Martin Luther King Day
Monday, January 21, 2008

DR. KING: "WE'VE COME A LONG, LONG WAY..."
As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy today, it is fitting to mark the significant progress we have made toward securing equal rights for every citizen since he gave his life.

Like many, I owe more than I can express to the courage he showed and the standard he set for the kind of sustained public service that makes a lasting difference in people's lives.


"... BUT WE STILL HAVE A WAY TO GO."
No matter how far we've come, Dr. King said, we still have a way to go.

I first visited the Travis County Tax Office during the time when Dr. King was marching for everyone's right to vote, and I held my grandmother's hand as she paid her poll tax. That experience helps inform my work to build the best county tax office in Texas, free from politics and marked by professionalism. And I think my grandmother would be proud of the job I've done.


YOU CAN HELP US GET THERE
Again this year, your professional county tax office has achieved the best tax collection rate in all of Texas -- 99 percent of the resources owed to fund your public schools, public health, and public safety.

No politics. No favoritism. No secret agenda. Just steady leadership through changing times.

We've come a long, long way.

And if you agree I've done the job you hired me to do, I would appreciate your financial support and your vote this election. Early voting starts February 19. Election Day is March 4.

Sincerely,
Nelda Wells Spears