Sunday, February 17, 2008

Let Your Voice Be Heard: VOTE!

We've all heard about the campaign for President since way back in 2007. Delegates to the NEA RA last summer in Philadelphia heard from all of the Democratic candidates and one Republican, Mike Huckaby. Huckaby was the first Republican candidate for President to EVER address the RA.

In Texas, it's almost time for all of the talking to end. Tuesday, February 19 the early voting period begins and runs through February 29. If you miss early voting, then the real action occurs on Tuesday, March 4.

Let me, right now, urge all of you to vote early! I know most of you will be in your schools or driving your bus routes until late in the day on March 4. This election is TOO IMPORTANT for any excuses on your part as to why you didn't vote. YOU must make your voice heard in this important election! The only way to do that is to VOTE!

If you want a list of early voting locations and times and/or to look at a sample ballot, please just click the link to left on this site for the Dallas County Elections office. Or, you can just go to www.dalcoelections.org. Whichever is easiest for you.

As you prepare to go vote, I have some recommendations for you on races other than the Presidential race. On the Presidential race, NEA is staying neutral.

Here's what I have on other races in Dallas County:

State Representative District 104 - Roberto Alonzo: Rep. Alonzo has been a friend to educators in Austin and will continue to be. The TSTA PAC has officially endorsed Rep. Alonzo and has asked all of us to help his campaign in any way we can. Especially, voting for him if we live in his district.

County Tax Assessor/Collector - Diana Lackey: I want to personally recommend Ms. Lackey to you. She has the experience and the drive to be a great Tax Assessor/Collector. She has been to many meetings at the NEA-Dallas building in the last year and has spoken to many of you. If you would like additional information on her and her campaign, please visit www.dianalackey.com or call me at the office.

District Judge, 14th Judicial District - Eric V. Moye': I know some of you will hold the fact against him that he worked for the Dallas ISD. In fact, Judge Moye' represented the DISD when we faced off against them in the Edision lawsuit. However, Judge Moye' did a great job representing the Board of Trustees and will do a great job as a District Judge.

He did come to our February Membership/AR meeting and answered questions, some of them pretty tough. So, I recommend Judge Moye' to you.

Other candidates that I have spoken with, but who haven't been to NEA-Dallas, and I feel comfortable recommending are:

Criminal District Judge, Place 2 - Don Adams
Justice, Supreme Court-Place 7: Sam Houston
U. S. Representative, District 32 - Steve Love

If you would like to help out in the campaigns for Rep. Alonzo, Diana Lackey, and/or Judge Moye', please feel free to contact me at the office. We will be looking to staff ALL of the early voting locations on Saturday, February 23 (7:00am-7:00pm) and Sunday, February 24 (1:00pm-6:00pm).

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I appreciated your endorsement of Diana Lackey for the Democratic nominee for Dallas County Tax Assessor. Since we attend church with the Lackeys, we have gotten to know them over the years. I have been increasingly frustrated with the performance of the Dallas County Tax Assessor (we got burned by the late distribution of tax notices in 2004), and a letter expressing my frustration to David Childs was never even acknowledged.

After coming so close in 2004, imagine my disappointment as seeing the Dallas Morning News endorsement for another nominee. I really feel that the News missed the ball on this one, and I was encouraged that many other Dallas County voters gave Diana some great support yesterday. I'm hoping that the same supporters will return for the runoff and that Diana and her wonderful qualifications can win office in November and start fixing the ills that currently plague the Tax Assessor's office.