Friday, May. 02, 2008

LETTERS to the EDITOR

Dear Editor,

The Lewisville IDS Secondary Task Force returned eight recommendations to the LISD Board of Trustees. All eight recommendations had to do with student learning: creation of 9th-grade campuses, new campuses to reduce class size and campus enrollments, creation of "academies" at 11-12 grade campuses, building a career center to serve the east side of the district, expansion of dual credit opportunities and programs, development of internships, increased use of technology and online learning, and programs to increase rigor in academic offerings. NONE of the task force recommendations addressed or supported creating "athletic equity" across the district.

In this uncertain economic environment, when academic performance, drop-out rate, and college readiness of students is measured in the state’s educational rating system, I would like ALL of my property tax dollars to go to a district that puts academics and student learning and achievement at it highest priorities.

Building a fifth football stadium so that all of LISD’s high schools can have a home stadium is an extravagance and a luxury. No district in the D/FW Metroplex besides LISD publicly proclaims athletic equity as a priority.

Carrollton Farmer’s Branch ISD has one stadium for four high schools, Plano ISD has three senior high schools and five high schools that share three stadiums, and the list goes on.

By placing the additional stadium and natatorium in Proposition 1, instead of in Proposition 2 with the special events center, the LISD Board of Trustees seems to have manipulated the election. Voters cannot vote for academic and student learning initiatives without also supporting athletic equity.

As a homeowner and a supporter of academic excellence in our schools, I should have had the opportunity to vote for initiatives that will support student academic achievement SEPARATELY from initiatives that are for extracurricular purposes. The LISD Board of Trustees did not serve the community or the public well by devising such a plan.

— Mike Flynn, Flower Mound

Dear Editor,

This year’s school bond contest is not about whether to build needed schools and related facilities, it is about our children and community versus Austin.

School taxes have a facilities portion and an operations portion. Austin takes school operations money and redistributes it statewide. Currently, all of [the] facilities taxes stay within our district. However, the legislative mood is to reapportion the facilities taxes statewide as well. That is why the tiny Prosper ISD passed a $1 billion bond election. Once a bond election has been passed, those funds are not eligible to be sent to other districts. Poorer districts do have the right to facilities as well, but not at the expense of our community’s children.

In addition, due to the leadership of Lewisville Independent School District, we enjoy the highest bond rating among school districts in the country. This rating, combined with current low interest rates, allows LISD to borrow money more cheaply than at almost any time in our district’s history.

So I urge you to vote for Propositions 1 & 2 and keep our tax dollars in the LISD to serve our 50,000 – soon to be 60,000 – students. This issue is really about protecting the future.

— Alex Buck, Treasurer

Our Children, Our Future, PAC

Dear Editor,

When my late husband, John, and I first saw Highland Village 12 years ago, we were stunned by its natural beauty and amazed that that an area of such serenity and tranquility could exist in close proximity to the harried and chaotic life we had known in Dallas.

Once we moved here, we fell in love with the feeling of community, the vibrancy of life, and the sense of safety we found.

Through the years, we watched with dismay and disbelief as all of these began to erode around us.

Differing factions literally warred over roads and shopping centers, elected officials openly ignored the clearly expressed wishes of their constituents, traffic became untenable and our perception of personal safety dissolved. The sense of community we so valued disappeared completely as one side of town took a stand against the other, and resentments still fester today.

Fred Busche, a six-year member of the City Council, was a stabilizing force during these chaotic times. His support for economic growth and the financial stability it would bring the city was clearly apparent, and his willingness to consider the wishes and concerns of all residents was a model of consensus-building and cooperation. His desire to provide the highest level of services and amenities to all residents of Highland Village was always combined with his deep concern for the preservation of the natural beauty with which we are surrounded.

Although Highland Village is extremely close to residential build out, several critical areas of commercial and governmental development remain, and if we residents are to have any voice in the final appearance as well as functionality of our city, Fred Busche must be elected mayor.

I urge each reader to vote in this critically important election, and I, as I know John would, support Fred Busche for mayor wholeheartedly and without any reservations.

— Annabel Baird, Highland Village

Dear Editor,

I am writing today to endorse Dianne Costa for re-election as Mayor. I feel strongly that she is the best candidate in this race.

I first met Dianne when we both served on a volunteer committee about 10 years ago. It quickly became apparent that she not only cared deeply about the city and its future, she was also very effective in bringing together people of diverse opinions and backgrounds. This trait has served her well in her years as a council member and as mayor.

I have lived and served here in Highland Village for the past 18 years. In the mid 90’s I served a short time as mayor. During that time I learned several things.

First, you must have the time to do justice to the position. It is very hard to hold down a full-time job and also carry out the duties of mayor. The mayor’s job is a no pay position; when a time crunch hits, the City will take a back seat to your paying job. It takes a true multi-tasker to adequately fulfill the demands of both. Dianne is a true multi-tasker.

Second, the ability to listen to your constituents and communicate your reasoning is a very important skill needed as mayor. Sometimes it is hard to listen, especially when people are being what you consider to be unreasonable. Dianne has always taken the time to listen. Even when she disagrees with you, she will hear your arguments and explain why she feels the way she does. One cannot ask for more than that in a politician.

Third, you must be able to work among your fellow council members to forge compromises to move issues forward for the betterment of the City. The current council is working together better than any time that I can remember.

While I know most of the current members of council, and I know they have the best interests of the city as their objectives, I also feel Dianne has been a major force in moving the City forward to the excellent position it is currently in. It would be a shame to break up this team we have the good fortune of having in place.

For all these reasons, I urge you to go out and vote for Dianne as mayor.

— Charles Turner

Highland Village Council 1993–95

Mayor, 1995-96

Dear Editor,

Character – it is everything!

Character is what enables us to make wise decisions in personal, social and public matters, regardless of whether a single correct answer is obvious.

When electing a public official, character becomes all that much more important. As with choices I must make as a physician, elected officials must put aside personal preferences, confusion, greed and wishful thinking to secure the most desirable outcome for others, regardless of whether everyone agrees.

My wife, Mayor Dianne Costa, has exhibited exemplary strength of character in the execution of her duties as mayor of Highland Village.

I have had the privilege of discussing the majority of the public issues we face with Dianne as they have come forward. Although I have no special influence in these discussions, I can divulge to you that our Mayor considers only the best interests of Highland Village as a whole when she deliberates any issue.

In addition, my wife (our mayor) has the uncanny ability to adroitly balance her civic duties with those of running her own mediation/counseling business, serving in a leadership role in our church, while never compromising the time to take care of our family. Just as she is a steadfast anchor for our family, Dianne has provided leadership for our community that has contributed greatly to the positive outcomes we are all witnessing in our city.

There always is more that can be done, and I offer that my wife, Mayor Dianne Costa, has the proven track record to continue our positive direction.

Make sure not to confuse your vote with the young challenger who happens to share our last name.

Please come out for early voting [the began] April 28, or vote on Election Day, May 10, to re-elect our mayor, Dianne Costa.

— Dr. Dennis Costa

(The Mayor’s husband)

Dear Editor,

After many years of community service, Jean Levenick has made a commitment to her community to continue serving it if elected to Town Council.

Her opponent, Virginia Jellison, after living in Flower Mound for nearly 10 years, has decided it’s finally time to become involved and serve the place she calls home. However, please take a look at the obvious differences between the two candidates.

Ms. Jellison claims that one of her primary election issues is oil and gas. One needs to ask her, if this is such an issue of concern, where has she been the last three years while the Oil and Gas Ordinance went through much scrutiny and, finally, amendments? I saw Mrs. Levenick at those meetings.

Ms. Jellison wants to support SMARTGrowth and the Master Plan. Does she realize that Mrs. Levenick is a member of the SMARTGrowth Commission? Incidentally, the SMARTGrowth Commission met on March 31st ... Ms. Jellison chose not to attend.

She [Jellison] wants to limit "unnecessary" increases in residential density. By whose definition?

Ms. Jellison wants to balance preservation and development. Okay, great idea! Where has she been to support these things? Mrs. Levenick has been supporting a balance of preservation and development in her capacity as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner.

Ms. Jellison wants to ensure Flower Mound continues to be one of the safest communities. Another great idea. However, Mrs. Levenick’s involvement with the Flower Mound Fire Department, the Police Department, and the town’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) have proven that Jean Levenick has taken this issue seriously for several years.

In fact, Ms. Jellison has such "pride" for the place she has lived for nearly 10 years that she has never even bothered to vote in a town election. Amazing.

Here’s my point: the world is full of people who can criticize and find fault, however, it takes a person of strong character to get out and make a difference.

Please join me in supporting Jean Levenick on May 10th.

— Cindy Van Ness, Flower Mound

Dear Editor,

I am writing to you today to ask your support for Al Filidoro, your current Town Council member – Place 2. Though I have never been moved to take this extraordinary step to support a political candidate, I do so because I know that Al Filidoro is that extraordinary individual.

I have known Al Filidoro since 1990. I watched him work hard to obtain his MBA, JD, and then become an attorney while he held executive positions with his employer. More importantly, I have had the honor of observing his character and integrity during a most difficult time in his life, the prolonged illness and subsequent death of his wife Janet as she slowly succumbed to breast cancer.

It was my privilege to be her primary care physician and I can tell you that she never gave up, never complained, and carried herself with the highest dignity and respect for her doctors. She also never failed to tell me how hard Al was working with her to try to overcome this devastating illness that she succumbed to last year.

For over seven years, Al stayed at her side, became the primary caregiver, took over all family and medical decisions and maintained their household. He also moved his office to their home and temporarily stopped his long lifetime commitment to community service because of his dedication to Janet. Janet told me many times how much she appreciated that Al put aside his interests in order to dedicate himself to her and their marriage during this difficult time.

I believe that I have seen this man under the most extreme difficult stress and helplessness that an individual can endure. While he did not know it during that time, I knew that he would come through it, emerge with a greater faith, strength, and sense of purpose. I was not surprised that he would emerge more determined to serve a community that he so loves.

When Al Filidoro completed law school, I engaged him as my attorney. In that relationship, he again exhibited the honesty and integrity that I had come to know of him as in a caregiver capacity. Because he cares about people, he often consults with patients who are confused and need help without benefit of fees just to help them out.

Please return the favor. With your support, join me in saying 'Thank You’ to Al for all that he does for your community.

I believe in Al Filidoro and know that his heart is in the right place. And because of the many things he has done for my patients and me, I felt it was appropriate that I ask of your support for him. To learn more about Al Filidoro, please go to his website at www.AlFilidoro.com.

I ask you to support your Town Council member Al Filidoro. Remember Early Voting is from April 28 to May 6. Election Day is May 10th.

— Robert V. DeMartini, MD

Internal Medicine Clinic of

Grapevine, P.A.