Tuesday is Election Day — a day when the voters will either vote for or against a jail bond — and really a day when the voters will decide the financial future of Howard County.

On Election Day, Nov. 7, 2006, after the circulation of untruthful, distorted information and outright lies by the Tax Payers Committee and those voters who did not believe the Jail Standards Commission could close the jail, the bond election failed.

Many probably did not know how the Tax Payers Committee was formed and the existing members. By filing with the Texas Ethics Commission in Austin, a specific purpose committee can be formed with certain restrictions and requirements. The Tax Payers Committee declared its purpose was to “oppose the bond proposal to finance construction of a new jail in Howard County.” The Texas Ethics Commission requires a chairman be named to report all contributions, expenditures and balances on a periodic basis — the required dates are spelled out in the directive.

In 2006, the chairman was Franklin E. Weber; contributors were Clyde McMahon Jr. ($500), Frank Parker ($2,492.34), Phillip Baxter Moore ($100), Marcellous Weaver ($100), John Andrew Currie II ($100), Thilbert Don Osborne ($100), Verna Davis ($100), William J. Pollard ($100), Don Finkenbinder ($100), Carroll Choate ($200) and unnamed contributions ($60). Total contributions reported: $3,952.34. Total expenditures reported: $2,375.15.

The September 2007 report shows Franklin E. Weber to be the chairman, but this was amended on Oct. 1, to show a new chairman, Erven L. Fisher. On Oct. 29, Fisher filed a report. Contributors were Frank Parker ($1,350), Marcellous Weaver ($300) and unnamed ($50). Total expenditures were (0). This is another blatant lie by the Tax Payers Committee. The affidavit, “I swear, or affirm, under penalty of perjury, that the accompanying report is true and correct and includes all information required to be reported by me under Title 15, Election Code,” was signed, Erven L. Fisher. This is another untruth by the Tax Payers Committee.

Most of us received a large postcard on Oct. 15 with “Paid for by Tax Payers Committee - Erven Fisher Treasurer,” printed on the front side, with the same lies and misinformation as distributed in their 2006 brochure. This represented approximately 3,000 cards printed in Odessa, mailed by a database in Midland with the database’s permit (approximately 18 cents per card), making the printing, processing and mailing cost approximately 33 cents per card.

Additional expenses which should have been reported were a check in the amount of $38, which Mr. Fisher paid for a list of voters in the November 2006 election and a website cost of approximately $50 with more propaganda. This would all add up to well over $1,000.

Mr. Fisher failed to show these expenses on his required report to the Ethics Commission on Oct. 29. This violation can result in an imposed civil penalty by the commission. An amended report will not correct his deliberate exclusion. The violation has already occurred. The Tax Payers Committee obviously cannot be truthful to the State of Texas and now we know they cannot tell the truth to the citizens of Howard County.

Joyce Crooker

Big Spring