‘Vote yes’ campaign signs violated code

Panel: Signs supporting new police station not identified as political advertising.

About 1,500 backpacks with school supplies were handed out to Bastrop school district students Saturday during the annual Back to School Bash at Memorial Stadium. Organizations were showcased on and off the field at the event. All of the backpacks were handed out within an hour. School will begin Monday.

The Texas Ethics Commission has determined that signs promoting a new police station in a bond election this year were in violation of state election code because they were not identified as political advertising.

During the May election, the signs were placed at several heavily trafficked locations in Lakeway. “Vote yes on Prop. 1,” they read.

Voters narrowly approved the sale of a $23 million bond to fund the construction of a new police station.

The signs included the name of Bob Stubbs, chairman of the political action committee “Citizens for a Better Police Facility.” But the signs did not include a disclaimer explicitly stating they were political advertising. Resident Tiffany McMillan, who ran for a seat on City Council and lost, filed a complaint to the ethics commission.

The penalty for the technical noncompliance was not stiff — the commission requested that Stubbs sign an agreement to “fully and strictly comply with this requirement of law.” Stubbs signed an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance on July 19.

In a phone interview, Stubbs said he was not the person who ordered the signs. Volunteer City Treasurer Dave DeOme and others asked him to chair the PAC, Stubbs said. DeOme did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment.

“We garnered support and educated the people, and we raised some funds from people around the community interested in supporting this particular effort,” Stubbs said. “I helped them find a treasurer and get things set up, and they put me down as chairman.”

When pressed on who was responsible for the signs, Stubbs said, “I’m not going to get involved with anything else anymore. I’m tired of this.”

Stubbs, a Spicewood resident, is also the president of the Lakeway Police Foundation board, which he said was kept separate from the campaign efforts.

Wade Tom Robinson, registered as the treasurer for Citizens for a Better Police Facility PAC, said he was not aware of who ordered the signs.

FOR BASTROP ADVERTISER PHOTOS BY FRAN HUNTER / Siblings Miguel and Joseline Blanco show off the backpacks they received Saturday at the Back to School Bash.

Jeremiah Almaguer (from left), Elena Gomez and Carolina Almaguer look through the books that were available at the event. School will begin Monday in the district.