Voting and Position Documentation for Trasa Robertson Cobern

I would like to apologize to the Republicans of Tarrant County. I failed you. At our recent Executive Committee meeting our County Chair Tim O'Hare appointed Trasa Roberts Cobern as a county vice chair to chair our Outreach Committee. This appointment required a ratifying vote from the entire Executive Committee. None of us knew ahead of time that this woman was being appointed.

I was one of a handful of committee members who knew who this woman is. (Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing personally against Trasa. I went to school with her husband Kyle back in the '80's and from my experience with her she is a very nice lady.) However I have also followed her voting record on the Hurst City Council, and am otherwise familiar with, and have documentation of, her political positions. Trasa is a public school teacher who regularly supports the teachers union talking points against our platform. She supports red light cameras. She voted to extend a juvenile curfew that would affect home schoolers. She voted in favor of a law against using hand held electronic devices while driving. She voted to regulate lenders. She voted for several ordinances to regulate how people can use their own property, including an ordinance against a person parking their own car in their own driveway unless the car has current license plate, registration and inspection. She voted to increase the tax rate and she has never voted 'no' to a single spending proposal. Moreover it has been widely rumored that this person was considering running against conservative hero Jonathan Stickland for State Representative of HD 92.

I should have taken action at the meeting but instead I was like a deer in the headlights, in disbelief about what Tim was doing. Most of the rest of the EC knew nothing about this woman except that Tim was presenting her as ideal for the job. With no debate or discussion the vote was taken, and I was one of a handful of persons to vote "no". (Again, Trasa is a nice person, but her publicly stated views and voting record do *not* reflect the core party values of our Party Platform. She is not well suited to chair a committee in our party.)

Tim either failed to effectively vet this appointee, or he knew her views and record and appointed her anyway. Neither of these is good. But for my failure I take responsibility. I must learn the rules and be more effective in the future.

As requested by many, here is my documentation:

Trasa on Red Light Cameras:

On Feb. 9th 2016 while Trasa was running for Hurst City Council, I asked her about her position on Red Light Cameras.  She responded "I believe in obeying current laws, so red light cameras are a non-event to me if they are the law."

Trasa excited to take her Students to Liberal events:

Trasa was very psyched to be able to take students to two events featuring Liberal jornalist Bob Woodward and Liberal Supreme Court Justice, Clinton Appointee Stephen Breyer.  She thanks the liberal Globalist World Affairs Council (George Soros group) for the tickets.  (Aug. 30 2016)

 Trasa on Radical Islamic Terrorism:

On June 4th 2017 Trasa reacted to the terrorist attack in London by buying a T-Shirt that presents a false sense of equivalency between Christianity, Islam and Judaism:

Trasa and Teachers Union

Trasa supports the Teachers Union ("Association") using the State to collect its dues On March 31st 2017 she  posted:

Trasa Opposed Tax Relief Bill (SB 2) in the 85th Session (A Priority Platform Item)

Trasa: Tax Borrow and Spend

When I asked Trasa her position on the growing city debt on Feb. 9th, 2016 when she was running for City Council, she said "[I am] Opposed to proliferate spending, the city needs to tighten up. Just because you have money doesn't mean you should wildly spend it."

But once in office, Trasa never voted against a single spending proposal, not even once.  

And on Sept. 13th 2016 Trasa voted to increase the property tax rate

More of Trasa's Hurst City Council Voting Record:
 

 June 28th 2016 Voted in favor of a juvenile curfew that would affect home schoolers.

July 12th 2016 Voted in favor of a ban on using a handheld device while driving.

Sept. 27th 2016 made motion to raise the effective property tax rate by 6.7 percent and then voted for this tax increase.

Oct. 11th 2016 Voted to regulate lenders.

Oct 25th 2016 Voted on an ordinance to penalize people for parking their own vehicles on their own property without current license plate, registration and state inspection

Oct. 25th 2016 Voted to regulate the height of tree branches.

Oct. 25th 2016 Voted to regulate "dead trees" on private property.

Oct. 25th 2016 voted yes on Local Control Resolution 

Her Voting Record is Online Here:

Hurst City Council Minutes 2016 Click Here

Hurst City Council Minutes 2017 Click Here