The "Response" Without Answers!

by Ron West

    This is going to be a rough campaign season.  Tim Welch's appointee (and John Lewis campaign treasurer) fires unfounded allegations against the challengers and now, Councilman John Lewis "bends" the facts to serve his needs.  Let's look at his "response" just published in LNO.  Quotes are followed by actual facts with documentation:

"Ron West continually implies that no council person resounded to his concerns on budget matters prior to approval. This is consistent with his pattern of distortions and half truths."

FACT:  City Officials were publicly asked to "explain" these slush funds on 3/05/05, but no response has been received as of 3/21/05!   This is the exact wording on this website.  There is no reference to prior "responses".  The open question avoided by Mr. Lewis is the astounding $4,843,134 that was hidden in the budget and was not anywhere to be seen prior to the passage of the budget.  Without information, I couldn't have even questioned this slush fund.  As to half truths, if there is a pattern, look for it in his statement.

"Also, I am aware that our City Manager wrote West on the illegalities regarding many of West’s recommended cuts to the budget."

FACT:  I would like to see a copy of any letter indicating that anything I suggested was in any way "illegal".

“Government accounting is quite different from private accounting. It took me some time during my first year as a councilman to get comfortable with the difference even though I am a degreed accountant.”

FACT:   “This is a repetition of the city’s position that no citizen is qualified to criticize what they could not possibly understand.”  As an accountant, we would have expected you to have a lot of questions on expenditures of this size.  Did you ask any questions on this slush fund?


"There is little reason to wonder why his constant barrage of charges are not frequently rebutted, however I guess that is part of his strategy of intimidation."

FACT:  Notice that he admits that there is virtually no rebuttal to anything written on the NRHOnline Website.  Secondly, I wonder how I could have a "strategy of intimidation" if the city was actually operating within the law and doing what is best for the citizens?  Open government would go a long way to help the situation.

"West ... continue(s) to accuse the City of maintaining a “Slush Fund” of $4,843,134 to be used at the whim of our City Manager. As discussed in my opening remark, Government Fund Accounting is much different than private accounting. I see this difference as well at Tarrant County College while instructing new personnel how to navigate in the accounting software program used by TCC."

FACT:  I am still waiting for an explanation of the $4,843,134 slush fund despite my ignorance of the city's very difficult to understand accounting practices.  In fact, I would like to actually get a response for the entire $15,797,279 that has been spent in these two NON-departments during Mr. Lewis' tenure on the Council. 

"I have requested our city manager to provide all council members the detail in both departments to dispel the charges which Christopher and West continue to spew out. Anticipating this information will be shared with them by their chosen councilmember, Nancy Bielik, I eagerly await their next volley."

QUESTION:  Did Mr. Lewis know about the slush fund?  If not, would that be classified as careless or irresponsible?  Surely the voters should expect our Council members to question carefully the spending of 20.9% of all property taxes shouldn't they? 

    Well Mr. Lewis, this is the "next volley".  The citizens of NRH are still awaiting real answers to real questions.   If there are distortions and half-truths anywhere, you might want to look carefully at what you are writing.  When you publish such information, you should always expect the citizens you serve to question you. 

    You might also want to let the public know if Mr. Sapp, is a spokesman for your campaign.

    If you choose to either write a response or to truly address the issues facing our city, I would welcome your response.  If you would simply like to address the issues listed on this website in your own words, I will publish your exact words without interspersed comments.  If you would like to respond to the request regarding the slush fund, that would also be welcome. 

    Fact is, however, your response is not a response at all, rather a campaign article without any answers at all.