2/10/2006

Favoritism, Self-Enrichment, Love and OUR MONEY!


2/10/06
karen.sonleitner@co.travis.tx.us
Dear Travis County Commissioner Karen Sonleitner,

A number of reliable sources, over the past year or so, have told me that you and Mike Heiligenstein, executive Director of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) had an intimate relationship for some time. I frankly don't care who our representatives date, or if they are married or not. It's none of my business. BUT, I'm very concerned when my tax dollars are involved and when a group of folks are crafting a way to double tax citizens, create new layers of unaccountable quasi government and privatize and toll our public freeways.

In 2003 Mike Heiligenstein was a Williamson County Commissioner and he voted for the formation of CTRMA. He also voted for appointments of four (4) of the CTRMA board members. Those CTRMA board members then thanked Heiligenstein by giving him the CTRMA top position at $120,000+ per year. The "circle" is well documented in the report below, as CTRMA board members have given NO BID contracts to themselves and their friends.

Records show that you sent emails to other Travis County Commissioners to push and rush a tax give away to the CTRMA. In June 2003, you and the other Commissioners voted to give $250,000 of our tax dollars to the CTRMA and on October 16, 2003, another $300,000 of our tax dollars was given to the CTRMA.

Your campaign financial reports also show the same special interests who profits from the double tax, funds your campaign.

“Favoritism and Self-Enrichment”
“Double Taxation without Accountability”
– TEXAS COMPTROLLER's March 2005 Special Investigation
into the Freeway Tolling Authority (CTRMA)
http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/ctrma05/

As a taxpayer I ask that you please disclose when you dated Mike Heiligenstein, since hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the publics roads and tax dollars are involved in this freeway boondoggle.

A Concerned Citizen,
Sal Costello

UPDATE: Mike Heiligenstein
sends me an email, then we
have a dialog.
Click on the "comments" area to read it.

3 comments:

Sal Costello said...

SOME INFO BELOW, NOTE Amos "Pete" Peters III is a CONVICTED Criminal and has given dollars to the Sonleitner campaign:

Mike Heiligenstein
DOB: 08/14/1952

Bankruptcy (90-14004)

CTRMA Executive Director
HOME ADDRESS: 502 OAKLANDS DR, ROUND ROCK, TEXAS 78681

Records show Mike Heiligenstein working real estate deals with CTRMA board member James Mills and through S & H Joint Ventures (Sheets & Heiligenstein) with Round Rock City Attorney Stephan Sheets as far back as the 80's.

AFFILIATED BUSINESSES:
Co-Op Ventures
S & H Joint Ventures
Sunrise Joint Venture

Amos "Pete" Peters III
DOB: 02/07/1948
*WIFE: Karen B. Peters

*Home Address: 1309 MARSHALL Lane, AUSTIN TX, 78703 Market Value of Home: $604,444.00

*According to TxDOT District Engineer Bob Daigh's meeting calendar, convicted criminal Pete Peters has met with Bob Daigh a number of times in 2004, at times alone and other times with Mike Weaver, Howard Falkenburg and/or Manuel Zarate. It is illegal for convicted criminals to lobby in the State of Texas.

*Amos "Pete" Peters criminal record spans 20-years Texas, it includes a dozen charges of check swindling, credit card abuse and criminal mischief. He's pleaded guilty or no contest to three felonies and three misdemeanors. He's been convicted of Larceny and DWI. Peters has been convicted of Fraud four different times. At one point he was sent to prison for two years.

*"Peters' company earns about $4,000 a month from Williamson County's bond budget, mainly for work promoting the roads project. He bills the county for meeting with the media, for preparing news conferences and press releases and for discussing the project with state politicians, among other tasks.

*But he is so closely tied to county Republican politics that he sometimes seems to wear two hats at the same time. A brochure Peters crafted at county expense last year displayed the names of every commissioner and included quotes from each touting his involvement in the roads project.

*Last summer, the county paid Peters more than $600 for three meetings with American-Statesman Editor Rich Oppel -- meetings Oppel said didn't happen."

"In Williamson, politics, roads and money mix"
— Carter Nelsen, AA Statesman, 1/29/2002

*AFFILIATED BUSINESSES:
The Communicators
1213, INC
Primetime Healthcare, INC
Roads Now PAC

Stephan Sheets (RR City Attorney)

AFFILIATED BUSINESSES:
S & H Joint Ventures (with Mike Heiligenstein) 309 Main Street Venture, LLC

Charles Crossfield (RR Attorney)

*Crossfield is Williamson County's road / land acquisition attorney, and Stephan Sheet's current partner in Sheets & Crossfield PC.

Greg Boatright (CAMPO BOD)

*Records show that Williamson County Commissioner Greg Boatright voted for an extension of Parmer Lane when he held real estate interests, which would give the "Boatright Parmer Land" an economic benefit. As per government code, Commissioner Greg Boatright is to abstain from voting and disclose the nature of his interests. He failed to do so.

Senator Steve Ogden (CAMPO BOD)

*Ogden Resources - oil & gas company
*Treasurure for "Yes on 14" works at "Ogden Resouces" yes on 14 allowed for creation of debt in Texas to build toll roads - now called Ogden Bonds
*HNTB (CTRMA CDA gave $20,000 to 14 SPAC)
*Dannenbaum gave 10K
*Yes on 2 & 15 (McCart, Friend of Rick Perry SPAC) gave 15K

Michael Robinson

Mike Weaver
*AFFILIATED BUSINESSES:
Prime Strategies, INC
Trine Land Compnay, INC (w/ Ralph E Reed)
Fine Art Properties, INC (w/ Ralph E Reed)

Sal Costello said...

AFTER THIS WENT OUT, Heiligenstein SENDS ME EMAILS TO THREATEN A LAWSUIT...


Mike Heiligenstein email:
Let me assure you you will hear from my attorney next. This will be fun!


Sal:
Really? Based on what? Are you denying what my numerous reliable sources have told me?
You should really use spell check, you have two "you" words in a row.
Sal
: )


Mike Heiligenstein:
This will be fun, get ready.


Sal said:
I assume you'll be using the "I'm not a crook" defense?
Yes, that WILL be fun.


Mike Heiligenstein email:
I’ll let my attorney define the message.


Sal said:
And, I'll send this off to the DA.


Mike Heiligenstein email:
My recommendation too, in fact I look forward to meeting with him. You really screwed up this time. Go for it. He’s bound to be tired of you by now like everyone else.

---------------

You can email Mike at: mstein@ctrma.org

Sal Costello said...

...
It's kind of like he's defending his girlfriend, isn't it?