BULLETIN: The "Real" State of the College - By Carroll G. Robinson, Trustee, District IV for the (HCC) Houston Community College System

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The “Real” State of the College

By Carroll G. Robinson, Trustee, District IV

On Friday, January 31, 2014, the Acting Chancellor of the Houston Community College System (HCC) will report on the “State of the College”.

Declining

Unfortunately, the “State” of HCC is declining and the System needs stronger oversight from the Board of Trustees and greater accountability from the administration.

Before I was elected to the Board of Trustees and since I joined the Board in January 2012, a majority of the Board has been unwilling – and has failed – to hold the administration of the System fully accountable to prevent mismanagement, wasteful and unnecessary spending.

Unacceptable

A majority of the Board and the administration have spent millions of dollars in taxpayer money without awarding a contract or using data to measure performance and evaluate results. This should be unacceptable to all of us.

Return on Investment (ROI) has not been a part of the budgeting process at HCC. It’s been a non-existent concept for the administration and not enough Trustees have been willing to require it. The culture at HCC needs to be changed.

Oversight and Accountability

During my two years on the Board of Trustees, I have offered numerous proposals for improving and increasing the finances and fiscal accountability of HCC. They have almost all been blocked, ignored or rejected.

During my first year on the Board, a majority of the Board and administration refused to adopt a policy that would require all HCC contracts be reviewed by the System’s lawyers. I proposed this policy after I found out that the System’s contract with Qatar and the contract the former Chancellor gave her Deputy Chancellor had never been reviewed by any lawyer before they were signed.

That first year, I also supported establishing campaign contribution limits at HCC like those now in place at the City. That policy proposal was also opposed by a majority of the Board. Campaign contribution limits at HCC still needs to happen.

Last year, I offered a policy proposal that would have required contracts be suspended if there were any allegations of impropriety related to a specific contract until such time as a full and fair investigation could be completed.

That proposal was never placed before the Board for our consideration. The then Chairman of the Board refused to do so. This policy also needs to be adopted.

Part of the fiduciary duty of the Board of Trustees is to establish policies to protect the taxpayers’ money.

Student Success Needs Work

HCC has no real Strategic Business Plan that ties spending to outcome based metrics in the areas of student Enrollment, Retention and Increasing the System’s Graduation Rate and Workforce Certificates Awarded – Student Success.

Declining Enrollment

HCC’s enrollment is declining. Raising the tuition rate and fees will only make a college education and workforce training more expensive and less affordable for more Houstonians. HCC is Our Community College. Its focus should be educating people in Our Community; not building community colleges in foreign countries while HCC, in Houston, is declining and hundreds of thousands of people in Our Community need it to be working, affordable and effective.

Finances

The administration is now reporting that HCC has a multi-million dollar budget deficit that is only going to get worse in the coming years. Their only recommended solutions are raising the System’s property tax rate and increasing tuition and fees.

I will not support raising tuition and fees or increasing the HCC property tax rate. Neither needs to be done to fix HCC’s budget problems.

We Can Fix Things

HCC can increase its enrollment and fix its financial problems. To do that, HCC must:

 Implement a total Hiring freeze and conduct a comprehensive staffing analysis to determine how many employees the System really needs. This will also require establishing an optimum enrollment goal for the System. Doing so will help determine how many faculty and staff members the System really needs.

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Subject the entire System to a Lean Six Sigma evaluation and a comprehensive performance and operations audit.

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Improve, Streamline and Modernize its Enrollment, Financial Aid and Scholarship processes and systems to make them more user-friendly and easier for students to enroll. They must also all work better together.

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Convert existing advertising dollars into Scholarship Funds and go directly into all high schools – public, private and charter – in the HCC Service Area and offer students “last dollar” scholarships to fill the gap between financial aid and need to cover the full cost of tuition, fees and books. Doing this one simple thing would help increase enrollment and retention rates.

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Increase the number of state and federal Grants and Contracts awarded to the System. Grants and Contracts are an additional source of operating revenue. Unfortunately, HCC has failed to maximize this source of revenue. This problem must be fixed and will require better coordination with the Harris County Congressional and Legislative delegations. For months, I have been offering ideas for improving revenue generation in this area and they have yet to be utilized.

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Increase Investment Income by separating the Fund Balance form cash flow need and invest it in investments that will generate a minimum 2.5% return annually. Tripling HCC’s current rate of return on its investments would generate several extra million dollars in operating income annually.

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Increase Enterprise Revenue. The current HCC central administration building at 3100 Main Street in Midtown generates millions of dollars annually in lease payments from private sector tenants. HCC should use public/private partnerships to build a second building and parking garage on Main Street; Student Housing with retail space and a parking garage on the Central Campus; and Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects at the Northline Campus and on property owned by the System in the North Forest area of Northeast Houston and at 288 @ North MacGregor. These projects could be up and running over the next twelve to twenty-four months and could generate $15 to $20 million dollars in net new revenue annually.

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Sell the small pieces of Surplus Property owned by the System that are too small to build on. Though small, those pieces of property will generate several million dollars in new revenue for HCC.

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Build and operate the Coleman College and North Forest Early College High Schools as Charter Schools. This would allow HCC to help improve students’ college readiness while generating additional new revenue for HCC.

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Participate in all ERCOT-Electricity Reliability Council of Texas – and Texas General Land Office (GLO)Energy Demand Response Programs. Doing so will help the System save hundreds of thousands of dollars on its electric bill while generating new revenue.

This Year

HCC can no longer keep doing the same old things and expecting a different result.

This year, the Board of Trustees must begin holding the administration fully accountable based on performance data and outcomes.

It’s no longer good enough for a majority of the Board of Trustees to be a Rubber Stamp for the administration. The Board should not allow outside groups and individuals to dictate what happens at HCC. Allowing this to continue to happen is not in the best interest of the System, our students or the taxpayers.

It is the fiduciary duty of the Board of Trustees to protect taxpayer money while ensuring that the residents of our community have access to a quality, affordable college education and workforce training.

Proper Board oversight is the foundation for making the State of the College – HCC – Stronger.

This is what is needed to ensure that everyone in Our Community has An Opportunity To Do Better.

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*Carroll G. Robinson is a former At‐Large Houston City Council Member. He is an Associate Professor at Texas Southern University, a Citizen Member of the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund and served on the Advisory Board of K9s4COPS. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities and the Houston--‐Galveston Area Council (H-GAC).

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About the Houston Dallas Fort Worth Business Connections Magazine

Published for "People On The Move" by Aubrey R. Taylor Communications, The Houston Dallas Fort Worth Business Connections Magazine is focused on empowering, inspiring, promoting, highlighting, and informing people striving to reach their full potential in their personal and professional endeavors. This statewide magazine is focused on Business, Politics, Education, Religion and Health with a targeted emphasis on the Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth regions of Texas. Contact: (832)212-8735 today!

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ANNOUNCEMENT: Houston Community College and Fort Bend ISD Discuss Boosting Partnership

Charles Dupre (left) and Dr. Fena Garza (right).

Houston Community College and Fort Bend ISD Discuss Boosting Partnership

HOUSTON -- ‘Tis the season for graduation and the numbers don’t lie - Fort Bend Independent School District(FBISD) is a leader in the region for its high school graduation rate of close to 92 percent, and now the district has its sights set on boosting college readiness by teaming up with Houston Community College Southwest (HCC Southwest) to increase enrollment in its tuition-free dual-credit program.

Called College Now, it allows students of qualifying high schools to take college courses with free tuition. Students who pass the classes earn college-level credits, along with credit toward their high-school graduation making it a dual benefit.

Houston Community College Southwest’s President Dr. Fena Garza wasted no time meeting with new FBISD Superintendent of Schools Charles Dupre to foster the lines of communication between the district and college.

“We’re looking for opportunities to increase enrollment at our Missouri City and Stafford campuses by spreading the word about tuition-free, dual-credit courses while still in high school,” says Dr. Garza. “And our dual-credit core curriculum courses are transferable to any college or university in Texas.”

With a primary focus on high-school dual-credit programs, FBISD and HCC Southwest are working to inform the community about the requirements and advantages of enrolling in dual-credit courses that are taught at either the high schools or HCC Southwest campuses.

While all Fort Bend ISD high schools offer dual-credit courses, only schools within the HCC service area offer free tuition for those courses. The four qualifying high schools are Elkins, Marshall, Hightower and Willowridge. HCC Southwest currently offers those students a wide variety of core courses, such as English and history, as well as entrepreneurship, business, arts and audio-video production.

Superintendent Dupre, who assumed his duties in April, after the state-mandated waiting period, made college programs one of his first orders of business.

“Graduation is a major milestone for our students, and we owe it to those who will pursue post-secondary education to adequately prepare them,” says Dupre. “That’s why I’m pleased to be working with HCC Southwest to boost college enrollment through our tuition-free dual-credit program.”

Dupre adds that increasing enrollment in the dual-credit program will require the cooperation and support of all the district’s high school principals and counselors ─ something that he expects from all campuses.

“The dual-credit program is an amazing opportunity, and we want to continuously educate our students and parents about it,” saysBarbara Whitaker, principal of Elkins High School. “Never do we want our students to miss out on the best deal for college ─ tuition-free credit hours.”

Dupre also wants to establish a Fort Bend Early College, a project that Dr. Garza says she would welcome HCC Southwest being a part of in the future. All five of Houston Community College’s Early College High Schools (ECHS) earned Exemplary ratings, and the Challenge ECHS at HCC Southwest received a Silver ranking as one of America’s Best High Schools.

Early Colleges are a partnership between school districts and colleges that offer a mixture of high-school and college classes so that students can obtain their high-school diploma and associate degree at the same time. It is different than dual-credit programs, where students from a traditional high school take college classes, but graduate from their own high school. At Early Colleges, students have fewer high-school classes because many of their college classes can replace their high-school course requirements.

Plans and discussions are preliminary, but should Dupre and his administration succeed in opening one, it would be the first Early College within Fort Bend ISD.

For more information about the requirements for FBISD’s dual-credit partnership with HCC Southwest, go to southwest.hccs.eduand connect on Facebook and Twitter.

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About Houston Community College

HCC is one of the country’s largest singly accredited, open-admission community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities for 75,000 students each semester. HCC is composed of six colleges that serve the Greater Houston Area’s diverse communities by preparing individuals to live and work in today’s increasingly international and technological society. To learn more, go to hccs.edu.

About Fort Bend Independent School District

Fort Bend Independent School District is the seventh largest school district in the state of Texas and is located in Fort Bend County, which is part of the greater Houston southwest area. With close to 70,000 students on 74 campuses, District teachers and administrators are committed to a holistic approach in the education of each child. Fort Bend ISD's mission is to provide an environment for each student to acquire knowledge, develop skills, and build character to lead a productive and responsible life. FBISD was honored as the only school district in the nation to be named a 2011 National District of Character and will retain that designation for five years. For more information, visit www.fortbendisd.com.

ANNOUNCEMENT: HCC Trustee for District IV Carroll G. Robinson Releases His 2014-2015 Budget Priorities for Your Review

“Houston Community College System Trustee for District IV Carroll G. Robinson has provided us with a list of his 2014-2015 HCC Budget Priorities. You don’t have to live in his district to find value in this announcement. As we move forward making all students a top priority; the sharing of information as it relates to what our elected officials are doing for us is (and will continue to be) a top priority. Below you will find a list of Trustee Carroll G. Robinson’s priorities; a map of HCC District IV; and a little information about Trustee Carroll G. Robinson.” – Aubrey R. Taylor, Publisher

Carroll G. Robinson is the HCCS Trustee for District IV

HCC Trustee for District IV Carroll G. Robinson Release His 2014-2015 Budget Priorities for Your Review

· SAFETY AND SECURITY
     - Increase compensation to secure the hiring of all the police officers needed
     - Purchase high-tech security camera system for all campuses

· FACULTY SALARY AND DEVELOPMENT
     - Faculty Cost of Living Pay Raise 

(Use Chancellor’s Innovation funds & half of the million dollars currently
used to subsidize HCC Foundation to pay for) 

· STUDENT SUCCESS & SERVICES
     - Counseling
     - Financial Aid
     - Registration (more technology)
     - Better Promote Free Test Prep & other Free Academic Prep HCC websites
     - 6th Grade Pre-Admission Program

· TUITION WAIVER SCHOLARSHIP FUND
     - Fund out of unrestricted net revenue from International Initiatives - Fund 3

· DEBT SERVICE
· FACILITIES MAINTENANCE 

· ENTERPRISE REVENUE GENERATION 
     - Increase Dual Credit Partnerships with Charter Schools
     - Utilize real estate holdings to build revenue generating facilities

· BEGIN REDUCING SUBSIDIZING OF HCC 

FOUNDATION BY $500,000 

     - Use savings to fund faculty cost of living pay raise

· IMPLEMENT SMALL BUSINESS
PARTICIPATION COMPLIANCE PROCESS 

TRUSTEE PERSPECTIVE 

Carroll G. Robinson is an Associate Professor at the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University (TSU) where he has served as Associate Dean of External Affairs.

Professor Robinson is a Co-Principal Investigator of the TSU National Transportation Security Center of Excellence-Petrochemical Transportation Security and is Associate Director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) E-Government Center. He is a Vice President of the NAACP Houston Branch, a member of the Worthing High School Principal Advisory Group and a member of the Board of Directors of K9s4Cops and the Board of Trustees of the Houston Firefighter’s Relief and Retirement Fund.

Robinson is a former at-large member of the Houston City Council where he served as Chairman of the city’s Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure Committee and was a member of the City of Houston’s Term Limits Review Commission. He served as a member of the Texas Department of Transportation (Tx-DOT) 2001 Work Group on Transportation Goals and Objectives; is a former Advisory Board Member of the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M University and is a former member of the Advisory Board of the TSU Center for Transportation Training and Research. Robinson provided testimony to the Texas Governor’s Task Force on Evacuation and Logistics on October 26, 2005 on how to use technology to improve Emergency Preparedness.

Prior to his election to the Houston City Council, Robinson was an Associate Professor at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University and served as Executive Assistant to two Presidents of the University. He has also served as an Adjunct Law Professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas where he taught Constitutional Structure. Robinson is a past President of the Houston Lawyers Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas and National Bar Association.

Robinson worked in the Texas Legislature as Chief of Staff and General Counsel to Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis. He received his Bachelor of Arts (with Honors) in Political Science from Richard Stockton State College in Pomona, New Jersey and his Juris Doctorate from the National Law Center at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Professor Robinson is a Life Member of the NAACP, Omega Psi Phi and the author of numerous legal and public policy articles and commentaries.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS EDITION OF YOUR THOUGHT MATTERS NEWSPAPER

The Importance of Voting In Local Elections featuring Thoughts from Mayor Annise Parker and other City of Houston Leaders 

“The feature of this “Special Edition” of Your Thought Matters Newspaper is the section on the importance of voting in local elections. This “Special Edition” was made possible by Mayor Annise Parker, Mayor Allen Owen, Congressman Kevin Brady, Houston Controller Ronald C. Green, Houston Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Gonzalez, Houston At-Large City CM -Andrew C. Burks, Jr., Missouri City At-Large CM - Danny Nguyen, Houston City CM - Ellen Cohen, Houston City CM – Wanda Adams, Houston City CM – Mike Laster, Houston City CM – Larry V. Green. 2013 Candidate Georgia D. Provost for Houston’s District – D, 2013 Candidate Rodney Griffin for Missouri City’s District – A, 2013 Candidate for Re-Election to the FBISD School Board Jim Rice, and 2013 Candidate for FBISD School Board Cynthia Lenton Gary. Call Aubrey R. Taylor Communications at: (832)212-8735 to discuss your inclusion in the next edition of Your Thought Matters Newspaper." -- Aubrey R. Taylor, Publisher


CITY LEADERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

The City of Houston leaders at Houston's City Hall who contributed to this Your Thought Matters Newspaper feature are: Mayor Annise Parker (top left) At-Large Position 2 Houston City Council Member -- Andrew C. Burks (top right), City of Houston Controller -- Ronald C. Green (second row left), Houston's Mayor Pro-Tem and District H Council Member -- Ed Gonzalez (second row right), Houston City Council Member for District D -- Wanda Adams (third row on left), Houston City Council Member for District C -- Ellen Cohen (third row on right), Houston City Council Member for District J -- Mike Laster (bottom on left), and Houston City Council Member for District K -- Larry V. Green. All these individuals will be on the November 5, 2013 Mayoral Election ballot for the City of Houston; with the exception of Councilwoman Wanda Adams who is term-limited and can't run for re-election for her seat.

Mayor Annise Parker, Other Houston City Hall Leaders Answer Call to Share Their Thoughts On The Importance of Voting

“Mayor Annise Parker the 61st Mayor of Houston, and only the second woman to hold the position of chief executive officer for the City of Houston recently took a moment to share her thoughts on the importance of voting at the request of Aubrey R. Taylor, publisher of Your Thought Matters Newspaper. Other Houston City Hall leaders who also took the time out of their busy schedules to share their thoughts on the importance of voting in local elections were: Houston’s City Controller Ronald C. Green; Houston’s Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Gonzalez; Houston’s At-Large Position 2 Council Member Andrew C. Burks, Jr.; Houston’s District C Council Member Ellen Cohen; Houston’s District D Council Member Wanda Adams; Houston’s District J Council Member Mike Laster; and Houston’s District K Council Member Larry Green. I’m thankful that these leaders found value in our quest to inform, empower, inspire, and encourage Americans to get involved in local elections. For in the end, all politics are local.”

Mayor Annise Parker, Currently Only the Second Woman to serve as Houston's Chief Executive takes a Moment to Share Her Thoughts on The Importance of Voting 

"I remember voting as a kid with my parents. That was back in the days when you walked into a voting booth, pulled a red curtain behind you, picked your candidates and pulled a lever to cast your ballot. My parents took me every November, and I’ve gone every year as an adult. It’s important to vote for many reasons, but I’ll focus on three.

1) It’s the only opportunity we have, as citizens, to hold our elected officials accountable to the promises they make to us when they’re running for office. I’ve been elected eight times now, so I know that when I make a promise on the campaign trail, voters are listening, and voters will remind me of my promises when I come back in two years.

2) Someone said to me recently – if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. Elected officials make very important decisions about how your money is spent and what limits are placed on your life. It’s important that your elected officials know that you care about your rights and your money – and the best way to show them that you care is to vote.

3) And finally, 150 years ago, voting was reserved for a privileged few. African Americans and women risked their lives fighting for the right to vote. They won in 1870 and 1920, respectively. That isn’t very long ago, and every election I am proud to honor those brave civil rights activists by heading to the polls and casting a ballot."

Sincerely,

Annise Parker

The 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

Houston City Controller Ronald C. Green Shares His Thoughts on the Importance of Participating in Local Elections

“In times like these it is important that all who can vote should exercise their right to. Not at any moment in our time has our country been so politically polarized, we have gun law bills, budget and deficit issues, the issues that are currently being discussed in Washington have a trickle-down effect to cities and local municipalities. It is important that we have the right leadership in place so that our city is ready to handle those problems. Locally, our economy, public project initiatives and quality of life all depend on the representation YOU the citizen vote for. The City of Houston’s leadership helps in making decisions that make sure that the aforementioned are available to you. That is why it is important for you to participate in local elections. In no other elections, state or nationally, can you personally hold your elected official accountable for the well being of the city that you live in. You want and need responsible men and women to make sure that your taxes are being put to good use, whether you are Republican or Democrat. We need YOU to help Houston thrive as a city, we need YOU to ensure Houston has the quality of life for families and visitors to enjoy and prosper in. Your vote helps in achieving those goals.”

Sincerely,

Ronald C. Green
Houston City Controller

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

City of Houston Mayor Pro-Tem, District H Council Member Ed Gonzalez Shares His Thoughts on Why Voting Matters

“Voting is a fundamental right granted to us by our forefathers, it is a right that sets our nation apart from many in the world, and it is a right that I encourage all citizens to exercise. Elections impact who represents us at every level of government, those representatives are the individuals that advocate for the needs of our communities, of our families, and of our future generations. Electing a representative ensures that your voice is heard at City Hall, at the State Capitol, and in Washington D.C. As a local elected official, I take pride in fighting for the needs of the District H constituents that I represent. Keeping our neighborhoods safe, ensuring that our roads are in good condition, increasing the amount of greenspace in the community, and encouraging economic development are some of my main priorities. I know that I was elected to serve my community and I strive to listen to its needs each and every single day. I sincerely hope that all voters will take time to cast a ballot, particularly during a local election. Our government is only as good as the people that we send to represent us. Make sure that you head to the voting booth and continue to make your voice heard.”

Sincerely,

Ed Gonzalez

Mayor Pro-Tem, City of Houston

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

Houston City Council Member Andrew C. Burks Shares His Thoughts On The Importance of Participating In Local Elections

"Exercising your right to vote in local elections gives you a powerful voice in the issues that directly impact our family. When we think about the political decisions that make the greatest differences in our lives, we often think about Washington, D.C. But the truth is that some of the decisions that have the largest impact on us are made at City Hall.

The brave police officers and fire fighters keeping us safe depend upon responsible local elected officials to ensure they are effective. The roads we drive on, the water we drink, and the parks and libraries our families use are all maintained by your local elected officials.

The services we use most are local. That is why it is important to participate in local elections. When you have a concern, it is your locally elected officials who are the most responsive. As members of the community, mayors and council members are more in touch with the everyday needs of our neighbors. As a voter, you want to ensure that the services impacting you the most are in the hands of someone you can trust and who understands your needs.

Your vote makes its biggest difference in local elections. Low turnout in local races means your voice is louder and stronger. Your participation ensures your needs are represented and that our city will remain a great place to call home for generations to come.”

Sincerely,

Andrew C. Burks Jr.
City Council At-Large Position 2

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

Houston City Council District C Representative Ellen Cohen Takes A Moment to Share Her Thoughts On The Importance of Participating in Local Elections

“Democracy is the cornerstone of our country from the federal level down to the local level. I was raised to believe that democracy means “one person, one vote,” and that exercising your vote is a responsibility as well as a right. In a politically polarized nation, making your voice heard from the ballot box becomes even more urgent.

In Houston, though voter turnout in our last national election (2012) was above 60%, unfortunately, in our last localelection (2011) turnout was less than 15%. This is particularly regrettable because all politics is local. Local government is responsible for the most immediate concerns of our citizens’ daily lives. From streets to parks to libraries to water, your local government officials make or influence the policy decisions that impact our lives. Consequently, holding elected officials accountable for their decisions is vital to a well-functioning city, state, or nation.

Furthermore, particularly in a local election, every vote is critical. Elections that are determined by 10, 100, or 500 votes are more common than many citizens are aware. Since a small voting pool magnifies the effect of a singular vote, participating in a local election can have a great impact on your life. Enfranchisement for all has been hard-won in America, and we owe it to our forebears to honor their sacrifices by exercising the right and responsibility to vote.”

Sincerely,

Ellen Cohen
Houston City Council District C

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

Houston City Council Member Wanda Adams Shares Her Thoughts on The Importance of Voting in Our Local Elections

“Many times, local elections do not receive a high voter turnout rate because individuals feel that those elections are not as important as voting for national elected officials. Voting in local elections is actually more important because it is the best way to have your voice heard immediately. Local elected officials are the individuals who carry-out fiscal mandates, laws, and actions that are created on a national and state level. Citizens should see their local officials working in their communities by the projects that are being completed in their neighborhoods. The Mayor and City Council choose city department leaders who make decisions regarding infrastructure repair, water services, health services, solid waste services, libraries, parks, and many other services that affect everyone living in the city. These elected officials are the public servants that you should see physically working in the community and working for the community. They have vested interests that are parallel to their constituents because they drive your streets daily, visit the parks with their loved ones, receive city services, and live in your neighborhoods. Local officials know your concerns because they share them. If someone isn’t voting in local elections, they are saying that they are not concerned with the issues that matter most – the issues that affect home.”

Sincerely,

Wanda Adams
Houston City Council District D

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

Houston City Council Member Mike Laster Shares his thoughts on the importance of voting in local Elections

“Local elections are important because local government is the foundation of democracy. Your voice is heard the most at the local level and local officials are some of the most accessible and responsive to the voting public. Your daily life is directly affected by local government – from trash pick-up to pot holes to police and fire services to building permits. All of us are called upon to build up our communities and participation in local elections is the most effective way to do that.”

Sincerely,

Mike Laster
Houston City Council District J

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

Shared Thoughts from Houston City Council District K Council Member Larry V. Green on Why it's Important for Voters to Participate in Local City-Wide Elections

“It is important for voters to participate in local city-wide elections because elected officials can help determine the economic, educational and social well-being of entire communities. For example, two very important tasks of city council members include making laws and allocating money. Elected officials are the gatekeepers for millions of dollars in tax revenue—that is, money paid by anyone in the public old enough to purchase taxable merchandise, own property, or earn a paycheck. Elected officials control which individuals, groups, communities, businesses, and institutions receive taxpayer dollars, how much they receive, and the purpose for which they can use the money.

Local elected officials are public servants who serve at the pleasure of ordinary citizens—like you and me. For example, in city elections in Houston, every two years voters go to the polls to decide whether their elected officials deserve another term in office. Ultimately, elected officials, including me, are judged by the quality of our leadership. Are we accessible to the public? Do we represent all demographics, rich, poor, everyone? Do we bring money or other resources back to our Districts? Do our decisions or voting record reflect the priorities we promised when asking for your vote?

The policies generated from your participation in local city-wide elections shape almost every aspect of our lives. It is important that voters do not take a back seat in the political decisions that result in these policies. Let your voice be heard by voting in all local city-wide elections.”

Sincerely,

Larry V. Green, Esq.
Houston City Council District K

CLICK HERE TO SEE SPOTLIGHT

-- CLICK HERE FOR OPEN LETTER FROM GEORGIA D. PROVOST

Businesswoman Georgia D. Provost is running for Houston City Council for District D in the 2013 Mayoral Election for Houston. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2013 for the 2013 Mayoral Election in Houston. The Houston City Council District D seat is currently held by Councilwoman Wanda Adams who is term-limited and can't run for re-election. Click this link to read the "Open Letter" from Georgia D. Provost a 2013 candidate for Houston City Council. 

DON'T FORGET TO REMIND EVERYONE YOU KNOW IN FORT BEND COUNTY TO VOTE IN THE SATURDAY, MAY 11TH GENERAL ELECTION

MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS: Watch Out for the Missouri City Council District A Race involving Bobby Marshall, Rodney Griffin and Yolanda Ford on Saturday, May 11, 2013

By Aubrey R. Taylor
President, Aubrey R. Taylor Communications
The Publisher of Your Thought Matters Newspaper

Back in the 2011 General Election face off in Missouri City for the District A City Council seat Rodney Griffin came within 33 votes of unseating the incumbent Bobby Marshall. However, a dismal 6.52% voter turnout in the (6) six precinct district largely made up of African-American voters proved a little too much for Griffin to overcome in his quest to unseat the incumbent. But Rodney L. Griffin is back on the ballot again in the 2013 General Election to be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013. However, he's not facing the incumbent alone this time around. Yolanda Ford, a local architectural designer and urban planner is also in the race seeking to unseat Councilman Bobby Marshall.


-- CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TRUSTEE JIM RICE

Re-Elect Jim Rice on Saturday, May 11, 2013 in the General Election for Fort Bend County ISD Position 3 Trustee. For Jim Rice, serving on the Board of Trustees for Fort Bend ISD is both an honor and a privilege. He stands by his commitment to the success of Fort Bend ISD. Early voting is from Monday, April 29th through Tuesday, May 7th. So vote during the early voting period!

-- CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CYNTHIA LENTON-GARY

Cynthia Lenton-Gary is seeking your vote of approval in the 2013 Fort Bend ISD School Board Position 7 Trustee race. Cynthia is urging you to cast your ballot for her during the early voting period which starts on Monday, April 29, 2013 and ends on Tuesday, May 7, 2013..

Missouri City At Large Position II Council Member Danny Nguyen (far left) is the Economic Development Committee Chair. Council Member Nguyen at an Economic Development effort with Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert (second photo). Council Member Nguyen at the appreciation of safety event with Constable Ruben Davis.

-- CLICK HERE IF YOU CAN VOTE IN THE MISSOURI CITY 2013 ELECTION

"The City had the Charter Review Commission look at changes that needed to be made and updated to the Charter which we are required to do periodically. In their review some minor changes need to be made and it takes voter approval to change the Charter. City Council unanimously approved the changes and are offering them to the voters on the ballot on Saturday, May 11, 2013. We would ask that the voters approve all of the changes." -- Allen Owen, Mayor of Missouri City, Texas

-- CHECK OUT THE STATE OF MISSOURI CITY -- BY RODNEY L. GRIFFIN

Businessman Rodney Griffin continues to campaign tirelessly for the revitalization of Texas Parkway. He has served the Missouri City community as the Presiding Election Judge for many terms. Presently he serve Precinct 2059 as the Democratic Chair and on the State Democratic Executive Committee in Austin. According to Griffin he was the first State (Texas) party official to endorse then candidate Obama for president (Feb, 22, 2007). During the de centennial census, he made sure that every person in the Missouri City community was counted.