HORACE MCQUEEN: Confusion Reigns – Getting Worse!
Girl Scouts in the Boy Scouts, fear of deviates in the bathroom, NFL divided — and the list goes on. And when it comes to agriculture, the big get bigger — and the little folks get squeezed out. It’s about time for the working class to come forward and take charge of our future, and do it quick. Politicians are not the answer—they can’t do anything but moan and groan about the mess they have brought on us.
Probably would be best if the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives just shut down all activities for a spell. Then these “leaders” should have to come back home and see how their policies are affecting the folks who pay the taxes to support their extravagant life styles.
Condoleezza Rice is one of those leaders who always made sense. She was Secretary of State when George W. Bush was President. Now a college professor and much-in-demand public speaker, Ms. Rice lays it on the line when it comes to destroying statues of Confederate leaders. “When you start wiping out your history, sanitizing your history, to make you feel better, it’s a bad thing. It’s not actually our heritage, it’s our history. We as a people have moved on.” If this American leader ever runs for public office, she gets my vote!
Hurricane Harvey will go down in the history books as a storm that brought tremendous loss to citizens along the Texas coast. The cleanup continues and will last for many months, or years. While Harvey was bringing destruction a few business owners decided to make some extra bucks. But never fear!
Our illustrious state “leaders”, including Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick and Attorney General Paxton were on the tube — and radio and newspapers — telling us that they would come down hard on hotels, service stations, repair contractors and food stores that escalated their prices during the hurricane. Guess what? As of last week over 5,000 claims of price gouging were reported to Mr. Paxton. Our Attorney General has launched only 82 investigations of these claims. Only three law suits have been filed against the price gougers — one against a hotel owner and two against gas station operators.
One resident of Irving, just outside Dallas, filed a claim against a local gas station operator that jumped his gas price to $5 a gallon. Marvin Clemons said he asked the service station operator why the price more than doubled from one day to the next.
The reply, “It’s our store, and we can charge whatever we want for our gas.” Clemons filed a complaint with Paxton’s office, but nothing has come of it. So far, records show over 50 other complaints were made to Paxton about the overcharging at that station.
Those economic development gurus too often are focused on bringing “growth” to their city or county. In Anderson County and Houston County, Sanderson Farms continues to create problems for some landowners adjacent to their contract chicken houses. Complaints are several. Flies galore, smells that often make adjacent homeowners leave home and damage to roads are making some wish the chicken outfit would leave East Texas.
In Anderson County several property owners have asked taxing authorities to lower their appraisal values due to the smells and other problems with chicken operations. The Anderson County Appraisal District is working with property owners who want their values lowered. Adrienne Polk heads the team of appraisers in that office. She said property owners can protest their values to her office, and if still not satisfied, can meet with the Appraisal Review Board. Several property owners have followed the process and are pleased with the lowered values.