It's only lobbying if someone else does it...

We found the most interesting pieces of Bud's column to be quotes.  One of those being his own.

On the group's website, he posted a statement saying that the group's contact with lawmakers is not lobbying and that the Texas Ethics Commission enforces what is "probably an unconstitutional law."'

He also took a rhetorical swipe at Truitt's Republican political consultant, Bryan Eppstein of Fort Worth, saying Eppstein "promotes higher taxes and burdensome government."

In a rarity, Eppstein did not return a call.

Don't miss the reader comment below.  Did Connor say such a thing?  What does he say now? 

I like what former Star-Telegram publisher Richard Connor said about Bryan Eppstein:

This man is a pig at the trough, and Fort Worth is his barnyard.

Pulitzers and Pickets

Incoming from a local taxpayer concerning the JD Granger, Tim Love, Trinity River Vision, Tarrant Regional Water District, Woodshed Boondoggle...

I'm boycotting....I hope it fails HUGE...The Business Press should get a Pulitzer for this cover up....
Not only am I boycotting, I'm looking forward to picketing, too.  Every restaurant owner in town should be out there in force. Businesses in Fort Worth need to get a clue.  Don't they know they are next?

WHO pays WHO?

Alex Mills is the President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.  We're not really sure what that is, but if we had to guess we'd say that was an organization similar to those like the Trinity River Vision Authority, NTTA, the NCTCOG...you get the picture.  Created, appointed and paid for by local politicians and the Tarrant Regional Water District, or in this case, the gas drilling industry.   

He also writes frequently in the Business Press about gas drilling.  Not so much writing, as defending.  In small print at the bottom it tells you his title, and that "the opinions expressed are solely of the author".

So, if the gas drillers pay him to defend them and he writes his "Opinion" for the Business Press, WHO is paying WHO?  Are the drillers paying for a half a page in the paper or is the paper paying Mr. Mills to write for THEM too? 

What's it costing YOU?

WHO do you Love?

The Fort Worth Business Press has a follow up article on the Tim Love Woodshed on the Trinity River.  We've added our own questions.  YOU should too. 

Calls to David Hall and Randal Harwood at the Fort Worth planning and development department requesting information about the code compliance issues were not returned. Love also did not return calls.

WHY is that?  Hello...?  Anyone there?

The Woodshed was scheduled to open on Labor Day, then in October, and then last week, but Love told questioners on Twitter that the opening is several weeks away and that the outdoor deck “might” be opened in mid-January to attract visitors to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.


“He’s a world-class chef; he’s famous,” Lane said. “This was a business proposition, trying to stimulate interest in the river and in Fort Worth. Sit and watch, there’ll be money made for the regional water district.”

Was Lane elected to promote famous people or protect those WHO elected him?  WHEN did the Tarrant Regional Water District change its mission to "make money"?

That might answer a few questions about why a water district – without competitive bidding or a vote by its board of directors – would spend nearly $1 million to build a restaurant and sign a 10-year contract with Tim Love to manage it.

Information about the deal was made public after Texas Public Information Act requests by the Fort Worth Business Press and was featured in a story in the Dec. 5 edition.

WHY would that be?  Wonder WHAT else could be learned from more requests?  Ask YOUR local media. 

The Woodshed restaurant is located at 3201 Riverfront Drive, near the Fort Worth Zoo and University Park Village shopping center, on land the water district owns. Instead of paying rent on the building, Love will pay a percentage of the restaurant’s total sales to the Trinity River Vision, a subsidiary of the TRWD. Love also is responsible for utilities, maintenance and upkeep of the building.

A taxpayer purchased, risk free restaurant in a floodplain, next to the contaminated Trinity River, on land owned by the Tarrant Regional Water District...WHAT could possibly go wrong with that?

He was recruited for the deal by J.D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority and the son of U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth), a proponent for the TRV development and flood-control project along the river.

Proponent made us laugh.  The following says it all:

“Whether it’s an abatement, TIF, public/private partnership, getting favorable changes in the law to reduce private risk – it never stops,” Picht said. “TRV is in a class by itself for getting so much public money from so many sources while having no transparency, no hope of keeping within budget, no competent management, and no hope of producing the product that was advertised in the original concept plan.” he said.

Water district officials say the criticism is unwarranted. The idea behind the TRV always has been to reintegrate the Trinity River back into the city and make it a centerpiece of economic development, they say.

Funny, we thought the plan was always "flood control".  Oops. 

Taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for the restaurant, Oliver said. “The project was paid for with oil and gas revenues so it didn’t impact the portion of our budget funded by taxpayers,” he said.

Those revenues, however, come from gas wells located on public land owned by the water district. 

Duh.  

Welcome Home!

Richard Connor has bought back the Fort Worth Business Press.

We can't wait for Mr.Connor to be back in Texas!  WHO is he?  A man who isn't afraid to tell the truth.

Read the Fort Worth Star-Telegram article here.

And don't miss what he wrote about our water three years ago, too bad our "leaders" weren't listening.  Funny, that's what he said.