The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 16, 1995 Page: 4 of 28
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letters
to the editors
Dear Editor:
I secured an itemized copy of
the expenses for the change of
venue for the Skinner trial. If you
want to ruin your day, get one and
see how our District Judge Sims
spent Gray County’s money.
This trial cost about $250,000
MORE in Fort Worth than here in
Gray county. To put this in per-
spective, Gray county has about
125 employees. You could give
each one a raise of $2,000 per year.
The golf course, which many resi-
dents use cost under $100,000.
The county has used all of the ex-
cess Highland General Hospital
Fund and the Commissioners had
to raise taxes just to pay for ONE
TRIAL which was, for all practical
purposes, an open and shut case.
We paid two lawyers for the
defense, at a total of $152,949.76.
At $150.00 per hour, that’s 1019
hours, which equals 20 hours per
week for a year. Most of this ex-
pense was incurred over eleven
months. Another $5,324 was also
paid for legal expenses.
There was also $18,000, paid up
front to the lawyers and charged
off as witness expenses. At pre-
sent, I understand a full account-
ing of this money has not been
turned in to the county.
Hotel expenses amounted to
over $42,532. There was also a
check to Judge Sims for $1,406.00
for special expenses. This is just a
sample of the miscellaneous ex-
penses, which totaled $145,948.15.
There are some other interest-
ing things about the expenses.
The 31st Judicial District pays a
court stenographer $40,000 plus,
in salary to keep court records. He
can also bill the county for work
done. This came to $28,436.00 for
this one trial. Also, the District
Judge appoints the county auditor
who audits all these expenses.
This is a state law. It looks like a
conflict of interest to me, since the
judge can fail to reappoint an audi-
tor who questions his expenses.
I would like to remind the
counties of Wheeler, Hemphill,
Roberts and Lipscomb, that you
might be just a murder away from
the same thing happening to you.
Another reason, besides money,
that keeps lawyers from limning
against an incumbent, is fear. If he
can’t beat him, then he would have
to practice law in his court and
may fear a backlash.
I would challenge any county
or individual that’s had a bad ex-
perience with Judge Sims, to
make it known. Maybe w'e can
have a recall election or, at least,
get another lawyer interested in
trying to beat him in the next elec-
tion.
All of these statistics are a mat-
ter of public record.
C. Calvin Lacy
2122 Mary Ellen
Pampa, Texas 79065
9806)669-2009
Dear Editor,
In 1788, James Madison ob-
served that “Government is insti-
tuted to protect property of every
sort.” Madison had just wiitten
the Bill of Rights, including the
clause that says, “Nor shall pri-
vate property be taken for public
use without just compensation.”
Clearly, our Founding Fathers
understood that the right to own,
use, and exchange property made
people independent and gave
them the pow'er to preserve their
liberties.
Today our right to private
property is under assault in a
manner our Founding Fathers
could never have imagined.
In the coming wreeks, the Sen-
ate Judiciary Committee will con-
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISED
IHT IT! * SI-MU! * I I\n IT!
TO VOYERTISE IN THE CANADIAN RECORD
CALL 3-3“6461
opinion
paqe
A boost for the S
sider ‘The Omnibus Private Prop-
erty Rights Act.” This bill re-
stores the Constitution’s
guarantee to private property
rights protection by forcing gov-
ernment agencies to assess and
minimize the impact they have on
private property owners. If a gov-
ernment agency takes private
property or damages its value,
compensation must be paid and it
must come out of the agency’s
budget.
I believe that if we hold govern--'
ment accountable, the govern-
ment will find good reason to
respect the families wrho own
homes, farms and businesses in
America.
Yours respectfully,
Phil Gramm,
United States Senator
costs, and the family is confronted with about $10,000
in out-of-pocket expenses which must be paid.
Jackson says that the Wildcat Booster Club has
set up an account at First State Bank of Canadian,
funds from which will be used to help pay the family’s
medical costs. The boosters hope to enlist the support
of Wildcat fans throughout the community w'ho
might be willing to make donations to the fund, and
help the Sanchez family in this w'ay.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution may do so
by mailing a check to First State Bank, P.O. Box 928,
Canadian, Texas 79014, or by taking a donation by
the bank. Contributions can also be made by contact-
ing Booster Club officers Joe Jaco or John Baker.
In a championship year, both Cecilio and Hector
have demonstrated the kind of teamwork and good
sportsmanship that we find admirable in our young
Continued from Page 3
people. They, too, are champions. We hope their
example will instill similar character traits in other
young athletes and students.
We hope, too, that their example will inspire the
community of Canadian to open its heart and pull out
its checkbook in order to help ease the financial
burden this family has assumed as a result of their
sons’ athletic endeavors. It w'ould be the finest dem-
onstration of the true Wildcat spirit already embod-
ied in these two young men.
Finally, we hope the Sanchez brothers and their
teammates and their coaches will have a fewT more
sidelines in a few more towns in a few more playoff
games to stand on, and that the Wildcat fans will
stand behind them as far down the road as it goes,
and as cold as it gets. What a great season it’s been
already!
A willingness to serve
By Ken Towery In the Floyd County Hesperian-Beacon
^komewhere along the line November 11, which
Uused to mark the end of World War I, got rolled
up into one memorial day, along with various other
dates, during which the nation can pause and reflect.
We hope it does.
It’s always a little difficult for us, personally, to
comment on an occasion like this. Somehow it seems
a little self-serving for a veteran to say that it would
be good for the country to pause and remember those
veterans who only tried to do their duty.
But if we don’t do it, who will? If we do not
indicate, in every way possible, some respect for
those who fell in battle while wre survived, how can
we expect others to do so? If those of us who part ici-
pated in the struggle for freedom do not indicate, in
every way possible, that the struggle wras worth-
while, howT can we expect others to believe it was
worthwhile? How can we expect others to take their
own place in the struggle, whether it is at the ballot
box or the field of battle?
Over the past many years, indeed throughout the
history of our country, we have had millions and
millions of men go marching off to wrar. In each and
every case, we have had far fewer come marching
back from war. In each and every case, going all the
way back to the revolution, they left behind the
bodies of their comrades, and, in some cases, various
parts of their own bodies as well. In return, they
brought back their own private memories, some
good, some bad. And, in every case, w'hen all wras said
and done, w’hen they came home the flag of freedom
was still flying.
But no matter which war they fought in, no matter
where they served, they all have one thing in com-
mon. They were willing to answer their country’s call
to duty. They were not willing to run and hide.
Had they not been willing to answer their coun-
try s call to duty, an entirely different flag would be
flying today.
So to them we say thanks, and God Bless.
And to others, we say, please don’t lose sight of
what they fought for and died for.
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Ezzell, Nancy & Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 16, 1995, newspaper, November 16, 1995; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth735893/m1/4/: accessed July 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hemphill County Library.