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TriciaKrenek.com
E X P E R I E N C E ✯ T R U S T ✯ R E S U LT S email: editor@fbindependent.com
VOL 12 No. 43
Pd. Pol. Adv. by the Tricia Krenek Campaign
Phone: 281-980-6745
www.fbindependent.com
FORT BEND FAIR. BALANCED. INFORMATIVE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019
P. O.BOX 623, SUGAR LAND, TX 77487-0623
Official newspaper of Fort Bend County, Missouri City & Stafford
Missouri City funds projects and New “Citizens Engagement services without tax rate change Committee” hosts Hate Crimes forum By SESHADRI KUMAR Missouri City city council on Sept. 16 unanimously approved the budget for financial year 2020 without increasing the tax rate. The overall adopted tax rate is 63 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and represents the same property tax rate from the previous year. The total tax rate includes Maintenance & Operations rate of 0.466387 cents and Debt Service rate of 0.163613 cents per $100 valuation. Revenues generated from the 2019 property tax rate, sales taxes, franchise fees, charges for services and bond proceeds will fund the 2020 General Fund Budget of $54.59 million. The Fiscal Year 2020 General Fund Budget is $2.63 million or 5 percent more than the
FY2019 Revised Budget of $51.96 million. The FY2020 budget cycle began Oct. 1, 2019 and runs through Sept. 30, 2020. The budget reflects city council’s strategic plan goals namely, ensure a great place to live; maintain a financially sound city; grow business investments in Missouri City; develop a high performing City team; and have quality development through buildout. City Manager Anthony Snipes said, “The increased revenues will allow the City to maintain the Council approved Fund Balance policy; position the City for the pending impacts of Property Tax Cap Senate Bill 2 to become effective in next year’s budget; and to address strategic priorities.” The strategic priorities include redevelopment efforts
on Texas Parkway and Cartwright Road, economic development efforts throughout the city; continuance of the sidewalk replacement program; implementation of the energy savings retrofit project including citywide LED street lighting; bridge replacement, software for traffic and signal management; design and construction of Fire Station #6; remodels and improvements for Fire Station #1, #3, and #4; equipping a new fire engine and an aerial tower fire ladder truck; additional tractor mowing and trimming on trails; additional contract litter collection in all parks; reader and monument signs and landscaping throughout the City; Sta-Mo Park Master Plan Study and parks’ entrance signs. “In addition to providing critical funding for operations, See BUDGET, Page 2
Attorney Bankston appointed associate judge; search on for courtroom By SESHADRI KUMAR Donald W. Bankston, long time criminal defense attorney from Richmond, has been appointed associate judge to the 268th District Court, presided by Judge O’Neil Williams. Bankston is scheduled to be sworn in next week. A native Texan, educated at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, the University of North Texas in Denton, and the University of Houston Law School, Bankston has been practicing law for 46 years, three of which as First Assistant District Attorney in Fort Bend County. Bankston has the unique experience and track record of having practiced law on both sides of the justice system, as a prosecutor and a defense lawyer. He has handled a handful of capital murder cases as well. Bankston has been involved in many high profile cases, including major drug and murder cases. He has also represented public officials accused of wrongdoing. He got misconduct charges against former County Clerk Dianne Wilson dismissed. He also represented former County Treasurer Joannie Parr in a financial embezzlement case and got her sentence reduced. Bankston also alluded to his role in getting an Asian jury assembled for a trial in Fort
Bankston Bend. When a Vietnamese youth who shot and killed a black individual who attempted to rob their store in 1990 and a jury with four black members rendered a guilty verdict, Bankston got the judgment reversed for the lack of the jury pool reflecting the community profile. At that time 10 percent of the population was Asian. Later a multi-ethnic panel of jury heard the case and exonerated the Vietnamese youth. Three Asians, three Hispanics, three Blacks and three Anglos were on the jury. Bankston is a member of the Fort Bend County Criminal Defense Bar Association and the Texas Criminal Defense Bar Association.
He has a long history of civic involvement in the local Democratic Party, including as a past Chair of the Fort Bend County Democratic Party and a current member of the State Democratic Executive Committee. While serving as prosecutor in the Fort Bend County DA’s office, Bankston himself ran afoul of the law. Bankston faced prosecution for allegedly failing to remit funds due to a crime victim, paid by the defendant’s attorney as per court order. A special prosecutor was appointed to investigate the case and Bankston said the prosecutor found there was no stealing or theft of money. There was no intentional or knowing misapplication of funds and the charge could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Then, he reached an agreement and pled guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge of “reckless misapplication of finances.” He was given probation and after completing the community service, the charges were expunged. Thus, there is no conviction, Bankston said. Bankston said he had informed Judge O’Neil of this case and also made District Attorney Brian Middleton aware. Bankston has given See JUDGE, Page 3
Citizens Engagement Committee members Steve Brown, left, Michael Njoku, Ian Scharfman, Farha Ahmed, DA Brian Middleton, Monica Riley, Baber Mohammed, Ashish Agrawal and First Assistant DA Ibrahim E. Khawaja. By SESHADRI KUMAR Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton has created a “Citizens Engagement Committee” to proactively deal with hate crime. At a press conference in the Fort Bend County Justice Center, Middleton introduced the multi-ethnic, bipartisan committee with a mission. The mission is to enhance the relationship between the community, law enforcement and prosecutors, while building trust among the citizens, law enforcement and the district attorney and other prosecuting agencies. The Citizens Engagement Committee has been established with the cooperation of the U.S. Department of Justice and it coincides on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Middleton said “Hate crimes” are under reported across the country. The DOJ on Wednesday announced technical assistance resources to fight hate crimes across the country, including development of a new hate crimes training curriculum for law enforcement, and a hate crimes outreach and engagement program for communities entitled ‘United Against Hate: Cultivating Community Partnerships,’ Middleton said. The Citizens Engagement Committee will help educate
the community on hate crimes and strengthen the ability of law enforcement officials to identify and prosecute those who commit unconscionable acts of hatred. Farha Ahmed, one of the committee members, described the CEC as a special initiative, calling it unique to Fort Bend County because not too many jurisdictions have such a committee. The committee hopes to bring communities together and resolve issues of the day. She believes hate crimes are “under represented and under prosecuted.” Ashish Agrawal, a committee member representing the Hindu faith, said the initiative to tackling hate crime will gain insight and provide feedback to law enforcement and DA Middleton is thinking outside the box in this regard. Other members of the committee are Ian Scharfman, Baber Mohammed, Steve Brown, Monica Riley and Michael Njoku. The citizens engagement committee is hosting a “Hate Crimes Forum” Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act on Oct. 28 at Gus George Academy in Richmond from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Facilitated by the U.S. DOJ’s Community Relations Service, the forum’s agenda includes the State of Bias and Hate Crimes:
Understanding hate crime laws, investigation, and prosecution; The Community Speaks: Voices of community leaders on challenges facing their diverse groups; You Are Not Alone : Resources for the community in the aftermath of hate crimes. The forum is free and open for law enforcement, attorneys, community members, community advocacy organizations, and other groups in Fort Bend County. Asked if there has been any increase in hate crimes in Fort Bend County over the past few years, Middleton said that was not the case and there are no specific data or instances that would suggest an increase in hate crimes. However, in social media there is an increased chatter, often bordering on hate crimes that contributes to tension in society overall, Middleton said. However, such social media conversations should be seen in the context of free speech as well, he said. The main purpose of the committee is to be proactive. There was an incident of random shooting of two dozen shots by an unknown individual in Richmond and initial suspicion was that it could be a hate crime, but a review by the committee members led to the conclusion that it was not a hate crime, but probably a mistaken target, Middleton said.
Early voting begins in special and general elections Early voting has begun for the Nov. 5 general election and it will end on Nov. 1. Statewide, only constitutional amendments are on the ballot. All Fort Bend County voters will have 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution on the ballot. Fort Bend County voters will also have a countywide flood mitigation bond election. Fort Bend County Drainage District is seeking approval from voters to issue $83 million in bonds for various flood mitigation projects.
A section of Fort Bend County, in Fulshear, Weston Lakes, Crosscreek and Cinco Ranch areas will elect a State Representative for House District 28. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Dr. John Zerwas. City of Sugar Land residents will have their own bond issue on the ballot in addition to the state and county initiatives. Sugar Land’s $90 million bond authorization includes $47.6 million for drainage, $26.3 million for public safety facilities, $10.26 million for streets and $6.60 million for the animal shelter.
City of Missouri City residents will elect four district council members, in adddition to voting on the county bond. A section of Missouri City voters will also vote on a $3.50 billion bond referendum proposed by The Houston Metropolitan Authority. A section of Houston in Fort Bend County will vote on the Houston city council elections, including the mayoral election. Information on early voting locations is available at www. fortbendcountytx.gov.