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2016 Republican Party Primary Election Ballot Tarrant County

Last Day of Early Voting	Friday, February 26, 2016

• Election Dates

I figured I should do little research to see how the most conservative candidates are, in some cases there was only one option. I'm looking for candidates who want smaller government, less regulation, less government spending, more privatized industry. Those where only once choice exists (no challenger), are in non numbered bullet.

If you couldn't tell from my about page, I'm a CONSERVATIVE. I'm bordering on libertarian in my beliefs about limited government. On my points I'm more libertarian than "GOP".

Here's the the things. This is (and is not) a job interview. At work in the hiring process, we look for two things, Qualifications and Temperament, both equally. In the case of elections, I'm looking for these in a different way. I want to know that you know something about the field to which you are applying (asking for my vote), but I care as much (or more) that you hold my values.

I don't want to send a well qualified person who will stomp all over my rights, over a less qualified person who will preserve them. So your credentials mean something, but they mean less than your messaging, historical decision making, and affiliations. I'm a BIG fan of David Barton and Wallbuilders, so that gives you credit in my book to start.

So here we go...


Research:

• Oil and Gas Lawyer Blog 
• Texas GOP Vote (RR)
• Texas GOP Vote 2016
• Green vs Green
• Propositions Research
• Meet the Candidates  - RR 
• Texas Supreme Court (Currently)
• Judges - Compare
• Texas judicial elections, 2016
• National Review, Retired Lawyer and Blogger weighs in on Supreme Court Races.

March 01, 2016 - Precinct 3043 Tarrant County - Ballot

Republican Party Primary Election

Preference for Presidential Nominee

You may vote for one presidential candidate
whose name appears on the ballot or as
uncommitted. Make only ONE choice.

1. Ted Cruz, my number one guy. 
2. Ben Carson, was my number one, but I'd love to see him as VP or on the Presidential Cabinet for Health and Human Services.



United States Representative, District 12

• Kay Granger

Railroad Commissioner


Lance N. Christian -None of the candidates except Lance Christian has special expertise in oil and gas regulation and none has served on a state regulatory agency board. - Geoscientist at Railroad Commission. I can't even find a website for this guy, I guess he doesn't want to be found, no go.

Wayne Christian - Wayne Christian Authored 5 Legislative Bills that Would Increase Regulations and Provide Solyndra-like Subsidies for Renewable Energy (Texas GOP Vote), that alone would take him off my list, no matter how conservative his website looks. - Financial planner; former member of Texas House of Representatives. ChristianforTexas.com, Wayne says: I have had the honor of serving our state for over a decade, fighting for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a strong state economy in the Texas Legislature. - Only Candidate That Has Had Direct Oversight Of The Railroad Commission. Only Candidate With Experience Standing Up To Obama’s Epa. Only Candidate With A Record Of Standing Up For Private Property Rights. Only Candidate With A 15 Year Record Of Fighting To Slash Taxes And Regulations

1. Weston Martinez - Texas Real Estate Commission public member; Career in oil and gas business development; Political commentator; worked against voter fraud in south Texas.  - We need to work hard to keep the EPA out of Texas! WestonforTexas.com - Weston's story : involved in organizing Hispanics for Ted Cruz for president. In addition to his conservative grassroots work on behalf of Texans. - Weston is also the only candidate in the race with oil and gas experience.  As a small business owner, Weston has actually built a business that services oil and gas companies in Texas.

Ron Hale - Worked across multiple industries, from security to engineering; licensed engineer who specializes in anti-terrorism consulting for the Oil and Gas industry. RonHaleforTexas.com, (sorry, but your website sucks. If you can't get a decent website, I don't trust you to do anything else well either).

John Greytok - Austin attorney and lobbyist. JohnGreytok.com -  John's story: I believe in limited government.  As a conservative I believe you know how to run your own life far better than any bureaucrat or so called “expert.”

Gary Gates - Real estate investor; Master’s degree in tax law; Army veteran. GaryGatesforTexas.com, says all the right stuff, just didn't grab my attention. I still don't know who you are.

Doug Jeffrey - U.S. Air Force veteran; founder of a venture capital business, and commercial real estate developer. DougJeffrey4Texas.com, your opening page asks me for my email and my donation, but says little to nothing about your story... You lost me at hello.



Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3


Comparing these two (Compare here) I can't find any reason to pick one over the other. They are both conservative, but Debra's already in the role, probably built relationships. But an endoresment from David Barton is enough to put me over the 51% mark.

It is telling that the PAC associated with Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a nonpartisan group that advocates civil justice reform, endorsed Lehrmann when she ran in 2010, but has endorsed Massengale in the upcoming March 2016 election. In order to figure out why, I looked into Lehrmann’s record on the Texas Supreme Court and read some of her decisions. It turns out that since 2010 Lehrmann has dissented more often — over 40 times — than any other member of the Court (all of whom are Republicans). Many of her dissents were in cases applying the landmark Texas Medical Liability Act (TMLA), a comprehensive-reform statute passed by the legislature in 2003 (with the support of TLR) in response to a medical-malpractice crisis that jeopardized the availability of health care in Texas. Lehrmann has consistently — even doggedly — advanced positions that would restrict the application of TMLA by, for example, allowing the assertion of claims that are time-barred under the plain terms of TMLA. In one case, Tenet Hospitals Ltd. v. Rivera (2014), Lehrmann cast the sole dissenting vote in an 8-1 decision enforcing a 10-year “statute of repose” to bar the assertion of a claim filed 15 years after the date of the medical treatment at issue. Lehrmann reasoned that the statute of repose violated the state constitution (a common tactic of activist judges), asserting that “Statutes of repose present harsh barriers to the administration of justice,” and that a 10-year limit is not “a reasonable use of the police power.” In another case, Molinet v. Kimbrell (2011), Lehrmann wrote a dissent finding an “ambiguity” in a two-year statute of limitations, which she then resolved in favor of allowing a claim, based on “legislative history” consisting of an isolated colloquy between two legislators. In a controversial case involving the recognition of same-sex divorces in Texas prior to Obergefell, Lehrmann recused herself without explanation. This is just a sample from her reported decisions. These characteristics — frequent, sometimes lone dissents; resort to unreliable legislative history to defeat the clear text of a statute; questioning the wisdom of the legislature’s policy judgments; consistent plaintiff-orientation; dogmatic and unpersuasive reasoning — are often, based on my experience, indicia of an activist judge. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/426850/texas-judicial-election

Debra Lehrmann, Incumbent/currently in role. judgedebralehrmann.com says: Respects the Constitution and never legislates from the bench, Strictly interprets the law, Twenty-eight years on the bench. May be a non-conservative activist judge.

1. Michael Massengale - michaelmassengale.com says: was appointed to the First Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Perry on June 15, 2009. He was elected in 2010 and re-elected to a full term in 2012. He also curates a blog on the history of the Texas Constitution, at www.texconst.wordpress.com. He's endorsed by a lot of conservatives, including David Barton - President – Wallbuilders*

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 5

Comparing these two (compare here) Paul Green has the experience in the court system hands down. Paul Green is probably doing a decent job, and has all the right endorsements.

But the supreme court isn't about the court system, it's about the Constitution (state and federal). We do need a watchdog with unwaivering passion for our history.

Rick Green has no prior judicial experience, and scant elevant legal experience. He styles himself a “constitutionalist,” but the bulk of the Texas Supreme Court’s docket concerns mundane — albeit important — matters of state law. His judicial temperament is questionable. According to press reports (e.g., here and here), his brief tenure in Texas’s part-time legislature (which meets for 140 days every other year) was marred by ethical controversies involving his promotion of the dietary supplements Metabolife and FocusFactor. After he left the legislature, he reportedly decked the opponent who defeated him, Patrick Rose. Rick Green ran for an open seat on the Texas Supreme Court in 2010 and narrowly lost to Debra Lehrmann in the Republican primary runoff. Afterwards, in Trump-like fashion, he sued his critics, including former Chief Justice Tom Phillips, contending that their campaign against him was libelous. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/428859/texas-judicial-elections-green-vs-green

1. Paul Green - texansforjusticepaulgreen.com, says: By comparison to my background and my record, my opponent doesn't practice law, he’s never tried a case, he’s never appealed a case. And I think that the people of Texas deserve somebody that actually knows what they’re doing if they want to go to the highest civil court in the state. Unfortunately, an endorsement from Rick Perry is a down step in my book, Rick's not a true conservative, he's not bad, but not great.

 

Rick Green - Justice Green has an opponent, Rick Green, that is very comfortable, and happy as a radio host and traveling for Wallbuilders (David Barton's Group), but has decided that the Supreme Court needs a ‘Constitutional Watchdog’. YES it does!! - rickgreen4texas.com says: "Rick strongly believes that a parent's right to direct the education and up brining of their children is a fundamental right protected under the constitution." Tim Lambert, Chairman of Texas Home School Coalition PAC. This

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9

The Comparison (here) doesn't give Joe Pool much to go on. He's got credentials, just less than hers. However, his website (here) makes some startling allegations, and supports removing Eva Guzman. Anyone that takes an action to support Planned Parenthood is a traitor and an enemy of the state. Eva Guzman must go. However, the National Review says that this allegation was false and Joe Pool is not a conservative, she is. He is a democrat in republican's clothing.

1. Eva Guzman, evaguzman.com says: Eva Guzman joined the Supreme Court of Texas in 2009, making history as the first Latina to sit on the state’s highest civil court. The next year, the people of Texas elected her to a full term. And Eva Guzman became the first Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in Texas. A proud Texan, Eva Guzman strives for excellence in her work on our state’s highest civil court. Justice Guzman believes “a judge’s highest duty is to uphold the Constitution.” TLRPAC also endorses her as the conservative.

Joe Pool, joepooljr.com says: His argument won my vote.

• WHAT IF JUSTICES WORE THEIR SPONSORS ON THEIR ROBES LIKE NASCAR DRIVERS?
• As a Christian Constitutional Conservative, Joe believes that in recent years the Texas Supreme Court has taken a turn that should be impermissible to “We the People.” 
• Jury verdicts from lower courts are being overturned a staggering 74% of the time and the vast majority of Justices are initially appointed. Joe pledges to only rule in accordance with the Constitution and his conscience. 
• Joe will ensure that the freedoms and rights of his fellow Texans to live according to our Christian values will not be infringed.

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2

Compared (here) , not much stood out, other than the quotes at the end. Ray didn't have one. In campaigns, messaging matters. Mary and Ray can duke it out with each other, Chris gives me the right vibes.


Mary Lou Keel - maryloukeel.com,  To pursue justice one case at a time based on the evidence in the case and the applicable law. Her site says: Mary Lou Keel has two rivals in the Republican primary, both men. By any relevant, objective criteria, they are both under-qualified for the job they seek. -- There is one area where Rival 1 manages to outdo Keel:  bad rulings. He has a habit of wrongly throwing out physical evidence of crime, suppressing confessions and dismissing charges in cases as serious as child molestation and online solicitation of a minor. He claims that he refuses to follow the law if he disagrees with it, and he takes pride in being known as a "contrarian" and a "different kind of judge." --- She says: My husband is a Democrat, but he is also my single greatest supporter.  I would never have run for the 232nd District Court in 1994 but for his encouragement. -- Sorry, but that may be a deal breaker too, divided house. I also notice how much she points to the number of cases she's presided over, but says nothing of substance on her website about her support for conservative constitutional values. Some of the buzz words are there, but this website screams moderate to me.


Ray Wheless (Mary refers to as Rival 1)- judgeraywheless.com, Endorsed by Texas Homeschool PAC. Our forefathers made it very clear that the paramount goal of government is to establish Justice.  Without Justice, there can be no right to life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. There is no greater calling for a Judge than that of protector of these God given rights. If I am elected to this Court, I will uphold the plain language of the Texas Constitution and the United States Constitution as intended by our forefathers.


1. Chris Oldner -  chrisoldner.com, It’s important we have honest and ethical judges who fairly apply the law – to everyone.  During my 15 years on the bench, I've always stood by these principles to protect the integrity of our judicial system.  To maintain law and order in Texas, I will always strictly apply the law, protect the constitution, and push back against special interest groups who seek to corrupt our courts for personal and political gain. - “I’m a Republican by choice, not by convenience, and am proud to promote conservative causes; like preserving the constitution constitution, limited government, the rule of law, and a judiciary which applies the law, but doesn't make it.”

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5

Compared (here), Scott Walker is missing from this page, and Steve Smith didn't get a picture or website linked. Hmm...

Scott Walker (( What an unfortunate name for this election cycle, to have the same name as a person running for president, you are buried in the Google Hits for your name.)) scottwalkerforjudge.com says, he's the father of a public school teacher (will he support home schoolers?) Scott Walker is a lifelong Texan. Scott Walker and his wife both descend from a long line of conservatives, and both have been conservative Republicans all of their adult lives. They have been married for 42 years. Scott and his wife are evangelical Christians and are active members in their Dallas area church. The website is weak on make up and content, I'm not sure how much he wanted this.

1. Brent Webster -  websterforjudge.com says ,  Endorsed by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility / Texas Home School Coalition -- As a lifelong conservative, our common sense values inform every aspect of my life. I believe in individual liberty and a government that does not intrude on the lives of its citizens. I hold dear the rights of the unborn and will always fight to ensure their protection.

Sid Harle - electsidharle.com says, his video is compelling. He is a caring and honest person, who stands for family values and doing what's right. He shows compassion.  -- I would be honored to have your vote in the upcoming Republican Primary Election. My track record has shown I will serve the citizens of Texas with the utmost character, experience and integrity.

Steve Smith -- Google could not find his website, so maybe he dropped out?? I give up trying to find him. Ballotpedia gave information under Steve that helped me understand Sid Harle:: "Smith announced his intention to run for seat 5 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Incumbent Judge Cheryl Johnson (R) announced that she would not seek re-election. The reason Smith cited for declaring his candidacy was that Republican candidate Sid Harle was not conservative enough for the court. He will face three fellow Republican candidates in a primary election.[3][6]"



Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6

Compared (here), Richard has no picture or website liked, did he drop out? The rest of his information is blank.


1. Michael E. Keasler --  judgekeasler.com (website could use some work, I can barely read it) says, The following quate from texasjudges.org Judicial Philosophy – I believe strongly in judicial restraint, and, like Justice Scalia, I am a textualist.  Appellate courts should look to the plain meaning of a statute rather than attempting to psychoanalyze the legislature to determine some unspoken “legislative intent.”  Judges should not create law in the name of statutory construction. I use logic, common sense, and plain language in crafting judicial opinions.


Richard Davis - Can't find much of anything about this guy, he must have dropped out.


State Senator, District 12

• Jane Nelson

State Representative, District 93

• Matt Krause, for the record, I LOVE this guy!!! 

Justice, 2nd Court of Appeals District, Place 3

Honestly, the first three sound about equal, the last two are no-go's. The only one that stood out with messaging that appealed to me was Elizabeth Kerr.

Dabney Bassel, dabneybasselforjudge.com, “as a justice, i will bring my conservative view of the law to the 2nd court of appeals, i promise to work hard every day, strictly apply the law as it is written, give all parties a prompt and fair resolution of their cases, and never legislate from the bench.”

Mary Colchin Johndroe   maryjohndroe.com, “Grounded by my conservative values, I pledge to you my abiding respect for the law and the Constitution.”

1. Elizabeth Kerr kerrforjustice.com. “We all deal with life’s adversities. How we handle these situations defines us. Justices on the Court of Appeals settle disputes of adversity in the law. Liberal judges try to expand the law; conservative judges apply the law. With no apologies, I will be a conservative judge.”

William Anthony "Andy" Porter, couldn't find an online presence. ballotpedia.org/Andy_Porter

Bill Ray billrayforjustice.com, says: "I have been on the front lines of a political campaign before, having run against Wendy Davis in her Fort Worth City Council Campaign. I am of the Christian Faith and a member of First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth."



Justice, 2nd Court of Appeals District, Place 4 (Unexpired Term)

• Bonnie Sudderth

District Judge, 17th Judicial District

• Melody Wilkinson

District Judge, 48th Judicial District

• David Evans

District Judge, 67th Judicial District

• Don Cosby

District Judge, 96th Judicial District


R.H. Wallace, Jr.  judgewallace.com, (Your website kind of sucks dude, you could use some branding help). A Defender Of Freedom And Justice, he says: "The strength of America is in our Constitution. With this said, Judges should apply the law, not make the law."

1. Traci DeAnne Hutton tracihutton.com, Families divided by divorce, unmarried fathers seeking parental rights, partners forming a business and first-time home buyers at closing have one thing in common: They need experienced legal guidance that gets results. And they need it now. huttonforjudge.com, She has three adult children; a son, Conner who is a U.S. Marine and two daughters, Caitlin and MacKenzie. As a family, the Hutton’s attend Gateway church in Southlake. SOLD!



District Judge, 153rd Judicial District

• Susan McCoy

District Judge, 213th Judicial District

• Louis E. Sturns

District Judge, 342nd Judicial District

• Wade Birdwell

District Judge, 348th Judicial District


Mike Wallach  mikewallachforjudge.com, Susan and I are active members of Bear Valley Community Church. I believe that I can bring my knowledge from my many years as a courtroom lawyer to the Bench and provide correct application of the law in a fair and balanced manner to all participants in the litigation process. I am asking for your vote for the opportunity to serve you as Judge of the 348th District Court. This one kind of bored me.

1. Brooke Allen  brookeallenforjudge.com, Brooke Allen is a true conservative running to serve all of Tarrant County as Judge of the 348th District Court. Her page screams conservative (here)     Allen’s philosophy is simple, Texans deserve conservative judges on the bench who strictly interpret the laws as written, apply the law fairly and equally to all parties before them, and never legislate from the bench. ((She comes across as volunteer oriented. She also gives more about herself than Lumley)) I'd vote for Allen, but it was almost a toss up between her and Lumley.

Lisa Lumley  lisaforjudge.com, Constitutional Conservative, As a lifelong conservative, member of the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee and daughter of a combat veteran, Lisa shares our conservative values. As an attorney, Lisa takes great pride in her work defending personal property rights, especially for veterans who risk their lives defending our country. As our new judge, we can trust Lisa to uphold and defend our constitutional rights. Lisa is passionate about her conservative judicial philosophy. ((She comes across as business, professional))

District Judge, 352nd Judicial District

• Mark Pittman

District Judge, 396th Judicial District

• George Gallagher

Criminal District Judge, Court No. 2

• Wayne Salvant

Family District Judge, 360th Judicial District

Both of these make the right statements, but Bennett screams conservative, while Sinha feels like he pays it a mandatory tribute.

Mike Sinha  judgemikesinha.com, As Judge of the 360th District Court.  Judge Mike Sinha has a proven conservative track record throughout his career. In his 25 years on the bench, he has never signed a Judicial Bypass Order. When re-elected, Judge Mike Sinha will continue to serve our Tarrant County families with CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN VALUES.

1. Patricia Baca Bennett patriciabennettforjudge.com, Patricia Baca Bennett is a Constitutional Conservative who believes that the judge's role is to apply the law as passed by the Legislature to the facts of the case before her. Patricia has been married for 19 years and is the mother of two children, including one special needs child. She understands the need to protect children while respecting the rights of parents. Family courts in Texas are courts of law and equity. However, equitable principles can only be used if there is no adequate remedy at law and are limited by both statute and case law. A judge who sees a modern-day family court as simply a "court of equity" fails to recognize the limits Texas law places upon a judge.

Sheriff

This is tough, both Anderson and Waybourn could be good. At first the idea of being tougher on crime and illegals and terrorism sounds good... but then... it starts to sound like big brother government. Dee Anderson sounds like the fiscal conservative I would want. He also helped create the Amber Alert, so... that's hard to beat.

1. Dee Anderson  sheriffanderson2016.com, Incumbent: During his fifteen years as spokesman, he appeared on virtually every national network news show, as well as appearing live on all three major network morning news shows.  Officer Anderson was in the national spotlight in 1996 during the kidnapping of Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old Arlington girl who was later found murdered. Anderson co-founded the AMBER Plan, a cooperative effort between law enforcement and the media to instantly alert the public of a suspected child abduction.  The AMBER Plan has received State-wide and even national acclaim.  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has adopted the plan, and Sheriff Anderson has traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify about the plan for the U.S. Congress.

An arcticle on Anderson's site: Sheriff Dee Anderson and challenger Bill Waybourn, a former suburban police chief, are two of the best-known local law officers of this generation. But only one can be the Tarrant County sheriff for the next four years, and voters must choose between two Republicans with completely different missions for the office. No Democrat is running. Waybourn, 56, of Dalworthington Gardens, has been police chief and chief of public safety there for 31 years. He is more flamboyant, has more law enforcement training and wants the Tarrant County sheriff to become more of a crimefighter again, saying the office should take on a larger role in protecting the county against terrorism and in training city jailers to hold illegal immigrants for federal officials’ review. Anderson acknowledges that he was slow starting his campaign. Instead of that, voters should consider his 15 years of quiet, thrifty management of Tarrant County jails that consistently exceed state standards. He says Change is not needed.

Bill E. Waybourn  billwaybourn.com, I believe this is a pivotal moment for Tarrant County and for Texas.  The county deserves a strong conservative Sheriff that is willing to build relationships in the community and lead from the front. I am humbly asking for your support and vote.  If elected I will bring the same values that have served me throughout my life to the front lines of Tarrant County, and will work tirelessly to make the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office the standard bearer for all law enforcement agencies in Texas.

John Garris (found little on this guy, and his website gave me an error message), I'm moving on from him.




County Tax Assessor-Collector

• Ron Wright

County Commissioner, Precinct No. 3

• Gary Fickes

Constable, Precinct No. 4

Compare them HERE. I plead my ignorance of this office. But my gut impression would be to go with the guy who says "While speaking with the public." An open ear is the sign of a good leader, few leaders SEEK feedback from those they lead.


PROCESS SERVING: What changes, if any, need to be made regarding process serving?

1. J.D. Sparks:  While speaking with the public, I have found that the main challenge of the Constable is Process Serving and the amount of time it takes to have the service executed. From the first day of taking the Office of Constable, I will assign Deputies to areas of the Precinct and hold them accountable for the Processes in their area being served in the time that is required by Law.    


Michael Hardy:   The service of civil process can be very challenging if the rules are not followed. Then you have the old adage that for every rule in civil process there is an exception. Personally I believe that the Constables serving civil process, on a routine basis, in uniform creates more opportunity for escalation and/or embarrassment to a defendant. Communication with plaintiffs is paramount to good service. Professional service in a business-like manner would bring about a more desired result.   


Joe D. "Jody" Johnson:   The manner in which process service is currently conducted in precinct #4 is very sound. Public safety is always priority one as is the safety of our deputies.      


County Chair

This is an open position, no incumbent. Both good be ok. 

Tim O'Hare - Attorney and real estate investor, made headlines when he was on the Dallas County council, proposing to fine landlords who rent to illegals. He just moved to Southlake.

David Wylie - Wylie is a computer consultant and he's been involved with the Tarrant County Rep Party for decades. He said "A contested race will sharpen all swords."



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposition 1

Texas should replace the property tax
system with an alternative other than an
income tax and require voter approval to
increase the overall tax burden.
Yes

Proposition 1: Texas should replace the property tax system with an alternative other than an income tax and require voter approval to increase the overall tax burden.

This proposition started as saying we should “reform” the property tax system, and before passage was amended almost unanimously to read “replace” the property tax system due to the fact that you can lose your property if you cannot pay your property taxes. In many cases homes are paid for but the tax payments alone exceed the original mortgage payments. This slams those on fixed retirement incomes and sometimes even forces elderly out of their homes. This is NOT sustainable, nor even a moral tax system, and needs to be changed. VOTE YES!

Proposition 2

Texas cities and counties should be
required to comply with federal
immigration laws or be penalized by loss
of state funds.
Yes

Proposition 2: Texas cities and counties should be required to comply with federal immigration laws or be penalized by loss of state funds. This is a clear shot across the bow to send a message to mayors and legislators alike that “sanctuary cities” like Houston and San Antonio, that essentially provide safe harbor to those here illegally, will not be tolerated. Unless you LIKE the idea of such sanctuary cities, VOTE YES!

Proposition 3

Texas should prohibit governmental
entities from collecting dues for labor
unions through deductions from public
employee paychecks.
Yes

Proposition 3: Texas should prohibit governmental entities from collecting dues for labor unions through deductions from the public employee paychecks.

This proposition was promoted by the Republican Party of Texas when it was learned that the Texas government essentially collects union dues, a portion of which then goes into Democratic campaign coffers. This is a no-brainer. All conservatives should clearly VOTE YES!

Proposition 4

Texas and its citizens should strongly
assert 10th Amendment Rights
guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution
which states "The powers not delegated
to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people."
Yes 

Proposition 4: Texas and its citizens should strongly assert 10th Amendment Rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution which states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

This is the best resolution to come down the pike in several election cycles. It instructs the Texas government and people to resist the illegal intrusions and power grabs by the federal government at every turn. ALL GOVERNMENT functions not “enumerated” in the Constitution are explicitly reserved TO THE STATES by the 10th Amendment. For over a million Texas Republican Primary voters, they will have the opportunity to actually read the text of the 10th Amendment itself for the first time. VOTE YES!

Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

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What you need to know about buying a New/Used Car in Fort Worth Texas.

So... It's time to buy a new car. Should you go dealership or private party? If you are going dealership, which dealership? How do you decide? I'll cover a few of the basic things to think about in this article, based on my experiences living here these past few years.

2005 Mazda3 - Special Thanks to AutonNation So FW

I wrote in detail about the two weeks that brought me to buying a new car, and how I came to that decision, on my personal blog here. 

Disclaimer: 

I don't believe that there is one perfect choice of what kind of car, or even where to buy one. Recently, I was telling my 10 year old son that I heard people complain about the car they had bought, and how it wasn't working right, and "Why should they pay for a car that they can't drive?".

My 10 year old son says: "They took a loan, they should pay for it. Why didn't they pray before they bought it? Slow down, pray, and hear from God so you buy the car people!". Wisdom of Children.

My opinion is that before you make any decision you should pray, hear from God, and follow His lead. But I will attempt to break down the options on the "where" question for you here.

Side Note: NADA has some interesting statistics on the car industry (here), and TIADA (here).

Private Party VS Dealership Buying

Are you a mechanic, or steeped in that knowledge? We've had very little success buying private party. Usually if someone is trying to sell their car private party, it's because it was too trashed to trade in. But that's not to say it's a bad idea, or always true. You could find that someone has a great car, but they know they can get a better deal selling it private party instead of trading it in. That will give them more cash to put down on the new car.

If you know what you are looking for, or you are very spirit led, you might get a great deal from someone private party.


Bill of Sale

If you do, you'll want to print a Bill of Sale. This helps establish what you will and won't be agreeing to, and what the other party is agreeing to as well. You can find Microsoft Word templates by opening a new Word Doc, and searching Bill of Sale. There is wording all over Google to help you. Also, the DMV.Org Website has an option to fill out a form to print (here). NOLO also has a form (here).

I've written a whole page of instructions on how to deal with the registration and title transfer; instructions HERE.

The Small Dealership

It seems like, in Texas, you can put three cars on your front yard and call yourself "a dealership". It's amazing how many dealerships there are here. No seriously... I bought my last minivan from a guy whose "dealership" was at his house. His Covered Porch was his office. His "lot" was 10 cars on his front yard. Weird....

It seems like most of them are run by three guys with nothing better to do, and 20 cars that may or may not run. We've had good and bad experiences with these. Unfortunately, just like private party, you should either know what you are looking for, or be very spirit led.

On the upside they are CHEAP. You can buy a car for $500, $1,500, $3,000.... etc.

BUT....

These cars will not have been through a 126 point inspection. They make no claim to the unit's reliability. Either they got it in on trade, or they got it from a car auction. The car I traded in this month (that needed a LOT of work) will go to just such an auction, to get picked up by one of these types of dealerships. Hopefully, they put some work into repairing it, and make it worth buying again.

We've bought a few cars from places like this, but they usually don't last that long. However, they did get us by.

After I added it up, from 2009-2015, I've spent (price + repairs) $13,000 on used cars. All of which died within 1-2 years. Sure, I had no monthly payments, I just put a huge chunk down every Tax Return. But I was constantly dealing with issues all year.

I failed my Dave Ramsey Plan. I should have been paying myself every month, so I could buy a nicer and nicer car each time. Like making a car payment in reverse. I didn't. And now my only car died.

I'm over it. I want a newer car. I'm not ready for NEW, but I want something that runs. So we went out to buy a car.

The Usual Traditional Car Dealership

We visited Shall Remain Nameless (unless you click here or here), and experienced the hustle of a Traditional Car Dealership.

Uhg!

There are no prices listed on the cars. I ask about the price and I hear, "I'm not sure, I'll have to check" (but makes no move to go check). I told him that we wanted to end up at $7,000 (total sale price), they showed us two that "might work for us". While continuously evading my price questions.

We sit, we spend hours, test driving, sitting, waiting, they bring us paperwork with a sale price DOUBLE ($14,500+) what I told them the first moment I talked to them. I thought they had "two that might work for us"?

Well... They wanted to talk about payments, and get us to forget about total price. You see, if they can get me to agree to $150/Month ( my original target was $130/Month), than who cars about the total price, right? Wrong. Total price matters. I can pay off a $7,000 car twice (or more) as fast as a $14,000 car. Period. Price Matters.

How can this type of business practice still be legal? In the connection economy, it's thankfully dying away (just wish it was gone completely).

In 2005, I bought a car from a place like this, it was repossessed in 2007. Never again.

Thankfully, we had the presence of mind to leave.

But there yet remains a better choice...

The Better Choice

New Era Dealers like CarMax and AutoNation are built on the understanding that the Connection Economy will not allow for the old Car Dealership type of treatment any longer.

The prices are, generally, non negotiable. Why? They advertise a price that is as low as they can accept, and is still fair for them. They only sell vehicles that have passed their inspection. They just make the process as painless as possible.

You should still be spirit led, you can buy a car that looks good (even to a mechanic) that breaks down because of something you couldn't have known. However, this is the best experience I've had when car buying in my life.

AutoNation had a few vehicles that were targeted to lower prices than CarMax, so check out both. This just means that AutoNation carries cars that are a little older or higher millage; but, still pass the 126 point inspection.

This month, I went to AutoNation South Fort Worth, on I-20. The process was painless. No hustle. No haggle. Doug B and Doug W with AutoNation SFW were great to work with, patient with my questions, gave me time to digest figures and run my excel sheets.

In the end, we left with the car that had shown up over, and over, and over, in our search (spirit led). The one I kept getting drawn to, but couldn't quite explain why. The one I kept ignoring, looking for other things to satisfy my reasoning and mind.

No, it wasn't in line with my 150 item list of "must haves", but it was the right fit. Then again, there exactly ZERO cars that fit that list.

Funny Side Note: I kept looking for a car with 40,000 miles. The Monday after I made this purchase, I heard a guy complain to that the car he bought at 40,000 miles kept breaking down. Praise God for being Spirit Led.

Financing: 

Hopefully, you've been on the Dave Ramsey plan long enough not to finance. But, if your not, then here are some options.

There are a lot of ways to finance.

If you have a bank, apply with them first. Do it online, because then the decision (with score) will come to you online. Even if it's declined, you'll get an idea of what your score looked like.

If you are blessed enough to bank with USAA Bank, I highly recommend you START there, and if approved, go no further. The process is painless, and their customer service is second to NONE. They are patient with your questions. The only caveat I have for you: Don't print the loan docs until you are sure you have decided on the car. It's just easier that way, because you can edit your choices.

If you let the dealership do it, that can be good ( they can often search up to 40 lenders at once). They will run your credit through multiple lenders, but that only counts as one inquiry to your credit (here) as long as they are all done within 45 days.

Some of the small dealership do "in house" financing. This means that you don't need a credit score, but you don't get regular payments either. Instead, you pay $200-$300, every two weeks (every paycheck), for about one year to pay it off.

GAP Insurance:

For those who don't know, Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) Insurance can be very useful. It may go by other names, but look for this general description. Progressive Insurance calls it Loan/Lease Payoff.

Insurance Dilemma: Sometimes, after an accident where the vehicle is declared a total loss, your Full Coverage Insurance will pay what the car is worth, but not what you owe. If your car is worth $14,000, they pay that. But If you owe$16,000; they still only pay $14,000. That means you will STILL owe $2,000 which you must continue to pay after the car is already totaled.

Oh, and don't forget your $1,000 deductible, which they subtract from the total payout. Now they only pay $13,000, which means you are left with a bill for $3,000.

If you have a lot of cash on hand to account for this, and you can just pay that final $3,000, and be done with it. Or, you can keep paying the monthly payment (most of the time) until the final amount is paid off. Some lenders will allow you to do an "Insurance Deficiency Refinance", to lower your payment on that final left over amount.

If you do not pay the left over, this will become a charge off on your credit, and your credit is ruined.

GAP essentially works like this: If you have this $3,000 left over. GAP pays it. There are exclusions, and exceptions. Sometimes, if you have not paid your bill on time every month, GAP will deduct their coverage for that. So GAP still may not pay off the whole bill if you were not paying your bill on time.

I started to purchase GAP Insurance through USAA, but then I found out that I can add this to my Full Coverage through Progressive for $16/Year. (about a $1+ per month), and I'll cancel it when my loan is lower than my value.

I hope that helps!


Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

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How To Register Your Car And Get Your Drivers License after moving to Fort Worth/Dallas Texas

Automotive

What you need to know about moving to and driving around Fort Worth - Dallas Texas. 

I came from California myself. So I was surprised to learn that you register you car in a different office from the one you will visit to get your drivers license. The following information will cover some of the basics on what you need to know. I suggest you check out their websites for more information.

Actually... there's three offices, two buildings? The DPS handles Licenses (but mixes into autos sometimes). The DMV handles the start of auto registration by giving you the forms online, but the County Tax Assessors Office is where you physically go to complete the auto registration.

AAA: And for those moving from California; The Texas Automobile Automobile Association (AAA) does not currently have a contract with the state government to offer services for auto registration or license renewal but they do still offer roadside assistance, travel, and AAA insurance in Texas. The Texas AAA has it's own website as well. 

Alternate Renewal Sites; You can often accomplish renewals of auto registration at local grocery stores such as Tom Thumb . Auto Registration renewal can also be done online at the TXDMV website.

Clear as Mud? Me too! So here's my best attempt to explain:

• Drivers Licenses are provided by Texas Dept of Public Safety (DPS)

• Auto Registration is provided by Texas Dept of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

• County Tax Assessors Office (Complete Car Registration)

Drivers License

If you move to Texas you have 90 days to get a Texas Drivers License. During that time, you may continue to drive on the current license, but you must get switched over. 

The TxDPS website states that "New Texas residents can legally drive with a valid, unexpired driver license from another U.S. state, U.S. territory, Canadian province, or qualifying country for up to 90 days after moving to Texas."

***HINT*** When you get the new ID cards, they will ask you to surrender the Drivers License from your old state. Then, a few months later, you going to be shopping for insurance and they'll ask you for your previous ID numbers for the quote... but you can't remember them now. SO, make a high quality photocopy of the old ID cards BEFORE giving them up. Preferably, save those copies to a PDF and store them in the cloud. Then you won't be hassled when getting new insurance. 

1. Residency Requirement. To get a drivers license you must first prove you are now a Texas Resident.

TxDPS Website:
To verify Texas residency, an individual must present two documents from the drop down menu below. Both documents must contain the individual’s name and residential address. One of the documents must verify that the individual has lived in Texas for at least 30 days. This 30 day requirement is waived for individuals who are surrendering a valid, unexpired driver license from another state. 

Any of the following documents will be accepted to verify an individual’s Texas residency. The two documents provided must be issued by different companies or agencies. For example, an individual may not use a water bill and an electricity bill from the same company.

If you want to, you can keep your old ID, but then you have to take the written and driving test all over again. If you turn in your current ID, you can skip that part.

2. Apply for a new Drivers License. 

Check out the TxDPS website for relocators HERE. You'll need to fill our some forms and most likely take a trip to the DPS office to get this done.

3. Expect Delays. 

You may have heard that things are slower paced in the south. Well.... they are. They are also poorly funded and badly organized. So expect your new ID card to take 45 days (or more).

Also, being poorly funded, the local law enforcement relish the opportunity to pull you over every chance they get (Tickets = $).

So make sure to get the new ID WELL BEFORE the 90 days, and keep your paper copy while you wait. Also make sure to follow up on on the status as often as possible. Don't let this one slip your mind.

Car Registration

Unlike the 90 days you get for the drivers license, you have 30 days to register your vehicle in Texas.

TxDMV Website: New To TexasWelcome to the Lone Star State. You have 30 days from the time you move here to register your vehicle in the state. To learn how, follow the steps below. In no time at all, we will be proud to call you a Registered Texan!

1. Inspection: Electronic

Ah... the days when life was simple and all you needed was Smog Tests. Nope. Texas requires Two Steps to get that vehicle to code. The Inspection will include a Smog Test... and a bunch of other stuff...

You'll need to know what County you live in for this part, because requirements are county specific. You can look up your counties specific requirements on the Tx DPS website HERE... and yes, I said DPS. The two sites are mixing content... adding to the confusion.

Make sure to bring a valid ID and proof of insurance when you go to inspection. The good news is that inspection stations are easy to find. Most mechanics and Oil Changing shops provide this service. Jiffy Lube and NTB are two big ones out here. My Favorite has been Kwik Kar HERE.


2. Registration


So now that you have your inspection completed, and it must be done first, you can complete your registration. There will be one (or more) forms to fill out. I suggest pulling them from the website and filling them out on our computer so you can type/print. Handwritten forms leads to misinterpretation and problems.

Tx DMV Website:To do this, you must visit your local county tax-assessor collector office. You will need your insurance card, proof of vehicle inspection (the Vehicle Inspection Report or VI30 form from the inspection station), and proof you own the vehicle, such as the registration or title from your previous state. You can also show a current foreign/military ownership document or foreign evidence of ownership. Visit your local county tax office. You are not required to title your vehicle in Texas, but first-time registrants must fill out and complete Form 130-U. If you do not possess the title because it has a lien, you also must complete Form VTR-272.

3. Visit YOUR County Tax Assessor

In another post I talk about how to find out what County you live in. Here it's time to use that information to find your Tax Office.

Just head to the TxDMV website (HERE) and look on the right hand side column of the page. Look for Find Your Local Office and use the drop down boxes. If you live in the Fort Worth city limits, you are most likely in Tarrant County, that information is HERE. If you are not in Tarrant County, you'll need to go find your Tax Office.

County tax assessor-collector offices provide most vehicle title and registration services, including:

• registration renewals (license plates and registration stickers) 
• vehicle title transfers 
• change of address on motor vehicle records 
• non-fee license plates such as Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans 
• license plates disabled parking placards 
• copies of registration receipts 
• temporary registration

I hope that helped unravel the process just a little. We'll talk more in another post about how to do more specific things with your cars once you are here. 


Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

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What County do I live in?

So here's the thing. Texas is a BIG place. 

But being from California big didn't bother me. What did surprise me, was just how many counties there are in Texas. It seems like you could just drive down a long road, and about every 30 minutes you'd find yourself in a new county.

In California you can move from one county to the next, and you'd hardly notice the differences. The changes in rules are minor and may never affect you. It's one big state. In Texas the rules and differences can be night and day. You NEED to know what county you live in. So below, take a few moments to find your county. Trust me.... it'll come up.

You can check your county by entering the ZIP code through the US Census website. You can download the county map and other US Census data HERE.

Your county is important; it will make a difference on the taxes you pay, auto registration requirements, and voting locations. Texas has A LOT of counties. It's important you know yours.

Attribution: Geology.Com

Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

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Moved with you car? Bought a car Private Party? Get New Registration & Transfer the Title in Fort Worth Texas

Either you've moved to Texas recently and brought your car, or you just bought a used Private Party car. Either way, if you didn't use a dealership you'll be doing the paperwork yourself.

If you are new to Texas you have 30 days from the time you move here to register your vehicle  in Texas (not until your tags expire from your old state). Check out the state New To Texas page here.

Special Note: Title and Registration are TWO different things. If you bought a new car you are paying for both. If you are renewing you are only paying for registration.

Drivers Licenses (DL) are NOT processed by the same department as automotive registrations and titles. If you need a DL, click HERE, for the Texas Department of Public Saftey.

You'll want to visit the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website (TXDMV.Gov) for the most up to date information.

What you will need:

1. Current Inspection, in Texas.
1. Most auto shops, Jiffy Lube, NTB, etc., do these inspections.
2. There used to be an inspections sticker, this has gone away as of 03/01/15. The state will electronically verify your inspection.
3. Once past, keep the inspection papers (the VI30 form from the inspection station) to take with you to registration.
2. Insurance Card.
1. Make sure to bring your proof of insurance with you.
3. Proof of ownership.
1. Title (signed over to you if you just bought it), registration, foreign/military documentation of ownership, etc.
4. Money.
1. It costs money to title and/or register your vehicle. Weird huh?
2. Check the costs before you go, be prepared.
5. Check Ahead on Parking.
1. Bring some coins (quarters) for parking. Most buildings near government areas will have metered parking.
6. Signatures!!!
1. You don’t want to be turned away for missing signatures and have to come back.
2. Two People on Title/Registration?
1. You don't both need to be there, per-say. It could be better that you are. If you aren't both coming, at least bring both signatures on all paperwork ahead of time. It would be good to check all the things you need. Call if you're not sure.
3. Seller Signatures
1. If you bought a car Private Party. The Seller needs to sign the Title  AND the title transfer form/application (130-U). Print these when you go so that you can get the signatures. You may have to drive back to the seller if you don't get them.
2. Missing Title? Also bring a VTR-272 form to apply for a new title. This will be signed by you only, but will be used in conjunction with the 130-U that the Seller needs to sign!

Where do you go?

• County Tax Office. You'll be taking your paperwork to your local county tax office. Yes, that's right. Not the "DMV", but a tax office.
• Where is that? The TXDMV.Gov website has a handy tool to look up your County Tax Office. BUT, you'll need to know what county you are in to use it.
• You can check what count you are in on the US Census website.

 

How Much Will I Pay?

From the  TXDMV.Gov website (as of 02/08/15):

• $50.75 - The base registration fee in Texas is $50.75
• Plus $1 for TexasSure, the electronic insurance verification program and other Department of Public Safety initiatives,
• Plus $1 for improvements to the registration and titling computer system.
• $52.75 - So, total state registration is $52.75 but counties may add other fees to this cost.
• In addition, as a new resident, you also will pay sales tax-related fees required by the state's Comptroller of Public Accounts. Sales tax fees on a vehicle can be $90 or the difference between your previous state's sales tax and the Texas sales tax.
• In addition, on a new purchase, you will calculate sales tax as the purchase price, or the Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) based on their calculations. You can access the SPV calculator on the website using the VIN and Odometer. Based on that value, find out what the sales tax is for your county, and factor that in to the total cost. 
  
  Other costs may apply, check their website for most current information. 

Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe
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Disclaimers:
* This information is AS IS. I make no assumptions to know everything, or be up to date. I am a fellow traveler passing on what I learn to you. If you need official assistance from a professional, please get that help from them. 

*Affiliate Links may be included. In some instances I make money from the reviews of products or services I do here. In some cases I get a few freebies as well. Nevertheless, I only leave my honest reviews. This is how I see it. They can pay me to review, they can't pay me for how my review turns out. Please see my full disclosure list at: Start Here - About. 

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