McKinney Courier Gazette Endorses Joe

McKinney Courier Gazette Endorses Joe Jaynes


The measure of success for an elected official is his/her accomplishments for the constituency that pays the taxes. Based on his 12 years as Collin County Precinct 3 commissioner, Joe Jaynes should get the Republican nomination in the March 4 primary for another term on the commissioners court.

The list of his service to his precinct - which comprises parts of every major city in the county except Plano and all of most of the smaller cities - is extensive. Jaynes has been the primary advocate for an aggressive road program that has brought asphalt roads to areas that never had better than gravel. He has supported the county-city partnerships that have resulted in new, extended and widened streets in almost every city through bond packages that have not increased the county tax rate.

In fact, Jaynes has voted twice to reduce the tax rate, and he believes that rate can be cut even more.

Furthermore, as a member of the Regional Transportation Council, Jaynes is in a position to ensure that Collin County gets even more of its share of plum transportation projects.

Celina Mayor Corbett Howard, who is challenging Jaynes for the GOP nomination, also has an excellent record of service to his constituents. He has been very effective in helping to manage Celina’s rapid growth, and he will be sorely missed when he steps down from the mayor’s seat in May.

However, he has not made a positive case as to why he should replace Jaynes.Howard’s campaign has been heavy on warmed-over attacks on Jaynes’ character that date back more than a decade, and innuendo that Jaynes is an unethical politician. We feel he would have been more effective had he spelled out his vision for the county and made the case for hiring him, as opposed to trying to show why Jaynes should be fired. If Howard has specific ideas, he has been slow to detail them.

Jaynes, on the other hand, is not simply resting on his laurels of the past 12 years in office. He is committed to improving transportation not only through more and better roads, but also by bringing rail to Collin County, perhaps even through a Collin County Transportation Authority. He would even like to see DART consider accepting the county as a member, with bond money used to pay its share in lieu of additional sales tax.

Jaynes is also a proponent of passenger flights at Collin County Regional Airport, and has even thought out how these flights can improve highway traffic.But he doesn’t want the Trans Texas Corridor to come through the county under its current proposal, with a 1,200-foot right of way. He would be willing to work with the state if they would cut it down significantly.

On other issues, Jaynes has led the charge to impose stringent requirements on Municipal Utility Districts that might come into the county. He believes that water will be an increasingly important issue, and wants to work with the state to study the use of groundwater to supplement the lakes

We are dismayed that Jaynes first decided not to seek re-election, then chose to run again. And we are not pleased that he promised in 1996 not to accept a pay increase but reneged on that pledge even before his first term expired.

But we do not agree with Howard that Jaynes is breaking a promise by continuing to teach classes at Collin County Community College. Jaynes did resign his full-time, tenure-track position there in 1996 as he promised, but there is no evidence that his part-time teaching interferes with his duties as commissioner.

And, yes, Jaynes did use taxpayer money to help fund his law school tuition. But that is a benefit available to county employees, and commissioners are county employees. Why should elected officials be denied the benefits available to others whose salaries are paid for by taxpayer?

Jaynes’ record of accomplishment and forward-looking vision have earned him the nomination to face Victor Manuel in November for another term.

Early voting ends Friday.

Dallas Morning News calls Joe the "most accessible full-time elected official in the county."

Dallas Morning News Recommends: Joe Jaynes

Incumbent's knowledge and support needed on transportation issue

12:00 AM CST on Sunday, February 10, 2008

Over the years, we've had some issues with Joe Jaynes, such as two years ago when Collin County Commissioners voted themselves an overly generous pay raise. It was a back-door way to make up for the loss of a longevity bonus that outraged residents forced commissioners to rescind.

Elections are about choices, however, and Mr. Jaynes has had more highs than lows during the past 12 years representing Precinct 3 on the Collin County Commissioners Court. He's the better choice over Celina Mayor Corbett Howard in the Republican Party primary contest on March 4. The winner will face Democrat Victor Manuel, who is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket, in the November general election.

Unlike his opponent, Mr. Jaynes, a member of the Regional Transportation Council, has a realistic forward-looking approach to Collin County's rapid growth. Last year, he was the driving force during a contentious campaign to pass a $328 million bond issue for transportation, facilities and open spaces; Mr. Howard opposed the bonds that fund partnerships with cities to build roads.

Mr. Jaynes, 48, also strongly supports expanding rail service to northern Collin County and favors local option elections to give voters a voice in how to pay for it. Mr. Howard, 63, seems more wedded to conservative sound bites than concrete proposals.

He promises to scrub the budget for waste and to lower the county tax rate, noting that the Celina City Council cut the town's property tax rate five years consecutively while he has been mayor. Celina taxpayers, however, pay a higher tax rate than almost every other town in Collin County. Its tax rate is 17 percent higher than McKinney's, 22 percent higher than Allen's, 37 percent higher than Plano's and 40 percent higher than Frisco's. And yet he is running on a low-tax/no-tax theme that offers no solutions for expanding transit or building new roads.

Mr. Howard, who gets most of his support from out-of-county developers, displays an abrasive, combative style of debate that would be highly divisive and counterproductive on the Commissioners Court. For example, he attacks Mr. Jaynes for teaching classes two nights a week at Collin College, asserting that this is proof that Mr. Jaynes is not a full-time commissioner. Never mind that Mr. Jaynes gave up a full-time position at the college when he was first elected or that the college – and students – rely on part-time professors like Mr. Jaynes to keep soaring costs of education down. His "second" job is admirable, not cause for concern.

Mr. Jaynes is the most accessible full-time elected official in the county, and he offers the continuity and knowledge on transportation issues this county badly needs right now.

DMN Suburban Editorial Board

Jaynes Running for Reelection

Commissioner Jaynes announces bid for reelection; Mayor Dorman endorses candidacy

(McKinney, TX) - Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes will run for re-election in Precinct 3 in the March 4th Republican Primary. Melissa Mayor David Dorman has announced that he is endorsing Commissioner Jaynes’ candidacy.

Although Commissioner Jaynes intended not to run, several issues prompted him to reconsider. “First, the challenges of the recent county bond election, and secondly, my appointment to the Regional Transportation Council. Working with the RTC, I have developed many good working relationships and I feel that my experience will benefit both Collin County and the region especially as we move into the appropriation phase of the SH 121 toll revenues,” Jaynes stated.

“We also believe that we need to have continuity in leadership. We have a new county judge, Commissioner (Jack) Hatchell does not plan to run for reelection and Commissioner (Phyllis) Cole indicates that she will be stepping down after another term. With the issues that Collin County and this region are facing our citizens deserve an experienced court,” Dorman said.

“Joe and I are loyal Republicans,” says Mayor Dorman. We both agree that to be most effective, we must continue in our current positions. Joe should continue to represent the county through the Commissioners’ Court as I will continue to represent the city of Melissa as Mayor.”

Commissioner Jaynes represents Collin County on the Regional Transportation Council and Mayor Dorman serves as a member of the board of directors to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Both committees determine the major transportation projects that will be funded and constructed throughout the region. Commissioner Jaynes is also a member of the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition.

“Transportation is paramount in Collin County,” says Commissioner Jaynes. “Last year we added more cars than we did people. We should also realize that transportation does not include just roads; we should also be planning for mass transit as well. This is why it is important for all of us to continue to work together.”

“For this reason, Joe should continue on course, and I will withdraw from this election in order to support Joe in his position. We do this jointly because it is the right thing to do for Collin County,” says Mayor Dorman.

“I would like to thank all the people who have supported me in this campaign and say how much I appreciate the members of my campaign committee for all the hard work they have done. And, I would ask all of my supporters to support Joe,” says Mayor Dorman.

“I would like to thank Mayor Dorman for his support and for his friendship. I plan to always work hard and to thank you--the citizens of Collin County--for allowing me to serve. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, and I will continue to provide our citizens with the best customer service I can offer,” says Jaynes.


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www.joejaynes.com.

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