A shameful attempt to roll back progress

Let's not go back to the bad old ways of doing things...

By LOU ANTONELLI
Editor-in-Chief

Titus County voters will soon be asked to vote on a local proposition as part of the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

Proposition A will revoke the Unit Road System approved by voters in 2016 and go back to having four separate public works departments – one for each precinct.

In 2016 Titus County voters were asked to approve a government reorganization change that was innovative, modern, smart and economical.

The old system of having four different public works departments goes back to the horse and buggy days of the 19th century, when distances were harder to traverse and communications slower. County Commissioners in all four corners of the county needed to have their own public works departments and staff to keep the roads passable and in good repair.

Now in the 21st century, with modern equipment and instantaneous communication, such a system is wasteful and redundant. More and more counties across Texas are adopting the efficient system of hiring a professional road engineer, consolidating staff and paying for only ONE set of expensive construction equipment.

When presented with the choice, the voters of Titus County in 2016 overwhelmingly approved installing the Unit Road system. It wasn’t very close, 53 percent to 47 percent, or 4118 for and 3653 against, a 465 vote margin.

Commissioners went ahead and implemented the new system, hiring a retired TxDOT engineer, Roger Ledbetter, who has since then getting the new system in place and running smoothly.

But a clique of disgruntled old boys and gals, unhappy with the loss of patronage jobs for themselves and their family members, have grumbled and groused ever since then, and they took up a petition to put a repeal of the Unit Road System on the ballot.

They probably were caught flat-footed in 2016 and had no idea there was so much support out there for the idea. The old-timers live in a tight little social circle, and the will of the voters as expressed on Election Day popped the bubble they live in.

Instead of perhaps admitting they were out of touch and trying to help Titus County adopt a more modern and efficient system for public works, they’ve done nothing but back stab and bad mouth the new system.

They hope voters will be fooled into repealing the Unit Road System, so things can go back to like the way they were in the bad old days. It isn’t going to work.

Taxpayers are concerned about how they can make ends meet and pay their taxes. They appreciate and support intelligent efforts to reorganize and reform government. We urge them to stay the course, and don’t be fooled by this self-serving effort to roll back progress.

When you do vote, don't forget Proposition A is to repeal the Unit Road System, so in this case a "No" vote is what is needed to retain progress and fiscal responsibility.