Ask Billie

Were you one of the millions who watched the Super Bowl last Sunday evening? Even though I am a football fan, I usually have not really watched the Super Bowl. Oh, of course there have been parties, lots of people and too much food and I was there. In the end I could not tell you too much about the actual game.

This year was different. I had watched enough and read enough that both the New York Giants and New England Patriots were of interest. The only way for me to really know about a football game is to hear it on the radio or watch it on television by myself. This year, that is what I chose and I came away with new impressions.

A timeless Declaration

It has happened before, but I did not realize Fox television starts each Super Bowl with the Declaration of Independence. Have you taken the time in recent years to really hear those words? Let's read some of them again.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness - that to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such principles and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

That document has worked for more than 200 years and if something is not right or takes away those freedoms, do we speak up or become complacent. People elected to office take an oath to serve the people. They do not have ownership of that office.

The need for checks and balances

Last fall when the Wharton County tax notices were received one of our citizens had a question and I suggested they talk to someone at the Central Appraisal District. The reply was "Oh no, if they lower my taxes now, they can come back and sue me and then I would have lawyer fees."

Is that the belief of our citizens? If it is, we have a real problem and something needs to be fixed. Do we have a communication problem? If so, that also needs to be fixed.

Last week I sat in the back of the Courthouse at a hearing where a group of citizens from Caney Trails were being sued by the Chief Appraiser after the CAD board had lowered their taxes. Most of the group is retired folks who should not have to be spending their money on situations like this.

What does this say about Wharton County as a good place to live? I believe there has since been legislation to insure this does not happen in the future. Does that make it right now? Is the CAD board elected from each taxing entity? Where are the checks and balances?