Mike WHO?

Michael Morris: The man behind the toll network California-izing Texas.

We knew it wouldn't be long...

And we'd be seeing Gayle Reaves again.

Onward!

The Fight for Fair Housing

Two lawsuits are dragging Texas—and maybe the whole country—closer to the goal of integrated neighborhoods.

WHY is YOUR water bill going up?

Colleyville has a lot of current events in the news these days. One of which is the noticeable water rate increases the residents are experiencing. Earlier today someone posted their water bill on Facebook - $647 – for water! He was joined by numerous residents sharing their astronomical bills.

It's easy to excuse our water rate increase by simply saying “well everything has gone up”. This case, however, is different. There are significant revenue diversions that are directly driving up your water rates. The kicker is those diversions are for projects in Fort Worth which Colleyville, and other Tarrant residents, are subsidizing. Colleyville City Council member Chris Putnam summarized it well in this excerpt:

“For starters this is the second material rate increase Colleyville residents have taken on in the past two years..."

"Now flash forward to this latest increase. The capital infrastructure improvements are absolutely needed, and I supported the rate increase (roughly 5%) to improve our system. However the real root cause of these increases is the spiraling cost of raw and treated water we incur from the Trinity River Authority (TRA) who in turn sources raw water from the Trinity River Water District (TRWD). The TRWD is the real culprit of water rate increases all across Tarrant County. The TRWD diverts $50M - $60M of dollars annually to the Trinity River Vision (TRV) project, a $1 BiILLION boondoggle run by Congresswomen Kay Granger's son, which seeks to re-develop the Fort Worth downtown-area waterfront. You may know the TRWD from their failed giant Main Street water slide which sent many people to the hospital, bridges being built over dry land, and e-coli tubing nights with “free” concerts at Panther Island.

The TRWD's revenue fund actually throws off TENS OF MILLIONS in "profit" annually so they have absolutely no need to increase water rates. However, the TRV slush fund loses tens of millions annually. So most Tarrant County residents are effectively subsidizing Fort Worth's economic development projects with much higher water bills. In the meantime, our own city staff acknowledges that we have not attempted to negotiate or influence these "pass-thru" increases from TRA/TRWD. We simply accept them and say, "thank you sir, may I have another." That is not an indictment on our excellent city staff. Our political leaders should be stepping up to join me in pushing back on these increases."

"Dealing with our water issues with an increasing population is serious business, and requires serious people and solutions to address. Going along simply to get along with other regional quasi-governmental agencies is not the answer."

We should hold every level of government accountable for separating legitimate projects, such as infrastructure, from diversionary spending expeditions. In this case, only a city like Colleyville can hold the TRWD, via the TRA, accountable for passing the cost from Fort Worth's boondoggle to its citizens. In turn, only YOU can hold Colleyville accountable by demanding action.

SOS

Please plan to attend the next Task Force meeting on Wednesday, August 26, 6:00 pm.

River Ranch, 500 NE 23rd Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76164

Parking is easy. You will have the opportunity to speak.

We anticipate that this will be the final public meeting before the Task Force votes on the standards and guidelines.

Mary wants to know...

True or False?

Hahaha…

They are laughing all the way to the bank. Does no one remember the Fort Worth Ethics Committee? You know the one they got rid of when they said there was a violation of ethics.

Fort Worth doesn’t listen, and they damn sure don’t learn.

Read about the Stockyards farce in the FWW.

To quiet the rabble, city council appointed a taskforce charged with creating design standards and guidelines for redevelopment in the area. But after months of meetings, the 15-member committee still hasn’t taken a single vote on any substantive issue –– the only vote they’ve taken thus far was to table a discussion.

Critics of the taskforce allege it’s doing exactly what the city wants: nothing. Many believe that city officials have already made up their minds that the development will move forward and that creating the taskforce was just a dog-and-pony show to give the illusion that the city tried to solicit input.

Stockyards Shorty

You are invited

1985 - 2015

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF FORT WORTH NEIGHBORHOODS
                                 
This is an important meeting we encourage you and your fellow neighborhood leaders to attend.

Public meeting to discuss proposed changes to residential zoning definitions

Wednesday, August 12
6 p.m.
University Christian Church
2720 So. University Drive
Room 207

An upcoming public meeting will provide residents a chance to comment on proposed zoning definitions related to residential uses, including options for a new "single housekeeping unit" definition.
The public meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12 at University Christian Church, 2720 S. University Drive, Room 207.

The meeting will start with an open house at 6 p.m. for one-on-one questions and comments with city staff, followed by a presentation on proposed changes to certain definitions, including:

• Restaurant.
• Community home.
• Transient or short-term resident (new).
• Boarding house or lodging house.
• Family.
• Single housekeeping unit (new).

After the public meeting, the Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing and vote on the definitions at 1 p.m. Sept. 9 at City Hall. On Oct. 13, the City Council will conduct a public hearing and vote on the definitions at its 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall.

Click here to view the pre-council briefing on this issue.  Under Videos Available, scroll to  Pre-Council, July 21, 2015, click and scroll to Item 11.

ALSO, PLEASE SAVE SEPTEMBER 28 ON YOUR CALENDAR AND PLAN TO ATTEND THE LEAGUE'S FALL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING -- A CELEBRATION OF 30 YEARS OF THE LEAGUE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

This is going to get good…..

Go, kids, go!

Less than two months after Dutch citizens won a lawsuit demanding their government do something about climate change, similar cases are entering courts here in the United States. The latest entrant into the legal environmental battle is a group of 21 young Americans ranging in age from eight to 19 (minors had the suit brought by their legal guardians).

Youth Activists Sue U.S. Government For Ruining The Environment

Does anyone know?

We just purchased a home close to the corner of May Street and Allen.  There is a large parking area behind the house that probably belongs to JPS.  We remodeled the house and have it rented out at present.

Are there plans to buy more property?  I am thinking they are talking about turning the existing parking lot (on north side
of Allen) into a parking garage.

Could they condemn our investment  via eminent domain if they decide to expand south?

TCEQ taking YOUR land

Only in Texas....

TCEQ grants permit to take land for private developer despite judge's ruling

Grand jury indicts Attorney General Ken Paxton

Read more at WFAA.