Fighting for the heart of The Woodlands

To the editor:

We are fighting for the heart of The Woodlands. Yes, we all plead, don't clear cut our trees. Please, we say, do not add traffic to Woodlands Parkway. Yes, we resent the intrusions of county commissioners and special interests trying to commandeer our streets and dipping into our tax dollars. Yes, we wonder about these tangibles, but this election goes even beyond all that. There are people running to control the township for special interests. Their candidates have been clearly identified as the straw man or woman for the developer, for the EDP, for the banks, for the lawyers, for outside developers, for our intrusive county commissioners. It's not about incorporation; it is about control. We are in a race, and the one who wins owns The Woodlands for the next 40 years.

The fiefdom perpetrators are in panic mode because their worst fear is emerging like a hurricane. Those eight villages might actually choose self-governance and merge eight villages into a city in the foreseeable future, with a citizen-led government controlling its own destiny, and with a solidity not seen since the Roman Legions. The feudal lords and their knaves don't want to be hamstrung by city ordinances that will control their developments, stop construction of roads through our city, and demands for 100 percent of the county services that we currently overpay. The residents of The Woodlands are fighting for the heart of The Woodlands. We need to fight, through our votes and by supporting our like-minded candidates who support residents. It is again time to fight back, as we did in defeating the extension of Woodlands Parkway with 83 percent of the vote. They are not giving up easily. Bringing in rowdies from Las Vegas, screaming about bogus 70 percent taxes, spending big money on ads, direct mail, and who knows what else they have up their sleeve before Election Day – maybe skywriting - "Surrender Gordy" blazoned across the sky? We see different faces on their candidates this year, but they come with the same preservation tactics on their mind. They are not interested in preservation of our trees, roads, and quality of life. Most of them arrive with their strings firmly attached and pulled by the same old master profiteers and organizations and a person who will forever be the Benedict Arnold of The Woodlands who has shamefully put ego, greed, and vengeance before the well-being of 112,000 people.

Long before 2057, there will be highways named Gosling, Branch Crossing and Woodlands Parkway crisscrossing our community. Concrete, glass and steel will replace trees – have you seen their namesake Hughes Landing with a token tree here and there? Do you want to make history? Then vote for each of the independent Residents' Advocate candidates who will bring you the opportunity to decide how and when we will institute self-governance as an independent city. While they are studying the future, they will watch your taxes, township services and vote for your quality of life today and tomorrow. Vote for the only candidates who agree with your position – Gordy Bunch, Brian Boniface, John Anthony Brown and Bruce Rieser. But, most of all, vote with your heart for our hometown - The Woodlands.

Paul Lazzaro

The Woodlands