Parkland's needs detailed
Aging hospital requires up to $139 million for major renovation, study finds
By SHERRY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - It would cost as much as $139 million in basic improvements to keep Parkland Memorial Hospital's aging facility operational for 25 to 30 more years, according to a study released Monday.
But even such a sizable investment would not bring the aging hospital into code compliance or help it accommodate a growing population of indigent patients, hospital officials noted.
"I don't want to leave the impression that this would fix our problems," Dr. Ron Anderson, Parkland's president and chief executive officer, said Monday to a blue-ribbon panel appointed by the county to look into the hospital's future needs.
"It wouldn't rehabilitate the hospital. It doesn't fix the plumbing or [enlarge] the room sizes or put showers in every patient's room."
Hospital officials want a new, modern facility. But county commissioners, who approve Parkland's annual budget and tax rate, have balked in recent years at the idea of building a new public hospital, a project that would cost more than $1 billion.
The blue-ribbon committee – made up of business, civic and health care leaders – will recommend to the Dallas County Commissioners Court next year whether to replace the facility.
The new report seemed to drive home the point that it would be costly to maintain and improve the old facility if the county eventually decided not to build a new hospital.
Parkland's overcrowded conditions are well known to the people who rely on the public hospital for medical care.
Anyone who walks through the front door notices overflowing waiting areas, tiny patient rooms and hallways that double as storage space for medical equipment.
The main hospital building was completed in 1954, and other buildings were added as recently as the mid-1980s.
The new engineering report offered a rare view of Parkland's inner workings, the mechanical side that most people don't see.
"Much of the major mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment has outlived its normal effective life," concluded the study by Carter-Burgess Design Associates, a Fort-Worth based architectural engineering firm.
Key equipment was installed in the 1970s, including the boiler in 1971, air-conditioning chiller in 1972 and emergency generator in 1970.
"Critical items of equipment are now at ages that make their remaining life very difficult to predict," the report said.
As if to signal an impending mechanical failure, hospital officials struggled to keep the auditorium at room temperature throughout the three-hour meeting of the Blue Ribbon Master Capital Plan Advisory Committee. Some members of the 13-member advisory panel were shivering during the session.
Parkland officials commissioned the recent evaluation of 1,500 major pieces of hospital equipment, a task that took four months and cost $97,000 to complete. While most of the equipment was "in surprisingly good condition when compared to its age," the study credited "creative and attentive maintenance" for keeping it functioning.
At the cheapest, the study noted that it would cost $21 million to make the most basic repairs over the next six to eight years. That would include a new roof, fire-alarm system and nurse-call system as well as repairing, but not replacing, the aging mechanical equipment.
More extensive repairs, including upgrading elevators, laundry equipment and "medium renovation" of patient rooms, would total about $100 million.
The most expensive repairs, including "medium to heavy" renovation of most of the hospital's departments, would cost about $139 million.
But even the most costly proposal was "by no means a comprehensive evaluation of every element in the facility," noted Walter Jones, Parkland's vice president of planning and development. "The pipes, duct work and lights were not looked at."
He cautioned, however, that spending $100 million to $139 million on the current hospital would mean investing 38 percent to 52 percent of the total replacement value of the hospital complex. Normally, buildings are considered for replacement when repair costs exceed 35 percent of their full value, he said.
Dr. Anderson warned that such a costly investment would not help Parkland serve more patients because no new rooms would be added.
"If we were going to build more beds, we wouldn't put money into this building," he said. "And if they forced us to meet the codes, we'd lose 40 percent of our beds and end up with a business model that doesn't work."
It was estimated that Parkland needs as many as 916 hospital beds but now operates with 740. However, future renovations could cut that number to about 450 because most patient rooms can't accommodate two beds under current spacing requirements.
The blue-ribbon panel asked a few questions about the report and then appointed Wendy Lopez, a Dallas civil engineer, to serve as the chairwoman.
News from the Lone Star State
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Man falls down Texas Stadium elevator shaft
IRVING, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 26-year-old Arlington man was injured Monday morning after he fell about 40 feet down a Texas Stadium elevator shaft.
The man, whose name was not released Monday, is believed to be a stadium employee, Irving police said.
At about 9:10 a.m., the man was moving pallets of ice when he fell down the shaft. Police said no foul play is suspected.
The Irving Fire Department’s high angle rescue team rescued the man, who sustained serious injuries.
He was taken by ambulance to Parkland Memorial Hospital; his condition was not available Monday afternoon.
IRVING, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 26-year-old Arlington man was injured Monday morning after he fell about 40 feet down a Texas Stadium elevator shaft.
The man, whose name was not released Monday, is believed to be a stadium employee, Irving police said.
At about 9:10 a.m., the man was moving pallets of ice when he fell down the shaft. Police said no foul play is suspected.
The Irving Fire Department’s high angle rescue team rescued the man, who sustained serious injuries.
He was taken by ambulance to Parkland Memorial Hospital; his condition was not available Monday afternoon.
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'Inviting' High Five pleases drivers
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Commuters began coursing through the newly opened High Five on Monday morning, praising the improvements to one of Dallas' most notorious highway interchanges but also noting their good fortune may be attributed to lighter Thanksgiving week traffic.
"It's a lot better than it was," said Ron Hutch, 56, of Plano as he stopped at a Starbucks at Forest Lane and Park Central Drive. "And it looks nice. It looks inviting, really."
Texas Department of Transportation officials announced last week that the project, originally estimated at $261 million, would be completed over the weekend with the removal of the final barriers that restrict main lane traffic of northbound traffic on Central Expressway at the LBJ Freeway.
"We're nearing what we consider substantial completion, essentially meaning that all ramps and main lanes are open," said Dan Peden, TxDOT project manager. "All the lanes (are) in their final configuration."
"I'd like to think it's going to be utopia someday," Peden said. "But time will tell."
What was once the state's most expensive project (now surpassed by construction on Houston's Katy Freeway) has been under way for nearly four years. And although it is wrapping up a year ahead of schedule, TxDOT officials caution that work remains on the high-occupancy vehicle lanes, frontage roads, landscaping and other aesthetics.
"I don't think it's going to be a great thing for the motorists until we walk away from this project," Peden said. "When there's simply no more lane closures, no more temporary signs. It'll be better – don't get me wrong. It will definitely improve. It's a lot safer than it has been."
Some weekend travelers found the interchange as frustrating and jammed as ever, which assistant project manager Mickey Matthews blamed on the weather. Workers were supposed to stripe lanes on Friday night, but the surface temperature fell below 50 degrees. So the work began Saturday, requiring lane shutdowns.
"It was a serious backup," he acknowledged.
Marti Beaujean, 35, of Dallas said she took the expressway to eastbound Interstate 635 en route to the Galleria. "It was still congested Sunday afternoon, which I thought was odd," she said.
But otherwise, she said, she's pleased with the outcome.
"It's beautiful. It's fancy. If it ever gets ice, they will probably have to shut it down it's so high," Beaujean said.
By Monday, engineers on the project were cautiously optimistic about how their baby was handling the first day of rush-hour traffic. They had expected delays and confusion as commuters figured out the new system.
"We are creatures of habit," said Mark Ball, a spokesman for TxDOT's Dallas district.
"Eventually, we'll figure out what lane we'll want to be in and it's going to work very well."
Commuters also were cautious.
Robert Coker, 46, of Dallas doesn't go all the way north through the exchange to reach work – he exits at Forest Lane. But the traffic is always backed up, so he expects that the completed construction will help his commute.
"Today it seemed lighter, but some of it could be the holiday coming up," he said. "I'm glad it's over. I think if they can fix LBJ it will be a great system."
Work on constructing two three-lane tunnels under LBJ Freeway, approximately from the High Five to Stemmons Freeway, could begin in January 2007.
Plano resident David Estrada, 40, said he had no problem at 5:30 a.m. getting to his job as a manager at FedEx Kinko's on Forest. He's more concerned about his trip home.
"Northbound doesn't seem to have the capacity of going south," he said, adding that overall, the construction seems to have made a difference.
"The underpasses and frontage roads are a lot nicer," Estrada said. "And you can get around some traffic if you need to by using those."
DallasNews.com staff writer Linda Leavell contributed to this report.
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Commuters began coursing through the newly opened High Five on Monday morning, praising the improvements to one of Dallas' most notorious highway interchanges but also noting their good fortune may be attributed to lighter Thanksgiving week traffic.
"It's a lot better than it was," said Ron Hutch, 56, of Plano as he stopped at a Starbucks at Forest Lane and Park Central Drive. "And it looks nice. It looks inviting, really."
Texas Department of Transportation officials announced last week that the project, originally estimated at $261 million, would be completed over the weekend with the removal of the final barriers that restrict main lane traffic of northbound traffic on Central Expressway at the LBJ Freeway.
"We're nearing what we consider substantial completion, essentially meaning that all ramps and main lanes are open," said Dan Peden, TxDOT project manager. "All the lanes (are) in their final configuration."
"I'd like to think it's going to be utopia someday," Peden said. "But time will tell."
What was once the state's most expensive project (now surpassed by construction on Houston's Katy Freeway) has been under way for nearly four years. And although it is wrapping up a year ahead of schedule, TxDOT officials caution that work remains on the high-occupancy vehicle lanes, frontage roads, landscaping and other aesthetics.
"I don't think it's going to be a great thing for the motorists until we walk away from this project," Peden said. "When there's simply no more lane closures, no more temporary signs. It'll be better – don't get me wrong. It will definitely improve. It's a lot safer than it has been."
Some weekend travelers found the interchange as frustrating and jammed as ever, which assistant project manager Mickey Matthews blamed on the weather. Workers were supposed to stripe lanes on Friday night, but the surface temperature fell below 50 degrees. So the work began Saturday, requiring lane shutdowns.
"It was a serious backup," he acknowledged.
Marti Beaujean, 35, of Dallas said she took the expressway to eastbound Interstate 635 en route to the Galleria. "It was still congested Sunday afternoon, which I thought was odd," she said.
But otherwise, she said, she's pleased with the outcome.
"It's beautiful. It's fancy. If it ever gets ice, they will probably have to shut it down it's so high," Beaujean said.
By Monday, engineers on the project were cautiously optimistic about how their baby was handling the first day of rush-hour traffic. They had expected delays and confusion as commuters figured out the new system.
"We are creatures of habit," said Mark Ball, a spokesman for TxDOT's Dallas district.
"Eventually, we'll figure out what lane we'll want to be in and it's going to work very well."
Commuters also were cautious.
Robert Coker, 46, of Dallas doesn't go all the way north through the exchange to reach work – he exits at Forest Lane. But the traffic is always backed up, so he expects that the completed construction will help his commute.
"Today it seemed lighter, but some of it could be the holiday coming up," he said. "I'm glad it's over. I think if they can fix LBJ it will be a great system."
Work on constructing two three-lane tunnels under LBJ Freeway, approximately from the High Five to Stemmons Freeway, could begin in January 2007.
Plano resident David Estrada, 40, said he had no problem at 5:30 a.m. getting to his job as a manager at FedEx Kinko's on Forest. He's more concerned about his trip home.
"Northbound doesn't seem to have the capacity of going south," he said, adding that overall, the construction seems to have made a difference.
"The underpasses and frontage roads are a lot nicer," Estrada said. "And you can get around some traffic if you need to by using those."
DallasNews.com staff writer Linda Leavell contributed to this report.
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Female prison guard stabbed in Amarillo
AMARILLO, Texas (The Dallas Morning News/AP) - A guard was stabbed four times Sunday night while monitoring a cell block at the state's William P. Clements Unit in Amarillo, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.
The condition of the guard was not immediately available. She was flown by medical helicopter to Northwest Texas Hospital.
Michelle Lyons, a TDCJ spokeswoman, said in a story in Monday's Amarillo Globe-News that investigators hadn't found a weapon or been able to identify the suspects in the stabbing, which occurred between 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Lyons said she didn't have information on the nature of the wounds or the type of weapon used in the attack.
The guard's name was withheld pending notification of relatives. Lyons said the 39-year-old guard had worked at the unit, which houses men, since January 2002.
AMARILLO, Texas (The Dallas Morning News/AP) - A guard was stabbed four times Sunday night while monitoring a cell block at the state's William P. Clements Unit in Amarillo, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.
The condition of the guard was not immediately available. She was flown by medical helicopter to Northwest Texas Hospital.
Michelle Lyons, a TDCJ spokeswoman, said in a story in Monday's Amarillo Globe-News that investigators hadn't found a weapon or been able to identify the suspects in the stabbing, which occurred between 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Lyons said she didn't have information on the nature of the wounds or the type of weapon used in the attack.
The guard's name was withheld pending notification of relatives. Lyons said the 39-year-old guard had worked at the unit, which houses men, since January 2002.
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Fort Worth Zoo hopes new elephant will improve breeding
FORT WORTH, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A five-ton special delivery arrived in North Texas last week as an early Christmas present for the Fort Worth Zoo.
Casey, a 33-year-old bull elephant belonging to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, was brought to the zoo by an 18-wheeler equipped with a 40-foot trailer designed for elephant transport.
Zoo officials hope the elephant, on loan from the circus for three years, will help increase reproduction rates among the female Asian elephants housed there.
Zoo Director Michael Fouraker said the North American elephant population is not sustaining itself, so he feels it is vital for the zoo to beef up its captive breeding program.
"Current breeding rates suggest that in 45 years, only 50 female elephants may populate zoos,” Fouraker said. “In simple terms, (that) means without successful elephant births in the coming years, the North American Asian elephant population will face near-extinction."
Zoo officials said Casey is currently being kept in a quarantine-type environment, and will be introduced to female elephants slowly before making his public debut in December.
Ft. Worth Zoo
Casey, a 33-year-old bull elephant, is on a three-year loan to the Fort Worth Zoo.
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Fort Worth Zoo - Official Website
FORT WORTH, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A five-ton special delivery arrived in North Texas last week as an early Christmas present for the Fort Worth Zoo.
Casey, a 33-year-old bull elephant belonging to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, was brought to the zoo by an 18-wheeler equipped with a 40-foot trailer designed for elephant transport.
Zoo officials hope the elephant, on loan from the circus for three years, will help increase reproduction rates among the female Asian elephants housed there.
Zoo Director Michael Fouraker said the North American elephant population is not sustaining itself, so he feels it is vital for the zoo to beef up its captive breeding program.
"Current breeding rates suggest that in 45 years, only 50 female elephants may populate zoos,” Fouraker said. “In simple terms, (that) means without successful elephant births in the coming years, the North American Asian elephant population will face near-extinction."
Zoo officials said Casey is currently being kept in a quarantine-type environment, and will be introduced to female elephants slowly before making his public debut in December.
Ft. Worth Zoo
Casey, a 33-year-old bull elephant, is on a three-year loan to the Fort Worth Zoo.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fort Worth Zoo - Official Website
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Car thief is suspect in 3 slayings
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com)A man already in jail is now charged with three Tarrant County murders.
Fort Worth police charged Christopher Wilkins, 37, with murder and capital murder. He was already being held in the Tarrant County Jail on unrelated charges.
Wilkins is accused of of killing Gilbert Vallejo outside a bar on the city's south side on Oct. 26.
He is also charged killing Mike Silva and Willie Freeman, whose bodies were found in a ditch two days after the first murder.
Police had previously linked the slayings after determining that the same weapon had been used in all three crimes.
Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Ralph Swearingin said Wilkins is also a suspect in two auto thefts and two residential burglaries.
Police said Wilkins was involved in two high-speed chases before being captured. The first time, on Nov. 4, he escaped, but detectives were able to obtain a fingerprint from the stolen sport utility vehicle he had been driving.
Wilkins was captured the next day in Haltom City, but not before striking a pedestrian and fleeing on foot.
Bond for Wilkins was set at $1 million.
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com)A man already in jail is now charged with three Tarrant County murders.
Fort Worth police charged Christopher Wilkins, 37, with murder and capital murder. He was already being held in the Tarrant County Jail on unrelated charges.
Wilkins is accused of of killing Gilbert Vallejo outside a bar on the city's south side on Oct. 26.
He is also charged killing Mike Silva and Willie Freeman, whose bodies were found in a ditch two days after the first murder.
Police had previously linked the slayings after determining that the same weapon had been used in all three crimes.
Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Ralph Swearingin said Wilkins is also a suspect in two auto thefts and two residential burglaries.
Police said Wilkins was involved in two high-speed chases before being captured. The first time, on Nov. 4, he escaped, but detectives were able to obtain a fingerprint from the stolen sport utility vehicle he had been driving.
Wilkins was captured the next day in Haltom City, but not before striking a pedestrian and fleeing on foot.
Bond for Wilkins was set at $1 million.
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Court: Fix school funding by June 1
AUSTIN, Texas (WFAA ABC 8?AP) — The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that local property taxes used to pay for public schools amount to an unconstitutional statewide tax and has given the state until June 1 to fix the system.
Texas' highest civil court agreed 7-1 with one of three arguments brought against the state by hundreds of school districts, but found that overall school funding is adequate and that poor districts have equal access to facilities funding. Justice Scott Brister was the only member of the nine-member court to dissent. Newly sworn in Justice Don Willett did not participate.
The court has been considering the case for months on an appeal from a district court in Austin. Property-rich and poor school districts sued the state, claiming its method of paying for public education was inadequate.
State District Judge John Dietz in September 2004 agreed with the districts and declared the system unconstitutional. He ordered that the problems fixed or the state would have to halt the funding of its schools. Lawyers for the state appealed to the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court.
The state argued that great strides had been made in public education over the past decade and that changes to the funding system should be made by the Legislature, not the courts.
Money for the $30 billion Texas school system comes primarily from property taxes and a loophole-ridden franchise tax.
Dietz ruled the system is unconstitutional because so many school districts in Texas are forced to tax property owners at the maximum limit, which amounts to an illegal statewide property tax.
After the Legislature failed to reach a solution on school finance during its regular session this year, Republican Gov. Rick Perry called lawmakers into two special sessions over the summer. But, again, the legislators couldn't agree on a plan.
Perry office's did not immediately comment on Tuesday's ruling.
In the fall, Perry named former comptroller John Sharp, a Democrat and former political rival, to head a commission that will recommend how to restructure the tax system that pays for schools.
Sharp said has said he wants to reduce property taxes by about 35 percent. He said businesses are willing to pay more toward schools if the tax imposed is a fair one.
He also said a court-ordered deadline to repair the broken system could be the only way to prompt action from bickering lawmakers who might otherwise be blamed by voters for allowing schools to shut down.
His commission met for the first time Monday.
AUSTIN, Texas (WFAA ABC 8?AP) — The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that local property taxes used to pay for public schools amount to an unconstitutional statewide tax and has given the state until June 1 to fix the system.
Texas' highest civil court agreed 7-1 with one of three arguments brought against the state by hundreds of school districts, but found that overall school funding is adequate and that poor districts have equal access to facilities funding. Justice Scott Brister was the only member of the nine-member court to dissent. Newly sworn in Justice Don Willett did not participate.
The court has been considering the case for months on an appeal from a district court in Austin. Property-rich and poor school districts sued the state, claiming its method of paying for public education was inadequate.
State District Judge John Dietz in September 2004 agreed with the districts and declared the system unconstitutional. He ordered that the problems fixed or the state would have to halt the funding of its schools. Lawyers for the state appealed to the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court.
The state argued that great strides had been made in public education over the past decade and that changes to the funding system should be made by the Legislature, not the courts.
Money for the $30 billion Texas school system comes primarily from property taxes and a loophole-ridden franchise tax.
Dietz ruled the system is unconstitutional because so many school districts in Texas are forced to tax property owners at the maximum limit, which amounts to an illegal statewide property tax.
After the Legislature failed to reach a solution on school finance during its regular session this year, Republican Gov. Rick Perry called lawmakers into two special sessions over the summer. But, again, the legislators couldn't agree on a plan.
Perry office's did not immediately comment on Tuesday's ruling.
In the fall, Perry named former comptroller John Sharp, a Democrat and former political rival, to head a commission that will recommend how to restructure the tax system that pays for schools.
Sharp said has said he wants to reduce property taxes by about 35 percent. He said businesses are willing to pay more toward schools if the tax imposed is a fair one.
He also said a court-ordered deadline to repair the broken system could be the only way to prompt action from bickering lawmakers who might otherwise be blamed by voters for allowing schools to shut down.
His commission met for the first time Monday.
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Police name Deep Ellum suspect
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police have named an 18-year-old suspect arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in Deep Ellum this weekend.
J.T. Nelson, 20, was shot dead near the Club Hush on Main Street on Saturday.
Sukha Seng, who was arrested at a house in Garland Monday morning, faces charges of aggravated assault and murder.
Before his arrest, two Garland schools were put on temporary lock-down.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police have named an 18-year-old suspect arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in Deep Ellum this weekend.
J.T. Nelson, 20, was shot dead near the Club Hush on Main Street on Saturday.
Sukha Seng, who was arrested at a house in Garland Monday morning, faces charges of aggravated assault and murder.
Before his arrest, two Garland schools were put on temporary lock-down.
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Fort Worth currency plant worker sentenced
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- A former worker at a currency plant in Fort Worth is going to prison for hauling stolen cash outside Texas.
A federal judge in Fort Worth today sentenced Donald Edward Stokes Junior to three years and five months in prison.
The judge also fined Stokes $10,000 over his July guilty plea to interstate transportation of stolen property.
The bills were taken from the U-S Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility.
Authorities say Stokes stole more than $600,000 dollars over seven years by slipping flawed bills into his pockets.
The bills had been marked for destruction, but still had value and were usable.
Stokes fled in March after authorities found stolen money at his Keller home. He was later arrested in Oklahoma City.
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- A former worker at a currency plant in Fort Worth is going to prison for hauling stolen cash outside Texas.
A federal judge in Fort Worth today sentenced Donald Edward Stokes Junior to three years and five months in prison.
The judge also fined Stokes $10,000 over his July guilty plea to interstate transportation of stolen property.
The bills were taken from the U-S Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility.
Authorities say Stokes stole more than $600,000 dollars over seven years by slipping flawed bills into his pockets.
The bills had been marked for destruction, but still had value and were usable.
Stokes fled in March after authorities found stolen money at his Keller home. He was later arrested in Oklahoma City.
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White separatist held in 3 Fort Worth slayings
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth police are trying to determine whether the murders of three men in Tarrant County last month were racially motivated.
On Monday, Fort Worth police charged Christopher Wilkins, 37, with murder and capital murder. Police said he is a self-proclaimed white separatist and has tattoos reffering to death, white supremacy, devil worship and Hitler.
Wilkins is accused of of killing Gilbert Vallejo outside a bar on the city's south side on Oct. 26.
He is also charged in the deaths of Mike Silva and Willie Freeman, whose bodies were found in a ditch two days after the first murder.
Police had previously linked the slayings after determining that the same weapon had been used in all three crimes.
No motive for the crimes has been formally established.
Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Ralph Swearingin said Wilkins is also a suspect in two auto thefts and two residential burglaries.
Police said Wilkins was involved in two high-speed chases before being captured. The first time, on Nov. 4, he escaped, but detectives were able to obtain a fingerprint from the stolen sport utility vehicle he had been driving.
Wilkins was captured the next day in Haltom City, but not before striking a pedestrian and fleeing on foot.
He was already jailed when police linked the murder weapon to Wilkins. Bond was set at $1 million.
Police said Wilkins escaped from a halfway house in the Houston-Beaumont area after being released from federal prison. He traveled to Tarrant County within the past month.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth police are trying to determine whether the murders of three men in Tarrant County last month were racially motivated.
On Monday, Fort Worth police charged Christopher Wilkins, 37, with murder and capital murder. Police said he is a self-proclaimed white separatist and has tattoos reffering to death, white supremacy, devil worship and Hitler.
Wilkins is accused of of killing Gilbert Vallejo outside a bar on the city's south side on Oct. 26.
He is also charged in the deaths of Mike Silva and Willie Freeman, whose bodies were found in a ditch two days after the first murder.
Police had previously linked the slayings after determining that the same weapon had been used in all three crimes.
No motive for the crimes has been formally established.
Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Ralph Swearingin said Wilkins is also a suspect in two auto thefts and two residential burglaries.
Police said Wilkins was involved in two high-speed chases before being captured. The first time, on Nov. 4, he escaped, but detectives were able to obtain a fingerprint from the stolen sport utility vehicle he had been driving.
Wilkins was captured the next day in Haltom City, but not before striking a pedestrian and fleeing on foot.
He was already jailed when police linked the murder weapon to Wilkins. Bond was set at $1 million.
Police said Wilkins escaped from a halfway house in the Houston-Beaumont area after being released from federal prison. He traveled to Tarrant County within the past month.
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Can't unplug? Join the crowd
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com
The holidays are supposed to give workers a break.
So why do so many employees open e-mail with their presents? They check gift lists and office voicemails. And they dabble in eggnog and in spreadsheets, all while they're supposedly on vacation.
Take, for example, Jeff Chadwick, who enjoys using his hard-earned vacation days but is unlikely to unplug from his many responsibilities.
During a trip to DisneyWorld, while his wife and children slept, the Carrollton accountant logged on at 4 a.m. several times to slip in some work at his job at KPMG back in Dallas.
"I could do what I needed to do while my wife and kids were sleeping and then we would go out and play," Chadwick said.
As technology improves, more people find it difficult to disconnect from the office when they are on holiday, said Amy Ziff, editor-at-large for Travelocity.
"Technology has become such an integral part of travelers' lives that many of us find it impossible to completely unplug," she said. "This is an astonishing trend that demonstrates a change in how we vacation."
A poll released this year by Travelocity estimates that 40 percent of travelers check their work e-mail while on vacation and 33 percent take their mobile phones to stay connected with their employers, employees or clients. One person in every four admitted to bringing a laptop on vacation.
And one in three workers claimed that not checking in by cellphone, laptop or PDA was more stressful than the actual work.
"I feel like I have to," said A. Michelle May, a Dallas attorney. "My clients are my responsibility. I wouldn't like it if my attorney checked out on me. I need to be available in case something happens."
May says she opens her e-mail a few times a day and calls work at least once daily while vacationing. Some hotels make it easy, like the Playa Del Carmen resort that offered an outdoor living area stocked with computers.
May's employees insist they can handle the workload while she's gone and encourage their boss to unwind and enjoy her time off. But it's difficult to not take a quick look, May says, when the hotel has free Internet stations available.
"I had made an agreement with my assistant that I wasn't going to call in and promised they wouldn't hear from me, but I couldn't stand it," May said. "I had to follow up on some of the things in the e-mail."
The travel industry has fed on its customers' impulses to stay connected to the office while vacationing. Hotels, resorts, airlines and cruise-lines have made it easier for customers to mix business with pleasure.
Travelers booking ocean cruises or trips to Europe often ask about Internet and cellphone connections, said Bill Creasey of Marilyn Creasey Luxury Travel Inc. of Dallas.
International cellphones make overseas connection easier and most major international hotels have business centers with Internet access, Creasey said.
"It enables more people to take off so they can travel the world and stay in touch," he said.
Travel columnist Eileen Ogintz suggests setting limits on electronic usage while on vacation.
Often, children will play electronic games or listen to music while their parents work on a laptop, cutting into the benefits of getting away and spending time together, Ogintz said.
"Clearly, it's harder and harder for everyone to totally unplug on vacation, especially when the travel industry makes it so easy to stay connected wherever you are," Ogintz said. "But there's nothing wrong with setting some limits. ... The point of vacation, after all, is to reconnect."
Veteran e-mail checker Billy Tseng said he stayed plugged in to work during his honeymoon to keep up with his boss at Hansol Technologies in Plano. And nobody wants to be labeled the office slacker, he said.
"It's a bad thing, but you have to do what you have to do," he said. "My boss does it, so I feel like I should to. He's setting the example, so I try to do it as much as I can. Plus, I don't want stuff to pile up and come back to 10,000 e-mails."
Tseng's reasoning is familiar.
Downsizing and mergers have resulted in a heavier workload for the survivors. And employees are worried that they may be cut next unless they perform above and beyond the call of duty, said Bonnie Michaels, a consultant for Managing Work & Family Inc. in Chicago.
Employees who check e-mails and call into work while vacationing may feel more in control of their career, she said, but it's not healthy.
"Your brain doesn't have a chance to relax and get nurtured again," Michaels said. "I think people generally have forgotten how to play, to let go and do nothing, be spontaneous. Part of vacation is that you will come back refreshed with new ideas."
But some of that philosophy might be infiltrating the youngest generation in the work force.
"Generation Y will work hard, but they want to know they don't have to stay at the office for face time," Michaels said. "They will say, 'I'll do my work but then at 5 o'clock, I'm going to ride my bike.'"
Maureen Wilt, who teaches sociology at Central Missouri State University and is part of a national take-back-your-time group, suggests that keeping unplanned time in your vacation schedule is a good idea.
"Sometimes people don't get it because it's all they've ever known – to be constantly on the go," she said. "How do we measure wealth in our country? Is it by relationships and family?"
Checking e-mail during vacation time isn't always about work. The Travelocity survey found that at least 60 percent of vacationers check personal e-mail.
Even at Disney World, Chadwick felt compelled to stay on top of his volunteer duties as a youth soccer coach and at church. But he felt the most obligated to ensure he got some work done so he wouldn't have to scale a mountain of tasks when he returned.
"We are fortunate to have the holidays we have and the benefits our companies give us," he said. "Back in the agriculture days, you didn't get a day off from work. It's just a balance."
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com
The holidays are supposed to give workers a break.
So why do so many employees open e-mail with their presents? They check gift lists and office voicemails. And they dabble in eggnog and in spreadsheets, all while they're supposedly on vacation.
Take, for example, Jeff Chadwick, who enjoys using his hard-earned vacation days but is unlikely to unplug from his many responsibilities.
During a trip to DisneyWorld, while his wife and children slept, the Carrollton accountant logged on at 4 a.m. several times to slip in some work at his job at KPMG back in Dallas.
"I could do what I needed to do while my wife and kids were sleeping and then we would go out and play," Chadwick said.
As technology improves, more people find it difficult to disconnect from the office when they are on holiday, said Amy Ziff, editor-at-large for Travelocity.
"Technology has become such an integral part of travelers' lives that many of us find it impossible to completely unplug," she said. "This is an astonishing trend that demonstrates a change in how we vacation."
A poll released this year by Travelocity estimates that 40 percent of travelers check their work e-mail while on vacation and 33 percent take their mobile phones to stay connected with their employers, employees or clients. One person in every four admitted to bringing a laptop on vacation.
And one in three workers claimed that not checking in by cellphone, laptop or PDA was more stressful than the actual work.
"I feel like I have to," said A. Michelle May, a Dallas attorney. "My clients are my responsibility. I wouldn't like it if my attorney checked out on me. I need to be available in case something happens."
May says she opens her e-mail a few times a day and calls work at least once daily while vacationing. Some hotels make it easy, like the Playa Del Carmen resort that offered an outdoor living area stocked with computers.
May's employees insist they can handle the workload while she's gone and encourage their boss to unwind and enjoy her time off. But it's difficult to not take a quick look, May says, when the hotel has free Internet stations available.
"I had made an agreement with my assistant that I wasn't going to call in and promised they wouldn't hear from me, but I couldn't stand it," May said. "I had to follow up on some of the things in the e-mail."
The travel industry has fed on its customers' impulses to stay connected to the office while vacationing. Hotels, resorts, airlines and cruise-lines have made it easier for customers to mix business with pleasure.
Travelers booking ocean cruises or trips to Europe often ask about Internet and cellphone connections, said Bill Creasey of Marilyn Creasey Luxury Travel Inc. of Dallas.
International cellphones make overseas connection easier and most major international hotels have business centers with Internet access, Creasey said.
"It enables more people to take off so they can travel the world and stay in touch," he said.
Travel columnist Eileen Ogintz suggests setting limits on electronic usage while on vacation.
Often, children will play electronic games or listen to music while their parents work on a laptop, cutting into the benefits of getting away and spending time together, Ogintz said.
"Clearly, it's harder and harder for everyone to totally unplug on vacation, especially when the travel industry makes it so easy to stay connected wherever you are," Ogintz said. "But there's nothing wrong with setting some limits. ... The point of vacation, after all, is to reconnect."
Veteran e-mail checker Billy Tseng said he stayed plugged in to work during his honeymoon to keep up with his boss at Hansol Technologies in Plano. And nobody wants to be labeled the office slacker, he said.
"It's a bad thing, but you have to do what you have to do," he said. "My boss does it, so I feel like I should to. He's setting the example, so I try to do it as much as I can. Plus, I don't want stuff to pile up and come back to 10,000 e-mails."
Tseng's reasoning is familiar.
Downsizing and mergers have resulted in a heavier workload for the survivors. And employees are worried that they may be cut next unless they perform above and beyond the call of duty, said Bonnie Michaels, a consultant for Managing Work & Family Inc. in Chicago.
Employees who check e-mails and call into work while vacationing may feel more in control of their career, she said, but it's not healthy.
"Your brain doesn't have a chance to relax and get nurtured again," Michaels said. "I think people generally have forgotten how to play, to let go and do nothing, be spontaneous. Part of vacation is that you will come back refreshed with new ideas."
But some of that philosophy might be infiltrating the youngest generation in the work force.
"Generation Y will work hard, but they want to know they don't have to stay at the office for face time," Michaels said. "They will say, 'I'll do my work but then at 5 o'clock, I'm going to ride my bike.'"
Maureen Wilt, who teaches sociology at Central Missouri State University and is part of a national take-back-your-time group, suggests that keeping unplanned time in your vacation schedule is a good idea.
"Sometimes people don't get it because it's all they've ever known – to be constantly on the go," she said. "How do we measure wealth in our country? Is it by relationships and family?"
Checking e-mail during vacation time isn't always about work. The Travelocity survey found that at least 60 percent of vacationers check personal e-mail.
Even at Disney World, Chadwick felt compelled to stay on top of his volunteer duties as a youth soccer coach and at church. But he felt the most obligated to ensure he got some work done so he wouldn't have to scale a mountain of tasks when he returned.
"We are fortunate to have the holidays we have and the benefits our companies give us," he said. "Back in the agriculture days, you didn't get a day off from work. It's just a balance."
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3,000 Texas soldiers begin their move home
By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8
Phones are ringing across Texas with highly anticipated news for thousands of families.
Soldiers of the Texas National Guard called home to say they were out of Iraq and headed home, which was the first of more than 3,000 Texas citizen soldiers safely out of the war zone.
Eleven months of fear and uncertainty ended for many with the phone calls and e-mails from the Middle East.
"Would you get my phone?" asked Sandy Smith Wednesday night. "That could be mister. "
"That would be awesome," replied Melissa Walker.
Walker and Smith were waiting for the calls from their soldier husbands together, but they already know the news.
The military grapevine was burning up with the news.
"...And of course I called Sandy first thing," Walker said. "Wayne called, they are on their way. It's been a long, long haul."
Their husbands have left Iraq and are now in Kuwait.
"That's the anticipation day because we know they're not in danger now," Walker said. "You say a big yippee, yippee, yippee."
Their laughter popped like Champaign corks as they rejoiced talking about the news.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Smith, Sandy's husband, survived multiple close calls and lost one of his best friends.
However, Smith said she hopes when her husband finally steps back inside his home, he will be able to feel some comfort. He will come home to a very different house than he left after his wife did some remodeling.
"[I did it] so he can come home and have some warmth in the house," she said.
Smith and her husband are raising six kids in the home.
"It's a marvelous night, awesome night," Smith said. "They're out of Iraq."
Soldiers are due to start arriving back at Fort Hood the first week of December.
By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8
Phones are ringing across Texas with highly anticipated news for thousands of families.
Soldiers of the Texas National Guard called home to say they were out of Iraq and headed home, which was the first of more than 3,000 Texas citizen soldiers safely out of the war zone.
Eleven months of fear and uncertainty ended for many with the phone calls and e-mails from the Middle East.
"Would you get my phone?" asked Sandy Smith Wednesday night. "That could be mister. "
"That would be awesome," replied Melissa Walker.
Walker and Smith were waiting for the calls from their soldier husbands together, but they already know the news.
The military grapevine was burning up with the news.
"...And of course I called Sandy first thing," Walker said. "Wayne called, they are on their way. It's been a long, long haul."
Their husbands have left Iraq and are now in Kuwait.
"That's the anticipation day because we know they're not in danger now," Walker said. "You say a big yippee, yippee, yippee."
Their laughter popped like Champaign corks as they rejoiced talking about the news.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Smith, Sandy's husband, survived multiple close calls and lost one of his best friends.
However, Smith said she hopes when her husband finally steps back inside his home, he will be able to feel some comfort. He will come home to a very different house than he left after his wife did some remodeling.
"[I did it] so he can come home and have some warmth in the house," she said.
Smith and her husband are raising six kids in the home.
"It's a marvelous night, awesome night," Smith said. "They're out of Iraq."
Soldiers are due to start arriving back at Fort Hood the first week of December.
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TexasStooge
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Plano teen's death possible overdose
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
PLANO, Texas - Plano police said Nicole Wise's boyfriend was asleep next to her in a house Friday night when he woke up and found the 18-year-old female dead.
"When we got there, we started looking through the room and found evidence of drugs, cocaine, heroin and some sleeping pills," said Carl Duke, Plano Police Department. "So, obviously that's one thing we're going to look at is a drug overdose."
With three teenage overdose deaths, including two involving heroin, many drug counselors said they are worried.
"[Teenagers] are willing to do whatever looks fun [and] whatever their friends are doing," said Sabina Stern, Collin County Substance Abuse Program. "...This is the result."
Wise went to Plano Senior High School last year and was there this year for six weeks. The Collin County medical examiner performed an autopsy Saturday, but told News 8 it could take weeks to get toxicology results back that will determine if she did die from an overdose.
"Kids are thinking that's not going to happen to me," Stern said. "I'm going to be more careful, I'm going to be smarter. And they are not."
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
PLANO, Texas - Plano police said Nicole Wise's boyfriend was asleep next to her in a house Friday night when he woke up and found the 18-year-old female dead.
"When we got there, we started looking through the room and found evidence of drugs, cocaine, heroin and some sleeping pills," said Carl Duke, Plano Police Department. "So, obviously that's one thing we're going to look at is a drug overdose."
With three teenage overdose deaths, including two involving heroin, many drug counselors said they are worried.
"[Teenagers] are willing to do whatever looks fun [and] whatever their friends are doing," said Sabina Stern, Collin County Substance Abuse Program. "...This is the result."
Wise went to Plano Senior High School last year and was there this year for six weeks. The Collin County medical examiner performed an autopsy Saturday, but told News 8 it could take weeks to get toxicology results back that will determine if she did die from an overdose.
"Kids are thinking that's not going to happen to me," Stern said. "I'm going to be more careful, I'm going to be smarter. And they are not."
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TexasStooge
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Dallas considers red light cameras
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas may soon join the red light camera club.
It's one of several cities to consider using cameras to put the brakes on red light runners.
So far, the number one spot for red light accidents in Dallas this year is the South Munger Boulevard and Lindsley Avenue junction, which has seen 14 crashes.
There have been 12 crashes at the Commerce Street and South Central Expressway crossroads and nine at Lemmon Ave and Oak Lawn.
Red light cameras are already being used by Garland, Richardson and Plano.
"It's very frustrating when you see someone go barreling through a very, very red light. And it's extremely dangerous," said Dallas mayor, Laura Miller.
"If people think 'oh my goodness there might be a camera sitting on top of that red light' then they might not blow through it. It's preventative medicine."
City officials recommend 15 cameras to start with. A private vendor would cover the start up costs and run the program. The city would pay around $5,000 per camera per month. The fine would be $75 - a civil penalty which would not affect a driving license.
At Garland's photo enforced intersections, red light accidents have been cut in half.
A resident living near the South Munger Boulevard and Lindsley Avenue junction welcomes the proposal.
"It will make it safer because these streets are pretty bad," he says.
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas may soon join the red light camera club.
It's one of several cities to consider using cameras to put the brakes on red light runners.
So far, the number one spot for red light accidents in Dallas this year is the South Munger Boulevard and Lindsley Avenue junction, which has seen 14 crashes.
There have been 12 crashes at the Commerce Street and South Central Expressway crossroads and nine at Lemmon Ave and Oak Lawn.
Red light cameras are already being used by Garland, Richardson and Plano.
"It's very frustrating when you see someone go barreling through a very, very red light. And it's extremely dangerous," said Dallas mayor, Laura Miller.
"If people think 'oh my goodness there might be a camera sitting on top of that red light' then they might not blow through it. It's preventative medicine."
City officials recommend 15 cameras to start with. A private vendor would cover the start up costs and run the program. The city would pay around $5,000 per camera per month. The fine would be $75 - a civil penalty which would not affect a driving license.
At Garland's photo enforced intersections, red light accidents have been cut in half.
A resident living near the South Munger Boulevard and Lindsley Avenue junction welcomes the proposal.
"It will make it safer because these streets are pretty bad," he says.
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TexasStooge
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Policeman fatally shot during training
MEXIA, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - An accidental shooting that occured Tuesday during a law enforcement training exercise in Mexia left a school district policeman dead.
The Limestone County sheriff's department said Sergeant Scott Neal,31, was airlifted to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco.
Neal was later pronounced dead by a justice of the peace.
Sheriff Dennis Wilson said Neal was taking part in a training exercise with about six other officers when he was accidentally shot by one of them.
Wilson said Neal was an outstanding officer who did a great job with the children in the Mexia Independent School District.
The name of the officer who fired the fatal shot wasn't immediately released.
Mexia is about 40 miles east of Waco.
MEXIA, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - An accidental shooting that occured Tuesday during a law enforcement training exercise in Mexia left a school district policeman dead.
The Limestone County sheriff's department said Sergeant Scott Neal,31, was airlifted to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco.
Neal was later pronounced dead by a justice of the peace.
Sheriff Dennis Wilson said Neal was taking part in a training exercise with about six other officers when he was accidentally shot by one of them.
Wilson said Neal was an outstanding officer who did a great job with the children in the Mexia Independent School District.
The name of the officer who fired the fatal shot wasn't immediately released.
Mexia is about 40 miles east of Waco.
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TexasStooge
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Fire hero arrested for starting the blaze
ABILENE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A man once hailed as a hero for rescuing four children from an Abilene apartment complex fire has been charged Tuesday with starting the blaze.
Kris Leija, 25, was charged with arson and is jailed on a $25,000 bond.
Video of the 2003 blaze showed Leija rescuing the youngsters.
Leija later was interviewed on the news, where a lawman recognized him as being wanted for probation violation related to a 2002 burglary.
Leija eventually was sent back to jail, served time and was released.
He was detained by police earlier Tuesday as a suspect in some car burglaries, where they also questioned him about the apartment complex fire.
The Abilene Reporter-News cites an arrest warrant that said Leija admitted to police that he used a lit cigar to set fire to a trailer at the complex.
Arson is a first-degree felony, with conviction carrying maximum punishment of life in prison.
ABILENE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A man once hailed as a hero for rescuing four children from an Abilene apartment complex fire has been charged Tuesday with starting the blaze.
Kris Leija, 25, was charged with arson and is jailed on a $25,000 bond.
Video of the 2003 blaze showed Leija rescuing the youngsters.
Leija later was interviewed on the news, where a lawman recognized him as being wanted for probation violation related to a 2002 burglary.
Leija eventually was sent back to jail, served time and was released.
He was detained by police earlier Tuesday as a suspect in some car burglaries, where they also questioned him about the apartment complex fire.
The Abilene Reporter-News cites an arrest warrant that said Leija admitted to police that he used a lit cigar to set fire to a trailer at the complex.
Arson is a first-degree felony, with conviction carrying maximum punishment of life in prison.
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TexasStooge
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Collin County plans technology drive
By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA ABC 8
MCKINNEY, Texas - Collin County workers have costly computer software at their fingertips to track multimillion dollar construction projects and purchasing.
But they prefer the old fashioned way of doing things on paper.
According to county officials the new technology costing about $800,000 is hard to use and labor intensive.
"Mad doesn't get you anywhere. We just have to find out what the solution is," said Judge Ron Harris.
Taxpayers say the sooner a solution is found, the better.
"If they're spending that much, they should make sure that it is spent wisely," said Collin County resident, Gina Gonzales.
The county bought the software to help monitor and manage construction and expansion initiatives, such as those at the district courthouse and county jail, as well as numerous road projects.
"It isn't a computer glitch, it's mostly training, operator training," said Len Chermack of CapitalSoft.
The locally-based software creators plan additional training sessions with county employees and some software changes.
They say learning the system can be a bit labor intensive at first, but the benefit in the long run is better management of taxpayer dollars.
"They have to learn to adapt to and change to technology. It's tough, we know that," said Mr. Chermack.
"I've been in the computer field since '82 and I've seen stuff that you just gotta work it out give it time give the programs time to get together and talk about it," said Robert Epps, Collin County resident.
By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA ABC 8
MCKINNEY, Texas - Collin County workers have costly computer software at their fingertips to track multimillion dollar construction projects and purchasing.
But they prefer the old fashioned way of doing things on paper.
According to county officials the new technology costing about $800,000 is hard to use and labor intensive.
"Mad doesn't get you anywhere. We just have to find out what the solution is," said Judge Ron Harris.
Taxpayers say the sooner a solution is found, the better.
"If they're spending that much, they should make sure that it is spent wisely," said Collin County resident, Gina Gonzales.
The county bought the software to help monitor and manage construction and expansion initiatives, such as those at the district courthouse and county jail, as well as numerous road projects.
"It isn't a computer glitch, it's mostly training, operator training," said Len Chermack of CapitalSoft.
The locally-based software creators plan additional training sessions with county employees and some software changes.
They say learning the system can be a bit labor intensive at first, but the benefit in the long run is better management of taxpayer dollars.
"They have to learn to adapt to and change to technology. It's tough, we know that," said Mr. Chermack.
"I've been in the computer field since '82 and I've seen stuff that you just gotta work it out give it time give the programs time to get together and talk about it," said Robert Epps, Collin County resident.
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TexasStooge
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School tax repairs ordered
High court instructs state to fix property-levy system by June
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas – The Legislature must fix the state's unconstitutional property tax system for public schools, the Texas Supreme Court ordered Tuesday, but lawmakers are off the hook for a big tax hike to pour billions more into education funding.
The latest decision in the state's long-running school finance litigation was a partial victory for hundreds of school districts that filed the lawsuit because it will force lawmakers to pass a new education funding system before the 2006-07 school year.
But state leaders also claimed vindication because the ruling stopped short of requiring a massive infusion of new money into public education as school districts had sought. Still, the court cautioned that current funding levels for schools are barely adequate.
In its 7-1 ruling, which does not alter the state's "Robin Hood" wealth-sharing system, the court gave lawmakers until June 1 to fix the property tax problem. Gov. Rick Perry is expected to call lawmakers into a special session to tackle the issue after primary elections in March.
The deadline came with a warning from the justices: "There is substantial evidence that the public education system has reached the point where continued improvement will not be possible absent significant change, whether that change take the form of increased funding, improved efficiencies or better methods of education."
Gov. Rick Perry applauded the court's ruling that current funding levels meet constitutional standards.
"I am pleased to see that the court agreed with a position I have long advocated, and that is that simply pouring more money into the same system will not alleviate the property tax problem," Mr. Perry said.
The governor reaffirmed his support for "substantial reform" of the tax system, noting that his blue-ribbon committee on taxes began work Monday on recommendations for the Legislature.
House Speaker Tom Craddick said he was committed to crafting a better school finance system, while Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, leader of the Senate, said he will direct a special Senate committee to begin working on a plan to address the Supreme Court order. "Putting new money into the classroom" will be a priority, Mr. Dewhurst added.
In their regular session and two special sessions this year, lawmakers deadlocked on far-reaching proposals that would have lowered school property taxes, raised state taxes on consumers and businesses, and provided slight funding increases for districts. The plans encountered fierce opposition from school districts, who objected to the modest funding boost and mandates sought by lawmakers, and from key business groups who lobbied against new taxes.
But the Legislature was under no mandate from the Supreme Court during those sessions. Next time, legislative leaders said, the deadline will force their hand, lest funding for schools be cut off.
Written for the majority by Justice Nathan Hecht, Tuesday's 117-page decision said that so many districts have reached the maximum school property tax rate of $1.50 per $100 valuation – set by the Legislature – that it is tantamount to a state property tax forbidden by the Texas Constitution. Two-thirds of the state's 1,037 districts are either at or within a nickel of the limit.
"The constitutional violation cannot be corrected without raising the cap on local tax rates or changing the system," Justice Hecht wrote.
Justice Scott Brister cast the only dissenting vote, chiding the majority for repeatedly pressuring lawmakers to change the school finance system or face a shutdown of public schools. The ninth justice, Don Willett, was not on the court when the case was argued this summer. All the justices are Republicans.
Legislative leaders have pledged that they will not raise the tax rate cap and in fact want to reduce the property taxes that homeowners and businesses now pay. Doing so would require billions in new revenue from other sources.
While the court rejected for now the argument that Texas schools are not adequately funded, attorneys for the school districts that sued were quick to note the decision's warning that a "drift toward constitutional inadequacy" could put the state back in court in the near future.
"The court reaffirmed that the Legislature has a constitutional duty to provide an adequate level of funding for our public education system, and this duty is enforceable in court," said Dallas lawyer George Bramblett, who added that the plaintiff school districts will closely watch how the Legislature responds to the ruling.
On another issue, the high court found there was not enough evidence yet to indicate that poor school districts are being shortchanged on their facility needs under the current funding system.
Texas spends about $33 billion a year on public education, with most of the funds generated by local property taxes and state aid. Texas spends more than $7,000 per pupil, ranking in the bottom third of the states.
Attorneys for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which represents a group of poor school districts in the case, criticized the court for "failing to address the gross inequities" that have left poor districts with substandard facilities and other disadvantages.
"Despite the glaring disparities between the haves and have-nots, the court refused to confront the issues head-on," said the fund's David Hinojosa.
A "saving grace" in the decision, he said, is that the court did not call for elimination of the "Robin Hood" provisions in the current funding law that require wealthy school districts to share their property tax revenues with other districts. There are about 134 such wealthy districts.
Justices did say that the amount of revenue taken from wealthy districts – which has tripled in the last decade to more than $1 billion a year – contributed to their finding that the state is levying an unconstitutional state property tax.
Attorney General Greg Abbott, whose office represents the state in the case, said the ruling was a "victory for democracy because it ensures that decisions about education policymaking will remain in the elected Legislature rather than the courts."
But the attorney general lost the legal argument about school property taxes, along with the state's contention that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction in the lawsuit because school finance is the sole responsibility of the Legislature.
The plaintiff school districts, including Dallas and Houston, won the first round last year before state District Judge John Dietz of Austin.
Testimony in a six-week trial last year indicated an additional $1,100 a student per year would be needed to comply with various state and federal requirements, such as minimum passing rates on standardized tests. That added up to more than $4.5 billion a year, four times what the Legislature proposed in its failed special sessions on school finance.
Scott McCown, a retired state district judge who presided over school finance litigation from 1990 to 2002, said state leaders should remember that the constitution sets "minimum standards, the least we must do" for funding of schools.
"The governor and the Legislature should make sure we make the maximum effort, the most we can do for our children," said Mr. McCown, director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a nonprofit group that advocates for low- and moderate-income Texans.
Staff writer Pete Slover contributed to this report.
High court instructs state to fix property-levy system by June
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas – The Legislature must fix the state's unconstitutional property tax system for public schools, the Texas Supreme Court ordered Tuesday, but lawmakers are off the hook for a big tax hike to pour billions more into education funding.
The latest decision in the state's long-running school finance litigation was a partial victory for hundreds of school districts that filed the lawsuit because it will force lawmakers to pass a new education funding system before the 2006-07 school year.
But state leaders also claimed vindication because the ruling stopped short of requiring a massive infusion of new money into public education as school districts had sought. Still, the court cautioned that current funding levels for schools are barely adequate.
In its 7-1 ruling, which does not alter the state's "Robin Hood" wealth-sharing system, the court gave lawmakers until June 1 to fix the property tax problem. Gov. Rick Perry is expected to call lawmakers into a special session to tackle the issue after primary elections in March.
The deadline came with a warning from the justices: "There is substantial evidence that the public education system has reached the point where continued improvement will not be possible absent significant change, whether that change take the form of increased funding, improved efficiencies or better methods of education."
Gov. Rick Perry applauded the court's ruling that current funding levels meet constitutional standards.
"I am pleased to see that the court agreed with a position I have long advocated, and that is that simply pouring more money into the same system will not alleviate the property tax problem," Mr. Perry said.
The governor reaffirmed his support for "substantial reform" of the tax system, noting that his blue-ribbon committee on taxes began work Monday on recommendations for the Legislature.
House Speaker Tom Craddick said he was committed to crafting a better school finance system, while Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, leader of the Senate, said he will direct a special Senate committee to begin working on a plan to address the Supreme Court order. "Putting new money into the classroom" will be a priority, Mr. Dewhurst added.
In their regular session and two special sessions this year, lawmakers deadlocked on far-reaching proposals that would have lowered school property taxes, raised state taxes on consumers and businesses, and provided slight funding increases for districts. The plans encountered fierce opposition from school districts, who objected to the modest funding boost and mandates sought by lawmakers, and from key business groups who lobbied against new taxes.
But the Legislature was under no mandate from the Supreme Court during those sessions. Next time, legislative leaders said, the deadline will force their hand, lest funding for schools be cut off.
Written for the majority by Justice Nathan Hecht, Tuesday's 117-page decision said that so many districts have reached the maximum school property tax rate of $1.50 per $100 valuation – set by the Legislature – that it is tantamount to a state property tax forbidden by the Texas Constitution. Two-thirds of the state's 1,037 districts are either at or within a nickel of the limit.
"The constitutional violation cannot be corrected without raising the cap on local tax rates or changing the system," Justice Hecht wrote.
Justice Scott Brister cast the only dissenting vote, chiding the majority for repeatedly pressuring lawmakers to change the school finance system or face a shutdown of public schools. The ninth justice, Don Willett, was not on the court when the case was argued this summer. All the justices are Republicans.
Legislative leaders have pledged that they will not raise the tax rate cap and in fact want to reduce the property taxes that homeowners and businesses now pay. Doing so would require billions in new revenue from other sources.
While the court rejected for now the argument that Texas schools are not adequately funded, attorneys for the school districts that sued were quick to note the decision's warning that a "drift toward constitutional inadequacy" could put the state back in court in the near future.
"The court reaffirmed that the Legislature has a constitutional duty to provide an adequate level of funding for our public education system, and this duty is enforceable in court," said Dallas lawyer George Bramblett, who added that the plaintiff school districts will closely watch how the Legislature responds to the ruling.
On another issue, the high court found there was not enough evidence yet to indicate that poor school districts are being shortchanged on their facility needs under the current funding system.
Texas spends about $33 billion a year on public education, with most of the funds generated by local property taxes and state aid. Texas spends more than $7,000 per pupil, ranking in the bottom third of the states.
Attorneys for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which represents a group of poor school districts in the case, criticized the court for "failing to address the gross inequities" that have left poor districts with substandard facilities and other disadvantages.
"Despite the glaring disparities between the haves and have-nots, the court refused to confront the issues head-on," said the fund's David Hinojosa.
A "saving grace" in the decision, he said, is that the court did not call for elimination of the "Robin Hood" provisions in the current funding law that require wealthy school districts to share their property tax revenues with other districts. There are about 134 such wealthy districts.
Justices did say that the amount of revenue taken from wealthy districts – which has tripled in the last decade to more than $1 billion a year – contributed to their finding that the state is levying an unconstitutional state property tax.
Attorney General Greg Abbott, whose office represents the state in the case, said the ruling was a "victory for democracy because it ensures that decisions about education policymaking will remain in the elected Legislature rather than the courts."
But the attorney general lost the legal argument about school property taxes, along with the state's contention that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction in the lawsuit because school finance is the sole responsibility of the Legislature.
The plaintiff school districts, including Dallas and Houston, won the first round last year before state District Judge John Dietz of Austin.
Testimony in a six-week trial last year indicated an additional $1,100 a student per year would be needed to comply with various state and federal requirements, such as minimum passing rates on standardized tests. That added up to more than $4.5 billion a year, four times what the Legislature proposed in its failed special sessions on school finance.
Scott McCown, a retired state district judge who presided over school finance litigation from 1990 to 2002, said state leaders should remember that the constitution sets "minimum standards, the least we must do" for funding of schools.
"The governor and the Legislature should make sure we make the maximum effort, the most we can do for our children," said Mr. McCown, director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a nonprofit group that advocates for low- and moderate-income Texans.
Staff writer Pete Slover contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Police impersonator sought in Plano
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Plano police are warning motorists to beware of a man impersonating an officer.
A woman told investigators a man pulled her over on Parkhaven Drive last Friday night with red and blue lights flashing from his windshield.
He told the woman she had warrants out for her arrest, and took her drivers license and insurance card.
After the man ordered her out of the car and frisked her with inappropriate touches, she pushed him away and left the scene.
The suspect was described as a white male, age 30 to 35, 5'-10" to 6' tall and a medium build. He had brown hair and a moustache, was wearing khaki pants, a white button-down shirt, a cowboy hat and boots.
The victim said the man did not have a badge but did appear to have a gun and and a radio on his belt.
Plano PD
A police sketch of the bogus officer.
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Plano police are warning motorists to beware of a man impersonating an officer.
A woman told investigators a man pulled her over on Parkhaven Drive last Friday night with red and blue lights flashing from his windshield.
He told the woman she had warrants out for her arrest, and took her drivers license and insurance card.
After the man ordered her out of the car and frisked her with inappropriate touches, she pushed him away and left the scene.
The suspect was described as a white male, age 30 to 35, 5'-10" to 6' tall and a medium build. He had brown hair and a moustache, was wearing khaki pants, a white button-down shirt, a cowboy hat and boots.
The victim said the man did not have a badge but did appear to have a gun and and a radio on his belt.
Plano PD
A police sketch of the bogus officer.
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TexasStooge
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- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
War protesters return to Crawford
CRAWFORD, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — More than a dozen war protesters returned to a roadside near President Bush's ranch before dawn Wednesday, defying two new local bans on roadside camping and parking.
About an hour after the group pitched six tents and huddled in sleeping bags and blankets, a McLennan County sheriff's deputy arrived and warned the group to leave or face arrest.
CRAWFORD, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) — More than a dozen war protesters returned to a roadside near President Bush's ranch before dawn Wednesday, defying two new local bans on roadside camping and parking.
About an hour after the group pitched six tents and huddled in sleeping bags and blankets, a McLennan County sheriff's deputy arrived and warned the group to leave or face arrest.
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