosures county-wide or increasing crime.

During recent yearly reviews, by organizations like the Fort Bend County Economic Development Council and many of their backed politicians, all we seem to be reading is how bright and "rosy" everything is. I guess we shouldn't bother to look more closely at some of these issues as we move into a bright and "rosy" new year. If we did we might start asking questions and looking at connections as well as projects that won't help many of the issues that impact our quality of life here in FBC, such as the unsustainable development of high density housing (apartments) and low end repeat commercial and industrial development all financed with our taxes and bond debt as older areas empty out.

So rather than bleeding more facts about challenges we must face in our community and the importance of independent elected officials that focus on those already living here, I think it is better to wish everyone the best and urge them to get involved as more local elections are approaching on March 2nd and again in May. Turn-out has been traditionally low, but there is always hope and that is one commodity that is usually free (not always though).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To get more involved this year see: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2009/10/fort-bend-county-local-blogs-websites-independent-sources-info