Letters: Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton, David Whitley, School Funding, Dallas ISD, National Butterfly Center

Republican Party rules votingRe: "Abbott sticks by voter list — He calls data naming those who may have cast ballots illegally a 'work in progress,'" Feb. 1 news story.The secretary of state's office has made a list of noncitizens who voted. On that list is over 200 names for Rockwall County. In Rockwall County, every elected official is from the Republican Party. The election administrator is appointed by the county judges who are all from the Republican Party. On Election Day every election judge at the polls is from the Republican Party. So, the secretary of state is telling us we can not trust the Republican Party, right?Harold Allen, RockwallVoter fraud a dead-end roadShame, shame shame on Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton and David Whitley for jumping on the specious voter fraud bandwagon. Whitley should be fired for general incompetence in releasing false and extremely inaccurate information. Why in the world would he have used Department of Public Safety information to determine citizenship status when its records are known to be inaccurate and out of date? Why are Texas counties being burdened with the expense and time to fix a mess not of their making? Why are so many in charge looking for a solution to something that is not a problem?This situation should not be "a work in progress," as Abbott stated recently. He and others seem to be determined to find voter fraud where there is none. Florida has already been down this dead-end road. We have huge, gigantic, Texas-size problems to deal with; voter fraud is not one of them.Suzanne Gaberino, Highland ParkImmoral seizure of our landRe: "Butterfly center fighting border wall construction — Facility may have little recourse to hold back barriers OK'd last year," Tuesday Metro & State story.Where are Texas' leaders at a critical moment when the federal government is seizing pristine Texas lands? The National Butterfly Center in South Texas is about to be utterly and irrevocably destroyed by the federal government. Texas is about to permanently lose one of its premier places of beauty. Where are Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and Ken Paxton at this critical time? Why aren't they calling out our Texas Guard to protect Texas?We Texans have done ourselves a horrible disservice in electing leaders in Austin who are cowards, refusing to protect our great state. If our elected leaders refuse to protect our state, then we Texans must stand up against this federal encroachment and overreach. It is time for every Texan to look into their heart and do what the cowards in Austin refuse to do — stand up and stop this immoral seizing of Texas land.John Lingenfelder, PlanoPaxton personifies what's wrongTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton — no stranger to controversy and criminal activity — is at it again, taking a hard stance against DACA. Put aside his motion for a summary judgment asking DACA to be declared unlawful. How does he even have a platform to stand on? This is a man who has three felony indictments for securities fraud, financial fraud and violating state bribery laws by accepting cash gifts.Yes, Paxton is a poster boy, but for all the wrong reasons. He represents all that's wrong with politics. He lacks a moral compass and ignores his constituents while pressing his own personal agenda — an agenda that's out of sync with Texas. Ken, just go home. We don't need you.Guy Mercurio, DallasReject Abbott's tax planGov. Greg Abbott says school finance is an "emergency" and more state funds are needed for schools. So, why hasn't he proposed a funding plan? To reduce Robin Hood recapture that drives our local property tax increases? Because he doesn't intend to? Because he's waiting for others to lead?The governor's plan cripples local efforts to fund schools by restricting the authority of locally elected officials and disenfranchising local voters. The property tax revenue cap proposed, by itself, may not harm Texas, as did California's caps. But Abbott doubles down by prohibiting duly elected local representatives from exceeding the cap when necessary. And, as an insult to the electorate, the plan prohibits local majorities from authorizing increases by requiring a 60 percent supermajority. I support increased school funding and property tax restraint controlled by a majority of local voters. I urge our local state legislators, city and county representatives to reject the governor's property tax plan.Charles Bell, PlanoName-calling won't helpRe: "Don't Give Up on Partnerships, DISD — School run by the right nonprofit could fill specific needs for children," Feb. 3 Editorials.I am one of the "wrongheaded " and "alarmist" people who objected to what The Dallas Morning News called a "contentious state law" that hands operations of a school over to an outside partner without making a deal with charter schools. I read the newspaper's take on the way Dallas ISD would like to use that law. I read Audrey Pinkerton's and Dustin Marshall's objections to DISD's plans. I read Dan Micciche's support for the plan and his description of people who don't support it as misinformed, alarmist and in need of having our comments taken with a grain of salt. Like Marshall, I believe that this is an issue where reasonable people on both sides of the question can find common ground. But calling people names will not encourage and support further discussion. There are some partnerships I could support like, for instance, Head Start with its lengthy history of serving the very young. I do not support separate principals and separate boards. And regarding parents doing their homework to find the best school for their children — that's hogwash. The children who need these special schools and programs don't come from that segment of society.Ellen Childress, Dallas  Continue reading...