Democratic House Majority Leader Hoyer visits SA

L-R: Democratic House Majority Leader Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer & Rodriguez political director Gina Castaneda, Hoyer, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Congressman Steny Hoyer & prospective Senatorial candidate Mike Watts, Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, Watts signing in, Ciro holding a present from Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Northeast Democrats Chair John Courage, Northside ISD Board Member Katie Reed, Miguel Alvarado, Jo MCall, Joe Alderete, former State Rep. Leo Alvarado & Congressman Ciro Rodriguez at Aldaco's Restaurant, Tuesday, May 30th

Congressman Hoyer speaks to Ciro supporters

L-R: Democratic House Majority Leader Congressman Steny Hoyer in town to support Congressman Ciro Rodriguez, Tuesday, May 30th, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Bexar County Commissioner Chico Rodriguez & his Chief of Staff Moses Suarez, Preacher Tony Penn, VIA Board member Leo Lopez & wife, Andres Gonzalez, Tomas Larralde, Mike Watts, Alex Lopez, Jorge Herrera & Harlandale ISD Board Member Anthony Alcoser, Frank Herrera, Congressman Ciro Rodriguez political director Gina Castaneda, Congressmen Charlie Gonzalez & Ciro Rodriguez, Lukin Gilliland & Christian Archer

Julian Castro speaks to non-traditional school

L-R: Ramon Chapa, former SA Councilman Julian Castro, Principal Jerry Clark

By Ramon Chapa

Edwards Aquifer board member

New Braunfels Independent School District (NBISD) Learning Center is the School for Non Traditional Students. Being a community leader I was asked to be Master of Ceremonies for graduation ceremony.

The Keynote Speaker was former San Antonio councilmember Julian Castro. He told the students his story growing up on west SA, brought up by a single mom, his time at Stanford, Harvard and his tenure on the San Antonio City Council. He presented Principal Jerry Clark and staff with a flag flown over Texas Capitol at the request of his brother, State Rep Joaquin Castro.

Approximately 500 were present for the ceremony to include graduates, family and school board members.

Legislature caps red-light camera fines at $75

Red-Light Camera in Balcones Heights

SB1119, authored by State Senator John Carona (R) that passed both chambers awaiting the Governor's signature is a transportation bill that will cap the amount of fine ($75) a city can assess for violators who run a red light in their city.

According to the bill the city has to certify that the traffic signals actually make the roads safer...and have to fork over basically all of the cash to the state...except for the money it takes to run them.

Currently the City of Balcones Heights assesses a fine of $148 that authorizes the vendor to keep $40 while turning over $108 to the City for each collected violation. The bill goes into effect September 1st.

There are also new requirements for signage. Also...American Traffic Solutions (ATS) out of Scotsdale, Arizona, the vendors who installed the cameras in Balcones Heights are prohibited from turning over records of non-payers to credit reporting agencies. Since the ticket is civil and not criminal, there is no effective tool to require people to actually pay the fines.

Under a criminal statute, an officer issues a citation that can lead to suspension of license, increase in insurance premiums and possible arrest for failure to pay the ticket. Under the civil statute, none of that applies.

According to former Balcones Heights Councilman Steve Walker, the lone dissenting vote, "it appears that my concerns over a lack of a mechanism to enforce the statute is shared by the legislatrure."

To date over 2-thousand violations have been issued since the installation of the red-light cameras with no up to date record as to how many violators have actually paid the fine.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/doc/SB01119F.doc

Quico Canseco airs new radio mesages

Quico Canseco (photo)

Candidate for Republican nomination

Congressional District 23

Canseco for Congress Campaign
Airs New Radio Message

San Antonio, Texas—The Quico Canseco for Congress campaign has released another radio message in its continuing effort to take back the 23rd District for Republicans. The new sixty second radio ad began airing Memorial Day on radio stations across South Texas . The ad is designed to help voters learn more about Quico Canseco’s views on faith and values. Canseco is seeking the Republican Party nomination to challenge Democrat incumbent Ciro Rodriguez.

The radio ad features Mr. Canseco talking about the need to defend Christian values and faith from steady attempts to remove them from our daily lives and American culture.

“Radical interest groups and their allies in the democratic party, have been undertaking a systematic campaign against America ’s Judeo-Christian identity. I think it is important for voters to know my feelings on faith and values in our society. There is a wide gulf between the role I believe faith has in our culture and the role liberal democrats envision,” explained Mr. Canseco.

“Extremist liberals think God has no future in America , I believe America has no future without God,” Canseco added.

“The first message to the district was about me introducing myself. Now I want folks to know what kind of values I will carry with me and defend in our nation’s capital. When this district switched hands from a conservative leader to a liberal Democrat, the people who live, work, and raise their families here lost an advocate for protecting the traditional values of faith, family, and freedom in the Congress. Once elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, I will again provide that voice,” Canseco concluded.

Dr. David Green speaks to the Wurzbach Group

L-R: Guest Speaker & Author Dr. David Green, Rosemary Benitez, business man, Gene Crowder, Karla Hester, Charles Guerra, Robert Rodriguez, Melva Hernandez, Benevolence Works CEO Linda Hartman & sponsor Jesse Garza, Laura Calo & mother, Justice of the Peace Marcia Weiner & Wurzbach Group Founder Joe Solis, Orderup

The fifth meeting of the Wurzbach Group, an off shoot of the Latino Breakfast for District 8, drew a good crowd to Orderup at the Colonnade, Wednesday, May 30th.

Dr. David Green served as guest speaker.