I will try to be more politically correct so that I don't get yanked out again!

Mrs. Rangel had asked in one meeting to get with Kaminski to see what the area's % income is at. Why? Sounds like reverse discrimination. Because alot of residents indeed maybe be in the lower brackets does that make them unworthy???

VISD passed a bigger bond and its % pupils(residents) is above 60 percent, I believe or close to it. The proposal passed because it benefits the community and their kids. Look, at CYFL, LL, Softball also even select travel teams I bet there are many eco-social families with kids in those leagues.

I wonder how they do it? The parents on the southside or even the northside manage that??? They sacrifice for their kids. I am also admire the citizens for speaking up and getting involved now lets hope they get out and VOTE--its your right. I agree with E.Alvarez bring in the TECQ.....

the plant on 59 will be in the river soon!!! the bank next to the plant has shifted closer to the plant every flood and is now pretty close. We better hope they get the new one started soon or we will be floating in sewage. As far as the charter is concerned MR TRUMAN is playing games. the charter didn't matter to him any other time they have voted for like funded projects, so get real. BESIDES HE IS ONLY TALKING FOR THE LESS THAN 2% of his district that even showed up to vote for him.

I'm sure the writers of the charter just never thought such idiots would be running the show when they worded it like that. How could they have known how petty and childish politics would become. They would have debated the issue and voted on it promptly and did what needs to be done for the betterment of the city. Not drag it out like this circus.

Proper decisions should be made objectively and subjectively. What makes a good objective decision: topography, infrastructure location, an adequate labor force and of course monetary resources. What makes a good subjective decision: feelings, opinions, and the politically weak versus the politically strong? Objective decisions are measurable. Subjective choices are based on feelings.

I and some of my fiscal conservative friends attended a number of the council’s budget meetings this year. We studied the city budget as we made an argument for reducing the cities’ ever increasing expenditures. The city manager said his government needed every penny it could get. They needed the money to pay for expensive computers, council lunches and $1000 chairs for the emergency management room. The mayor was more than ready to spend our money.

Now the Mayor is worried about spending too much money. This is new. Never has Mr. Will Armstrong expressed a desire to save taxpayer funds. What does he have to gain in this one case? Move the service center to the river and sell the North Navarro Service Center for more “economic development” perhaps?

The sewer plant site is being rammed down the throats of Victoria’s politically weak. These residents do not want this noisy and potentially smelly plant in their neighborhood. This is a subjective reason, but it makes more sense than the Mayor suddenly becoming a born again fiscal conservative.

I suggest that the mayor and his band of three big time spenders go back to the drawing board. These residents have spoken. They do not want the plant in their neighborhood. It needs to be closer to US 59. It appears Mr. Truman has caught the city manager and mayor in a got cha. The mayor’s decision has nothing to do with him being a born again fiscal conservative.

Dear Observer:

If you read the rest of Mr. Truman's quote you will note that he says that the City has known about the need for a new plant for the last five years! What in the world has the City been doing these five years? This so called "emergency" has been caused by gross incompetence on the part of the City Manager: he failed to put funding for the purchase in the current budget. Prior budgets had it but not this one. We cannot violate the City Charter just to cover one man's mistake. The Charter serves as the constitution of the City of Victoria. Would you be this careless in your attitude if this involved the U.S. Constitution? I would hope not but you ARE asking the City Council to do exactly that with our City Charter. I would suggest that you go back to the news article and read, really read, the quote from the Charter. It was obviously written to prevent the financial shenanigans we are currently facing. I congratulate those council members who have stood up for the Charter and the rule of law and sincerely hope that the rest of the City Council will consider the implications of their actions if they proceed by ignoring the Charter.

My previously high opinion of Mr. Truman has taken a nose dive. You quoted him as stating that it will take five years to complete the new plant and that does not constitute an emergency. In previous reports on this issue, I remember reading that the city MUST have the plant completed and in operation by 2015 to be in compliance with environmental rules. In five days we will be in the year 2010, leaving five years to complete the plant by 2015. Does he even listen to himself when he is talking?

No matter how state of the art sewer plant is builded on that location it will stink to high heaven. I helped build two of them out in the open desert and could be smelled for miles. The arguement here is how important are the people on the South end of Victoria and how much income they contribute the the local economy and/or politicians.Their health and welfare is not important.REAL TALK.

It makes sense to buy this land now. I do not want my sewer rates to go up more because of Hagan, truman and Soliz. Mr Hagan I will remember you when you run for Mayor. You said you were "the Taxpayers best friend". You told me you were looking out for us. How can you sit in that chair and lie to me. You are effectively raising my taxes by not voting for the cheapest option. I understand Truman, he is trying to get reelected and he is running scared. But Hagan lied to me and others who voted for him.

More pressing city business, like what kind of tree s to buy to go with the fancy new sidewalks?

On that subject, one of the concerns is to make the sidewalks ADA complaint... excuse me but the ADA law was passed in 1990.

Other area towns such as Yoakum and Cuero, applied for and received grants to make their sidewalks ADA compliant back then.

I realize that a different city council made the decisions then, but isn't the sewer plant decision the same thing?

They knew it had to be done for at least year in the sidewalk situation, and now 19 years later they are getting to it.

And for 5 years in the sewer plant situation, and now of all times to spend the money for both, one is so people can walk downtown on nice sidewalks, avoiding all the Bat poop, and the other is a dire emergency, give me, and every city tax payer a break.

The quote from the City Charter says it all.

"The City Council, in case of grave public necessity, may amend the original budget to authorize emergency expenditures to meet unusual and unforeseen conditions which could not by reasonable diligence, thought and attention have been included in the original budget."

In no way does this issue qualify as an emergency or unforseen.

According to Mr. Polasek, enforcing the City Charter is a "stalling tactic". I wonder how he would feel if Congress took the same liberties with the U.S. Constitution that he is taking with the City Charter.

The question Mr. Polasek and the other council members should be asking themselves is WHY this purchase was not in this year's budget? It was in the budget in prior years (undeniable proof that this issue does not qualify as unforeseen). The City Manager failed to budget the purchase and he should be held accountable. He did not exercise (again quoting the Charter) "reasonable diligence, thought and attention"

No matter if you are for or against the proposed site, a violation of the City Charter can not be allowed. This rush to complete the transaction this year regardless of the cost or consequences raises a great doubt in my mind. I agree with Mr. Truman. The City Charter was designed precisely to prevent such an occurrence as we now face. Ask yourself: why?