Read about it on Change.org.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Tarrant County Culture of Corruption Continues
Read about the latest Melody Johnson, Fort Worth School Superintendent scandal. WHY is it in Fort Worth there is always more than one scandal with the same folks?
The story is from the FW Weekly, but we enjoyed reading Durango's introduction. They are always entertaining.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Observant Observer
Read it, read it all. If you live in Tarrant and surrounding counties, YOU can't afford not to. Read about those you have read about on Star Telegraph before, Mary Kelleher and Steve on Carter. Kudos to you both! We need more like them!
Read it. Then share it with THE PEOPLE. And ask your "leaders" WHAT they are doing to protect YOU and YOUR family.
Fort Worth Streetcar Continued...
Reporters should exercise some intelligence instead of just reporting information.
Today's story on the streetcar meeting said that 2,000 riders per day could be expected on the route from LaGrave Field to Harris Hospital .
Did the reporter ever study math?
2000 riders x 365 days = 730,000 riders a year.
Suppose the fare is $1 a person. That comes to $730,000 a year income from fares. Does that compute as a good business deal?
The reporter should have asked...How will that amount pay for the multi-million dollar investment? If it will not, where will the extra funds come from? The obvious answer is perpetual taxpayer subsidy for the benefit of some "unknown developers" who "may" do developments along the route "IF it is built". Drive the route. There is no room for development except 8 blocks along North Main . Studies have shown that people will walk no more than 2 or 3 blocks to ride public transit (streetcar OR bus). How much development can occur in a 32 block area (both sides of North Main) that makes such a subsidy practical? Will lack of streetcars HALT development? With their greater flexibility, why can't buses serve the area much better? I know the public relations business. Have you asked who is the p.r. agent for this project?It has the signs of being a well-orchestrated PR presentation.
PS. I have a friend who is close to City Hall. He says it is a "done deal" and the rest is just "window dressing". A good investigation would "follow the money."
PPS. I would run a test. For one year run FREE buses along the proposed route. (Free, to offset the inconvenience of not having trolleys) Same schedule and stops as the proposed streetcar route. See if the free buses attract 730,000 riders. Fair test?
PPPS. Public transit depends on HIGH DENSITY POPULATION.
Fort Worth has NO high density population.
USS Fort Worth
Or should it be SOS Fort Worth?
Now WHY would gas drillers be attending the christening of the USS Fort Worth with Mayor Moncrief and Congresswoman Granger?
ASK.
And read about it on FWCANDO.
Fort Worth Streetcar Meeting Update
Over 300 people and guess what, they all have an opinion. Sounds like the majority say no way. Funny, that's what they say about most of the things that are done the Fort Worth Way.
Lots of great speakers last night! Kudos to you all!
There was information in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the pre-meeting meeting and the meeting as well as on NBCDFW.com. Too bad we weren't invited to the behind the scenes meeting, sounds like it was a good one. We'll give you some highlights below. Consider it your incentive to be informed! We noticed neither news source said the consulting company HDR is where a lot of the story information came from. Does the price tag jump from the original plan, remind anyone else of the Trinity River Vision scheme? We did notice, the majority of Fort Worth is left out of the loop...
Question to you WHO support and want to spend the Trinity River Vision TIF on the streetcar, WHERE do you think that money comes from?
Fort Worth takes pride in resolving disagreements behind the scenes and presenting a united front. So nobody is talking publicly about the clashes that played out Monday, when about 15 heavy-hitters met in two sessions, for almost six hours, to try to hash out their differences.
Skeptics, including leaders from Downtown Fort Worth Inc. and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, insisted that they were just asking questions and vetting the numbers. Streetcar supporters, including the Trinity River Vision Authority and Fort Worth South, said that they felt ambushed and that the challenges were a pretense for killing the project.
Tempers flared, and some cautioned that the attacks were getting too personal.
We're talking about three miles of track at $85 (million) to $86 million," said Paul Rudisill, a business owner opposed to the project. "When it was first proposed, it was about $53 million. So 22 percent have access to it, while 78 percent will be paying for operational costs of it. That's ridiculous."
"Expensive? Yes. It's an investment for the future. A lot of the things that we do today hopefully will pay for themselves in the future. But we've got to start."
A good number of people Thursday at the Fort Worth Convention Center were skeptical of the $88 million estimate presented for the total cost of the project and the notion of adding expenses during a slow economic period.
One speaker pointed out that the estimates of the Trinity River Vision, which started out at $320 million in 2003, have soared to near $1 billion today. Many others said the project would benefit too few people.
Cleveland Harris said he believed that to be true but objected to the proposal because his neighborhood is not part of the plans.
"If it leaves us out of the loop, we're against it," said Harris, the director of government affairs for the Morningside Neighborhood Association. "They need to promote the whole city, not just a portion of the city."
Lots of great speakers last night! Kudos to you all!
There was information in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the pre-meeting meeting and the meeting as well as on NBCDFW.com. Too bad we weren't invited to the behind the scenes meeting, sounds like it was a good one. We'll give you some highlights below. Consider it your incentive to be informed! We noticed neither news source said the consulting company HDR is where a lot of the story information came from. Does the price tag jump from the original plan, remind anyone else of the Trinity River Vision scheme? We did notice, the majority of Fort Worth is left out of the loop...
Question to you WHO support and want to spend the Trinity River Vision TIF on the streetcar, WHERE do you think that money comes from?
Fort Worth takes pride in resolving disagreements behind the scenes and presenting a united front. So nobody is talking publicly about the clashes that played out Monday, when about 15 heavy-hitters met in two sessions, for almost six hours, to try to hash out their differences.
Skeptics, including leaders from Downtown Fort Worth Inc. and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, insisted that they were just asking questions and vetting the numbers. Streetcar supporters, including the Trinity River Vision Authority and Fort Worth South, said that they felt ambushed and that the challenges were a pretense for killing the project.
Tempers flared, and some cautioned that the attacks were getting too personal.
We're talking about three miles of track at $85 (million) to $86 million," said Paul Rudisill, a business owner opposed to the project. "When it was first proposed, it was about $53 million. So 22 percent have access to it, while 78 percent will be paying for operational costs of it. That's ridiculous."
"Expensive? Yes. It's an investment for the future. A lot of the things that we do today hopefully will pay for themselves in the future. But we've got to start."
A good number of people Thursday at the Fort Worth Convention Center were skeptical of the $88 million estimate presented for the total cost of the project and the notion of adding expenses during a slow economic period.
One speaker pointed out that the estimates of the Trinity River Vision, which started out at $320 million in 2003, have soared to near $1 billion today. Many others said the project would benefit too few people.
Cleveland Harris said he believed that to be true but objected to the proposal because his neighborhood is not part of the plans.
"If it leaves us out of the loop, we're against it," said Harris, the director of government affairs for the Morningside Neighborhood Association. "They need to promote the whole city, not just a portion of the city."
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Be there tonight
Got something to say about the streetcar? Seems everyone does.
Read the Letter to the Editor in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Then come tonight and be heard.
Remember as you're reading the letter that not all letters get published in the paper. Ask WHY?
Ignoring the little guy
Mitch McConnell says the main Republican goal for the next two years is to make sure President Barack Obama isn't re-elected. Isn't that what they've been doing for the last two years?
Now they want to allow tax cuts for the top 2 percent of wage earners while voting against extending unemployment benefits. What is being done about unemployment, Wall Street reform etc.? It is clear the ordinary citizen is a low priority for Republicans and pacifying the rich is a high one. Of course, rich people are the ones who get them elected.
Meanwhile, the Fort Worth City Council is considering spending $88 million on a 3-mile streetcar system. Why isn't that money being spent on roads, infrastructure, paying off debt etc.? Once again, it appears the benefits go to the rich and the ordinary citizens are left in the cold.
-- Maria A. Gibson, Fort Worth
Read the Letter to the Editor in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Then come tonight and be heard.
Remember as you're reading the letter that not all letters get published in the paper. Ask WHY?
Ignoring the little guy
Mitch McConnell says the main Republican goal for the next two years is to make sure President Barack Obama isn't re-elected. Isn't that what they've been doing for the last two years?
Now they want to allow tax cuts for the top 2 percent of wage earners while voting against extending unemployment benefits. What is being done about unemployment, Wall Street reform etc.? It is clear the ordinary citizen is a low priority for Republicans and pacifying the rich is a high one. Of course, rich people are the ones who get them elected.
Meanwhile, the Fort Worth City Council is considering spending $88 million on a 3-mile streetcar system. Why isn't that money being spent on roads, infrastructure, paying off debt etc.? Once again, it appears the benefits go to the rich and the ordinary citizens are left in the cold.
-- Maria A. Gibson, Fort Worth
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The difference between Fort Worth and New York
New York is protecting their residents and THEIR water. Fort Worth "leaders", on the other hand, stick their heads in the sand. If you stick your head in the sand, what does that leave exposed for all the world to see? You guessed it.
We were sent this email from one of our concerned citizen contributors. Kudos to NY!
The New York State Assembly voted 93-43 to pass a temporary moratorium on gas drilling using high volume hydraulic fracturing until May 15, 2011. This bill (A11443B/S08129B) was previously approved by the Senate last summer. It is expected to be signed into law by Governor Paterson. Last week the Governor said in a radio interview in reference to fracking that "even with the tremendous revenues it would bring in, we're not going to risk public safety or water quality".
We were sent this email from one of our concerned citizen contributors. Kudos to NY!
The New York State Assembly voted 93-43 to pass a temporary moratorium on gas drilling using high volume hydraulic fracturing until May 15, 2011. This bill (A11443B/S08129B) was previously approved by the Senate last summer. It is expected to be signed into law by Governor Paterson. Last week the Governor said in a radio interview in reference to fracking that "even with the tremendous revenues it would bring in, we're not going to risk public safety or water quality".
New Mayor in Fort Worth
Rumors have been swirling for months now about the candidates lining up for the Mayor's race in Fort Worth.
The FW Weekly Static on this is excellent. Read it all! Be sure and read to the bottom about Fort Worth's animal control, Oprah and the Fort Worth Cheerleader.
We love when the citizens (even if it's "one woman") exposes the Fort Worth Way for what it really is.
You good ol' boys better pay attention, the women are on their way. You ever pissed off a Texas woman? Not recommended. Our advice? Run, Forrest, Run.
Thinking about Hirt’s candidacy reminds Static of a time in 2003 when Hirt and Mike Moncrief battled each other for the mayor’s job. Moncrief quit the Texas Senate and came home to Fort Worth seeking a job. Coincidentally, every gas driller in Texas was also honing in on Cowtown, angling to exploit lax regulation to suck the most money possible from the Barnett Shale.
“Government must be a partnership between the people and their elected,” he told Fort Worth Weekly seven years ago (he stopped talking to the Weekly once he got elected).
He’s become the least inclusive mayor in living memory.
When people disagree with him, he tries to remove them from the conversation.
The FW Weekly Static on this is excellent. Read it all! Be sure and read to the bottom about Fort Worth's animal control, Oprah and the Fort Worth Cheerleader.
We love when the citizens (even if it's "one woman") exposes the Fort Worth Way for what it really is.
You good ol' boys better pay attention, the women are on their way. You ever pissed off a Texas woman? Not recommended. Our advice? Run, Forrest, Run.
Thinking about Hirt’s candidacy reminds Static of a time in 2003 when Hirt and Mike Moncrief battled each other for the mayor’s job. Moncrief quit the Texas Senate and came home to Fort Worth seeking a job. Coincidentally, every gas driller in Texas was also honing in on Cowtown, angling to exploit lax regulation to suck the most money possible from the Barnett Shale.
“Government must be a partnership between the people and their elected,” he told Fort Worth Weekly seven years ago (he stopped talking to the Weekly once he got elected).
He’s become the least inclusive mayor in living memory.
When people disagree with him, he tries to remove them from the conversation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
