In this week’s mailbag, a response to last week’s article by Michael Quinn Sullivan: Not Your Kids, and concern over county budgets.
Editor’s note: We publish commentary from our subscribers on a regular basis. Commentary may be edited according to community standards.
From 1960-1962, 14,000+ unaccompanied children left Cuba for the U.S.A. in what was called “Operation Pedro Pan” (Operation Peter Pan), sponsored by the Catholic Church; my brother and I were among those children. The reason: Castro was going to make it mandatory for ALL children to attend state-sponsored schools (read: brainwashing.) Boys 14 and older would be sent to camps in the countryside to work and join the military. Parents would have no say-so in their children’s education and/or lives; their kids would be raised by “the village.” I now have two grandchildren and all I have to say to Mr. Romero is this: NOT MY GRANDCHILDREN.
Maria E. Salvador Stein
Fayetteville, TX
Dear Empower Texans,
Does anyone out there ever look at their County’s Budget? I urge any Smith Co. residents reading this to look at their county’s budget. They will find income from Fines is 15M and a deficit account, Fringe Benefits at 16M. To raise 15M every resident would have to pay 53K. The Fringe Benefits Item is not itemized so you have no idea where they are spending 16 million dollars but with a name Fringe Benefits I bet it is not on your traffic problem. Health and Welfare has zero funds dedicated to it. As a matter of fact all the funds are dedicated to the arrest and imprisonment of its county residents. There are no arts or job creation funds. The only improvements are for bldgs dedicated to the Judicial System.
How does Smith Co collect 15M in their Fines and Fees income acct.? They have an arrest program where the deputies extort a name from everyone they arrest. The deputies will hold you for hours until you give one often threatening you so you will give a name. While you are being arrested they give you the option to give a name and they will make all the arrest stuff go away for you.
You are provided an Atty if you need one but do not expect any work from them for they do not defend you because guilty pleas are what fill up that Fines and Fees acct. By pleading guilty you waive the right to appeal so the Attys are not only paid but they are free from scrutiny of the Appellate Court because you have no right to contest your Attys indifference to your defense. You are required under bond to take a weekly urine test at the probation office while awaiting your court date. Pos UA’s put you back in jail and forfiet your bond. Smith Co keeps that money due to your Atty not doing the work it entails to see the money goes back to the rightful owner. Smith Co kept 450K that was my daughters bond on less than a gram. In doing so the Bond Co went out of business. Her DFPS Atty made 108K.
This Atty A. Bretzky never opened the file. Two DFPS on her case were fired and the Atty Bretzky did not file a motion for dismissal. Being one of the emp’s had skipped out on her own bond in Ga. for Felony Battery and who investigated the case and should not have been hired in Tx at DFPS making the grounds for dismissal pretty easy to achieve. The case is still active 2 yrs later violating many laws.
By reviewing your Co’s budget you will be able to see what is important to the Budget keepers and spenders. Knowing what your tax dollars are being used for gives you the opportunity to know if your next vote will be for the same candidate in your Judicial and Co government. If you live in Smith Co. and have experienced this special judicial sys. where your rights are denied you can file a complaint w/ the Ofc. Inspector General. Atty General and State Auditor. Stop the Abuse of Power by filing a complaint today. Vote new Judges to the Bench.
Thank You for Your Time and Considerations.
Norma Smith
Canton, TX
