ESD 5 REDUCES FUNDING FOR FIRE STATION

ATASCOSA— At its September 25, 2014 meeting Bexar County Emergency Services District No. 5 (ESD) reduced and delayed its payment on the new Jarret Fire Station.  District Commissioners invoked a clause in its contract with Jarret that allows the ESD to reduce its payment in cases of financial difficulty. The amount of reduction and time of payment was not determined at the meeting.

     Though not receiving the funds it had expected under its contract with the ESD, Jarret Volunteer Fire Department dipped into its own funds and made the first payment of $60,000 to the USDA on time.  Jarrent member Sammye Hynes told the Star, “Every member of the department contributed to the payment on the new station.” 

     The new station was financed by a loan from the US Department of Agriculture.    The next payment is due in September of 2015.  

     The station is scheduled to open and begin operations in mid-October, having been delayed by the recent rains and scheduling with SAWS for water hookup. 

    The new station brings a modern fire station into the City of Von Ormy and will reduces response times into the city by about 5 minutes average.    

   Homeowners within 5 miles of the new station can also expect to experience a reduction in homeowners insurance rates. 

CITY COUNCIL USES LOOPHOLE TO RETAIN TAXES

By Staff Writer

VON ORMY— Benjamin Franklin once said “the only things certain in life are death and taxes.”  This adage remains true for residents of Von Ormy. At a special meeting of the Von Ormy City Council held on September 29, 2014 to set the 2014 tax rate and budget, the Council voted 3-2 to reject the Mayor’s proposal to eliminate property taxes and voting instead for a budget that raised the proposed property tax from zero to $0.243 per $100 valuation.  The move met with jeers and catcalls from angry residents as it was accomplished without notice to taxpayers and without a formal vote. 

     State law requires every city to pass a tax rate before September 30, 2014 and requires cities to notify taxpayers of the proposed rate.  This year Mayor Art Martinez de Vara proposed a rate of zero due to dramatic increases in revenue from sales taxes. 

      At the meeting, a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Sally Martinez and seconded by Councilwoman Debbie Ivy to set the rate at zero.  The motion was opposed by Councilmembers Jacqueline Goede, Carmina Aguilar and Verna Hernandez. 

    City Attorney Woody Wilson explained to the council that state law requires the city to set a tax rate and the only lawful tax rate that could be passed was zero since no notice had been provided by the dissenting councilmember's to  the public of an alternative higher rate. 

     Councilmembers Jacqueline Goede, Carmina Aguilar and Verna Hernandez, comprising a majority of the Council, declined to set a tax rate in order to trigger a loophole in the law that sets a default tax rate in the event that a City Council fails to adopt a rate as required by law.

     After public statements by the three Councilmembers that they intended to raise taxes by this method, Mayor Martinez de Vara objected to the “tax increase by inaction” stating that “we have an ethical obligation to follow the law and set a tax rate as proscribed by it, our residents expect us to follow the process proscribed by law” He later told the Star, “retaining the property tax by using a loophole violates the spirit of the law because it did not provide our residents notice or an opportunity to come speak on the proposed tax hike.  Most are going to be in for a surprise when they get their tax bill.  I believe they should have provided residents notice of their objection to a zero tax rate and their intention to raise taxes.” 

     Long time resident Charlie Brown was at the meeting and told the Star, “The success that Von Ormy has achieved with low taxes should be continued so that we may grow and add cities amenities and services. The short sightedness of some of the present council needs to be addressed.  When you find yourself being pick pocketed, the first thing you need to do is get their hand out of your pocket.”

    City Clerk Julia Hernandez explained to the Council that due to the timing of the maneuver, Von Ormy tax payers will likely be receiving a second tax bill this year containing the city’s unexpected property tax and that the city will have to bear the cost of mailing the second notice.

      The additional revenue generated by the retention of a property tax was left unallocated, as the city’s budget was fully funded without it. 

     Mayor Pro Tem Sally Martinez called the move “irresponsible” and asked “why should we tax our residents for no reason?  We do not need this money this year and it will only go unused into our reserve.  We should have a zero tax this year and if we need it in the future we can bring it back at that time.”

     The opponents explained their opposition to eliminating property taxes was due to the fact that, “we might need to borrow against the money someday.”  Government debt instruments, such as bonds, are typically secured by liens against property taxes.

      Mayor Martinez de Vara responded by stating, “if at some point in the future we need to go into debt and issue a bond we will take that to the voters and have them decide if they wish to take upon that debt and tax for whatever is proposed in the bond.  We do not need to hold onto a needless tax to secure our ability to issue debt without voter approval.  It’s not our money, it our residents’ money and we should only take it if we need it. This year we don’t need it.” 

    Von Ormy was poised to be the first city to eliminate property taxes in Bexar County, a distinction taken by Sandy Oaks a few weeks earlier when it set a zero tax rate. 

     Councilwoman Debbie Ivy told the Star, “It was frustrating to me that the Council did not approve the Mayor's proposed elimination of our property tax.  With the exponential rise in sales tax revenues since incorporation 5 years ago, we had the opportunity to give a break to our homeowners, which did not amount to a large budget item,  while growing the city services through these additional funding sources.  Von Ormy has been a model for other small town hopefuls and we are being watched because of our ability to form the city and offer city services such as police and fire services and if we are to continue to be forward-thinking, I think it is important to send that message to others and our residents that Von Ormy is a progressive place to put down roots, whether it is owning a home or opening a business.  Supporting our new fire station is important as well and this has also met with resistance.” 

    The other issue hotly debated was whether to approve Mayor Martinez de Vara’s proposal to increase funding to the Jarret Volunteer Fire Department from $20,000 to $42, 000.   The Von Ormy City Council gave preliminary approval in July to provide Jarret VFD $42,000 to assist them with the cost of the new fire station in the city.  The additional $22,000 was proposed to replace funds provided by the Emergency Services District No. 5 (ESD 5).    ESD 5 recently reduced its financial support for the station due to budgetary constraints.

     ESD 5 Commissioner and Von Ormy resident Alex Quintanilla spoke against the proposal to provide Jarret with $42,000 citing his opinion that the new fire station was too costly and noting that the City of Somerset does not provide funding for Somerset Fire Department.   Jarret representative Rebecca Salinas responded and explained to the council that the additional costs to the station were largely due to requirements of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture loan they received that require building materials to be American made, union shops used and additional oversight; and that the additional costs are being paid for by Jarret VFD which is paying approximately 1/3 of the cost.  Jarret representatives also stressed that with the ESD reducing its contribution, they hoped the City would maintain its commitment.   She also noted that any additional funds would go towards equipment and training above and beyond what the ESD can provide.

     The proposal failed 2-3 with Councilmembers Ivy and Martinez in support of increased funding and Councilmembers Hernandez, Aguilar and Goede opposed.

     Mayor Pro Tem Sally Martinez  said, “you cannot place a dollar amount on someone’s life.  This fire station will save lives in our community by being on average 5 minutes closer.  Sometimes 5 minutes is the difference between life and death, or the difference between a contained fire and  the loss of your home.  We have plenty of money in this budget, over $180,000 in unallocated funds, plus and additional $800,000 in carry over from this year.  We should support our volunteer fire department because with these extra funds they will be better equipped and trained to respond to help us. We, and our residents, are the ones who are hurt by unnecessary budget cuts, not the department.” 

     The City’s fiscal year begins October 1 and the budget that was passed will be in effect for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

     With the retention of property taxes the city budget grows by 40% over last year to a record $771,000.00 of which 24% are unallocated. 

     The City’s budget retained the Mayor’s proposed capital improvement projects including a new vehicle for the City Marshal’s Office, a playground in the park, $50,000 for the emergency reserve fund, park amenities and street resurfacing for Von Ormy Rd., Benton City Rd. and Hernandez Lane.

    

    

UNIONIZATION VOTE DEFEATED AT KATCH KAN, USA

By Staff Writer

Von Ormy— Efforts by the United Steel Workers union to organize oil field service employees at Katch Kan, USA in Von Ormy failed  in a vote held August 14, 2014.

      This latest attempt to unionize Texas employees comes on the heels of the largest economic boom south Texas has ever seen. The Eagle Ford shale has provided a revitalization of business along south Texas. But it is not just business that is booming—so is the desire of union organizers to move into this prime area and capitalize on worker grievances. The United Steel Workers in particular are actively trying to gain support in south Texas.

     Katch Kan, USA, a safety rig system installer and manufacturer located at 4515 Smith Road in Von Ormy, experienced a second attempt by the United Steel Workers to unionize site employees. Employees rejected  unionization with 11 employees choosing “No” and only 5 choosing “Yes.” This vote came following well-organized and hard-fought campaigns on both sides. 

     In a trend seen across South Texas, Hispanic employees overwhelmingly opposed unionization.   In the Katch Kan election, all Hispanic employees voted against the United Steel Workers, demonstrating that demographics will continue to be a critical factor in future unionization campaigns.

SANDY OAKS SETS ZERO TAX RATE

Staff Writer

SANDY OAKS—The newly incorporated City of Sandy Oaks has set a zero property tax for its first year budget becoming the first city in Bexar County to achieve zero property taxes. 

    During the incorporation process Sandy Oaks leaders  expressed their desire to model themselves after Von Ormy and structure themselves  as a consumption tax funded city. 

     City leaders rejected a proposal to begin operations at $0.39 per $100 valuation and opted to set a zero tax rate. 

     "Texas' local property tax burden ranks as the 15th highest in the nation," said James Quintero, head of the Center for Local Governance at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.  "This immense and unnecessary tax burden hurts everyone, from our friends and neighbors struggling to make ends meet to our elderly living on fixed incomes to our community's businesses trying to stay afloat," Quintero said.

    WOAI reported, “Contrary to the fiction that it is the wealthy that want to keep taxes low, Sandy Oaks Mayor Jim Clement, says he pushed for the 'zero property tax' option because 52% of his community's population is below the poverty line, and low income people are helped the most by low taxes.”

    

UTSA STUDY PROJECTS CONTINUED GROWTH IN EAGLE FORD SHALE FOR 10 YEARS

Staff Writer

SAN ANTONIO—Positive economic news for Von Ormy and the other counties and communities affected by Eagle Ford Shale.   The production of oil and natural gas in the Eagle Ford Shale generated more than $87 billion in total economic output for the state last year, according to a study released by The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute for Economic Development on September 23, 2014. UTSA researchers also concluded that shale activity supported almost 155,000 full-time equivalent jobs and provided more than $4.4 billion to local and state governments in 2013.

     UTSA projects that by 2023 the region will support more than 196,000 jobs and generate more than $137 billion for Texas. These new numbers exceed what was projected in previous studies due to the attraction of new manufacturing projects associated with natural gas and additional processing, refining and port facilities. The economic output of the region is forecast to continue solid growth long-term, considering current trends of stable energy prices and industry innovation.

     The study, UTSA’s fourth, examined the economic impact of the Eagle Ford Shale on the 21 counties directly and indirectly involved in production. The 15 core counties where activity is most prevalent are Atascosa, Bee, DeWitt, Dimmit, Frio, Gonzales, Karnes, La Salle, Lavaca, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Webb, Wilson and Zavala. The six neighboring counties where significant activity not including extraction is occurring are Bexar, Jim Wells, Nueces, San Patricio, Uvalde and Victoria.

     To date, oil and condensate production in the Eagle Ford Shale has grown from 581 barrels per day in 2008 to more than 1.5 million barrels per day as of August 2014, continuing to exceed expectations and attracting more capital investments than any shale field in the United States. That economic growth is making community sustainability a more achievable goal.

     “The immense economic development is providing the wherewithal to address needs that are important to both industry and communities,” said Robert McKinley, UTSA associate vice president of economic development. “Investments in infrastructure – roads, water, wastewater, education, medical facilities and other things – are the key foundational components needed to ensure the long-term viability of many rural communities in the region.

     “The ongoing activity presents South Texas community leaders with a rare opportunity to ensure the long-term viability of their cities, towns and counties,” said Thomas Tunstall, research director of the UTSA Institute for Economic Development.

     “With the enormous growth in our energy sectors, in particular the Eagle Ford Shale play, comes a multitude of challenging opportunities,” said State Senator Carlos Uresti. "State policy makers, business leaders and other stakeholders rely on the best research available from our higher education community, such as UTSA, in order to tackle these challenges and ensure our state takes full advantage of this vital opportunity."

     UTSA is conducting additional projects to support stakeholders in the Eagle Ford region. Notably, the Center for Urban and Regional Planning in the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning regularly consults with communities across South Texas on planning, design, environmental, housing and development issues. Likewise, the UTSA College of Public Policy and Institute of Economic Development are collaborating to develop and strengthen municipal governments in the Eagle Ford Shale and West Texas regions.

DIRECTOR RAMIRO AVENDANO IS BRINGING ZOMBIE REIGN TO SAN ANTONIO!

By Brett Wilson Sr.

     Ramiro Avendano is the driving force behind a new movie called Zombie Reign. Many years of preparation, from writing the script, promoting the project, securing funding, and casting actors has culminated in moving forward with filming set to begin this October. Ramiro will not only be directing the film, but also acting in a lead role.

     Expectations are huge, with a few “A” list actors added to the cast, and another movie or possibly a television series planned following this one. Several cast member are from the South San Antonio area, with some promotional video shot at south side locations.

     As of this interview, a display booth is set up for the Alamo City Comic Con at the San Antonio Convention Center with items promoting the movie. Yesterday, Ramiro organized a panel to be interviewed in one of the press rooms. As busy as he is, Mr. Avendano agreed to an interview with this newspaper.

Could you tell us a little about Zombie Reign, what is it about this movie that has generated so much interest?

(Ramiro Avendano sitting on panel at ComicCon 2014)

Yes definitely, I've been working on this for several years with my team to make this dream come true. We've partnered up with DK Productions out of Las Vegas, they are funding us to make this big budget production happen. This project is the biggest production I've worked on personally. I have done several smaller projects, some commercials, but for them to trust me with their money on this is amazing. I grew up watching zombie movies that scared me, but as I got older they got sort of campy and lost their fear factor. I want to bring that back. I want to take people on that ride where they feel that thrill, that danger. I'm really excited to share this with everyone here in San Antonio.

You are involved in so many areas of this movie, what do you consider your primary role?

That's a good question, I consider directing my primary role. I want to show my vision for this, which is much more than a zombie movie, it's a story about people dealing with a serious epidemic, so yes, directing is my primary role.

(Filming downtown San Antonio)

What has been the most rewarding part of working on this project?

That would be seeing the smiling faces of everyone involved in this movie. This is not only about making my dream come true, it's about everyone's dream and I'm very happy about that.

There is talk of additional projects developing from this movie, such as action figures,  a novel or comic book and other movies or series. Could you fill us in on these rumors?

Yes, when I was in Las Vegas I saw prototypes of the action figures, who wouldn't be excited about that? That's just another dream come true. I'm talking with a publisher about a graphic novel, there are a lot of things that are possible and can happen because of Zombie Reign.

What has been the most surprising part of this project?

There are many because I've been working on this for so many years. One was the city allowing us to film in front of the Alamo. That was a blessing. I'm forever grateful to everyone that was involved in that, and was very impressed.

What are the names of the “A” list actors appearing in this movie?

I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you. Seriously, I can't tell you yet, but we are bringing in several “A” list actors. However, those bringing the story to life will include all my actors.

(Zombie Reign ComicCon Booth)

How difficult was it to convince “Hollywood” to cast local talent and shoot the movie in San Antonio?

“Hollywood” wanted the movie shot in L.A., it took some time to convince the “powers that be” that San Antonio was the place to make the movie happen. San Antonio is a beautiful city, it's rich with culture and I love this city, this is my home. It was a big task, but when they saw what we did with the promo, they now believe in my vision. The “A” lister's coming on board willing to shoot in San Antonio also helped.

So most of the movie will be filmed in San Antonio, but will you shoot anywhere else, or outside of Texas?

The main characters will be based in Texas, using San Antonio and a small town just outside of San Antonio. However, this will now be filmed in places around the world. This is a new development that I am just sharing. DK Productions has a studio in Europe, so we are now global. We will be shooting in places all around the world. This will be where the “A list actors go, but again, the main characters will be based and filmed out of San Antonio.

Could you tell us about a couple of your crew, or team that is helping with this endeavor?

Promotional shot in front of Alamo

Kenneth Cirby and Patrick Woodruff have been with this project since they were 16 years old. Because of the time it took to get this off the ground, these child actors have grown into men. They have a wealth of experience from working on other projects besides this, so that now they can also help out behind the camera which is a blessing. I'm very proud of them. I'm also proud of the rest of the team that has come on board recently as well. This includes DK Productions, who is bringing in everybody else. They are bringing crews that have worked on other movies, stunt coordinators, everyone to make this production happen. We started as an independent film and have grown to a big budget release, so  the transformation has been amazing.

I heard San Antonio is your new home, how did you end up here?

     I was born in San Antonio and my family moved to Las Vegas when I was 1 year old. I grew up in Vegas, but I also love San Antonio, so I plan on staying here.

What could you tell us about Zombie Reign or Ramiro Avendano that might surprise people?

     I actually wrote a short story back in high school about Lazarium, a drug that is a key part of the movie. A teacher told me the story was beautiful, and I should pursue or write a book about it. I was a teenager, so the story was left on the shelf for years, but then decided to really pursue it and here I am.

     The movie has teamed up with  the San Antonio Zombie Walk to film a segment that will have staff from the Guinness World Book of Records on hand to record the largest number of extra's ever in a movie since Ben Hur.

     If anyone wants to be included in this movie, show up at the San Antonio Zombie Walk on October 26^th.

     You can like the face book page to keep up to date with current happenings by going to:  https://www.facebook.com/OfficialZombieReign.