3/4/08 Newsletter Citizen Journalism Focused on Liberty, Conservatism and Independent Thought Newsletter: Representative Frank Corte Supporters Speak Out     Picture Source: The Walker Report Blog   Response to 2/25/08 Newsletter: The Quest to Take Out State Representative Frank Corte "Frank Corte is Clearly the Best Choice" by Marty Bartlett Frank Corte is an excellent legislator and I would strongly urge each of you to go out and vote for him on March 4.  I get very tired of seeing people attack a candidate over a single position.  Maybe you don't agree with Representative Corte on the single issue of toll roads.  By the way, he is not a staunch toll road supporter; he simply believes that the citizens should be allowed to vote on what they believe is the best thing for them.  I also do not want to pay for toll roads (especially since I live outside of 1604 on 281N), but I get pretty tired when some of our best legislators get attacked by Terri Hall and the anti-toll road people as if that is the only subject that should decide whether someone is elected to office.  Well, it's time to grow up and realize that there are a myriad of issues that our legislators vote on and attempting to "take out" a good representative over one issue is childish and irresponsible.  I have known Frank Corte for a number of years now.  I have found him the most approachable representative that we have in San Antonio .  Representative Corte has always answered my phone calls and is one of the friendliest political figures when you meet him in person.  For his opponent to say that he is not conservative enough is nothing short of foolish.  He is extremely conservative in his fiscal, social, faith, and policy decisions.  He is a very strong family man who was recently serving his country overseas, so that we could be here today having the freedom to choose who want to politically attack.  If you want to prove you are conservative enough and are looking for someone to attack, maybe you should choose someone with the last name of Obama or Clinton.  Oh, sorry, you might not be able to do that, because they just might be against toll roads too! ______________________________________________   "Overall when you consider what Rep. Corte has done for the people of the state his record is a good one."  By Tim Weste It is time to clear up some misinformation that is coming from the campaign of Tony Kosub. In the February 25 edition of the South Texas Republicans there are many statements made that allude to Frank Corte not being a "true conservative" unfortunately many of these statements are not exactly accurate. As an ADD nation we want simple answers to complex questions. We want to be able to say a candidate voted or didn't vote a certain way without explaining the reality of the votes cast. We also seem to forget that the process works in a certain way and we have to pay attention to the details before we make accusations. The article mentioned the "accounting error" and asked who is "looking out for us." What we must remember when asking this question is every member of the house is also a member of several committees and each committee has oversight of certain agencies. The  House Transportation Committee should have been providing oversight for the  budget of TXDoT to ensure that something like this didn't happen. Frank Corte is not a member of the Transportation Committee so he cannot be held responsible for the oversight. The names of the members of the committee are available on the House website. This is who should be held accountable. The article talked about the business tax. I also do not like tax increases and I understand that an increase in the business taxes are bad for business and bad for the consumer. However in this case the money had to come from somewhere. The court mandated that we had to find a different way to fund the schools or yes, they were going to shut them down. Since the money had to come from somewhere were the members of the Legislature supposed to increase our property taxes? That wouldn't have gone over well with the public. Our legislators were in a no win situation. There has also been a lot of talk about Rep. Corte's toll road votes. We must be careful to be accurate in our information. Frank Corte voted to allow the creation of regional mobility authorities in order to allow local governments to control some roadways instead of the state. The toll road talk in our local area is coming from our RMA. The beauty of the RMAs was that they granted areas of the state more local control. Unfortunately we are not happy with the results of our local RMA. The Trans-Texas Corridor (State Highway 130) is a different issue and will not toll existing roadways because it is a highway that will be built as a toll road. Rep. Corte voted not once but twice to place a moratorium on the building of toll roads. It was necessary to cast a second vote because Governor Perry vetoed the first version of the bill that the legislature passed. It took courage to cast the second vote in the face of another veto.   The thought of turning out someone who has "been there to long" may be appealing we should also be very cautious when we are doing this. When a candidate runs as a single issue candidate they are unprepared to deal with the thousands of bills they will have to deal with. Their one issue may only come up once or twice during the course of the 140 days. We must not forget that Frank Corte has been a champion of the unborn and has had to make some very unpopular stands to protect the unborn. Rep. Corte has also been a defender of parental rights in education. An issue that Mr. Kosub and Rep. Corte disagree on. Overall when you consider what Rep. Corte has done for the people of the state his record is a good one. Is it perfect? No, but is much better than many other legislators and not one we need to get rid of right now.   ___________________________________________________

"Frank Corte's Dirty Money" by Terri Hall, San Antonio Toll Party     Money talks to Frank Corte and it talks toll roads, especially. Nearly 100% of his money comes from outside the district from lobbyists in Austin and special interests who wish to curry favor. At least that's what he intimated during a radio debate with his opponent, Tony Kosub, when he brought up the fact Corte accepted money from a controversial road lobbyist, Gary Bushell. Bushell is the very same guy who has become embroiled in a lawsuit brought by TURF   against TxDOT for illegally hiring lobbyists with taxpayer money to directly lobby elected officials in the path of the Trans Texas Corridor (or TTC).  Corte tried to deny the connection then admitted it and said Bushell comes to him on matters of defense since Corte is the Chair of Defense Affairs. Really, is that how people get access to Frank Corte? Considering a gentleman in the security business made 8 appointments with Corte's office or Corte himself and Corte was a no show for every single one, it seems he has a chronic case of stiffing constituents, but not lobbyists. Bushell gets access because he pays for it. Everyone else is just, well, out of luck. But it begs the question: is the money Corte got from Bushell the same money paid to Bushell by TxDOT? Bushell's received over $20,000 from TxDOT in just the 2 monthly invoices TURF obtained.  Then, Corte took money from Cintra lobbyist Dan Shelley who has also been embroiled in controversy since he worked for the Governor when Cintra was awarded the TTC-35 contract then went back to work for Cintra (http://satollparty.com/post/?p=367). All told, Corte has taken over $8,000 from toll road interests on just his last campaign finance report.  It's this sort of corruption and cronyism that has left the Republican Party in tatters and caused Democrats to turn out 2 to 1 more than Republicans. We must return to conservatism and elect people of integrity who will not depart from our Party's core principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and lower taxes like Corte obviously has.  He voted for toll road proliferation (the most expensive transportation tax, HB 3588, HB 2702, SB 792 and more). He voted for the gross income tax on businesses (HB 3), which has increased taxes more than 300% in some cases even when they lose money and make no income, it kills jobs, and makes it near impossible to start a business in Texas. Corte voted for tuition deregulation (HB 3015), which took tuition hikes out of the hands of an elected board and put it into the hands of an appointed board and caused unrestrained tuition hikes forcing families and students to take on more debt, cut back classes, or not go to college at all.   It's time for change in Austin, and it's coming.   San Antonio Toll Party to make rounds at victory parties for candidates it endorsed   San Antonio, TX, Tuesday, March 4 - The San Antonio Toll Party stepped up its involvement in political races this year, even recruiting a candidate, Tony Kosub, to take out a pro-toll incumbent, Frank Corte. The toll road issue defined much of the debate in at least 4 contested primary races: Quico Canseco vs Lyle Larson, Frank Corte vs Tony Kosub, Nathan Macias vs Doug Miller, and Chico Rodriguez vs Robert Tejeda. To see a complete list of Toll Party endorsements, go to: www.SATollParty.com. San Antonio Toll Party Founder, Terri Hall, plans to attend most if not all the victory parties for the candidates they supported following the precinct conventions/caucuses. The SA Toll Party gave volunteer and/or monetary support to all the races listed above whether it was recording radio commercials or robo calls, writing favorable editorials, helping compose, design, and deliver mailers on the toll issue, garnering press coverage, blockwalking, phone banking, or poll watching, the San Antonio Toll Party demonstrated its strategic political partnership with who it dubbed the "good guys."  "We hope to be their ace in the hole and to finally and cumulatively usher-in the sweeping change needed to get more responsive representation in Austin and Washington," notes Hall. _______________________________________________

LYLE LARSON DEMANDS OPPONENT PULL DISHONEST, NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN AD   Television and radio ads levy personal attacks at the family and deceased father of longtime South Texas leader. (March 3, 2008) SAN ANTONIO - Congressional candidate and longtime Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larson called on his opponent to immediately stop airing a negative ad campaign filled with false and misleading claims intended to deceive voters and distort Larson's 16-year record of public service. The television and radio ads launched last week by the Quico Canseco for Congress campaign personally attack the reputation of Larson's family and late father.   "Mr. Canseco claims to represent true Texas values," said Larson.  "But the true Texans I know would never personally attack an opponent's family, no matter how big the election."   The Canseco ad claims "Larson was sued for failing to pay his own taxes."  The claim refers to a 22-year old case that named Larson's brother Mark and involved property that had belonged to Larson's late father. When Wallace Larson passed away unexpectedly in 1983, the property taxes on his former veterinary clinic at 203 E. Rhapsody Drive went unpaid the following year while the property was being probated.  A citation was sent to Mark Larson, et al, who was the executor of the family trust on behalf of his brothers and sisters.  When the family received notice of the citation, the back taxes were paid immediately and the case was dismissed. "This happened 22 years ago, after the sudden death of my father, and was resolved immediately.  I was 23 years old and had very little to do with my father's estate," said Larson.  "To use it to make outrageous claims that I don't pay my own taxes is ridiculous, dishonest and really in poor taste.  More important, what does it have to do with the people of District 23?" For the record, the property taxes on Larson's own home are paid in full.  In fact, Bexar County Tax Assessor Sylvia Romo, a Democrat, says Larson overpaid his property taxes. "He double-paid his tax bill in 2006 and my office issued him a refund," said Romo.  "Commissioner Larson also is not claiming his Homestead Exemption, which would save him $200 per year.  Bottom line, Commissioner Larson overpaid his property taxes."   The ad also claims that "homeowners' property tax bills have increased during Larson's term as county commissioner.  Liberal Lyle Larson let our taxes go up."  Larson voted to lower the BexarCounty tax rate seven times.  As the only Republican on the commissioners' court, Larson led the effort to reduce the BexarCounty tax rate from $.39 to $.32 per $100 of taxable value.  Homeowners' property taxes have increased in recent years because school taxes, city taxes and property values have gone up.  BexarCounty was the only local taxing entity to consistently lower the tax rate over the past 12 years.   "Either Mr. Canseco does not understand how property taxes work," Larson said, "or he is intentionally trying to deceive voters."  The negative ads are the latest in a pattern of mistruths from Canseco, who moved to BexarCounty in 2006 to run for Congress after losing a similar race in his hometown of Laredo. Canseco has no experience in government and does not live in the district.  However, he has spent nearly $1 million to wage a negative campaign against a popular local leader.  In recent weeks, voters in District 23 have received automated phone calls claiming that "a vote for Lyle Larson is a vote for toll roads," and urging people to vote for Canseco.  Most BexarCounty residents know that Larson was the first to oppose toll roads and has never wavered on his position.  He voted against toll roads three times while serving on the board of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. In January, voters complained about a push poll conducted by Wilson Research Strategies, Canseco's hired pollster.  The poll claimed that "Larson voted to increase his own salary."  It is well documented that Larson voted against and turned down every pay raise during his time in office, saving taxpayers nearly $300,000.  His current salary of $49,368 is half that of the other Bexar County Commissioners.    Larson said he is confident voters will reject Canseco's negative politics on Election Day.  "When my opponent ran a losing campaign in 2004, he told a Laredo newspaper, 'You will always be able to count on my integrity.'  I'm not sure what happened between then and now, but it's clear to me that the people of District 23 deserve better." Mr. Canseco, Texas Congressional District 23 is not for sale...   Click HERE  --- to hear a radio ad telling Quico Canseco that Congressional District 23 is not for sale!

Quico Canseco On the Issues Immigration: We take great pride that our country is one of a few in the history of the world where people are trying to get in instead of out. We are a bastion of freedom and liberty composed of a population of immigrants from all over the world. The success of America is its constitution, its laws and its common language. When we begin to discard one or the other of these tenants of our society, we tear away the very fabric of what has guaranteed our national survival. As a nation, we must not condone illegal entry into our country. We must take all measures to secure our porous border, and to protect our nation's sovereignty. America is a welcoming nation and it should continue to extend a warm welcome to those that want to enter in accordance with the laws, the rules and the regulations for entry. Those that do so otherwise disrespect our nation's sovereignty and they must not benefit by their illegal trespass. Human Life: I believe we are all God's children and that he created us in His image. I believe all human life is precious to God and should be protected. I am a pro-life conservative who defends the right to life of the unborn and protect those who are in the sunset of their lives. Healthcare: The United States has the most technologically advanced health care in the world, however rising medical and health insurance costs are moving healthcare out of the reach of many American citizens. To address diminishing healthcare alternatives, reform of the insurance market through Association Health Plans, Health Savings Accounts, the efficient implementation of health technology are needed.  The design of a balanced playing field among providers and insurers would make healthcare more affordable yet leaving responsibility for our nation's healthcare to the government spells disaster for our entire population. Economy and Taxes: The 9/11 attack, the prosecution of the war on terror and in Iraq, and the corporate scandals challenged our economy.  Tax cuts have successfully brought us out of the economic slump giving way to a thriving economy marked by low unemployment, low interest rates, and high level of productivity.  This dynamic response is due to American small business and entrepreneurs at the heart of our American way of life. Such a quick recovery happens only in a free and democratic society where government stays out of the way of business, yet insures that government policies maintain an environment where business can thrive. To this end, the 2002-2003 Tax Cuts must be made permanent and the "Death Tax" must be eliminated. National Security: The protection of the nation's sovereignty, control of its borders and the ability to readily prevent and protect our homeland from both foreign and domestic threats, are among our government's primary objectives. Our nation and the rest of the free world are facing a threat like no other; one bent on destroying our way of life: our very existence. I take this threat very seriously. All reasonable measures must be taken to protect the American homeland and I believe that sacrificing moderate intrusions of personal privacy are necessary to this mission. National Defense: The protection of our country requires constant attention and support especially now that we are at war. Our soldiers in the field risk life and limb daily in order to protect our homeland from those who wish us harm. We owe our soldiers not just our gratitude, but our support for them and their families as they sacrifice their lives for our country's well-being.  As we prosecute the war on terror, our Armed Forces must have the newest and best equipment to accomplish their objectives. They must know that their families are being well-cared for and that when their job is done, they will come home to a grateful nation willing to demonstrate its gratitude by providing benefits for them and their families. Education: The foundation of any great republic is the education of its citizenry.  For too long, we have neglected our charge and allowed the education of our youth slip by the wayside.  Our national and our state education systems are in crisis. Colleges and higher education are becoming more and more unattainable to our students and public schools struggle to achieve their goal of preparing pupils for the challenges of the future. The control of public education must be returned to the local districts and they must not be burdened by unfunded mandates. The cost-provoking burdens of governmental meddling in the operation of schools must cease and we must admit that the mandates of No Child Left Behind stifle creative thinking in the classroom, increase bureaucracy, and drive the costs of education upward. Government must stay away from the state school system to allow states to release control to local school boards. We must protect our schoolteachers from burdensome paperwork while encouraging them to standards of excellence.  We must find more effective ways to assure that our children are meeting standards and that these standards are fairly applied.  Social Security: For more than seventy years, our country has had a federally-administered retirement/pension system created in the 1930's to solve social and economic demands of the time.  To many Americans, the system has proved to be a vital safety net yet, over the decades it has failed to be administered for longevity.  In those days, America was shifting in demographics from agrarian to industrial society, but today the age of "ownership society" is upon us.  Social Security must meet the challenges of the 21st century in order to fulfill its promises to all Americans. Our Right to Bear Arms: Our great country was founded on the backs of citizen soldiers, and the legacy of that movement is still with us today.  The right to bear arms has been a respected and cherished right throughout the life of our nation, and we must continue to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.

"The Republicrat PLUS" (A Moderate Viewpoint) This is a series by 3 anonymous political insiders in Bexar County and one in Webb County. The views of this section do not represent the views of South Texas Republicans PAC.    It is Election Day and I have to complain about a few things. Our sources on the Southside tell us Gina Castaneda was selling Hillary Clinton t-shirts for $15 last weekend.  Do you want to make a Southsider unhappy?  Pull this stunt before Election Day. Why in the world would Gina take t-shirts that were given to her and start a little business? You can't believe how word gets around down here.  I mean it never ends with Gina.  Woman, just give the stupid shirts AWAY!!! This is not Macy's.  You can't start to understand the frustration people have with this utter nonsense.  We hear the Hillary Clinton campaign office is not being run very well. They have a line for this and that.  After standing in line for 20 minutes, some putz comes over and tells you, "You are standing in the wrong line."  You want to stick a large pipe down his throat. This has been going on for at least 3 weeks. At first, Madame Meza was acting like she owned the place with her little attitude.  Don't even get me started about her.  She is lucky it is illegal to smack her around with that arrogant glance. It just drives me bonkers. The Brent De La Paz and Carla Vela race for Chair has reached the point of total silliness.  It is really a classic battle between JoAnn Ramon, the long time political consultant who is backing Carla, and Mario Bravo, the young Mikal Watts tool who is aiding Brent.  This is really a battle over the future of the party.  These two factions really hate each other.  Why?  Brent and Mario think these little old ladies have no business running a professional party in South Texas. You see Mario smirking and you can read his mind. "These ladies are good at stamping envelopes and stuffing them on slow nights.  We need to be in charge.  You know, the folks who are tech savvy. Carla doesn't even read her e-mail when I send something over.  Everybody would have I-Phones if we ran the place."  This is what Mario and Brent forget.  JoAnn and Carla are old fashioned Bexar County warriors who are not owned by anybody.  It scares folks that Watts is hiring Brent like he is some migrant worker who is going to pick his fruit or cut his yard.  Mario is simply the light skinned kid who is going to do the accounting and make sure his boss Watts has his tea served at 3pm.  This makes the ladies furious. They know this game because they have cut off a few _____ over the years to get what they want.    I suspect Brent and Mario are close to getting a family jewel adjustment at the hands of JoAnn.  Just you watch.  One way or the other, there will be hell to pay for crossing JoAnn.  If I were Mario or Brent, I'd watch the first Godfather movie to get taste of your future.  They are going to LOSE even if they win the election.  Why?  You do not cross these ladies because they have decades of connections and markers to be called in.  You can't expect to raid the party so it will have shiny computers without paying MAMA some respect.  You have to pay your dues to the establishment.  Mario wants to have it all, but this is not the way it works in Bexar County.    The ladies want to know you can be counted on to break some heads.  Where have Mario and Brent proven themselves? That is the issue and that is why they have lost big even if they beat Carla.   I just wish I could have talked them out of this race. Even if they win, the whisper campaing will be intense. These kids are owned by Watts.  They were really hired to cut his yard up north. Brent denied any connection to Watts, but he manages to pull in his money. Dude, whatever, you were so his his back pocket.  WE so outed you two months ago.    Our sources are very deep and intense in the Democratic party.  You have also earned the wrath of the Republicrat.  I'm joining forces with JoAnn to show you really rules Bexar. Get ready for a spanking boys.  Remember that horse head part in the movie?  Clear the set- ACTION!!!     That is the moderate view, I AM the Republicrat.