Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Thank You For Your Support

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped me with my campaign for Plano ISD School Board Trustee. Without your help, I would not have been as successful in such a contested race.

When I first started my campaign, I would tell a story about the first time I ran for office. Not a real public office, but in 8th grade I ran for President of Student Council. I lost to the prettiest girl in school. I learned that day that politics is more than handing out candy for votes. Since then I had not run for any other office until now, but I sure have learned a lot. Although I was not successful in my campaign, I believe that I ran a good and honest race. I stuck to the issues that I have come to believe are important to voters and parents in Plano ISD based on both my personal beliefs and concerns voiced to me by the the many people I spoke to during the campaign season.

Emerson once wrote "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail."

Heeding Emerson words, I will continue my pursuit to improve Plano schools where I can. One of projects I have in the works is a Plano ISD parent activist watchdog group to keep the pressure on the school district around issues such as curriculum, grading policies, fiscal accountability and transparency. I may not have won this election, but I consider this just the beginning. I will continue to be involved in local, county, and state politics.
In one of my favorite quotes, Theodore Roosevelt gives encouragement to me and all those that dare to make a difference in the world.

"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

Thank you, again, for your support with my campaign.

Steve

Monday, May 4, 2009

Campaign Conservatives, Legislative Liberals

Aren’t we all tired of those establishment politicians that will say anything to get elected? When I promise that I will never vote to raise your taxes, I mean it. It’s time to elect someone that will do what they promise no matter how unpopular it is with the other school board members.

Tomorrow is the last day of early voting, Election Day is this Saturday, May 9th. Vote for Steve!






Vote for Steve!

Two Texans You Can Count On



Me with Jerry Patterson, Texas Land Commissioner


http://www.votepatterson.com/

http://www.glo.state.tx.us/about/commissioner.html

Friday, May 1, 2009

Consider Character

I have the honor of calling Steve Navarre my friend. I’ve known Steve since he was a Freshman at Texas A&M. When I heard he was running for the Plano ISD School Board, I was not surprised. He’s passionate about his kids and their future, just as his mom was about him as he was growing up. I know Steve would not sit still and watch his sons’ school district struggle with challenges without feeling compelled to find solutions. That’s just who Steve is, and who he has always been.

Steve's character was apparent the first time I met him. He’d already served his country in the Army at that young age. His love of family was evident. He talked about his saintly mother, showing maturity beyond his years by recognizing her sacrifices. He also talked about his younger brother, Joe. Joe was severely crippled by a rare form of arthritis that left him confined to a wheel chair. You would not know this until you met Joe, because Steve never mentioned that. He’d just say he was leaving for home to help his brother who was ill. Steve’s mom and Steve made many personal sacrifices to make Joe’s life brighter. And I bring this up not because I think others would not do the same, but because Steve went above and beyond what it would take to simply be a great big brother. The bond between the boys was strong, and Joe could find no one more dedicated to him than Steve, save his mother.

Sadly, Joe lost his battle with his disease and passed away on September 9th, 2001. Steve was working as a consultant and had a meeting in New York City in the Merrill Lynch Building (what we today know as WTC Building 5) scheduled for 9 o’clock, September 11th. Joe’s death saved Steve’s life. I know Steve. He would have thrown himself into service pulling others from the World Trade Center. That’s the kind of person he is. He never shrinks from service or a challenge, despite hardships it may bring him. I feel very strongly that in death Joe was able to save Steve and give him the gift of life as repayment for all the love and sacrifices Steve made during Joe’s short life.

Steve has other admirable qualities. He carries with him a strong work ethic from a grandmother who worked in a canning plant to provide for her family. When she was assured that her son was provided for, she put herself through school so she could work in the aerospace industry. She recognized the importance of education and hard work. Steve feels compelled to honor that tradition and sees the Plano ISD as a place in need of his dedication.

Steve is a strong Conservative, in the tradition of the founders of our great country. He believes in service. He sees the school board trustee as a way to serve students and the citizens financially supporting Plano ISD. He is creative in his problem solving, looking for creative ways to do more with less. This is what he has done professional for years with positive results. He is both approachable and thoughtful, treating everyone with respect yet not shrinking from his convictions. In short, Steve is a gentleman who would prove an excellent steward of the trust Plano ISD parents and tax payers would place in him.

On May 9th, consider character. Choose someone who is driven to serve not driving to claim a perceived entitlement. Plano ISD needs someone whose character shines through and whose heart is in it for the good of Plano ISD and it’s taxpayers. My friend Steve Navarre is that man. Please support him in his bid to serve his community with the passion he brings to everything he does. Plano ISD deserves someone of Steve Navarre’s caliber. Please get out the vote. Each person makes a difference.

Kevin Myers
Texas A&M Class of 1992

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Open Letter to Voters

Sometimes it is hard to remember the people that you meet at functions. There is the whole “hi, how are you? Nice to meet you. I’m whoever, with whatever.” Then you get to hear the other person introduce themselves and a cordial meet-and-greet style conversation about how you ended up where ever it is that you currently are ensues. If you are lucky, you manage to hang on to a couple of key elements of the conversation so that when you happen to run into them again you can at least remember their name. But occasionally, you will meet someone that stands out in your mind for one reason or another. That person is easily recognizable. This could be due to their name, or how they look, or if you are truly lucky, it is what they had to say while you were talking with them.

This is the thing that stood out to me most when I first met Steve Navarre. We started out our conversation as things usually go. Then we got to talking about our political views since we were standing at the Collin County Republicans Men Club monthly meeting waiting for things to get started so we could listen to Mike Williams’ informative speech that he gave to us later that evening. Steve starts telling me about why he is running for Plano ISD School Board. He is fired-up about bringing accountability to the Board of Trustees. He and I talked about how most folks don’t even realize how much of their tax money actually goes to the ISD. It is staggering if you think about it. He talked to me about trimming Bond spending to just include things that needed to be financed for long-term use such as new buildings and not things like new paint jobs or computers that will be outdated next year. He was passionate about being involved in deciding how a District that his children will attend for years to come will be run. It bothered him deeply that there was a true lack of fiscal conservatism. “This is OUR money being spent” he told me. He was excited about his plan to bring new technology trades to area schools that had been classified by many local residents as below the standard that Plano area citizens deserved and longed for. By the time we were done talking, I wanted to vote for him and I don’t even live in his District.

It was refreshing to meet someone as passionate about doing what is right for the citizens instead of what will serve to further his personal political career as I am. It was also great to meet an individual that has no fear to be the lone voice of reasoning in a society that has grown accustom to going with the flow instead of against the grain if necessary to do what is right. So, although our conversation was short it was insightful. All this and he was only a candidate. Then I traveled to Collin County Days in Austin and our paths crossed again. I got to see how he was taking his message straight to our Legislators. I thought, surely not right? He is ONLY A CANDIDATE RIGHT NOW. That didn’t faze Navarre. After traveling to Austin of his own accord to represent our County, he was not going to waste an opportunity to get his message out to anyone that would listen. I was fascinated.

This type of conviction and passion for doing what needs to be done in these tough economic times are two of the many reasons that I support Steve Navarre in his run for Plano ISD Trustee. Vote early and take all your friends with you. Don’t give up. Steve isn’t.

Wylie City Councilman David Goss

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Sprinting to the Finish Line

Early voting has started and the numbers are promising for a record turnout this election. In 2 days of voting that have been reported, over 1200 voters have cast their votes. While my opponents have stopped campaigning, I will not stop until 6:59pm on May 9th. There are still 10 days left till Election Day. We are sprinting to the finish line and I ask for your continued help if we are to win this election.

I still need help with the following:

· Making phone calls to voters. I have lists of high priority voters broke into 100 named voters and a script for those interested.


· Walking neighborhoods. I will be walking neighborhoods every weekday evening between 5:30 and 8:30, this Saturday from 9:00am to 8:30pm this Sunday 1:00pm – 8:30pm


· Making sure everyone you know has a yard sign. We dropped out 30 signs yesterday alone. If the storms have damaged them, we will replace it.


· Emailing everyone you know from your family and friends to your church group to get out the vote.


· Poll greeters. On Election Day, some people will be going to vote for city council but might not have followed the school board race. One person at the poll with a sign and a smile could make the difference.


· Make sure you and your family vote.


With your help, we can win this election.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Another Great Weekend Talking to Voters

I spent a lot of time this weekend talking to voters across Plano ISD from Richardson to Murphy to Far West Plano. I had a team of dedicated supporters helping me and we had fun even though we spent a lot of time walking. We'll be back out talking to voters every day until Election Day. Come join us spread the word.

I had to share some of the highlights with you.


We try to have fun with the campaign

We had fun at Dickeys'!


My boys Steven and Chris with me at the
PSA Candidate "Meet and Greet"