Sunday, March 1, 1998

Chuck will do great

I have known Chuck Statler for more than 10 years. We go to church with him and his wife, and they have both visited in our home. I greatly appreciate Chuck's sincerity, his old-fashioned work ethic and his obvious genuine concern for people.

Chuck's campaign materials do a great job of describing his qualifications. I appreciate his business and military experience as well as his service to the community as a volunteer.

One of the things I like most about Chuck is his willingness to listen. He puts the needs of others above his own convenience. These characteristics are too often lacking in those who seek political office today.

I have watched Chuck as he visited with senior citizens at church and as he played with my grandchildren, who clearly adore him, and he is the same with everyone -- genuinely caring and interested. He was that way long before he became a candidate for anything!

Chuck will do a great job as county commissioner.

BETTY MANN

Abilene

100 percent to job

A recent letter to the editor really concerns and puzzles me. The writer indicated he was not going to vote for Sandy Self because she is married, a mother who takes care of her children, a committed civic volunteer and a professional.

If that is a reason not to vote for Self, then does it mean we should vote for Eidson because he chose not to remain a loving husband and full-time father? Is that what it takes to give 100 percent attention to the job?

No, thanks. I'm voting for the best candidate for district attorney -- Sandy Self.

MIKIE HAMMETT

Abilene

Via e-mail

Having what it takes

I hate to admit that as a homeowner and taxpayer in Taylor County I didn't know much about county government.

Typical of most city folks, I didn't know our county operates under a $19 million annual budget. I didn't know the county commissioners court must deal with issues ranging from indigent health care to public financing to environmental concerns. I didn't know the commissioners court is more like a board of directors for a major corporation than what we usually think of as a court.

That is, until I met Melinda Cunningham.

Melinda has experience in the kinds of things commissioners do, like setting budgets, managing people and working with other organizations. She knows what it means to work within strict government regulations, how to stretch a dollar and bring together the teamwork it takes to complete big projects.

We need the best people taking care of our hard-earned dollars and making decisions that will take our county into the next century. Melinda Cunningham is that kind of person, and I've learned enough about county government to know I want her to occupy that Precinct 4 seat in the courthouse.

SUSAN MILLER

Abilene

Qualifying attributes

We write in support of Sandy Self and in response to the letter of Feb. 25 questioning her ability to serve as district attorney.

We know Sandy and believe she will make an excellent DA, just as we have observed her to be an excellent assistant DA, mother, wife and public servant.

It is sad when it can be suggested that if someone is a wife, a mother and a citizen involved in church and community activities, she should be disqualified from holding public office. If these attributes disqualify a candidate, then by all means let's elect only those without any community involvement to get in their way.

Sandy's commitment to her family and the commitment she has shown in handling some of the toughest cases tried in the last 10 years leads us to believe she will have no problem balancing any professional duties she has with her personal obligations.

Sandy's commitment to the children of our community and particularly to her own children is obvious. We have seen the determination she exhibits when she prosecutes a case involving a child victim. She is exactly who we would want to handle those types of cases, along with any other criminal case. She has demonstrated her ability with each and eery courtroom victory.

Voters of Taylor County, do not be misled into believing the flagrant misinformation distributed by Sandy's opposition. Otherwise, our community will truly suffer.

JAMES AND CINDY TAYLOR

Abilene

Statler deserves vote

Several years ago Chuck Statler told us of his desire to serve as Taylor County commissioner. We strongly urged Chuck to run for commissioner, and now we urge the voters to select him for the job.

Chuck did not decide to run for commissioner on a whim or because he wanted a less time-consuming position. He knows being a county commissioner is a demanding, full-time job that requires night and weekend hours.

Chuck is a stable, common-sense conservative with the business experience necessary for a county commissioner. He has worked for the same organization for 15 years as an account executive, helping hundreds of businesses meet their economic goals. As a former board member of the Convention and Visitors Council, Chuck understands how the county's management of the Expo Center will affect tourism and our economy.

Chuck's law enforcement background will serve the commissioners as they administer the jail, sheriff's department and courthouse. While serving as a military policeman under Gen. Norman Schwarkopf, Chuck was an undercover drug enforcement officer in Germany. Locally, he has been a director of Crime Stoppers and graduated from both the Abilene Citizen's Police and Fire academies.

We know Chuck has the old-fashioned grit and drive to get a job done because we watched for three years as he worked at his job all day and then attended night classes at ACU to finish the degree interrupted by his military service. We recommend Chuck Statler without reservation.

JANE AND RUSTY BEARD

Abilene

Shadle over McCall

Your endorsement of Terry McCall for the 11th Court of Appeals is quite perplexing.

You cited his six years of service with Baker and Botts law firm in Houston, his civil and appellate practice, and business and ranching experience as the basis of your judgment.

McCall's service with Baker and Botts ended almost 30 years ago and specialized in corporate finance and tax, neither of which has much relevance to the Court of Appeals.

McCall alluded to his civil appellate practice but neglected to elaborate the number of cases he actually appealed or the time frame.

McCall excluded his accomplishments as part-time county attorney in Comanche County, with only misdemeanor and juvenile jurisdiction and an insignificant number of trials.

McCall cited his business and ranching experience as most valuable when neither is a qualification nor requirement for a legal position.

Your endorsement of McCall was very disappointing given the fact that you have a man with more diversified legal experience here in the 11th District. Kollin Shadle's work in child protective service, family violence, criminal prosecutions and as appellate attorney for Taylor County at state courts and the U.S. Supreme Court is a matter of record at the Taylor County courthouse.

Shadle is a man of honesty and integrity and has practiced law in Taylor County for 11 consecutive years, which equals the total number of years McCall has practiced in the last 35 years.

BOBBY RICHARDSON

Rotan

Both sides of mouth

I found the three press conferences of James Eidson very enlightening as to his true character. One minute he is patting himself on the back for running a clean campaign based on the issues, and the next he's making as many personal attacks as he can. Just who is misleading whom, James?

Acting like a child arguing over a toy, Eidson attempted to claim sole credit for a capital murder conviction that, in reality, was tried by both he and Self. He first claimed he did all the "crucial" parts of the trial, including final arguments. Not true, James. When confronted with the fact that the trial had been split between him and Self all the way through final arguments, he changed his tune. Eidson then was forced to admit this fact but tried to portray his arguments as being more important than Self's.

At the same press conference, Eidson lashed out at Self for pointing out that the official records clearly show a sharp decline in the number of cases taken to trial, while the pending cases more than doubled. In the end, all his tirade boiled down to was a disagreement over which year had zero misdemeanor cases taken to trial.

Quit talking out of both sides of your mouth, James. Either run a clean campaign or stop claiming that you are.

LISA LINN

Abilene

Via e-mail

Virtues of youth

I have known Kollin Shadle for several years and have found him to be trustworthy and dependable. His experience in criminal trials and also in civil cases will prove valuable in the 11th Court of Appeals. Having filed many cases of appeals to the court, he is experienced in what the court does.

His youth is definitely in his favor, as he will have many years to serve.

Shadle's practice in legal matters has all been in this area, not in big cities like Houston. He will make a very good judge. He has my whole-hearted support.

LUCILE WILSON

Merkel

Key fact deleted

A significant fact was deleted from my letter of support for Chuck Statler for Taylor County commissioner that was printed in Monday's paper.

My original letter pointed out the value of Chuck's law enforcement training and experience in making decisions concerning "the 50 percent of the county budget" that deals with law enforcement.

The letter as it appeared said "the percentage of the county budget," which greatly dilutes the impact of the statement.

I called County Judge Lee Hamilton and reconfirmed the accuracy of my original statement. When the budgets for the jail, sheriff, constables, half of the district and county clerks and the court budgets are taken together, they make up roughly half of the county budget, probably a little more.

Hamilton tells me the most technically accurate way to phrase this would be to say that "roughly half of the county budget is dedicated to law enforcement and the administration of justice," thus allowing for that portion of the caseload that is civil.

I placed that statement high in the letter because I believe it is extremely important. While most people don't understand how much of their county taxes go to law enforcement, it makes law enforcement experience a particularly valuable attribute for a candidate.

CHERYL BACON

Abilene

Via e-mail

Trouble in the ER

In my opinion, district attorney candidate Sandy Self treats her witnesses like criminals. Her motives are "Self-"serving.

As an emergency room physician, I have always cooperated with the district attorney's subpoenas. I feel that Self has used subpoenas to pressure offenders to plead in an attempt to avoid going to trial. Now she wants more trials at greater expense to the taxpayers.

When I could not change my schedule to accommodate her itinerary, she became insulting and tried to bully me into compliance. On another occasion, I could not get my schedule changed for yet another subpoena. Self threatened to send the sheriff's department to the ER and take me to the courtroom handcuffed for testimony, leaving the ER without a doctor.

I complained to District Attorney James Eidson, as did some of the other physicians in the emergency room. James was courteous and promised his cooperation in trying to help us by coordinating the DA's schedule with the ER schedule. There have been no problems since Self resigned.

James Eidson is a district attorney who is in touch with and responds to his community. Sandy Self is a "Self"-motivated politician.

S. JEFFERY JACKSON

Abilene