Travis County Commissioners Court
February 26, 2008
Citizens Communication
Citizens communication is first. This item gives residents an opportunity to address the Commissioners court for up to three minutes and one citizen has signed in, gus pena. Good morning.
>> good morning, judge. Commissioners. Gus pena. Really quickly, for veterans, we lift up all the veterans and loved ones who have answered the call to duty. Because of your kindness toward us we live in freedom today through the sacrifices or veterans have made. We thank you for letting us live in this land. We thank you for the victories that have been given to us, the liberty we now enjoy because of the courageous service of our veterans. Bless us and our land that we may always be the land of the free and the home of the brave, in jesus name, amen. I would ask that everybody, please, whatever your posture is, whatever your position is on the war in iraq afghanistan, whether we are supposed to be there or not, pray for the military veterans. We served during the vietnam conflict, I知 not crying about this, we are spat upon at lax. I don't care. I will gladly go back and defend my country's freedom, safety and democracy. Please pray for your veterans, they deserve our prayers and our support. Number 2, we met with h.u.d. Officials in san antonio and henry cisneros was in the area, he was a little bit of help getting this meeting going. And there are going to be ongoing meetings to the true definition of affordable housing. I thank the good lord that has come about in help from other people. I helped henry cisneros when he was running for mayor in san antonio. We have history everywhere. But anyway thank you, lord, for allowing us to meet with h.u.d. And in discussing the need for affordable housing here in Austin, everywhere throughout the united states. But specifically for Travis County and the city of Austin. The two veterans that were having problems who were denied this -- this eligibility, eligibility health clinics, have now received their clinic cards, Commissioner Davis one is in your precinct and all that I had to do was mention your name, I said Commissioner Davis, one of his constituents lives in -- well, no, no, immediately within two hours, boom, he was found eligible. We shouldn't have to go through that. We go to the v.a. Hospital in mont, it is red -- montopolis red tape to go through care. Jennifer gale can tell you about that. She knows the problems veterans are having. A lot of us are dying, ill, you have to be to the emergency room at brackenridge hospital. I知 not crying about that either, but telling you about the plight of the homeless veterans with families. Veterans shouldn't have to go through this. We don't want a handout. A hand up would be appreciated for all of the veterans out there in dire strait and the needs. The meters out here in front, I had to call the city of Austin, 8 different people, including the mayor's office, rudy garza, the assistant city manager. Nobody called me back except two people, mr. Ortega and mr. Jerard, eight different people to get the meter resolved. Eight of my quarters, 36 minutes left on there, eight quarters and they said if you get a ticket, give me a call we will take care of it. We shouldn't have to do that. One last item
>> [beeping] this is the paper. It has the youth out there. I知 not saying who I知 for, whatever, that's my prerogative not to say it, youth, senior citizens, veterans they are going to come out in numbers to vote for local, city, state, county our presidential candidates. Continue. Thank you very much, have a good day.
>>
>> [indiscernible]
>> I will. Either way.
>> thank you, gus.
>> change no matter what.
>> thank you.
>> jennifer gale.
>> good morning.
>> good morning, hi Travis County. Commissioners Gomez, Daugherty, I知 much healthier, sarah he could -- a much healthier sarah eckhardt.
>> I really appreciate it.
>> your welcome, myron Davis from Commissioner precinct 1.
>> don't leave your county judge out now.
>> oh, my god, I知 sorry, you're right, judge Sam Biscoe.
>> all right.
>> thank you for reminding me
>> [laughter]
>> I should have started with you, sir.
>> that's all right. I want to talk about the possibility of having university of Texas medical branch here in the city of Austin -- I知 sorry in our county. The county of Travis County. This can bring state-of-the-art medical care and we can even get a -- a children's burn unit like they have down in galveston, which there's the whole -- which serves the whole area. The -- around here, it is so state-of-the-art. What I would like, I am crying, I知 screaming about health care for our veterans. Health care for veterans doesn't exist. The clinic over there on montopolis is out of the way, it's a clinic, it's not even a health care -- not even -- I wouldn't even consider it a health care facility. When you think that veterans have medical benefits, they don't have any. You have an injury, it takes three months before they'll look at you. It takes weeks before they'll test you. It's almost three months every time you go there. We have got to have a medical branch that will serve, that will be part of veteran's hospital and part university of Texas medical branch so that you and I get the finest medical care as we enter our older years. Light rail on proposition 1 was a lie, Commissioner, from precinct 3. The whole creation of light rail is a lie. It's a fixed route. It only goes in that area. We are a very large county. So the basis for that lie, we shouldn't go any further. They are spending money that's -- we didn't approve for them to spend. Why -- why would you consider changing your mind on that? Having light rail, even crops the street now is dangerous. You are saying that we have a problem. Well the problem was created by density. We have control over density. And we are making it more and more dense. So you have to hold the chamber of commerce, the greater Austin chamber of commerce responsible for piling all of these people into a small area and then coming up with solutions like light rail, that has destroyed east Austin through gentrification. It's destroyed. People are paying for taxes they can't afford. It's time to go out and vote. The nokoa backing africans of american heritage in here. If this isn't racist paper, why doesn't he think of people like Ron paul. I知 going to ask people in district 21 for congress not to vote. I don't want anyone from congressional district 21 to vote, democrat, republicans, anyone, otherwise I cannot collect your signature to run for congress in the 21st congressional district. But all of the other districts you are free to vote for whom you wish. Thank you.
>> thank you.
>> those are the two who signed in. Anybody else for citizens communication, whether you signed in or not?
The Closed Caption log for this Commissioners Court agenda item is provided by Travis County Internet Services. Since this file is derived from the Closed Captions created during live cablecasts, there are occasional spelling and grammatical errors. This Closed Caption log is not an official record the Commissioners Court Meeting and cannot be relied on for official purposes. For official records please contact the County Clerk at (512) 854-4722.
Last Modified:
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 8:09 PM