Archives for March 2005

AUSTIN – Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn said last week that every dollar invested in Texas’ higher education system returns $5.50 to the Texas economy, fueling the state’s economic engine with $33.2 billion per year.

“This is a remarkable return, even for a high stakes technology startup. But when it comes to the Texas higher education system, the stakes are much higher. We are investing in our most important venture-the future of young Texans,” Strayhorn said.

In an update of her 2003 special report, The Impact of the State Higher Education System on the Texas Economy, Strayhorn estimates that spending and re-spending of out-of-state student, research and health care dollars adds $10.1 billion per year to the state’s economic output. The higher earnings and productivity of a better-educated workforce eventually increases state economic capacity by another $23.1 billion per year.

Education plays a vital economic role, but Strayhorn said state higher education funding is losing ground to other state services. After adjusting for inflation, spending on public safety and corrections increased 223 percent in the last 15 years, while real higher education expenditures grew only 44 percent during the same period.

“I want Texas to have the most educated workforce in the nation,” Strayhorn said. “I will continue to fight for legislative approval until my TexasNextStep proposal is adopted and K-through-14 education is the norm in Texas.”

“I would rather spend $2,500 a year educating a young Texan than $16,000 a year incarcerating that young Texan,” Strayhorn said.

TexasNextStep would make higher education more affordable and accessible to more Texans, raise the skill level of the Texas workforce, and set Texas apart in the competition for jobs,” Strayhorn said.

TexasNextStep would pay for tuition, fees, and books for Texas high school graduates to attend community colleges, technical colleges, or other two-year institutions.

Every once in a while someone comes along who makes an impression on you.

For Jaci Copelin, a sophomore at Hedley High School, that person is Amy Polito.

Amy is the wife of Tony Polito, a local state trooper, and she was recently diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and is going to have to go through treatments at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston.

The Politos’ situation is doubly trying because Amy is currently pregnant with the couple’s first child, and she will have to wait until it is safe for doctors to take her baby early before the cancer treatments can begin.

With the double cost of a new baby and cancer treatments, the Politos will need all the financial support they can get. Though the prognosis is optimistic, they still need all the love, prayers, and support the community can give them; and that is where Jaci and her friendship with the Politos come in.

Sixteen-year-old Jaci has decided to take pledges based on her track performance to raise money to help her friends at this critical time in their lives.

During this season, Jaci will participate in the 800-meter run, the triple jump, and the 300-meter hurdles. For every first place she gets, she will seek a pledge of $5, $3 for every second place, and $1 for every third place.

For example, Medina Gribble has already signed up and will donate $9 for Jaci’s performance this past week where the young Lady Owl placed first, second, and third in separate events.

Those wishing to make a pledge are asked to call Jaci or her mother, Tangela, at 856-0110 or 662-6145. If there is no answer, just leave your name, number, and address; and she will send you an envelope with the amount you owe at the end of the track season.

Or to make a one time donation to this endeavor, it can be mailed to the Copelins at RR 1, Box 50, Hedley, TX 79237.

Jaci and her mother plan to place periodic updates in the Enterprise to let everyone know what places Jaci has won at the track meets and to let them know how the fundraiser is going.

Based on the number of candidates for this year’s local elections, citizens are either very happy with the way things are, or they just don’t care.

With the passing of Monday’s deadline to file for office, none of the six local governments with open seats on their boards were reporting the possibility of contested races.

Officials at Clarendon’s City Hall said that all incumbents, Mayor Tex Selvidge and Aldermen Bobbie Kidd and Michael Tibbets, had signed up for reelection, and no one was challenging their reelections.

The City of Howardwick had even less interest as not even the incumbents filed for office. Mayor Nancy Davis had previously announced that she would not seek reelection due to her daughter’s ongoing battle with cancer, and Aldermen Marvin Elam and Bill Barton did not sign up to run for full terms in office. They are serving out the terms of former aldermen Mike Rowland and Dewey Linley respectively.

Howardwick City Secretary Dianna Knight said if no one signs up as a write-in candidate by next Monday’s deadline, all incumbents would be held over in office until appointments can be made to retain or replace them.

Hedley residents won’t be seeing any changes to their city’s board of aldermen. Incumbent Aldermen Bruce Howard, Pam Casteel, Tangela Copelin, and Ricki Baker all signed up to serve, and no one else did so. Howard, Casteel, and Copelin will receive full terms in office, and Baker will serve out the unexpired term of Terry Stevens to which she was appointed.

The Donley County Hospital District had three positions expiring on its Board of Directors, and incumbents will retain those seats. Don Thornberry (Place 1) and Alan Fletcher (Place 2) filed for re-election, and Melinda McAnear (Place 3) will now receive a full term on the board after finishing the term started by Andy Wheatly.

Administrative offices at Clarendon ISD were closed this week, but a school official reported last week that only incumbent trustees Weldon Sears and Lance Thornberry had filed to run for office.

Hedley ISD also had two trustee positions open this year, and now they have only two candidates. Anthony Knowles is seeking re-election, and Brannon Stephens will be joining the board. Long-time trustee Rhonda Shaw chose not to run again, and HISD Superintendent Bryan Hill said she had done a good job in office since 1997.

“We really appreciate the service that Rhonda gave to the Hedley school,” Hill said.

Local elections had been scheduled to be held Saturday, May 7, but boards with uncontested races will likely choose to cancel those elections.

TEMPLE – Bryan Daniel, USDA Rural Development State Director, announced this week that more than $85 million is available to assist rural Texans become homeowners through the Agency’s Guaranteed Rural Housing loan program.

“With mortgage interest rates continuing near their lowest levels in recent history, now is the time to stop paying rent and purchase your own home,” said Daniel. “Our Guaranteed Rural Housing loan program is the best option for eligible low and moderate-income applicants to move into a home without a down payment.”

In many cases most of the closing costs associated with purchasing the house can be financed into the loan. Loans can be made to purchase new or existing homes that meet Agency requirements. In addition to allowing a Maximum Loan to Value ratio of 102%, another very attractive feature of this loan program is that the borrower is not required to pay mortgage insurance.

Other zero down programs charge an up front mortgage insurance premium that is due at closing, with monthly mortgage thereafter. In comparison, the Guaranteed Rural Housing Program offers a significant savings to borrowers by charging a one-time only, two percent (2%) guarantee fee that is due at closing, and no monthly mortgage insurance. Typical savings for a family can range between $20.00 and $50.00 per month. A loan comparison calculator is available on our website at www.rurdev.usda.gov/tx/loancomp.htm.

Without expensive mortgage insurance premiums, homebuyers can qualify for a “better” home, which could mean the additional bathroom or bedroom that they may desire. Also, homebuyers may include their two percent fee in the loan. This will have a minimal impact on their payments yet maximize any cash reserves they may have. They can put down $2,000 toward a home loan or keep their $2,000 and pay roughly $12 more per month.

USDA Rural Development housing programs target communities with populations of 10,000 or less and locations not closely associated with urban areas.

Private lenders make USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Loans. The loans have a 30-year term and a competitive fixed interest rate. Unlike other zero down loan programs, the Guaranteed Rural Housing Program does not have loan limits. The maximum loan is determined by the applicant’s income and repayment ability.

To find the USDA office that serves your area or to obtain a list of participating lenders, please call USDA Rural Development Housing Programs at (254) 742-9770, or visit our website at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/tx/