A lot goes into election season, especially understanding ballot measures. https://www.reformaustin.org/texas-legislature/whats-on-the-ballot-8-texas-constitutional-amendments-for-2021-explained/
- Proposition 1 (HJR 143): Rodeos can conduct charitable raffles
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HJR143
- Proposition 2 (HJR 99): Counties can issue bonds for infrastructure and transportation projects in undeveloped and blighted areas. Also unable to promise more than 65% of tax revenue to bond repayment. Still pretty steep.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HJR99
- Proposition 3 (SJR 27): Ensures religious institutions aren't closed by legal structure.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SJR27
- Proposition 4 (SJR 47): Change in requirements for State Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, Justice of a Court of Appeals, and District Judge. Must be US & TX resident, unsure how that wasn't previously covered, but here we are. Must be a TX resident for 10+ years, practicing law, 8+ for lower courts. Candidates with a revoked license are banned. Extremely confused how this wasn't always a thing. Goes into effect 1 JAN 2025.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SJR47
Proposition 5 (HJR 165): Ensures sitting judges, as well as candidates, are held to the same standards during the election. Could go either way, I simply lack background on the issue.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HJR165
Proposition 6 (SJR 19): Ensures folks in care facilities have a designated person ALWAYS permitted to visit them. Essentially gives people the right to not die alone. BIG win for human rights, especially that of the elderly who are ALWAYS abused in a system nearly as bad as with children.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SJR19
Proposition 7 (HJR 125): Expands the Homestead Tax Exemption and School District Tax exemption for Surviving spouses of Disabled Veterans over 55. Texas loves them some veterans, though I think that might be a bit far. I won't complain so long as someone is getting out of taxes. My goal is to see everyone get out of taxes, but I'm unsure how reasonable that is.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HJR125
Proposition 8 (SJR 35):
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SJR35
- City tax increase proposal to .5298 per $100/value. To maintain the same revenue we would decrease to .4897. To boost revenue and require voter approval we would be looking at .5846.
Zip Fizz, get some!
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LBRY/Odysee: https://odysee.com/@Devine_Independence:7
Proposition 2 is a load of expensive crap, vote NO.
https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_Proposition_2,_Authorize_Counties_to_Issue_Infrastructure_Bonds_in_Blighted_Areas_Amendment_(2021)
Go VOTE: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067184073562
Time to really get into crypto. Dollar-Cost Average or buy a bunch, I don't care anymore, just start using that instead of dollars anywhere you can.
Start getting more sustainable, while supplies last.
Come join us today.
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LBRY/Odysee: https://odysee.com/@Devine_Independence:7
CoinMarketCap: https://coinmarketcap.com/
PirateChain: https://pirate.black/
Coinex: https://www.coinex.com/register?refer_code=e7usw
Coinbase: coinbase.com/join/ritche_93?src=android-link
Devine: http://cityofdevine.org/
Get a copy of the District map online: http://cityofdevine.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1068/2018/04/Council-District-2010.jpg
Devine City Codes & Ordinance: http://cityofdevine.org/city-ordinances/
- Keys to success
1) Return phone calls
2) Show up when promised
3) Charge the agreed amount
Regardless of the quality of work, you'll be top 10%.
To be top, be clean, do good looking work.
- Backyard chickens
With the targeted and poorly enforced code, get Muscovy ducks. No sound, amazing meat, and they lay eggs.
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CoinMarketCap: https://coinmarketcap.com/
PirateChain: https://pirate.black/
Coinex: https://www.coinex.com/register?refer_code=e7usw
Coinbase: coinbase.com/join/ritche_93?src=android-link
Devine: http://cityofdevine.org/
Get a copy of the District map online: http://cityofdevine.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1068/2018/04/Council-District-2010.jpg
Devine City Codes & Ordinance: http://cityofdevine.org/city-ordinances/
- No critical thinking on the budget. Big shout out to District 1 and 5, Rufino 'Flipprr' Vega and Debbie Randall, respectively.
- Can't afford $60K to put in infrastructure for a developer. Unfortunately with the bloated budgets of so many city employees.
- 20-year string for Airport grant. An annual thing to get 50% reimbursement on all airport maintenance.
- Tax rate increased. Continuing to feed the beast. .5298 per $100 property value.
- Big push for code compliance, I hope you have a lot in savings. Once that starts, you are looking at $2K per infraction. People will begin losing their homes quickly if that comes to fruition. [Devine Municipal Code sec 18-266]
- Better tear down those sports signs, you might get a $2K fine for that. under Ordinance No. 11-99-2 – Sign Ordinance. If it's over 1 sq ft or a political sign more than 45 days prior to the election, you are in violation. You get a single 1 sq ft sign flat, attached to your home, with your family name. What is this Mayberry in 1940? 5-173 need to permit small conservative, unlit signage, in order to be in accordance with current social norms in the town.
- Subdivision Ordinance [pg 12] inhibits the sort of growth we need in this city, making it difficult for house construction, while still discouraging animals. sec 206.01 para 10 only authorizes the city to plat up to 6 lots per parcel. Repeal that to the max extent the State allows.
- Remove minimum lot size requirements to only meet setback standards.
- Allow more narrow, one-way streets to enable to development of some oddly shaped properties.
- Good luck with the rest. The city does not have much posted online, you just have to find out when they give you a notice. I will say they are very good about giving ample warning before issuing a fine, but they lack any specificity.
- Performance standards and speed humps
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CoinMarketCap: https://coinmarketcap.com/
PirateChain: https://pirate.black/
Coinex: https://www.coinex.com/register?refer_code=e7usw
Coinbase: coinbase.com/join/ritche_93?src=android-link
Devine: http://cityofdevine.org/
Get a copy of the District map online: http://cityofdevine.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1068/2018/04/Council-District-2010.jpg
Devine City Codes & Ordinance: http://cityofdevine.org/city-ordinances/
Tax Hikes and Government Spending as we prepared for a battle this week.
If you think billionaires self-funding space travel is a waste of money, look at the government!
County rates increasing to .0886, No-New Revenue would be .0859 for Emergency Service District #2. Tax rate dropped 6.54%, the actual amount up 14.04%. 3.91% increase on all property overall. County requires a vote, the City of Devine does not.
- Devine water treatment needs new pumps.
- City is budgeting for emergency backup pumps for the water supply.
- Streets are being paved, Karens & Kens still complaining.
- City is dirty, few will do anything but complain. This is bringing together the do'ers to make real change happen.
- I am NOT running for City Council.
- Richard Hutchins broke artist, big surprise, suffered from bail laws. 2 years in jail, just to be found innocent.
Come join us today.
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Welcome to the show, episode 1.
Who we are:
Josh is a military veteran, internet hobbyist, and farmer with a passion for driving government policy towards freedom.
Michelle is a former military spouse and family educator, who believes in rugged individualism and self-reliance. She is an avid reader and student of freedom principles and self-improvement.
Why are we here?
We firmly believe in working together, building a strong community, and building sufficiency and freedom together. We believe Devine and the surrounding area is ripe for freedom-minded people to come together to drag the city and county to freedom, kicking and screaming if need be. New Hampshire's free state project is great, but we have more jobs and more affordable land, plus we're already Texas.
Crypto and freedom?
The mere concept of revolution is poorly thought of by anyone spouting it. That being said, the government is inept and has no care for our freedoms as they drain us of every taxable dollar. Crypto allows us to interact transparently or privately without that outside interference, but also still pay our taxes to stay out of club Fed. Think more about it as a way of building more freedom and independence in your own life, while creating a parallel economy that avoids violence.
Devine's demographics leave a big opportunity for our freedom and self-sufficiency-minded folks to drive it away from Mayberry and towards a strong self-sufficient community. Come join us today.
Why Self-Reliance?
-Personal Responsibility:
“As human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values.”-Stephen Covey
What is the proper role of government? And what does it have to do with personal responsibility and self-reliance?
- Why do people need to act so crazy for the likes? https://www.facebook.com/801533023293160/posts/4277627052350389/
- Grassroots movements always co-opted and destroyed. https://youtu.be/y1RuhF9iTMc
-Macrosystem Vs Microsystems
Infrastructure bill example of Microsystems affected by macrosystem.
-Mileage tax how will that affect our Microsystem (personal lives)
- possible solutions
American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America - https://amzn.to/3jSx8ZG
- City council is set to resume live streaming. We'll see how that goes as they can't get the sound system to work properly as it is and half of the council members in addition to the public simply refuse to use a microphone as though it were a sign of weakness.
- Devine Fall festival 4-6 November. This is absolutely spectacular for bringing together a small community and costs the city very little as simply enables businesses to actively participate in the revenue and community without government intervention. 1 day a year where the government gets out of the way.
General concerns surround the arbitrary and subjective measure placed here, which enables the inequitable application of the regulation. This section is completely arbitrary and should be adjusted to address odor, excessive noise, and property damage, which I believe are the core purpose the policy seeks to address. This also includes some feedback I have garnered from other new neighbors like myself, who moved out here in hopes of doing small-scale in-town ag. I have garnered feedback from several neighbors as I sought to provide the best answer to several viewpoints within the city. I will say that those folks were very concerned about speaking up due to the fear of reprisal from code enforcement. Many have sought me out after my debacle with Debbie Randall.
Code: CD14:5, Sec 14-4
(1) Edit to only include large animals such as cattle and horses, which require large scale land.
Livestock shall be kept on a parcel of land that is equipped with enough mulch, wood shavings, or other carbon sources adequate to control odor and dust.
These address smell and the city has a free mulch pile to minimize cost for low-income community members.
(2) Edit sub-bullets. Many people feed grain rather than grazing animals, which requires considerably less space.
a. Horses, cattle, and other large livestock require a minimum of 4500 sq/ft if fed grain and hay solely. If animals are fed forage, a minimum of 1.5 acres per animal is required. (https://horses.extension.org/how-much-land-do-i-need-for-a-horse/) This addresses dust, but still enables those interested and able to have the animals they desire.
b. Any animal with a Body Condition Score of 2 or below is prohibited without a documented remedy plan, with a completion date in under 3 months. https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/body-condition-scoring-of-beef-cows.html This ensures we don't have sickly animals degrading perception and visibility around town, in addition, to directly addressing animal cruelty.
(3) Remove 50' and replace with, 'outside owner's property unless explicitly permitted, in writing by homeowner".
(7) Domestic fowl must have
a. a minimum of 1.5 sq/ft housing space.
b. A documented manure management plan
c. Domestic fowl making significant noise to include roosters and peacocks will be permitted with the written consent of adjacent neighbors. This documentation is to be maintained by the fowl owner.
d. Fowl will be contained so as to avoid the creation of a nuisance.
e. Fowl will have a minimum of 3 sq/ft open outdoor access
f. Outdoor areas will have adequate carbon material to mitigate odor or space will be moved daily to ensure odor does not become a nuisance.
(8) Any nuisance identified and brought to the owner's attention must be brought into compliance within 7 business days.
14-6. Add "No uncontrolled domesticated cats or dogs are permitted and must be reported to animal control within 3 days or face penalty of $10 per day, per uncontrolled animal"
- Implement horizontal mixed-use zoning across the city.
- Remove minimum lot size requirements.
Come join us today.
Flote: https://flote.app/user/Joshr
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LBRY/Odysee: https://odysee.com/@Devine_Independence:7
CoinMarketCap: https://coinmarketcap.com/
PirateChain: https://pirate.black/
Coinex: https://www.coinex.com/register?refer_code=e7usw
Coinbase: coinbase.com/join/ritche_93?src=android-link
Devine: http://cityofdevine.org/
Get a copy of the District map online: http://cityofdevine.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1068/2018/04/Council-District-2010.jpg
Devine City Codes & Ordinance: http://cityofdevine.org/city-ordinances/
- Voting started 18 Oct - 28 Oct. George S Wood Community Center 200 E Hondo Ave. Get out there and vote. Oct 25, 27 & 29; 9AM - 2PM
- TX SB 1 looking for a 6.2% increase in County Property taxes for schools. Until we get a voucher system that allows parents to take their kids where they want, this is insane. It's not paying teachers anymore, just increasing bureaucracy in the administrative staff. Reach out to your representative if you're in TX
Come join us today.
Flote: https://flote.app/user/Joshr
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRnMAVurdF_eDOxs8NBDiMA
LBRY/Odysee: https://odysee.com/@Devine_Independence:7
CoinMarketCap: https://coinmarketcap.com/
PirateChain: https://pirate.black/
Coinex: https://www.coinex.com/register?refer_code=e7usw
Coinbase: coinbase.com/join/ritche_93?src=android-link
Devine: http://cityofdevine.org/
Get a copy of the District map online: http://cityofdevine.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1068/2018/04/Council-District-2010.jpg
Devine City Codes & Ordinance: http://cityofdevine.org/city-ordinances/