WHAT is up in Watauga?

The suspended city manager has now resigned.  The mayor has resigned (had you not read the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, earlier this week, closely, you might have missed the one sentence noting this).  WHY would that not make for its own article?  Isn’t a mayor resigning news worthy?

An online comment compares Watauga to Haltom City.

Maybe they could coin their own phrase…the Watauga Way.  Watch out, Fort Worth might try and take credit for that.

Good luck to the Watauga residents, sounds like the need it.

Watauga Waves

The budget for Watauga did not pass through the council as it always has before.

Three new council members are being blamed by the old council members.  Three new council members are being thanked by the citizens.  Be sure and read the comment.  It gives you a side the "news" forgot to.  The side of the people that the council is elected to represent.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Wednesday night's vote was 4-3 in favor of the budget, but a two-thirds majority was required for passage.

It was the first time a proposed budget has been rejected in Watauga, city officials said.

"I wish we could have reached a better level of consensus in the previous [budget] workshops," Clements said.

"My only objection was to the tax increase. Overall, I agreed with the budget, except for hiring new people."

Mayor Harry Jeffries said he was disappointed in the council.

"We've had enough work sessions for people to ask questions, and they weren't asked," he said. "I have three people who don't want to raise taxes. I don't want to raise taxes, and the other councilmen don't want to raise taxes. But you come to a point where you look at the loss in [total] property valuation and something has to happen to make that up.

"Either you cut services or you raise taxes."

Watauga has lost considerable taxable property value in the last several years. Between 2010 and 2011, the total property value in Watauga dropped about $10.2 million.

Did YOU vote yet?

YOU better.  Otherwise, same ol...you know.

DO something, otherwise, keep your mouth shut. 

WHO are we voting for?  You can see our pics here.

Early voting ends today at 7.  Election day is Saturday!

Watauga Flooded with Candidates

That's a good thing.

Eight people running for City Council in Watauga.  That means something is up.  Pay attention.  YOU can't afford not to. 

Texas Lone Star supports Gary Johnson and his running mates.  You can learn more about them at Watauga Citizens First.  They are Watauga citizens and business owners that want to fix the real problems of the city, including the flooding of several neighborhoods that has taken place for years and never been addressed.  Hear that, Fort Worth?

Pay attention

YOU can't afford not to.

Voters need to pay attention to their local elections.  Everything decided at the local level impacts YOU.

WHY would anyone run for office?  It takes up all of your free time, family time, costs money, causes people to do and say stupid things, there is little to no pay... So it comes down to one of two reasons - they have higher political ambitions (we know how dangerous that is...) or they are trying to protect their PEOPLE and their town.  Take a look at your candidates.  The ones with all the money and flashy signs and fliers may not be all they are cracked up to be.

Read Mike Norman in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

I count 202 names on ballots for 41 municipal and school board elections to be supervised by the Tarrant County Elections Division next month.

Bless them all for having the courage and dedication to run.

We've been asked about our other picks for council races since our contributors are from all over the metroplex.  So the following are the ones we know our people are voting for in local elections.  If yours isn't listed here, we don't know them or we are undecided in that race.  Don't forget - VOTE Monday.  If not for YOU, for YOUR kids!

Here's what we have for you so far:
Fort Worth Mayor - Cathy Hirt 
Fort Worth District 2 - Paul Rudisill
Fort Worth District 4 - Lupe Ariolla
Fort Worth District 6 - Tolli Thomas
Haltom City Mayor - Bob Watkins
Watauga City Council - Gary Johnson
Watauga City Council - James Wright
Watauga City Council - Russell Clements
Arlington City Council - Zack Maxwell
North Richland Hills City Council - Tim Welch
Richland Hills - Martha Strain

Citizen Sues Watauga Texas for Political Speech Violation

NEWS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING LAWSUIT TO STOP CITY’S SUPPRESSION OF POLITICAL FREE SPEECH:

Liberty Institute Seeks to Overturn Unconstitutional City Ordinance That Bans Political Speech on City Property

WHAT:   Today, less than 30 days before the general election, Liberty Institute will hold a news conference announcing a lawsuit filed on behalf of a local citizen who was arrested, jailed and criminally prosecuted for expressing his political views on city property on primary election day, March 2.

WHO:    Liberty Institute constitutional attorneys and our client will offer comments and answer questions.

WHEN:    TODAY!  Thursday, October 7, at 2 p.m. CST

WHERE:    Outdoors on the sidewalk of the Watauga Community Center, where the incident occurred.  7901 Indian Springs Rd, Watauga, Texas 76148
    
DETAILS:    The plaintiff was arrested on March 2, Texas’ primary election day, and thrown in jail for five hours for holding a political sign on city property.  He was then criminally prosecuted.  Rightfully, the criminal charges were dismissed by the court, but the extreme city ordinance banning political speech still stands.

Media Contact:
Roe Ann Estevez
Cell:  214.558.9957
Office: 972.941.4452
raestevez@libertyinstitute.org

12001 Plano Parkway, Suite 1600, Plano, TX 75075

07 Rain Repeat

The nonstop rain reminds us of June 2007 when it wouldn't stop raining and wreaked havoc on so many lives in the metroplex.

Yesterday's Fort Worth Star Telegram daily newspaper had an article that discussed Haltom City, Watauga and Fort Worth wanting to expand their walking trails and add a park. The map for this project is confusing to us as it is on/in a creek. White's Branch Creek to be exact, the same one that took the life of a beautiful, vivacious four year old, in June two years ago.