LULAC y Laura
                             

03/31/03  Thirty-Three Days --- But who's counting?

Well, me for one.  In a few weeks, several council seats will be determined, and a few will go to runoffs.  The Mayor's race is already over, and Laura Miller will be re-elected as our mayor.

Some city employee groups have let their hatred toward the Mayor determine their council endorsements.  If you are friends with the Mayor you're the enemy.  

That's not how it works with the voters.  A Miller endorsement makes a big difference to voters -- at least in my district.

Sunday, a friend was delivering yard signs for me when one voter just went ballistic.  Mind you, the voter is a long time acquaintance of my friend.  The voter said "No, I'm for the pretty one -- I want the pretty one."  Since my friend knows my opponent is a man (good looking guy, but not pretty), it wasn't a great leap to follow the voter was talking about the mayor's race.  The voter is a naturalized citizen from Italy.   I got a call about the situation and called the voter personally.  He admitted he saw "Boyd" and thought "Poss".  Sort of like "all blondes look alike."  The voter told me I could bring the sign back.  All things considered, I better deliver the sign to that voter myself.

Several volunteers and I are phone-banking.  About 1 out of 50 calls will produce a newly deceased voter, and a family member will answer the phone with the sad news.  It's hard to lose a good voter, but these things happen.  My favorite sad story came Saturday.  A lady answered a phone at a male voter's residence.  I asked for the voter, and she asked what I wanted.  When I told her it was about my city council campaign, she said "He's my brother.  He really likes to vote, but he's locked up right now." 

For a second or two, I thought she said "tied up right now".  Then she asked, if he could vote from jail.  I honestly don't know.  That may be where Joe Thug has to start harvesting votes if State Rep. Steve Wolens is successful in getting changes in the state law regulating that dirty business.  Those vote harvesters are getting pretty nervous about losing this lucrative business.  Not to worry, it won't come soon enough to keep it out of this city council race, but it might just protect us from Grandpa Jones when his ripoff goes before the voters next November.

Several interesting people have presented themselves for office.  District 10/Lake Highlands voters have the toughest choices of any district.  They must select either Bill Blaydes or Greg Holliday.  Blaydes has served on the Plan Commission and Board of Adjustment, and other boards.  He is a plain spoken, tough guy who says what he means and means what he says.  Former Asst. Police Chief Holliday knows what it takes to rebuild morale in our Police Department.  Thank goodness, DallasArena.com endorsed Blaydes before any other candidates surfaced, because this race is a  hard call, but a good call.  District 10 will have a good council representative regardless of the outcome.

James Fantroy, Lois Finkelman, Dr. Elba Garcia, Don Hill and Mitch Razansky are unopposed.

John Loza has 3 opponents in District 2:  Bill Dickerson, Billy McLeod and Dave Morrison.  Bill Dickerson is an East Dallas community leader, a rare citizen who frequently puts himself in harm's way to try to better our community.  Councilman Loza must be worried because my NW Dallas Precinct 1122 received his campaign mailer this weekend, a really nice, expensive looking mailer addressed by a mail-house.  We appreciate the attention, but my Precinct 1122 has never been in District 2, not under the old lines or the new district lines.  The current District 2 doesn't go north of Shorecrest (the road between Love Field and Bachman Lake).  To get to Precinct 1122 from District 2, you must jump over a whole precinct (which is split between Dist 6 and Dist. 2 and District 14).  Thanks to Joe Thug, Mad Max and the other wet noodles who supported the final plan out of the Redistricting Commission.  The Deputy Mayor Pro Tem must have some big $$ to spend to afford this kind of blunder.

District 3 has the dubious distinction of having two incumbents challenging each other: Mark Housewright and Ed Oakley.  Clair Woertendyke likely throws it all into a runoff.

District 4 has Dr. Maxine Thornton-Reese being challenged by Dwaine Caraway, who's wife former Councilwoman Barbara Mallory Caraway is managing his campaign.   

Councilman Leo Chaney has two opponents, one of whom is Marvin Crenshaw.  Not sure Dallas will ever be ready for Mr. Crenshaw as an elected official, but he certainly would keep the place rocking.   Say what you will, but Crenshaw has championed one cause or another for decades.  He absolutely does not care whether the cause is hopeless or attainable.  I don't know what the "Ebonics" phrase would be for an African-American Don Quixote, but Marvin Crenshaw will never stop tilting at windmills.  Don't scoff!  How do you think we got 14-1?

In District 9, Roxan Staff is in a 4-person race against Gary Griffith, Albert Turner and Cannon Flowers.  The winner will come from a runoff between Griffith and Staff.  Roxan Staff is endorsed by the Mayor.  Gary Griffith is part of the Mary Poss gang, and even had Pete Sessions calling around securing yard sign locations for him.  Staff will work with the Mayor.  Griffith may not be obstructionist that Poss has been, but he will not be a team player and most certainly will support a taxpayer-funded stadium for Grandpa Jones.

Sandy Greyson has 3 opponents in District 12, but probably will win without a runoff.  Even Veletta Lill-Forsythe has a challenger in District 14.

Go to 2003 Council Races for pictures and websites of the various candidates. 

Rossi Walter is challenging Ron Price for the DISD District 9 seat on the School Board.  This should be a no-brainer for the voters in District 9.  We have an articulate businessman running against an incumbent who may or may not have a steady job, who has spent more DISD money on travel and cell phone calls than anyone else on the School Board and who has just been convicted of assaulting his wife.  Price thought so little of the domestic violence charges against him he didn't even hire a lawyer to defend him.  His ex-wife thought enough of what he did to her to refuse to drop the charges.

DISD trustee Price convicted in dispute;  He plans to appeal, denying violence with wife took place 03/26/2003  From Staff Reports

Dallas school trustee Ron Price was convicted this week on a misdemeanor family violence charge that involved a 2001 dispute with his wife.     Municipal Judge Jay Robinson found Mr. Price guilty Monday on the Class C misdemeanor assault charge and fined him $250, plus court costs, officials said. Mr. Price, who is now divorced, denied that physical violence took place. . . .   Mr. Price said he didn't know about the court date until he stumbled across a letter at home. He said he didn't have time to hire an attorney. . . . According to a police report, Angela Price called police on Oct. 14, 2001, and told officers that Mr. Price pushed her on the chin and caused her to fall backward.  . . . "She didn't take a swing at me," he said in October 2001. "I didn't take a swing at her. There was no physical fighting. She just snapped when I asked for a divorce.". . .

Why did the DMN not send a reporter to cover this?  "Staff Reports"?  That is clearly biased coverage.  An elected official is convicted of domestic violence and the DMN barely mentions it?  What kind of a message are we sending young men in the DISD school system?  Is Price telling them it's OK to shove your spouse?  Is Price telling young men big shots can ignore criminal legal action against them?

There are some really bright spots on the political horizon in my part of town.  One of my most important jobs as the representative from District 6 on the council will be to find good people to succeed me and get new faces on our boards and commissions.  I want new people who believe in strict Code Enforcement.  I want new people who believe in their neighborhoods -- not political opportunists who want to be the next community Patron.  One young man in Arcadia Park is exactly the type of leader District 6 and Dallas needs, Jorge (George) Torres, Jr.  

Letters for Thursday 03/27/2003

Seek good development Re: "Neighbors fight 'mercado' plan ? Group: Bronco Bowl project not inclusive; developer sees racism," March 14 news story.     I am with the newly formed Arcadia Park Development Group. We are currently in the building stages of our not-for-profit group. We have many plans for Arcadia Park from new shops, trees in the medians and a new park on Chalk Hill and West Davis.     I was inspired by the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group ? just look at our name. They are not racist! This comes from a homegrown Mexican-American from Arcadia Park!     The Fort Worth Avenue Development Group people want to help us in any way possible. They have the same dreams we have. We want nice shops and nice stores, not some ragtag thrift shops that make neighborhoods look like a junkyard. Just drive to Arcadia Park, look at the businesses there ? tires, tires, tires, junky car lots and illegitimate repair shops. We're sick of it. We want change.     The Fort Worth Avenue people are professionals with big hearts. Jorge Torres Jr., Dallas

The Bachman NW area has Matt Murphy to crow about.  Matt is a golf pro who is involved in his local crime watch and clean up efforts.  We also have Linda Neel who brings a different perspective to community needs through all the apartment complexes she manages in the area.  Some of her units are not high-end, but when her company takes over a decrepit project, we start seeing improvements immediately.  She knows the importance of parks and green space for the children and young people who rent from her.

It would be great if all council members would set aside 50% of their boards and commissions for new people.  Granted, we need people with expertise on certain boards and commissions, but let's keep broadening that base.  Over and over, the same people are rotated around on the prestigious boards.  That should stop.  Let's get the next generation into the game.

On another point -- several city employees and public safety people are questioning Rob Allyn as a consultant to Laura Miller while doing PR work for Grandpa Jones and that looming taxpayer rip-off.  One has nothing to do with the other.  

As Mayor, Miller must look at every issue.  It is essential for her to keep an open mind about the Jones ego-stadium.  That does not mean she supports it.

Mayor wary of Cowboys' stadium; Cowboys deal would have to be good for Dallas, Miller and others say 03/25/2003 By COLLEEN McCAIN NELSON / The Dallas Morning News

Luring the professional football team that was born and bred here back to its roots is an intriguing prospect ? but only if it's a good deal for Dallas, Mayor Laura Miller said Monday. . . .  the mayor and others cautioned that they are unwilling to line the pockets of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.      Five years ago, Ms. Miller was a vocal advocate for the "It's a Bad Deal!" campaign, which nearly scuttled the effort to build American Airlines Center. And although the idea of a Cowboys development on the banks of the Trinity River has some appeal, the mayor said she expects local governments to drive a hard bargain.     "I would never be supportive of a one-sided deal like we did with the American Airlines Center," she said. "We put up all the money, and they got all the revenues. It was a blatantly one-sided financial arrangement." . . .

TOURISTS WILL NOT FUND THE STADIUM with a car rental tax because all the car rental facilities at DFW are in TARRANT COUNTY!  Will someone explain that to the County Commissioners and former County Judge Lee Jackson?  Lee Jackson should have enough on his hands at the University of North Texas without meddling in Dallas and Dallas County politics.  For a Republican, he sure likes big government and taxes!

Why are Lee Jackson and his cronies afraid of a user tax to fund the stadium?  The Brimer bill allows surcharges on ticket sales, parking sales and locker room taxes.  Millionaire athletes and people who want and use the stadium should pay for it.  

The rest of us can go about our meaningless lives spending our money on the trivial things we want and use.

Allyn does a specific job for the Mayor and a different specific job for Grandpa Jones and those hoodlums.  Unless you are an assembly line worker, do you not have multiple tasks with your job?  Do lawyers only represent one client?  They do conflict of interests checks and advisements, but frequently a client will want that "bad a**" lawyer no matter what.  Allyn is very good at what he does.   

If you were Laura Miller, would you want the best public relations guy in town working for someone else?

May 3rd is right around the corner, with certain a June runoff.  Nothing will be decided about the stadium before the new council is sworn in -- if then!  We will have different people on the council who will pay attention to what is asked of them by the stadium promoters.  Can you just hear Mitch Razansky dissecting a bad contract?

You should be calling your County Commissioner about your opposition to a tax for Grandpa Jones.  When Republican Ken Mayfield claims only tourists will pay for the stadium, you know he needs your immediate attention.  Finally, hotel/motel people are publicly warning another layer of taxes on their customers will be a death blow for our convention business, which is already struggling.

Bill would permit taxes to fund new Cowboys stadium; Dallas County voters would have to back fees on hotels, rental cars 03/11/2003  By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News

.  .  .   The proposed legislation would allow Dallas County to charge a 3 percent hotel tax and a 6 percent car tax. The state currently limits the taxes to 2 percent on hotels and 5 percent on cars.     Dallas County residents would have to vote to allow the county to collect the hotel-occupancy and car-rental taxes.  . . . Hoteliers and car-rental companies dislike the idea of taxing their customers more to build a stadium.    "It's a lousy time to talk about tax increases on hotels and the hospitality industry," said Ken Benson, a consultant to the Hotel Association of Greater Dallas. "Conventions are down, business meetings are down, and occupancies in the city of Dallas are down.". . .

Keep reminding your neighbors -- all DFW car rentals are in Tarrant County.  Local Dallas County people will fund a new stadium for Grandpa Jones and his hoodlums.

Since we are having all of these candidate forums and interviews, ask them where they stand on killing our convention business so Grandpa Jones can have a fancy stadium.  Look how well he maintains Texas Stadium!  That roof just looks awful.   Grandpa Jones has deliberately neglected and made shoddy repairs to the Texas Stadium dome to make it look shabby.

Here's another reason to turn down anything of benefit to Grandpa Jones.  He funded a campaign to get Irving out of the DART system so he could divert that sales tax to his operations rather than mass transit.  Irving voters turned him down.  Jones is a selfish, egotistical, womanizing Arkansas hillbilly who cares about no one outside his gene pool.  Speaking of which, Grandpa Jones might tell his front man, Stephen Jones (Daddy's boy and Janine's ex-paramour) to stay out of public brawls in Lower Greenville Ave. nightclubs.

Why would anyone in Dallas County want to be associated with this bunch of hoodlums?  If your council candidate of choice thinks a Jones stadium is a good idea and you can't bring yourself to vote for the other guy, sit out this election.

When people question the Miller-Allyn relationship regarding the stadium, they should consider her challenger.  Mayor PreTend Poss will jump on this stadium deal with all four feet.  This a Kirk/Poss kind of deal -- big ticket stuff to camouflage the state of our city.

Elections, domestic violence convictions, crooked politicians and crooked billionaires in alliance -- what more could a political gadfly want?

Well, honest government for a change.