Letters to the Editor

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To the Editor,

My choice of candidates to support and work on the city council campaign for Place 8 was an easy one.  As I have come to know Brandon Huckabee, his qualities of integrity, honesty and class truly show. 

His heart for the people of Stephenville is genuine. Brandon has studied the issues and is extremely prepared for this position.  He has spent time combing through the budget, speaking with citizens, city leaders and staff to make the best decisions. It will not take him 8 years to learn from mistakes that his opponent feels he made while serving. 

There are many issues facing the city right now.  Our infrastructure is in serious need of attention.  The council will vote next week to issue an intent for $17 million in certificates of obligation with a low-interest loan to begin the East Side Sewer Project without impacting our taxes. This opportunity before us, if the council approves, will not only alleviate the overburdened sewer, but will encourage and open the doors for future economic development.  Development that is anticipated to provide quality jobs. Our city was below the cut-off twice for loan forgiveness and waiting to apply a third time is a gamble I would rather not take as the interest rate climbs, only costing us more. 

When I attended the city budget workshops last summer, I watched the budget get trimmed to a final product that was lean and without “fat.”  The city staff did an excellent job with necessary budget requests to provide the best services in the most efficient manner.  Running on lower taxes is not feasible when the basic services must be met. I am not in favor of writing bigger checks to ECAD, but I also believe in making water & sewer repairs, providing quality services of police and fire, upgrading our senior citizen center and offering the best SPARD services – all impossible without revenue. Property tax revenue has continued to increase but waiting until economic development provides enough revenue will take years and puts development in jeopardy without infrastructure in place. We must take proper action to ensure our future generations are not burdened with the same problems. Difficult issues require carefully made decisions.  I prefer Brandon Huckabee making those decisions while keeping our taxes as low as possible.  He will represent us well. I’ll be voting for those candidates who also share the same opinion.  I hope you’ll join me in voting for Brandon Huckabee, Place 8. 

Sincerely,
Keri & Mark Wallace
Stephenville

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