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Travis County Commissioners Court

January 27, 2009
Citizens Communication

View captioned video.

Citizens communication is first and this item gives residents an opportunity to address the court on any matter not on the agenda for up to 3 minutes much. Gus pena has signed followed by morris priest who will be followed by ronnie reeferseed.

>> good morning, judge, Commissioners, gus pena, proud marine corps veteran. First and foremost I would like to thank the good lord for allowing me to live another day in this world after that vicious automobile accident in August, we are blessed to be here with y'all, thank you all for this time. Number one, I was on a bus and I met a lady who by the name of martha, she said don't say hello, because they might get angry. But anyway they talked about the issues, a lot of I objects that concern a lot of people, not only on the buses but everywhere at city council or school board meetings. First and foremost is the economy and the budget. Times are tough for everybody. Rent is going up, their salaries, hours are being cut down. It's very tough for the --for the poor, needy, havenots. The gap widens. Project help needs -- families who are homeless, I'm begging people to listenners to help them out, provide bus passes for the kids, their only means of transportation. Senior citizens are having a tough time making a go. They pay or buy their medication in lieu of being able to buy nutritious food. When you donate food to the food bank, please make sure that you donate food low in sodium, low in sugar content. A lot of seniors, a lot of people out there that are not senior citizens have high blood pressure or diabetes and really can't afford to eat anything with too much sugar or salt. Texas veterans commission having their annual meeting tomorrow. It was going to be very lively discussion on homeless veterans, ptsd treatment, et cetera, at the double tree hotel. If you have any questions call 463-6564, Texas veterans commission if you wish to attend, if you are a veteran please we need your input. Transitional housing for homeless families. When we mention transitional housing, a lot of people seem to think these people are on drugs or abusing alcohol. What that means is that we need to provide transal homes for people to transition out of homelessness, poverty. Let me tell you there's a nation-wide effort on identifying homeless veterans and their students. Students that are homeless and don't have a fixed roof tend to not make a great grade in school. Affects their study and work habits, very detrimental, very bad. When we talk about transitional homeless for homeless families, too not think negative connotation, that's not what it is. Veterans returning from iraq iraq and afghanistan need jobs, ptsd treatment and support from our country. They served us and continue to serve in harm's way, a lot of veterans are suffering from mental illness, not enough is being done. We have already spoken to president obama's administration. Specifically we want general

>> [indiscernible] to be confirmed. Anyway, thank you all very much for your time, please help our project help any way you can for bus passes. God bless y'all.

>> mr. Priest?

>> judge, commissions: capital area metropolitan area planning -- tonight 5701 springdale road, Austin, Texas, Tuesday January the 27th at 6:00 p.m. I would like to invite all of the Travis County, hays and Williamson county folks to come out to the campo meeting tonight, 5701 springdale road, Austin, Texas. It is easy to find if you drive down 51st street, if you can find the 51st street and i-35 intersection, you can drive down 51st going east, past manor road, come up to springdale, you will see the melissa goodwin for judge sign there, take a left, go down the road, about seven blocks, when it looks like there's nothing on either side of the road, turndown the driveway and you'll see the building down a little ways there. You will also see a sign when you are leaving saying it's a blind corner. So be careful. We know how our transportation policy has really been a nightmare, so be safe out there. The -- the campo meeting that I went to was something that I have never seen before. We were told that there were four public hearings, but I didn't see that many people, if any, except maybe sarah eckhardt and I don't know I talked to people, they said they didn't see people on the transportation policy board that were at these four public hearings that everybody is talking about. They also said that -- that the agenda item, item 8 a that we didn't get to speak on, they didn't -- you know, it was really unbelievable what I witnessed there from the -- from the campo policy board. We signed up to speak. They took item 8, put it at the end of the agenda. When it came time for us to speak, we didn't get to speak. In spite of several people asking for us to be able to speak that were on the board, but -- but, you know, it was -- it was just another humpty dumpty experience, you know, like the speaker of the house, which we no longer have. Perhaps maybe we will get a new chairman and new vice chair that -- that has an appreciation for our first amendment rights. You never know what may happen. But I appreciate all of the people that have been active. There's been revision after revision, last minute revisions before these public meetings, we don't get to speak on the agenda items. The items posted only a week before the meeting and then we're told that we've had four public hearings on this matter already, but it was just a statement of purpose that was drafted by the

>> [indiscernible] and the campo staff. But you know, it's just -- it's just good to see the activism in the community, all of the people over the years, I appreciate all of those people that have -- that have called and written and come to my home and thanked me. And, you know, we always are successful, ray and campion had their sentences commuted. I want to thank everybody being active and making a change, thank each and every one of you, god bless you, have a great day.

>> thank you, mr. Priest, mr. Reeferseed.

>> thank you, judge. And I wanted to ditto my previous citizens ideas. They are always on top of things and specifically kirk watson is a crook. But -- but I want to talk about the amendments to our sacred constitution, a few of them, anyway. Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. What about rastafarians and/or the freedom of speech or the press, right of people to peaceably assemble, protest zones at political conventions. Not mentioned in the constitution. To petition the government for regressive grievances. What about medicinal marijuana? Of course the second amendment, a well regulated militia being necessary for the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, ie any and all gun and laws are invalid. Pay attention, mr. Obama, no soldier shall in time of peace, this is the first, of course, no soldier shall in time of peace shall be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner nor in time of war, but in a manner prescribed bylaw. If you all pay attention, israel has been doing this against the palestinians for years and it's really egregious. The fourth of course is the right of people to be secure in their house, shall not be violated and no warrants shall issue. But upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched and persons to be seized -- persons or things to be seized. What about smoking paraphernalia, what about secret searches? I want to tell you this, people that's happened to me. They have come into my house, searched my house without any kind of warrant but moving on for me, of course the fifth amendment, what about imminent domain? Anyway I'll get back to these when I have more time. But our political leaders, ie schemers, have been disobeying their oath to protect and defend our sacred constitution. Here's where ob/gyn dr. Ron paul shines brightly above all other schemers and stooges. Thankfully more enthusiasts will continue to increase our number of constitutional enthusiasts in obvious. That is our best chance people to help lead the world again by example, not bullets and bombs. Mr. Obama says he will look again at our ongoing war crime against the iraqi people, leaving at least 50,000 troops to guard our 50 bases we have built. The big problem now is our continual war crime in afghanistan where our armed services continue to support one group of illegal drug warlords over some other group of illegal drug warlords. The answer here is again it's freedom for farmers. We do not punish the tobacco farmers, we should not punish any farmers because it's not their fault what they choose to grew with their produce. Peace is the best ideal our nation can help share. Briefly ob/gyn revolution, love for liberty, sacred constitution keeps on keeping on. Alex young, 90.1 every week day 11:00 to 3:00, 4:00 to 6:00 on Sunday. Tried to squeeze a lot in.

>> thank you, those are the three citizens who signed in. Would anyone like to address the court under citizens communication who did not sign in?


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: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 2:03 PM