Important elections are coming up May 14, 2011 for the Italy and Milford communities. Italy voters have crucial decisions to make in both the mayoral and school board elections as well as a proposition. In Milford there are two council positions needing to be filled.

Election day will be Saturday, May 14, from 7:00am to 7:00pm with early voting beginning on Monday, May 2nd.

Early Voting Schedule:

Polling Locations (for both election day and early voting):

• Italy City Hall-105 West Main Street, Italy
• Milford City Hall- 100 S. Main Street, Milford

Italy Election Items:

• Mayor
  • Incumbent candidate Mr. Franky Jackson
  • Candidate Mr. Nik Kinze

• Proposition:
  The reauthorization of the local sales and use tax in the City of Italy, Texas, at the rate of one-fourth of one percent to continue providing revenue for maintenance and repair of municipal streets. (For or Against)

• Italy ISD School Board (2 seats)
  • Incumbent Candidate Mr. Paul Cockerham
  • Candidate Mr. Mark Stiles
  • Candidate Mr. David B. South
  • Candidate Mr. Erick Thompson

Note: City Council candidates Mr. Rodney Guthrie and Mr. Mark Souder, Sr. where unopposed and therefore declared elected.

Milford Election Items:

• City Council (2 positions)
  • Incumbent Candidate Ms. Carrie Wallace
  • Candidate Mr. Bobby Cooper
  • Candidate Mr. Doug Davis
  • Candiate Ms. PJ Leible

By clicking Italy mayoral and school board candidates name’s you will be forwarded to their submitted questionnaire published earlier in the Italy Neotribune. At publish time for this article questionnaires had not been received for mayoral incumbent Mr. Franky Jackson and Italy School Board incumbent Mr. Paul Cockerham. If received we will publish.

^{Editors Note: Added link to Paul Cockerham’s questionnaire 4/29/11}

Comment from John R. Droll 4/25/11 – 1:47pm

I hope the majority of citizens realize the importance of voting FOR the continuance of the 1/4 cent sales and use tax that goes towards maintenance of our current streets. This money cannot be used for new streets but only for upkeep of our current ones.

While I’d be surprised if the businesses out on the interstate don’t see as many customers each weekend to equal our population, those quarter cents add up over a year and give us additional funds to do routine maintenance. I know we pay that tax also, but it sure is nice to see the parking lot and spaces full of customers from out of town.

You can gripe about taxes and our streets, and I’ve done my share of that, but I believe Dean Carrell, our Director of Public Works, is doing a great job keeping up with quite a few things that have exceeded their normal life expectancy and haven’t received the attention they should have over the years, due to no fault of his.

I believe we citizens made a wise decision when we voted for this 1/4 cent and the additonal 1/4 sales tax. We need to continue to be wise.

John R. Droll