El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 40, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 11, 1982 Page: 4 of 33
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Page4-A El Campo Leader-News, El Campo, TX, Wed , August 11, 1982
Viewpoint
CAD Attacked Again
Editor, the Leader-News:
The last time I wrote to you involving your taxes, it was in opposition
to a new Courthouse. We won that battle even against a stacked deck
Now we have another battle, also against a stac ked deck This time
the taxpayers’ enemy is a man by the name of Vernon Warren He was
hired by the Central Appraisal District Board as Chief Appraiser for
Wharton County. The reason we are up against a stacked deck is that
the eight man board that hired him apparently feel that they must
stand behind him and defend him, regardless of what he does.
Their loyalty is admirable. However, the result is a total disaster to
the taxpayers of Wharton County.
1. His policies have forced countless taxpayers to choose between
time consuming appeals and paying unjust taxes as the lesser of two
evils.
2. He has treated some taxpayers with indifference, arrogance and
rudeness. He apparently thinks that we are working for him.
3. He has frequently appraised personal property at several times its
value.
4. He has grossly over-valued the productive value of agricultural
land, relative to all neighboring counties (some 250 percent higher). He
must think that Wharton County farmers are getting rich! Undoubted
ly, he has not taken the time to talk to any bankers
5. He has arbitrarily placed a single market value < generally $750
per acre) on all rural land, regardless of soil type, location and
whether or not it is in the flood plain. He undoubtedly does not know
that land values vary.
6. He has taken advantage of the inability of most taxpayers to take
the time off from work and go to the expense of protesting their unjust
appraisals to the Review Board.
7. He has harassed taxpayers by requiring them to fill out
bureaucratic forms even after they have sent detailed letters pro-
testing their values (which are sufficient under the law).
Now the problem comes in the fact that we cannot call an election to
override their decision.
I am distressed to see the CAC board accept a $535,000 budget when
this money does not educate our children or pave a road. It is simply a
dead loss.
Our economy is in bad shape, with the agriculture, oil and gas and
sulfur businesses also suffering.
This is a time to economize; if anything last year’s $378,000 should
have been cut.
Sincerely,
Newell W. Atkinson III
Wharton
On Fireworks Safety
Editor, the Leader-Newt:
Thank you for your efforts in promoting the Fireworks Safety Pro-
gram during July, 1962. We are extremely gratified with the coverage
your newspaper gave us.
As you know, it takes considerable time to reach large consumer au-
diences. Much of the credit for reaching such audiences goes to editors
like yourself. Your efforts helped broaden consumer awareness regar
ding the hazard of fireworks.
Again, we wish to express our sincere thanks
Sincerely,
Elizabeth B. Hendricks
Assistant Regional Director for Public Affairs
Farmers Need Help
Editor, the Leader-News:
Our farming area is well into the 1982 harvest season. Across the land
the American farmer is starting this harvest not knowing what the
price will be for his commodity OR if he can face the challenge of ex-
penses and losses that agriculture is offering for 1983
The American farmer comprises approximately four percent of the
American population. This percentage does not include the many farm
related agencies. Our production is tremendous across the land We
can practically feed the world. Several years ago our government
discovered this fact and had been using this knowledge as a political
weapon against nations whose behavior we do not condone The words
EMBARGO and SANCTIONS have become major topics within farm-
families' homes
We are a part of a political connectional system called The American
Government. I feel very strongly that our government’s concern
should be the success of the American people not the failure of foreign
governments
President Reagan just announced extended grain sales to Russia
FOR ONE YEAR ONLY. What happens then? The farmer must wait
until the 1963 harvest and another decision concerning our food com
modity as a weapon. The American farmer must try once more to plan
for ‘one more year."
Our President was advised that Republican seats are up for election
throughout the farm belt and that sanctions might be disasterous
Again, farm commodities are being used politically at a time when far-
ming and its many agencies are in a depressed situation There should
be talk of opening up the market, not talk of sanctions.
Solutions can be obtained through open marketing (private and
government), exporting to help balance world trade and decreasing
the cost of money by lowering interest rates
Governments do not suffer, people do’
The American farmer is independent as were his forefathers and he
wants to stay that way. We do not have pension plans, company
benefits, etc Our farms ARE our future' Families are having to mor
tgage their farms and take equities out of their land, this has never
been done before If all is lost, then more people will become
economically depressed Where will that leave the people that supply
food to the world** Even more important, where will that leave the peo
pie that depend on our farmers for food-’
Have we been quiet too long** Have we depended on someone else to
sound our horn** I believe that "we the people" need to let our govern
ment know more about our situations As citizens of this country and
taxpayers in good standing we have the right to express our opinion
We are told that we must work within the system I am beginning
with this letter I hope you will do the same lad s s*«e if the system still
works l,et'*doit
Farmers, wives, mothers, business associates anyone connecter!
with hill.nng write letters |)|RK< I I N I - I Iff S( H R< 1
Prevalent Ronald Reagan. The White House, Washington. I> C 2i>.vm
Honorable Secretary of Agriculture Mr John Bloc k c o The White
House. Washington D (' jorxxi
Senator Lloyd Bentxon. Senate Building Washington l>< airsai
Honor a t>le Secretary of Stale Mr George Schultz « o The White
House Washington !>• <*„•
Senator John Tower. Senate Huiltlmg Washington l>(
Mra Prank Anna las* Higgins
Eagle laike Texas 77414
,1
** 4
.1 1
tL kmrrm -£|Uh*
Sound-Off...
The national debt
is causing both ex-
perts and citizens to
wonder about the
future of our
economy. The
recently proposed
amendment to
balance the budget
has brought opposi-
tion from some
Democratic politi-
cians. This week the
Leader-News asked
El Campoans, “Do
you feel the propos-
ed amendment to
balance the budget
will be a success?”
I
Lillian Bartek
El Campo
Secretary
"Protably not (work) because
our government is already so far
in debt It’s just too far down
(budge). I don’t know how they'll
be ableto balance the budget.
Dana Bartley
111 Sunnyside
Groundman
"I’m hoping it will (work). I’d
like to see things go a little
smoother than they have been.
There’s a lot of people out of
work.”
m.
A
Roger Benavidez
512 Heights
Realtor
"No People are losing con
fidence in the president A lot of
people are going to be very disap-
pointed with him "
Marion Sexton
El Campo
Cropduster
“I think the overall
(Repuilican) plan should work I
think le’s on the right track It
can’t le done overnight.”
Jana Birmingham
El Campo
Housewife
"Yes I think it will. I like
Reagan and I think it's going to
work You have to give the man a
little bit of time ”
THE REAGAN WUI* REE
"T
KRUON
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in®36
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Disocverad
tWe vjorVl
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m WA
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Invented t»
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Diaaftfered
Brim iiijjpt iNimu
in 1962
By HARLAN HOBBS
"We have nothing to fear except
fear itself.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt said
that, way back in the early
thirties, when people were
desperately frightened by the
failure of their leadership Their
political, economic and spiritual
leadership.
Actually, the expression was
not original with FDR, but nobody
before had ever used it in such a
persuasive and timely manner.
Our president was not only an
opportunist, he was a splendid
showman. Not only was he a
better actor than Ronald Reagan,
he was a better showman than
Barnum. (It is not recorded that
he ever said “There’s one born
every minute ”)
The people had a blind faith in
FDR, a master dramatist who
promised to end the Great
Depression and made the people
believe it. The people had such
faith in the man and his promises
that they thought maybe he was
greater than George Washington
or Thomas Jefferson or Abraham
Lincoln and others too minor to
mention in the same breath such
as Teddy Roosevelt or Woodrow
Wilson The people elected FDR
to an unprecedented third term,
because "eight years were simply
not enough for the Great One to
conquer the Great Depression.”
Thus, America approached the
forties. Still with a president of
promise. Still with the Great
Depression. But now there was an
element more threatening than
poverty and despair. A thing to be
more feared than fear itself.
Hitler and his Germany!
With a sigh of great relief, the
politicians in control of The White
House, the House of Represen-
tatives and the Senate, could
change their tune. Now, the Great
Ones could abandon the promise
worn threadbare that they could
lick the Great Depression in favor
of the promise that, "we shall
never send your sons to fight and
die on a foreign battlefield." And,
upon that promise more than any
other, FDR was elected to a
fourth term
Then, Pearl Harbor!
End of the Great Depression!
It took a World War for the
politicians who had been in
control of the administrative and
the legislative branches of the
government to end the
Depression And with the end of
the Depression there was the
beginning of our boys fighting on
foreign soil And many died,
valorously as Americans do
Since 1932, there has seldom
been a time when the party of
FDR, HST. JFK or LBJ or that
recent one from Georgia has not
been in power Now, we are faced
with a growing, worldwide un-
certainty, a fear that soon could
become panic
Who among the people shall
take the words of an unnamed
poet, as did FDR a half century
ago. and say to his people, "We
have nothing to fear except fear
itself**’’
Viewpoint
Letter Policy
I he El ( ampo Leader-
N* ws encourages its readers
lo express (heir viewpoints
through letters to the editor
These letters should lie leg)
hie and no longer than km
words
Ihe> must t»e signed and
accompanied bv an address
and telephone numtier
author s name will
* it held onlv m s|M*cial
cumslances
Iadter* should In- brought
to the rM'ws|M|M*r office or
mailed lo El ( ampii | ejdir
News I'll Ro* UN,, f.,
* afitpo fexa* r7«r
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Barbee, Chris. El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 40, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 11, 1982, newspaper, August 11, 1982; El Campo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1006846/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Wharton County Library.