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GIVING GOVERNMENT BACK TO YOU !!!!
Let me work for you.
Ladies and Gentlemen of Port Neches Welcome to my web site.
I have been a community activist for close to three years. During that time I have been able to bring about positive change and government accountability that has DIRECTLY affected your lives. Every penney in your pocket is important to you. Working to pay the taxes levied against you is time away from your family. Let me work for you. You be my boss. Isn't it time for some one in goverment to be on your side?
I will be available to you when you have questions or comments or a problem arises and you need a representative from your city government to help you.
The Riverfront issue will be a demanding project that takes dedication and commitment to see it become a reality. Zoning issues, maketing stragegies, developers, and investors are just some of the important decisions and future considerations we are facing. Council members should be involved in this on a daily basis. My time will be devoted to you and the needs of our growing community.
If the Riverfront is to become a reality and a success our community needs to work together. Economic growth is the heartbeat of any city looking to the future and the needs of it's residents.
What do you want for your city? what do you want for your children? A safe place to live and a safe place to raise your family. Our Police and Firefighters work hard to provide a safe city for us to enjoy. Let's do what ever it takes to continue their efforts.
What you will find on my web stie is information regarding interviews with Port Arthur News and Mid County Chronicle. I have given my comments on the issues facing residents of Port Neches, my beloved city. I have been your biggest advocate. But like yourself I have trusted the "Powers that Be" and never confronted their "set ways". It was wrong of me to believe them at face value. That has changed.
So many people have said to me we have to stop the good ole boy circle. Well here is your opportunity to make changes that are to your benefit.
I always thought it was very odd that i could not find information about our city government on the internet. Like many of you I use the internet first before picking up a telephone book or newspaper. Accessing television stations, newspapers, radio, yellow pages, white pages etc. on the internet is a time saver and convenient. Copy and paste and you have your information.
NOT SO with Port Neches government information. This is unacceptable and so are their excuses for not providing you with valuable information.
Meetings are held at 4 p.m or 4:30 pm when all of us are busy and cannot attend. These meetings are NOT convenient for the citizens. You cannot find agendas, minutes to meetings, budgets, contact information, pictures, FEMA up dates, what ever questions you may have about Port Neches government, YOU CAN NOT FIND. THis is unacceptable.
When I am ELECTED I will change all of that for you at my expense. It takes very little money and just a little time to make extremely important government decisions available to you.
Don't allow long time career politicians or their political protégé's to have the upper hand anymore. If we consistently do the same things we get the same results. Vote for fresh ideas, Devoted representation that puts you the TAXPAYER first.
I will be adding information very soon. So please check back.
EMAIL: rhondadugas@gmail.com
VOTE RHONDA DUGAS FOR CITY COUNCIL, PLACE 1
THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB IS A WOMAN!!!
MID COUNTY CHRONICLE
When giving an interview you are at the mercy of the journalist. It is their interpretation of what you say or write that is printed. I was alarmed and a little disappointed at what I read when the article came out. I spoke about the River Front project but that wasn't mentioned, I talked about support of our first resonders that wasn't mentiond. Neither was anything on the safety of Port Neches residents. Read on and you will find out why some things the candidats said was disturbing to me.
Dennis Kutac contacted me. Mr. Kutac emailed a questionnaire to me. Here are the questions.
1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN PORT NECHES?
2. WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU FEEL PREPARES YOU TO SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL?
3. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IF ELECTED?
4. WHAT ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU?
ANSWERS
1. I have been living in Port Neches for over 35 years. I raised my son here. He attended pre kindergarten, grade school, middle school and graduated port neches groves high school.
2. EXPERIENCE:
For several years I have been a community activist fighting against higher taxes and demanding government accountability.
I am the ONLY candidate that has attended commissioners court and publicly and successfully fought against county budget increases, yearly property tax increases, and the 18% plus salary increases for elected county officials. Also, I am the ONLY candidate that has publicly, at commissioner court demanded answers and government accountability from our elected county officials. Property tax increases, county budget increases, and outrageous salary increases DIRECTLY affect EVERY resident and business owners of Port Neches I did not want them to suffer because of bad decisions from the county.
I have already proven my ability to throughly research issues WITHOUT holding office or receiving a pay check, because i care about my community. My ability to dig into the truth has served the taxpayer well the past few years.
As a single mother i have successfully raised my son and now i manage his financial affairs and his home. I know the value of every single penny. The responsibility I have toward my finances and my sons finances will be even more sacred toward the taxpayers money.
Because of my involvement with the county, I have good working relationships with county employees and elected officials which means I will be able to work well with them when a situation arises and interaction is crucial to the good of Port Neches.
I lam truly a council member for the people. Residents will have a voice on this council, problems will be addressed and solutions will be found. My time is their time and I will be available to help in what ever way i can. I am enthusiastic about the future of port neches and devoted to the citizens, they will be my BOSS I work for them. I will be a full time council member.
3. GOALS:
When elected, first I will personally set up and pay for a web site for the city of port neches. This can be done within an hour. It will carry agendas for city meetings, the minutes to those meetings, announcements for the citizens, pictures of every council member, their contact information, and how each council member votes on each issue.s We have a very closed government. The taxpayers of Port Neches do not have access to the city charter on line, they have no where to go on the internet to find out what is happening within their government. This has to be changed.
I would like to see nighttime meetings and town hall meetings at least every two or three months to inform our citizens of government business. This meeting should include a question and answer time to "clean the air" for our residents.
I will create ways for our citizens to have a voice in their government. Everyone's ideas and concerns are equally valuable and worth listening to. This can e as simple as a forum on the internet. I will also return phone calls to the taxpayer that leave messages. I have placed calls that have not been returned.
I will work diligently with business owners and community leaders to address their concerns and gain valuable input from their perspective.
I will work to find ways for our youth to be involved in our government. Our children play such an important role in our future. I we keep them involved, it will show then how to take pride in their community, a place they helped to build.
4. ISSUES
Tax rates should be equitable and sufficient to adequately maintain city services.
Safety of our citizens. I fully support our police force and firefighters. They should have the finest vehicles and equipment necessary to be safe on the job and protect our residents and business owners.
City services should grow with the changing needs of our citizens and the future of port neches.
City employees are crucial to our government running smoothly. Their involvement and keen sense of the day to day operations of our city help us to determine where problems may be, their input is important to finding solutions to these problems.
Economic growth is very important to our tax base. Helping business others achieve maximum revenue potential will help our city grow and continue excellent city services.
Entrepreneur's should be encouraged to seek information and help with the EDC of port Neches We should be available to show why Port Neches is the best place to open a business and support their efforts.
Riverfront. ALthough it is a vision we should maximize our efforts to stabilize our plans. They should be reasonable and consistently met. We must involve the citizens and get involved with any company seeking developers and investors.
Community. During the aftermath of hurricane rita I did not see one council member in my neighborhood or out in Port Neches checking on the citizens. I personally delivered water and ice to the residents I could find that stayed or came back early.
HERE IS THE ARTICLE.
www.midcountychronicle.com/news/2007/0425/Front_Page/1001.html you can copy and paste into your browser.
Some disturbing informaton in this article.
What have any of these candidates done for you? None of them want to rock the boat. If you always do the same thing you will always have the same outcome. Change must take place to have progress.
When have you seen any of these people fight the 6 cent propertax levied against you from the county? When did they go to commissiomers court and demand accountability for the horrible decisions that have been made which cost you so much money. When did they take a stand against the 18% salary increase for elected county officials? These things DIRECTLY AFFECT you the TAXPAYER.
One of the cadidates gives you long list of his political pedigree. Hoping you will see past the obvious he is in the "good ole boy club". Bottom line. YOU the taxpayer LOOSES. This canidate runs around city hall as if he owns it. that means you don't. He has stated this is just another step for him. This candidate will make sure any decision the rest of the council wants to make he will go along with it. Self appointed authority and rule. Doesn't that make you feel safe? Will be relying on his CONNECTIONS to get him elected. Long time politicians on the council back him. I don't care what organizations you have been in. But what have you done for the TAXPAYER? Vote for me I have a pedigree. What ever the council wants he agrees.
One of the candidates wants to put into acton a horrendous plan for city government to steal your property. He wants to put a lien on your property demand you pay the lien and forceibly take your property. Can anyone say "IMINENT DOMAIN" . This is the word that stikes terror in the hearts of taxpayers everywhere. This is socialism at its finest. What do you think this one would do with that kind of power? I would bet he got this information from someone on the city coucil. This is what your government has in store for your property in Port Neches. Oh yea vote for him.
The other male candidate just wants to be a team player on city council. That means he will go along with any decision the other council members make. YOU LOOSE ALL CONSIDERATION. He has never spoken an word to me. enough said.
Vote no to puppets, Vote no to socialism, Vote no to good ole boy's club, Vote no to political pedigrees.
VOTE YES TO THE TAXPAYER.
ELECT RHONDA DUGAS CITY COUNCIL, PLACE 1
When giving an interview you are at the mercy of the journalist. It is their interpretation of what you say or write that is printed. I was alarmed and a little disappointed at what I read when the article came out. I spoke about the River Front project but that wasn't mentioned, I talked about support of our first resonders that wasn't mentiond. Neither was anything on the safety of Port Neches residents. Read on and you will find out why some things the candidats said was disturbing to me.
Dennis Kutac contacted me. Mr. Kutac emailed a questionnaire to me. Here are the questions.
1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN PORT NECHES?
2. WHAT EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU FEEL PREPARES YOU TO SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL?
3. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IF ELECTED?
4. WHAT ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU?
ANSWERS
1. I have been living in Port Neches for over 35 years. I raised my son here. He attended pre kindergarten, grade school, middle school and graduated port neches groves high school.
2. EXPERIENCE:
For several years I have been a community activist fighting against higher taxes and demanding government accountability.
I am the ONLY candidate that has attended commissioners court and publicly and successfully fought against county budget increases, yearly property tax increases, and the 18% plus salary increases for elected county officials. Also, I am the ONLY candidate that has publicly, at commissioner court demanded answers and government accountability from our elected county officials. Property tax increases, county budget increases, and outrageous salary increases DIRECTLY affect EVERY resident and business owners of Port Neches I did not want them to suffer because of bad decisions from the county.
I have already proven my ability to throughly research issues WITHOUT holding office or receiving a pay check, because i care about my community. My ability to dig into the truth has served the taxpayer well the past few years.
As a single mother i have successfully raised my son and now i manage his financial affairs and his home. I know the value of every single penny. The responsibility I have toward my finances and my sons finances will be even more sacred toward the taxpayers money.
Because of my involvement with the county, I have good working relationships with county employees and elected officials which means I will be able to work well with them when a situation arises and interaction is crucial to the good of Port Neches.
I lam truly a council member for the people. Residents will have a voice on this council, problems will be addressed and solutions will be found. My time is their time and I will be available to help in what ever way i can. I am enthusiastic about the future of port neches and devoted to the citizens, they will be my BOSS I work for them. I will be a full time council member.
3. GOALS:
When elected, first I will personally set up and pay for a web site for the city of port neches. This can be done within an hour. It will carry agendas for city meetings, the minutes to those meetings, announcements for the citizens, pictures of every council member, their contact information, and how each council member votes on each issue.s We have a very closed government. The taxpayers of Port Neches do not have access to the city charter on line, they have no where to go on the internet to find out what is happening within their government. This has to be changed.
I would like to see nighttime meetings and town hall meetings at least every two or three months to inform our citizens of government business. This meeting should include a question and answer time to "clean the air" for our residents.
I will create ways for our citizens to have a voice in their government. Everyone's ideas and concerns are equally valuable and worth listening to. This can e as simple as a forum on the internet. I will also return phone calls to the taxpayer that leave messages. I have placed calls that have not been returned.
I will work diligently with business owners and community leaders to address their concerns and gain valuable input from their perspective.
I will work to find ways for our youth to be involved in our government. Our children play such an important role in our future. I we keep them involved, it will show then how to take pride in their community, a place they helped to build.
4. ISSUES
Tax rates should be equitable and sufficient to adequately maintain city services.
Safety of our citizens. I fully support our police force and firefighters. They should have the finest vehicles and equipment necessary to be safe on the job and protect our residents and business owners.
City services should grow with the changing needs of our citizens and the future of port neches.
City employees are crucial to our government running smoothly. Their involvement and keen sense of the day to day operations of our city help us to determine where problems may be, their input is important to finding solutions to these problems.
Economic growth is very important to our tax base. Helping business others achieve maximum revenue potential will help our city grow and continue excellent city services.
Entrepreneur's should be encouraged to seek information and help with the EDC of port Neches We should be available to show why Port Neches is the best place to open a business and support their efforts.
Riverfront. ALthough it is a vision we should maximize our efforts to stabilize our plans. They should be reasonable and consistently met. We must involve the citizens and get involved with any company seeking developers and investors.
Community. During the aftermath of hurricane rita I did not see one council member in my neighborhood or out in Port Neches checking on the citizens. I personally delivered water and ice to the residents I could find that stayed or came back early.
HERE IS THE ARTICLE.
www.midcountychronicle.com/news/2007/0425/Front_Page/1001.html you can copy and paste into your browser.
Some disturbing informaton in this article.
What have any of these candidates done for you? None of them want to rock the boat. If you always do the same thing you will always have the same outcome. Change must take place to have progress.
When have you seen any of these people fight the 6 cent propertax levied against you from the county? When did they go to commissiomers court and demand accountability for the horrible decisions that have been made which cost you so much money. When did they take a stand against the 18% salary increase for elected county officials? These things DIRECTLY AFFECT you the TAXPAYER.
One of the cadidates gives you long list of his political pedigree. Hoping you will see past the obvious he is in the "good ole boy club". Bottom line. YOU the taxpayer LOOSES. This canidate runs around city hall as if he owns it. that means you don't. He has stated this is just another step for him. This candidate will make sure any decision the rest of the council wants to make he will go along with it. Self appointed authority and rule. Doesn't that make you feel safe? Will be relying on his CONNECTIONS to get him elected. Long time politicians on the council back him. I don't care what organizations you have been in. But what have you done for the TAXPAYER? Vote for me I have a pedigree. What ever the council wants he agrees.
One of the candidates wants to put into acton a horrendous plan for city government to steal your property. He wants to put a lien on your property demand you pay the lien and forceibly take your property. Can anyone say "IMINENT DOMAIN" . This is the word that stikes terror in the hearts of taxpayers everywhere. This is socialism at its finest. What do you think this one would do with that kind of power? I would bet he got this information from someone on the city coucil. This is what your government has in store for your property in Port Neches. Oh yea vote for him.
The other male candidate just wants to be a team player on city council. That means he will go along with any decision the other council members make. YOU LOOSE ALL CONSIDERATION. He has never spoken an word to me. enough said.
Vote no to puppets, Vote no to socialism, Vote no to good ole boy's club, Vote no to political pedigrees.
VOTE YES TO THE TAXPAYER.
ELECT RHONDA DUGAS CITY COUNCIL, PLACE 1
PORT ARTHUR NEWS
I was contacted by Amy Moore. We interviewed by phone and email. Here is the first interview.
Some things are said because positions need to be clear.
I think jobs for the city should be bid out which would give Port Neches business the opportunity to serve their community in an expanded capacity. It would give a level playing field for everyone and not a select few when contracting out jobs.
I will be a coucil member that is abailable at all times for the citizens of Port Neches. I want to create ways for the citizens to have a voice in their government. Everyone has a different perspecive. Our working mom's and dads have just as unique a perspective as the business owner and each one is equaly valuable. Just as our senior citizens and stay at home moms have ideas they would like to voice all of our citizens need a friendly forum to participate in their government.
The River front project is on everyones list of economic development. it will be an honor to work with our community and business owners to see the riverfront project proceed smoothly involving our youth and every resident that would like to participate in this huge project. It will take eveyone working together. This will bring in additional income to Port Neches. It will create additional jobs and give us a great deal of pride in our community.
I support our city employees I think their involvement in our government is curcial to operating the city in an efficient manner. I think their day to day activites produce cost saving ideas that we could put into practice. I encourage our city employees to approach me with new ideas or if there are any problems I should be aware of I will help them find solutions.
I support increased funding for our fire fighters and police force. Our first responders should have the best possible equipment and vehicles for their safety and the residents of port neches. Our first responders do a phenomenal job of keeping us safe and I want to ensure that will continue.
We need affordable housing in port neches for single moms and dads to raise their families in. We need affordable housing for all our families. Port Neches is a desirable place to live and we must provide proper housing for everyone.
I will work with our churches, civic organizations and community to be an example to our youth that you can face difficulties in you life without drugs and alcohol and reach goals and have a good future. I want our youth involved in our riverfront project which will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment where they can say I help build that. I had a part in the riverfront.
I love our kids. I want to see them have the very best schools and learning facilities in this state. We must always prepare our children for the future. Technology advances very fast and we have to equip our children with the best education as a foundation for their success.
I do not have a personal agenda I do not have strings attached to me I am not a puppet that can be controlled by the ruling few. I work for the CITIZENS of Port Neches. They are my first concern. I represent them.
Each candidate was then asked to answer these questions in 50 words or less and the political platform quesion 75 words or less. Here are my answers.
WHAT CONCRETE THINGS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE TOWARD THE RIVERFRONT PROJECT?
Right now it's a vision. We need a solid plan. Council members should take aciton everyday towards making the riverfront a reality. It's my understanding zoning issues, marketing strategies, and solid developers are the concerns we need to focus on appropriate investors will appreciate the potential future of Port Neches.
WHAT SHOULD THE CITY'S APPROACH BE TO MAKE SURE BUILDINGS ARE UP TO CODE AND PROPERTIES KEEP UP WITH CITY ORDINANCES?
We need to remember hurricaine rita caused many of our residents hardship. People are still negotiating with insurance companies and FEMA. City and county property have been affected also. Proceedures should be in place and followed to adhere to ordinances.
SHOULD THE TAX RATE BE RAISED, LOWERED OR KEPT THE SAME TO EFFECTIVELY OFFER CITY SERVICES AND IMPLEMENT RIVERFRONT PLANS?
Tax rate should be equitable and sufficent to adequately maintain city services. Tax rate should NOT be raised to implement riverfront plans. When the riverfront is complete, profits/revenue should help lower our taxes.
HOW DO YOU ASSESS POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES IN THE CITY AND WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU MAKE?
I completely support Port Neches fire department and police department. They do a phenominal job protecting our residents. Our first responders should have the finest vehicles and equipment necessary to be safe on the job and keep our residents safe.
EXPLAIN YOUR POLITICAL PLATFORM
I am the only candidate who successfully fought against higher taxes including the 18% salaryincrease for elected county officials and demanded government accountability. Our residents will have a voice on city council.
I am enthusiastic about our future and devoted to our citizens. I will be available to every one, ready to give my time and ability.
I support ecconomic development, first responders, city employees, community/business leaders, our youth, and senior citizens.
