PAGE 4 H Wednesday, February 3, 2016
THE STAR
See us online www.FortBendStar.com
the OPINION
Scarcella's temper tantrum divides Stafford Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella delivered the annual State of the City Address last Wednesday, and it could be described in one word – divisive. I have consistently welcomed Scarcella’s candor and his tendency to speak his mind. In a world of PR handlers who measure and polish every word, interviewing Scarcella – Stafford’s Mayor since 1969 – has been a journalist’s dream. But last week’s hour-long State of the City address was nothing short of an embarrassment. Scarcella read through a 7,000 word, 22-page speech with maybe two or three pauses, showing a total lack of self-awareness. Sure, Scarcella covered the city’s goals and challenges, but the majority of the speech was a tirade that targeted his growing list of political opponents. The speech had such a negative vibe that Stafford council member A.J. Honore left the panel and went into the audience to listen. “I thought if I heard it from a citizen’s perspective, I thought I’d hear it differently,” Honore said. “That didn’t change anything. The Mayor took the opportunity to
demean the good efforts of the council. Stafford used to have prosperity by default. Now, we must have prosperity by design.” Said council member Wen Guerra, “He threw rocks at everybody. It’s not conducive to have a mayor with that type of demeanor.” Early in the speech, Scarcella criticized the six-member council’s decision to share their comments after State of the City – capped at five minutes per member. The Mayor was angry about that, making the applesto-oranges comparison of the U.S. President allowing 535 legislators to respond to the State of the Union. Scarcella even referred to himself twice in the thirdperson when discussing his 65-to-35 percent mayoral victory over council member Robert Sorbet last spring. He then went on to accuse Sorbet, who is expected to run for council re-election this spring, of undermining his administration. Sorbet raised the issues of $7 million debt in sales tax re-payment to the State of Texas, and the underfunding of municipal pensions. He
MICHAEL SUDHALTER EDITOR
also raised the urgency of renewing the contract with the Stafford Centre’s management company because it expires in September. Scarcella responded by saying the no interest payments on the $7 million make it more favorable to pay it back to the state over 25 years, and that the pensions are comparable to most Texas cities. WHAT’S THE CAUSE? A large part of the problem is the fact that Scarcella has seldom been challenged during his 46 years as mayor. That’s starting to change.
Yes, Scarcella easily won his 24th re-election last year, but he was disappointed last year at losing the presidency of the Stafford Economic Development Council (which is made up of the mayor and council). Scarcella had been president of the Stafford EDC since its 1999 inception, but the rest of the members voted in Guerra as EDC President last year. “He’s gotten really ugly since I became president of the EDC,” Guerra said. “There are innovative ideas, and he can’t grasp him. His decision process has been kind of lacking.” The Mayor’s only reliable ally on council is longtime council member Cecil Willis. Even Virginia Rosas, elected last spring and expected to be a Scarcella ally, expressed disappointment in the State of the City address. A former Stafford MSD (SMSD) board member, Rosas emphasized her support for the school district and its leaders, whom Scarcella criticized during his speech. Scarcella likes to tout the Stafford accomplishments that occurred under his watch – the creation of SMSD, the opening of the Stafford Centre and Stafford Civic Center and the
abolition of municipal property tax. But it’s important to note that those things happened when the Mayor and Council worked together. While few can deny Scarcella’s impact on Stafford, his stubbornness has made him a difficult teammate. It’s resulted in missed-opportunities for the city he professes to love so much – including a revenue-generating outlet mall at the Street Level Investments (former Texas Instruments) property. The Mayor belabored Stafford’s reliance on the tax dollars of energy-related businesses, but offered few solutions other than to hunker down fiscally. Guerra said several Stafford residents have asked him to run for mayor next year. He hasn’t made a decision yet, but Scarcella said he’s already prepared to go negative should that happen. “I already have the billboard location picked out,”
Scarcella said. “I’m going to have a billboard with a photo of Wen sleeping through a meeting, and the election will be over after that.” Guerra isn’t worried about the possibility of that billboard standing above a busy Stafford road. “I have difficulty staying awake at times when he rambles and rambles,” Guerra said. “A lot of council members go to sleep on Leonard.” In paranoid fashion more associated with a dictator than the popularly elected leader of a small city, Scarcella attempted to assess his political opponents’ mindset. “They want to see the city crash to its knees and go to a desperate state, so they can say it’s all of the mayor’s fault,” Scarcella said. The Mayor is entitled to stand up for his views and policies, but a Scarcella-versus-everyone approach isn’t productive for anyone in Stafford.
FOOT & ANKLE
SPECIALIST Pediatric - Teens - Adults DR. GEORGE BAKATSAS DIPLOMAT, AMERICAN BOARD OF FOOT & ANKLE SURGERY
• Heel & Arch Pain Treatment
Stafford State of the City Response Stafford is a great city with great people who care about their neighbors, their neighborhoods, and the community. As a resident, I was concerned about the tone of the address given. The success of our city is dependent in large part on the effectiveness of its city leaders. As President of the Stafford Municipal School District (SMSD), I wish Mayor Scarcella would have taken just a few minutes to call me or Superintendent Dr. Robert Bostic. I would have loved to share with him the great things going on at SMSD. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has awarded the district nine (9) Distinguished marks. We are working on earning even more acolades. An Academic Booster Club was formed. Dr. Bostic and the Board initiated a Peer to Peer Tutoring Program. Stafford’s National Honor Society students are being paid to tutor fellow students who need a little extra help. Stafford students are participating in UIL Academic Competitions that are actually being held on the SMSD campuses. A Chief Academic Officer is coming on board soon. Dr. Bostic and his team are planning to introduce Summer Enrichment courses. The Board supported a comprehensive Teacher Retention Plan. The plan includes competitive salaries, incentive pay, and tuition reimbursement opportunities. With the introduction of a Parent University, parental involvement and excitement is present. Students are having fun learning in a safe, secure environment. Great business partnerships are being established. For example, SMSD is the only
district with a fully operational financial institution on site. Smart Financial Crédit Union is on our campus with Stafford students helping run the business. Our school board is comprised of talented, committed community leaders. They are focused on meeting the needs of students and teachers while supporting Dr. Bostic and his administration. Trustees and administrators are going out into the community meeting with families. Almost 80% of Stafford’s school age students attend SMSD. And we are working to encourage even more parents to bring their kids to SMSD. We are fortunate to have great support by the overwhelming majority of City Council. With that support we are going to continue to focus on providing SMSD kids with the best education possible. –Auturo Jackson Stafford MSD Board President
HHHHHHHHH Missouri City Mayoral Election
Missouri City... Where should I start? We need a new mayor and At large position one. Ones who’s first order of business is to get our police department in a new modern police station. I have heard our present mayor say that they “added” five motorcycle police officers. These are not new hires but current officers who wanted to be on the motorcycle division. We are still 25 to 30 officers short. Now.. Thinking about City Center, $ 1.2 million golf cart barn that was built partly from our Metro fund, tennis and rec center and golf course before you have
a fully manned and modern police force and building is “OLD” thinking. We need new blood that thinks beyond golf, tennis and a nice place to eat and drink. We need to update the entire city including our older members of council. At one time several years ago the average age of a council member was about 65 years old. Congratulations to the voters for getting some new blood on council.. Unfortunately, they are outvoted by the establishment who’s average age is now about 70. Old is not bad but it is dangerous at times. I wonder if our mayor is really getting too old. I read in The Star where he couldn’t remember a $1,000 dollar donation from eight years. Heck I would remember $1,000 dollars from 50 years ago.. Convenient memory loss.. Id say it’s time for a change.
Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. starnews@fortbendstar.com
Retail Ads Deadline: Fridays at 5:00 p.m. frank@fortbendstar.com
Classified Ads Deadline: Mondays at 5:00 p.m. frank@fortbendstar.com
Scan with your smart phone to launch website
— Rodney Griffin BA Mathematics ‘70 The University of Texas at Austin
15200 S.W. Fwy, Suite 375 Sugar Lakes @ 59 South
281-265-3338
www.LoneStarFootAnkle.com
H SEE LTR ED, PG 5
—Brenda Taylor Missouri City
HHHHHHHHH Response to Scalia’s comments
Justice Antonin Scalia recently said: “ There are those that contend that it does not benefit African - Americans to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less - advanced school, a slower - track school where they do well.” On Houston radio I called a local caller’s and Justice Antonin Scalia’s recent remarks “ poppycock”. As a first decade undergrad African American UT graduate, I can tell you we matriculated and graduated at higher rates than the UT average. May I add we stayed often under very trying circumstances. What African Americans “ lacked” in “gam-
4655 Techniplex Dr., Suite 300 Stafford, Texas 77477 281-690-4200 • 281-690-5200 fax www.fortbendstar.com News Deadline:
ing” the system, we made up in rising to the occasion and sheer perseverance. These patterns of successes prevail to this day. Data supports this claim
• In-office X-Rays • Sports Injuries LASER for Toenail Fungus • Ingrown Toenails • Warts/Skin Lesions • Custom Orthotics • Diabetic Footcare • Neuropathy
• Bunion Correction • Hammertoes Correction • Arthritis/Joint Pain • Flat Feet • Ankle/Foot Sprains • Fractures • Achilles Tendonitis
ROCK SOLID Independent free papers bring buyers and sellers together with more audited circulation than your daily. During these times, it is more important to make the right advertising choice. We’re it. We can help your business.
OUR STAFF MICHAEL FREDRICKSON
JONATHAN McELVY
President michael@fortbendstar.com
Publisher jonathan@fortbendstar.com
LISA LONG
FRANK VASQUEZ
Accounting lisa@fortbendstar.com
Associate Publisher frank@fortbendstar.com
MICHAEL SUDHALTER
ELSA MAXEY
Editor msudhalter@fortbendstar.com
Star Reporter elsa@fortbendstar.com
DIANE STREHL
JOHN SAZMA
Sales Manager diane@fortbendstar.com
Sales Executive john@fortbendstar.com
JOEY BELLEZA
DARLENE MASSINGTON
Production Manager joey@fortbendstar.com
Sales Executive darlene@fortbendstar.com
M
E
M
B
E
R:
Independent Free Papers of America
4655 Techniplex Dr., Suite 300, Stafford TX 77477 • Tel: 281-690-4200