Elections

Out with the old...

The campaign to stop the City of Dallas from going into the hotel business took a giant leap forward when the Citizens Against A Taxpayer Hotel officially kicked off their petition drive on Tuesday morning.

Quoting from the Dallas Observer blog, Anti-Hotel Folks Make Their Case, to Which Developer Jack Matthews and the City Offer a Weary "Whatever"

The mayor and city council have used secret meetings to devise a plan to fund a convention center hotel with millions in taxpayers’ dough, and it's time to give voters a say, since they’re the ones assuming the risk. At least, that’s what Crow Holdings’ executive Anne Raymond told approximately 50 people this morning while announcing a petition drive by the political action committee Citizens Against a Taxpayer Owned Hotel.

In a letter emailed to the BelmontNA board early Wednesday morning, DHL president Jeri Arbuckle informed BelmontNA their application for membership had been rejected by the DHL Board.

It's six pages of explanation, and we have not yet converted it to a text file. You can read the letter as a PDF on the BelmontNA website - click here.

The BelmontNA board will review the letter and issue a comment after the holidays.

It is very important to note that the letter pertains to one issue only: BelmontNA's membership in the DHL.

This decision does not mean BelmontNA must cease to exist or stop any of its activities in the community. Neither the DHL or the Lower Greenville NA have the authority to force any of these changes.

The BelmontNA will continue its work to improve the quality of life for nearly 200 members and 1,500 residents in the Lower Greenville area, including the use of the Resident Parking Only program.

Click here for the complete story on the BelmontNA website

Click here to read Jim Schutze's story about the DHL hearing (Dallas Observer)

Click here to read Jim's blog and public comments on Unfair Park

In less than three days, early voting polls will open in Dallas. Thanks to a large field of candidates, and a small number of voters, we now have to deal with a run-off for Mayor.

Less than 75,000 people voted for mayor in the general election. If past experience holds true, less than 15,000 people will vote in the run-off.

In this corner, City Council member Ed Oakley, long on experience and deep in cash and grassroots efforts. He's an insider in every sense of the word, and he knows everyone in Dallas (just ask him).

In that corner, former Turner Industries CEO and Park Cities resident Tom Leppert, short on political experience and deep in the Citizen's Council that created his new myth. He is a Beth Ann Blackwood without the skirt.

In Dallas, an informed electorate has always been considered a dangerous electorate. BD prides himself on being familiar with the issues and the candidates. He knows too much about traffic, zoning and how the City Council really works (read: behind the scenes) to run for office himself.

But in this election, BD finds himself absolutely screwed out of making a good decision.

Update 3.3.06 - A number of folks have called BD to tell him that the candidate referenced in this story has sent out another mailer with Mr. Cunningham's endorsement, along with the other bogus names. We are this close to putting his bogus name on here but for the publicity it would generate in his favor.

And on top of that, two other candidates for constable have been using state rep Dan Branch's name in their mailings. Only one has had Branch's endorsement since the beginning of the campaign. The other guy put Branch's name on his website months ago, then pulled it down when he got outed.

Now he has a new mailer with Branch's name - just days before the election. Again, we won't name names (until after the election) but we will drop a hint: The candidate who looks like death-warmed-over does not have the endorsement.