Trinity River Improvement Partnership

Kudos to TRIP for a great event at the historic Stagecoach Ballroom last night!

Very informative, very friendly folks!  Even the "plants" were friendly. 

We love it when a group of citizens take the initiative to right the wrongs.  THE PEOPLE are listening. 

Carry on, TRIP!

For Durango's review on the presentation go here.

For more information about the Trinity River Improvement Partnership go here.

We hear the video will be out and about for all to see soon.  YOU can't afford to miss it!

Trinity River Mirage...

Read Don Woodard's Letter to the Editor in the FW Weekly.

And come on out tonight!  You might learn something...it could save YOU millions!

According to press reports, scores of officials from Tarrant County descended on the state capitol last week to tout a range of legislative priorities and to sound off against state budget cuts (“The Deficit Monster,” March 2) threatening to ripple through cities, school districts and the county government.

One of the visitors was County Judge Glen Whitley, who called on lawmakers to tap into the state’s rainy day fund to help offset some of the reductions. “If it’s not raining now,” said Whitley, the county’s top official, “I don’t know when it would be.”

Reductions that could be felt in Tarrant County government include cuts in criminal justice grants, mental health and mental retardation services, and reimbursements for indigent defense and juror pay. At other levels of local government, cities are facing reductions in homeless programs, police training, park improvements, and a statewide database used by public library patrons. Schools will be hit hard with possible teacher layoffs.

The only neck in this part of the state that seems safe from the government guillotine is that of the billion-dollar Trinity River Vision. The feds are on the line for half of $500 million. However, they’re digging in their heels and may renege on the deal. All local governments and an iffy Bonnie-and-Clyde tax increment financing district are obligated for the other half of the egregious pseudo-flood-control earmark. Why is this project — which we don’t need, don’t want, and can’t afford — immune from the squeeze?

The executive director of this eminent-domain earmark boasts that he has enough money to last for 18 months. Spend! Spend! Spend! Many who remember Waxahachie and the ill-fated superconducting supercollider have long been warning that federal funds for Trinity River Vision might turn out to be a similar unfulfilled promise, after millions of local taxpayer dollars have been wasted on it. Big-spending visionaries from Congress to city hall to the chamber of commerce have snickered at our skepticism. Will Trinity Vision turn out to be Trinity Mirage?

Don Woodard
Fort Worth

Southlake and Haltom City

What's the difference?  Too many to list, however this week we noticed a glaring one.

Both Southlake and Haltom City's Planning and Zoning boards voted down drilling sites, forcing a council super majority vote to pass.

Will give you one guess which council did so without any hesitation.

Read about one the other one in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Last call

IS THERE A REPORTER IN THE HOUSE?!

A real one??  Aside from Durango?  Follow along on the Paradise Center Scandal blog.

From: Paradise Center ;
We thought you might want to know the latest on this under/un-reported public interest news.

To: Janelle J. Thurman ;
Cc: G.K. Maenius ; Sen. Wendy Davis ; Rep. Lon Burnam ; Mayor Moncrief ; Councilman Burns ; Jeff Prince ;
Subject: Re: March meeting of MHMRTC Board
Sent: Tue, Mar 29, 2011 10:12:48 PM

Dear fellow citizens and friends of Paradise Center Inc.

We hope that you will receive this notice in time to cancel your plans to attend the MHMR of Tarrant County Board of Trustees meeting tonight. It was leaked to us by decent people inside of Hulen Tower aright after lunch hour today that MHMR executives and Trustees were somehow alerted this morning to the plan by many of you taxpayers to go and ask questions and/or express your feeling regarding what is now commonly called the Paradise Center Scandal (www.paradise-center-scandal.blogspot.com).

As you can surmise from this very unusual notice to "stakeholders", apparently there was not enough time to hire private security guard/s toting side arms before the 5:30 P.M. public meeting tonight. As has been the pattern, these public officials holding positions of immense power, financial and administrative and legal, will do whatever it takes to prevent public disclosure or discussion of all the documented instances of behavior that range from questionable to reprehensible.

The natural questions are why are they behaving this way? And what do they have to hide from "We the People", from whom came the $100+ Million dollars in annual taxes and the attendant authority/power and responsibility/accountability??

This latest act of desperation and evasion (the Trustees adjourned the meeting last month before the public could even get back inside the Moncrief Conference Room) is unbecoming of honorable civic leaders and is in fact a rejection of transparency and public accountability on the part of people given "the public trust".

These facts also make clear that the public (and private) statements and representations about the Paradise Center Matter by MHMR of Tarrant County CEO, executives, and Trustees do not support their claim that this is "just a personnel matter". Those words and actions can only be described as "scandalous". A scandal that is much more damaging than the one involving the Citadel Medicaid fraud in the mid-2000's and the one that ushered out the previous CEO and his regime, which included members of the Board of Trustees.

The people and community leaders of El Paso apparently took constructive actions to mitigate the damages to people and the community by exercising their rights and duties earlier this year relative to the conduct of their MHMR executive/s and Board of Trustees.

What is different about Tarrant County, Texas, U.S.A.? And why has the "fourth rail of our democracy" chosen to ignore this public interest and public policy matter?

It's been said that a community is judged by how it treats its weakest members. The judgment is still out in this particular matter, fellow citizens, taxpayers, and voters.

Paradise Center, Inc.
friends helping friends in mental health recovery

--- On Tue, 3/29/11, Janelle J. Thurman wrote:
Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 2:03 PM

Dear stakeholder:

The March 29 meeting of the Board of Trustees of MHMRTC is scheduled to begin at 1 pm with a strategic planning session followed by the board meeting. The consideration of board items may begin earlier than the customary 5:30 meeting time.

Janelle Thurman
Executive Assistant
MHMR of Tarrant County

Who owns North Richland Hills?

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

The City Council voted Monday night in favor of a compromise that would cap the number of apartments in the Home Town NRH area at fewer than 1,000, ending an acrimonious process that pitted developers against homeowners who lived in their development.

The council, voting unanimously over the objections of numerous homeowners, also approved a legal settlement with Arcadia Land Partners and Home Town Urban Partners, the developers who pledged to drop their lawsuits against the city in return for passage of the compromise.

The city's Planning and Zoning Commission voted this month to reduce the number of permissible apartments further, giving heart to angry homeowners. But the decision quickly drew a threat from the developers' attorney and would have forced a three-fourths supermajority vote from the council.

Austin Anyone?

From our friends at TURF...

Trans Texas Corridor Resurrected in HB 3789!

On Wednesday, the House Transportation Committee will hear a slew of bills (HB 2186, HB 2388, HB 2801, HB 2985, HB 3561, HB 3563-HB 3565, HB 3734) to privatize and toll tax TX roads, the worst being HB 3789 that re-creates the Trans Texas Corridor and that grants a blanket authorization for these contracts called Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to be done in SECRET, without financial disclosures, and with NO sunset provision, so the authority is indefinite! Read our detailed bill analysis here.

It's the Trans Texas Corridor resurrected (in 284.003 C. (7) of HB 3789 it authorizes these contracts in the TTC chapter of the code) and MUST BE STOPPED! The House Transportation Committee will meet Wednesday, March 30 at 8 AM in Rm. E2.028.

These are sweetheart deals that have profit guarantees, massive public subsidies (ALL Texans' gas taxes), low interest taxpayer-backed loans (TIFIA loans or Private Activity Bonds), non-compete agreements that prohibit or penalize the expansion of surrounding free roads, and we're seeing published toll rates for these types of contracts starting at 80 PER MILE to drive in peak hours! These CDAs socialize the losses and privatize the profits for a HALF CENTURY!

Another bill, HB 2432 (by John Davis), that would give a blanket authorization to enter into these types of agreements (for any road & other infrastructure projects in Texas) is also being heard on Wednesday, March 30 at 8 AM in Rm. E2.014.

What to know if you go:
How to Testify or Register Opposition

You need to sign-up to testify by filling out and turning in a Witness Affirmation Form to the clerk for EACH bill you oppose. If you cannot stay to testify orally when the bill is called, you can still fill out a Witness Affirmation Form opposing the bill (and check the box to oppose but not wishing to testify) and turn it into the clerk at the front of the room and leave.

Capitol Parking

There is metered parking for up to three hours surrounding the Capitol if you plan to just come, fill out a card and leave. But if you plan to stay to testify orally, there is public parking in the Capitol Parking Garage at 12th and San Jacinto or if that's full, park at the Texas History Museum at 18th/Congress. Both are $8/day but the Capitol Parking Garage is hourly up until a certain number of hours and max is $8/day.

If you can't attend:

EMAIL THESE COMMITTEES!

For those who cannot be at the Capitol, you can email all House Transportation Committee members using this easy email we've set-up: HTC@texasturf.org or the Senate Transportation Committee at STC@texasturf.org.

TELL THEM: No CDAs/PPPs, No to HB 1724, and No to the re-creation of the Trans Texas Corridor, HB 3789!

Phone calls to Rep. Larry Phillips (author of, HB 3789, the bill to recreate the TTC) and Sen. Kirk Watson (SB 1650, bill to privatize MoPac/183) and the other authors of CDA/PPP bills (Linda Harper-Brown, Charlie Geren, Allen Fletcher, Eddie Lucio III, John Davis) are still important to pressure these guys to do the right thing.

The Capitol Switchboard is (512) 463-4630.

You are invited

TRIP invites you to join us at the historic Stagecoach Ballroom on the banks of the Trinity River for the documentary movie premiere of “Up a Creek” -  exploring various impacts of the Trinity River Vision project.

WHEN:
Wednesday March 30, 2011

Doors open at 6:30 with screening at 7:00 p.m.

2516 E Belknap Fort Worth

This is an important viewing that will enlighten neighborhood leaders, political candidates, and every taxpayer.

TRIP is a non-partisan, non-profit organization which advocates cleaning the river and supporting development that doesn’t despoil the natural aesthetics and historic nature of the river.

Visit TRIP at:
savethetrinityriver.org/

RSVP to: 
jspivey@savethetrinityriver.org

Texas Jobs

The article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram puts some numbers to job losses due to the proposed budget cuts.

Maybe those folks can get a job with the Trinity River Vision.  It's all about priorities?

The analysis forecasts that in 2013, as many as 335,244 jobs will be lost in the public and private sectors. A statement from the board's director said the reductions in the proposed budget stem largely from the "steep downturn of the Texas economy" over the past several years.

The board, the Legislature's chief budget agency, was required by a House rule to issue the economic impact statement after the House Appropriations Committee OK'd a spending blueprint Wednesday. The proposed budget would reduce state spending by $22.9 billion over two years, eliminating outright more than 8,000 state jobs and forcing deep cuts in healthcare, education and other services.

Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, who wrote the rule requiring the impact statement, said the board's findings showed that Texas faces the elimination of "hundreds of thousands of jobs."

There's a good letter along the same lines today to.

Budget cuts

Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley voiced support for Community Development Block Grants because they provide jobs and help community projects. (See: "Whitley urges fellow Republicans not to cut block grant program," March 17) Those are insufficient reasons for spending taxpayer dollars.

Using the judge's math, $18 million in CDBGs created 1,200 jobs. So if we spend $180 million we would create 12,000 jobs.

Whitley said, "Yes, I am a Republican, and I agree we have to cut a lot of stuff." Well, if we are not willing to cut this because "it costs jobs," then what can we cut?

I am sure California taxpayers would prefer Texans pay to fix our own roads just as Texas taxpayers would rather not pay for bike paths in Ohio.

We have asked Planned Parenthood and NPR to seek alternative funding. If we expect them to find ways to manage without federal money, we must do the same with our local programs.

At some point, the money is going to stop. Wouldn't it be nice if it stopped because we chose to do the right thing and become self-sufficient instead of it stopping because the government ran out of funds?

-- Michael Garabedian, Keller

Haltom City showdown

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram article on the Haltom City EDC fiasco this week is much more telling than the last.  Finally.  Maybe the residents over there can get some help, they've needed it since at least 2004, when a current councilmember initiated the recall.  Yes, he was on the EDC too.

Rumor has it, due to this information, there was a write in candidate for Mayor.  Since the only candidate to file spent years on the EDC as well.

Attend the meeting tonight at 6:30 at the old library.  It should be enlightening.

Haltom City's Economic Development Corp. is listed as owing $2.3 million in delinquent property taxes -- a figure more than four times the amount that the staff reported at a council meeting last month.

But Councilman David Averitt wants the seven-member development corporation board, which includes Mayor Bill Lanford, to resign immediately. He has also made requests to the Texas comptroller's office and the Tarrant County district attorney to investigate the development corporation.

Lanford likened Haltom City political tensions to a war that won't end. He traces it to the city's recall election of 2004.

The corporation owns 40 properties with a book value of $6.2 million. The properties were acquired as far back as 2004.

Barnett Shale Fail

It's gas drilling day in Tarrant County....the FW Weekly knocks it out of the park again!  Hats off to the Weekly and all the HEROs listed in the article.  WHY do they do it?  For THE PEOPLE!

It would have raised eyebrows if they had told us our property values would be devalued, or that we’d have 14,000 gas wells in the Barnett Shale and only 12 [Texas] Railroad Commission inspectors.”

Ten years and 1,800 rigs (just in Fort Worth) later, many of the worries are no longer theoretical, even if industry officials still deny the connection. The health problems are real, inadequate monitoring of air pollution has finally gotten the attention of state legislators, and groundwater problems have prompted some drillers to buy out farmers and ranchers whose only source of water was wells drilled into now-tainted aquifers. The EPA has stepped in.

TCEQ tests in the Barnett Shale area had shown “some of the highest benzene concentrations we have monitored in the state,” she said.

All three families had to haul water onto their properties for more than two and a half years before Williams finally settled with them this fall — by buying all three of the properties.

That kind of potential for long-term threat to critical water supplies is what makes the gas-well-and-water-well collision so scary in North Texas.

In early 2010, Brian Boerner, then Fort Worth’s environmental management director, talked to Fort Worth Weekly about his concerns with Fort Worth’s single gas-industry waste disposal well.

Boerner — who went on to take a job with Chesapeake — said then that the city had “significant concerns” about groundwater contamination from such wells, which the EPA has repeatedly expressed concern over. He’d previously said that such wells should be the last option considered by the city for disposing of gas industry wastes

And hey Southlake, go visit with Flower Mound...

When it comes to standing up to the gas industry, few cities top Flower Mound. The city was among the first to establish 1000-foot setbacks in the Barnett Shale, in 2003. Last year, the city put a moratorium on new gas well applications and created an advisory board to look at beefing up the ordinance even more. In December, the city’s Oil and Gas Board of Appeals squelched an attempt to drill for gas near Lake Grapevine, citing concerns about the impact on a major source of drinking water. Residents have loudly expressed concerns about drilling’s impact on air, soil, water, and public safety.

“Flower Mound doesn’t see [drilling] as a revenue source for the city — the health and safety of residents is our first priority,” city spokesman Michael Ryan said. “Flower Mound has never shied away from a controversy when it’s been of the opinion that it’s for the protection of the residents.”

Gas companies have filed lawsuits against the city a few times over the years, but the city hasn’t lost a case or paid a dime in settlement, he said.