Message From The Texas Toll Party-Just Like The Boston Tea Party -International Express, Here We Come!

Who's Gonna Own Our Roads?

If the conversion of existing roads into toll ways and the unbridled toll tax on highways we've already paid for doesn't get your goat, how 'bout the international takeover of our public roadways? Sounds too outlandish to be true, but it's happening right here in San Antonio and around Texas. Maybe you've heard about the Trans Texas Corridor (http://www.corridorwatch.org), a 4,000 mile toll road from the Mexico to Oklahoma borders. Well, the contract to build the first leg of that behemoth (which parallels I-35) that will take 580,000 acres of the richest privately-owned farmland in Texas, was granted to a Spanish company (also being called a foreign consortium) named Cintra. They've teamed-up with locally owned Zachry American Infrastructure to submit a bid to takeover our toll starter system.

Just a cursory read of the articles in the Express-News (Express-News Toll Road Article on June 10th, Express-News July 1st Article On Toll Roads) in the past few months will tell you, Cintra will actually OWN our public highways for up to 50 years. That agreement would outlive most of us! Even worse, the Texas Transportation Commission mandated our local tolling authority build the toll starter system using one of these public-private partnerships (CDA agreements).

Our local leaders were promised local control if they opened an RMA, and it's clear that was an empty promise. So not only would this toll plan fail to give us local control, it gives ownership and control of our roadways to a FOREIGN company to ration and profit from. Through the non-compete agreements these guys are negotiating, they'll likely get control of the frontage roads and streets neighboring toll roads to ensure enough people pay the toll. (June 15th Express News Article on Toll Roads). But we don't know for sure since TxDOT is using our tax money to sue US (our own Attorney General) to keep these documents sealed from the public.

See for yourself in this article by Phyllis Spivey who notes the trend to internationalize our roads using the Trans Texas Corridor as her example:

http://www.newswithviews.com/Spivey/phyllis3.htm

Go to www.TexasTollParty.com and click on San Antonio to send a letter of protest.
 

Joe is out to get us.

-          Jill DeYoung, Campaign Treasurer, Texans for Henry Bonilla Campaign (Via e-mail to South Texas Republicans)

Congressman Bonilla has been our representative for over 10 years.  We have consistently supported him in different ways over this time period.  Freedom of Expression in the United States gives us the right to be critical of Congressman Bonillas support of a $2,000,000 federally funded, Roman Catholic parking facility at a private university. 

Where does it say that Congressman Bonilla is immune from Republican commentary that is critical?  We will never be a lap dog for Congressman Bonilla or any other Republican official. Our readers and supporters expect us to be independent, bold and direct.

The belief that our online grassroots organization has the ability or desire to get the Congressman exhibits a level of insecurity that is troubling.  Congressman Bonilla has over $2,500,000 in the bank right now.  He should be more concerned with the liberal Democrats in Washington D.C.

He will be learning a great deal from the best conservative minds in the country such as Vice-President Dick Cheney, U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Senators Mitch McConnell and George Allen. There will be hands-on sessions from grassroots activism to cutting edge media strategies. There will also be national TV, radio, and newspaper reporters covering the entire conference.

While there, Schuylar expects to:

1. Recruit nationally recognized speakers for our Rough Riders of Bexar County Educational Series
2. Build new relationships with national conservative organizations and individuals for South Texas Republicans, P.A.C.
3. Utilize these contacts to gain support in terms of resources and finances for the P.A.C., and our South Texas Candidates at the state and federal levels
4. Demonstrate the strength of the Republican Party in South Texas at the grassroots level
    

The costs to attend this event will be about $1,400. The package to attend all 3 conference days (including the Presidential and Reagan dinners) and gain admittance to the exhibit halls/book signings, will cost $425. The hotel room on location (Omni Shoreham in D.C.) will cost $555 (plus tax) for all 3 nights. Roundtrip airfare is expected to run about $400 (plus tax).

Ideally, he would like the funds available before November 1st, 2005. This would allow for plenty of time planning arrival and transportation while in our nations capitol.
 

It would take only 28 people giving $50, 14 people giving $100, 7 people giving $200. Of course any amount you can give will put him that much closer to his goal.

Checks can be made out to Schuylar Crist, and mailed to:

9570 Autumn Shade

San Antonio, Texas

78254
 

BEXAR COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN Celebrate Their 85th Birthday On August 26th, With Special Guest: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

When:  Friday, August 26, 2006

Time:    11am-1pm

Location: Sonterra County Club, 901 Sonterra Blvd, San Antonio, Texas

Cost:  $45

Assorted Table Sponsorships are available

Contact: Teddy Peterson, President, Bexar County Republican Women, 210-558-8585

South Texas Republicans would like to congratulate the Ladies of BCRW for 85 years of activism and party support in Bexar County!!!
 

If you are going to talk about building the Party in Texas, you have got to talk about the Republican Womens Clubs.  Because I was such a pioneer going around the state, I know what it was like out there. Many times there would be Republican Womens Club before there was a county chairman or a county organization.

-Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

Grassroots Women: A Memoir of the Texas Republican Party by Meg McKain Grier

www.politicalgrassroots.org
 

Dear President Bush,

South Texas Republicans stand strong in support of you as our President!

On the issue of Social Security we applaud your addressing the problems and your proactive stance on seeking solutions. One issue that appears to not yet be publicly addressed by Democrats or Republicans is that of past approved withdrawals from Social Security to other governmental projects needing money. In the past, it appeared there was an abundance of cash in Social Security.  Unfortunately we now are reaping the reward of spending our Americans' retirement money on other things. Had we  looked ahead to the time when Americans would be living longer, and not spent from that retirement program, we would not have as great a shortfall now.

I am no budget expert, but has all of that Congressional "dipping into the cookie jar" stopped?  Is there any way for some of the "borrowed funds"  to make their way back to the Social Security system?   

I believe giving future retirees more "options" for the way their Social Security contributions are invested is a positive thing. We have many Americans that will count on this to have security in their retirement years. Let's work to make it strong for all future generations!

Cathy Cockrell - Newton

ccockrell@firstam.com

San Antonio, Texas
 

We would like to thank Dolly Gonzalez for her interesting and informative presentation entitled: "Funding Your Race: Three Components to Success" on Thursday, August 18th. The Rough Riders of Bexar County is the political education arm of South Texas Republicans. We are funded by $5 donations and ongoing contributions by our supporters. We thank you for helping us educate local candidates on a monthly basis.

Rough Riders of Bexar County Logo Courtesy of Robert Sanchez-www.sanchezforcongress.com
 

The second meeting of the Stone Oak Republicans will take place on August 25th. South Texas Republicans salutes the Leadership Council for their great work in the past month. We believe this organization has tremendous potential in Bexar County. 

Date: Thursday - August 25th

Time:  7:00 p.m. - 8:00p.m. (Those who want dinner are encouraged to arrive early)

Location: The Lighthouse Cafe - 18730 Stone Oak Pkwy

Cost: FREE

Leadership Council Members:  DR McCale, Mike Provost, Liz Rudd, Bryan Scott and Ralph Welsh.

Please contact Liz Rudd (blrudd@earthlink.net) if you are interested in learning more about the Stone Oak Republicans.
 

Associated Republicans Of Texas & Members Of The Texas House & Senate Invite You: A.R.T.s 1st Annual Golf Classic & Dinner Reception with Coach Darrell K. Royal (Austin, Texas)

Date: Saturday, September 10, 2005

Where: Horseshoe Bay Resort, Ram Rock Golf Course

Registration:  12:00 p.m.
 

Part 2:  Dinner Reception

Date: Saturday, September 10, 2005

Where: Horseshoe Bay Resort, Yacht Club

When: 7:00 p.m.  8:30 p.m.

Individual Tickets:  $100 (Dinner Sponsorships are available.)

We are very excited about our next project.  This is an undertaking that you will want to be a part of.  We will be collecting contributions for the purchase of phone calling cards to give to our brave men and women in our military.  We will be providing these cards to those service men and women who are hospitalized in San Antonio, but do not live here.  Please join us in this effort to lift up the spirits of the heroes that protect our freedom.

Ana Khan - vp3newsletter@hispanicrepublicanwomen.org

Web site: HispanicRepublicanWomen.org

Commentary by South Texas Republicans: We salute President Alicia Rodriguez and her team for launching this outstanding program.  We encourage you to support this new program. 
 

We are pleased to announce that Texas Supreme Court Justice Phil Johnson will be joining us for a Special Presentation and Petition Signing Party in Bexar County. 

(Please bring your voter registration card. We encourage South Texas Judges to attend with their petitions by 6:00pm. There is limited space.)

Judge Joe Brown, 57th District Court, will introduce Justice Johnson. 

Special Guest:  Grace G. Kunde, Candidate for the 4th Court of Appeals

Date:  August 31, 2005 (Wednesday)

Networking Reception:  6:30pm  7:00pm

Program:  7:00pm- 8:00pm

Cost:  FREE

Location:  Newforest Estates, A Wellstone Retirement Community, 5034 Newforest Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229, Phone: 210-680-3649

Click here for a MAP

175 residents of the Newforest Estates Community will be invited to this function. 

Sponsorship Levels:  Gold- $100, Silver $50, Bronze $25.  Please contact Schuylar Crist if you would like to be a sponsor of the program.

In the past four years, South Texas Republicans and Alamo City Republican Women have been honored to host the following Texas Supreme Court Justices at our events:

Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, Justice Dale Wainright, Justice Scott Brister, Justice Paul Green and Justice David Medina.

The Westside Republicans of Bexar County
- Fall Meeting Dates to be Announced Soon

The second round of meetings hosted by The Westside Republicans will be announced later this month. Our first 5 meetings were held between January and May. A very prominent Westside Mexican restaurant has agreed to host our meetings this Fall. Please help us invite Westside Conservative Democrats, Catholics, Evangelical Christians and small business owners.

We would like to thank Alicia Rodriguez, President of the Hispanic Republican Women S.A.- P.A.C. for offering to help us with our upcoming meeting.

South Texas Republicans would also like to thank Robert and Lona Sanchez for helping us launch this project earlier this year. Robert  and Lona continue to be very involved in our ongoing efforts to grow this important long-term project. Please contact Schuylar Crist (skyskyrider@hotmail.com) if you are interested in joining the Leadership Council of the Westside Republicans.

We would like to thank our donors for providing a second round of funding for this initiative.
 

Date:  September 20, 2005

Time:  11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location:  Oak Hills Country Club, 5403 Fredericksburg Rd., San Antonio

Special Guest Speaker:  Agricultural Commissioner - Susan Combs, candidate for State Comptroller

Cost: $17 - Personal checks ONLY made out to ACRW-PAC ($20 if reservations are made after 12:00 Noon, Friday, September 16, 2005.)

RSVP Contacts:  Barbara at 210-342-5482 or Carolyn at 210-493-6210 or you can even make your reservations on the internet at reservations@acrwomen.org. All reservations must be made by noon, Friday, September 16, 2005

TARGET 2005 in 2005!!! Your assistance is needed today!! Please help us distribute 2005 Susan Combs bumper stickers in Bexar County by December 31, 2005. FREE bumper stickers will be available at all Rough Rider and Stone Oak Republican meetings this year. Please contact Joe Solis if you would like bumper stickers sent to your club meetings for distribution. (SolisJoe@sbcglobal.net)

Campaign Opportunities:  County Team Member, Hosting an Event in my Community, Fundraising, Helping to Build Coalition Efforts, Finding 15 E-mail addresses, Hosting an Event in my Community, Mailing Postcards to Friends before Election Day, Helping to Find Sign Locations, Sending Newspaper Articles to the Campaign Office, etc.

Volunteer Sign-up Sheet:

____ Yes, Susan, please sign me up to support your campaign for Texas Comptroller for the Primary and general elections. Use my name publicly and please keep me posted on campaign events!!! 

Please return to Chris Keffer, Friends of Susan Combs Committee, Via fax 512/328-2194 or mail to P.O. Box 160956, Austin, TX 78716. Questions?  Please contact Chris at 512/327-3345 or Chris@susancombs.com

For more information on Susan Combs, please log on to her website at www.susancombs.com

Commentary by South Texas Republicans: Commissioner Susan Combs has organized one of the most efficient, targeted and aggressive statewide campaigns that we have seen in years. We encourage you to get involved just to learn how a textbook campaign is executed. We salute Chris Keffer and his campaign associates for their amazing work in Austin. We predict Commissioner Combs will have the most dynamic political campaign in 2006.
 

JUSTICE PHYLIS J. SPEEDLIN

Justice on the Fourth Court of Appeals

Cordially invites you to attend a reception to support her re-election on Thursday, September 15, 2005 between 5:30p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Paesanos Restaurant, located at 555 E. Basse Rd. in San Antonio.

Donor Levels As Follows:

Sponsor $1000  

Host $500 

Advocate $250   

Friend $100

Guest $50


Business Attire

Judge Phylis Speedlin's Campaign Address: 8 Waldenshire, San Antonio, Texas 78209

Commentary by South Texas Republicans: Justice Speedlin must be commended for her excellent community service work over the past few years. Her leadership in connection to the Community Justice Center hosted by the San Antonio Bar Association is admirable. We are proud of Justice Speedlin because is she is civic-minded, intelligent and a wonderful servant on the 4th Court of Appeals.  

We must help her get re-elected in this very large district that covers 32 counties
 

South Texas Republicans is pleased to announce that the first meeting of The Helotes Republicans will be held at the Hickory Hut of Helotes.  The Lee family has owned this small business since 1965. The building was the Old General Store built in 1879 and it currently serves as the home of the Helotes Historical Society. We would like to thank Geri Lee for graciously offering to host our meetings.

Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a member of the Founders Council. We plan to have our first meeting in late September.  We would like to thank our wonderful supporters for helping us underwrite this new effort in the Hill County.

Please contact Schuylar Crist skyskyrider@hotmail.com if you are interested in participating in the new Helotes Republicans organization.

Help us spread the word to your friends and family members in Helotes.

Keynote speaker: Tim Lambert, of the Texas Home Schoolers Coalition of Texas (http://www.thsc.org/)

Program title: Home schooling in Texas: A Legislative Perspective

Date: Thursday, September 22nd

Time: Networking Reception and Dinner (on your own):  6:15pm-7:00pm
Program:  7:00pm  8:15pm

Location:  Grady's BBQ; 4109 Fredericksburg Road

Sponsorships will be available

The Texas Home School Coalition is dedicated to serving the home-school
community of Texas and promoting a greater knowledge, understanding and
acceptance of home education in our state.

The Texas Home School Coalition was established as a political action committee (PAC) in 1986 by Kirk McCord of Hearth and Home Ministries and the late Brad Chamberlain. Because of the numerous law suits against home schoolers across the state and harmful legislation being introduced in Austin, they saw a need for a state-wide political organization to work for the rights of home schoolers in the state of Texas. The founders, believing government restriction could not be justified academically or socially, formed the THSC PAC to oppose any regulation of home education in Texas.

In 1995, THSC incorporated as an educational non-profit organization because most of THSC's work is dealing with disseminating information to the public and to home educators. Its mission is to serve and inform the home school community and promote home education in Texas. THSC, maintaining that participation in the political arena is vital to maintaining their freedoms, continues to encourage home educators to be active in the political process.

In February of 1998, HOPE for Texas merged with the Texas Home School Coalition. At this point, THSC also became responsible for helping new home schoolers across the state as well as maintaining a network of information and communication between and among the leadership of regional home school organizations, local support groups, and individual home schooling families.

In 2000, the Texas Home School Coalition Association incorporated as a 501 (c)(4) advocacy organization for Texas home school families. Its mission is to serve and protect home school families in Texas.
 

The following clubs will be holding important events and South Texas Republicans encourages participation by local activists:              

Come join us on  August 23rd, 2005 meeting to hear
Frank Corte discuss the results of the 79th Texas Legislative Session.

The location of the meeting is:

Sea Island Restaurant
11715 Bandera Rd at Bandera Point (Rt. 1604 and Rt. 16)
San Antonio, TX 78015

The meeting time is as follows:

Do you have event information?
You can reach Schuylar either by phone at (210) 663-6093 or via e-mail: skyskyrider@hotmail.com

Click here to view the calendar for details on these and other events