12/01/04  Stop Operating in a Bubble

I have been reading about The Second Street retail and living/entertainment district in Downtown Austin, which will further enhance the city's downtown area.  I have also been following the success of San Antonio in attracting large companies like Toyota, and the start of the revitalization of south San Antonio (which is very similar to South Dallas in terms of crime and income demographics). And we know how Houston?s downtown is now very vibrant and teeming with business.

Somehow, our sister cities seem to get it done when it comes to planning and revitalization.  It didn?t take some string bridges from a European designer that will replace bridges that only need repairs.

As I said before, we should STOP TRYING TO TURN DALLAS INTO VEGAS.   THIS IS TEXAS.

It didn?t take "free" studies from consultants that are tied into the Downtown Landowners, and it didn?t take council members and the Mayor getting into preplanned shouting matches! 

My guess is that you have people in office who possess a worldview that reaches beyond their neighborhoods and their personal interests and petty beefs. 

It?s about time that our mayor and the Dallas city council stop operating in a bubble and travel to other cities, with no more than a pen and pad, and learn something for a change.

I'm 31, and I get it.  Why don't my elected elders?