Small Town Letter

Letter to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram concerning Haltom City's EDC fiasco.

We are sure it won't be the last.  This letter writer blames the current mayor.  What about the next mayor?  Remember, he was on the EDC.  And what do the taxpayers have to show for the tax they pay to the EDC?  Bank account grows, so did the tax rate.  WHO initiated raising the tax rate?

Outrage in Haltom City

The Wednesday article about Haltom City did not reveal who is responsible for the outrageous blunders in the Economic Development Corp., mainly its board. (See: "Haltom City fires consultant after audit") I, along with many others, am sadly disappointed in the mayor. He appoints the board, including the council representatives, so that pretty well states he is responsible for all actions.

This city closed or reduced hours in the rec center, library and senior center for financial reasons while EDC was spending taxpayers' money wildly and unaccounted by any city official.

At EDC's discretion, it purchased properties for no apparent reason. We are now one of the largest property owners in the city, and that does not help property taxes. We need further audits or criminal investigations into this so-called private corporation spending taxpayers' money secretly.

When we voted for the EDC fund, it was for improving the development of Haltom City. The half-cent needs to be cut to a quarter-cent and then hold it more accountable.

-- Bob Ryan, Haltom City

On to something...

A Letter to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram makes our point. 

WHO is looking out for the citizens and their rights?  Your "leaders"?  The "news"?  Guess again.  It's THE PEOPLE. 

Remember that come May.

Gas drilling

The city of Fort Worth has issued permits for gas drilling without confirming legal ownership of property owners. By doing this, it allows gas companies to submit waivers with applications for drilling permits that are signed by anyone who is listed with the Tarrant Appraisal District. Finding a person's name on TAD is not the same as locating the legal property owner.

In an effort to drill on the Westridge site in West Fort Worth, a site that is 100 percent surrounded by residences, Chesapeake submitted waivers that were not legal.

Of the eight waivers required for protected uses, five were not valid at the time the application was filed on Feb. 10.

The current gas drilling ordinance is poorly written and is vague in many areas. If not for concerned residents, the city would have granted this permit. Given the ratio described above in this one application, one can only imagine how many drilling permits have been granted in Fort Worth that should not have been.

The council wants to wait until after City Council elections to amend the gas drilling ordinance. I wonder why?

-- Sheila M. Purdy, Fort Worth

More Small Town Politics

Richland Hills, Forest Hill, now back to Haltom City...

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has an article about the Haltom City Economic Development Corporation buying properties under the radar and not paying taxes on them.  Ever.

They make it sound like it was all Kent Flynn and that he just got fired.  Looking through agendas, it shows he was terminated in December.  Months after he was targeted by a local gas drilling company in a PowerPoint presentation shown at a local church, where the members of said church run for local offices on a regular basis.  And a pipeline runs under the football field on the church property.

Matter of fact, one of these church members, a longtime EDC member, will now be Haltom City's new mayor.  Looks like someone should be paying more attention to small town politics.  Too bad the "news" didn't cover any of this information sooner...might have enticed someone not involved in the EDC fiasco to run for Mayor. 

The audit mentioned in the article says the EDC conducts business in a "veil of secrecy".  That's what THE PEOPLE have said for years, again, someone should have listened.  If most of your council members are on the EDC, what does that say to the citizens?  And remember WHO paid Flynn...THE CITY.  Which of course means the taxpayers, though the city is to oversee how each dollar is spent.  So, WHO is really responsible?

Welch said that ultimately the bills weren't paid, and he isn't sure what became of them.

"The city didn't pay them. EDC didn't pay them. I don't know," he said.

Officials said Flynn wanted to keep documentation to a minimum so public-information requests couldn't tie the development corporation to land it was acquiring. Lanford said doing so meant keeping residents in the dark, but he said the potential savings to taxpayers outweighed his concerns about secrecy.

Fracing "news"

The FW Weekly tells you about last week's tanker spill (we showed you the picture from a citizen) and about the radioactive dumping around these parts.

Notice what the Weekly says at the start of their article:

Unnoticed by most local news media, on March 9 a tanker carrying toxic wastewater from a gas field overturned just north of the intersection of I-30 and University Drive—between Trinity Park and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Sounds along the same lines as what we mentioned this morning with the Paradise Center Scandal.

Ask your local media WHY they aren't telling you what's up.  YOU have a right to know.

Paradise Center Scandal

Durango does it again.  While the "news" doesn't make mention the plight of the Paradise Center, THE PEOPLE do.  And WHO to?  Durango, that's who.

Check out the new blog he started that will help you to follow this developing story that some news producer (in with MHMR?) doesn't think you need to see.

Hats off to Durango for again giving THE PEOPLE a voice.

Carry on, sir!

What's wrong with Texas?

One thing is Governor Perry giving a speech that yet another company is getting loads of tax breaks for bringing 400 or so jobs to Texas. 

While kids protest outside about the education budget cuts.  Any of you kids want to be Governor?  Please?

Hey, Arlington!

Check out the new website!

http://www.savearlington.com/

No "news"

Check in with Durango to find out WHY the Fort Worth Star-Telegram didn't report much on the Earthquake and Tsnumai in Japan or the MHMR Paradise Center scandal.

Then, think about all the other "news" you are missing in Tarrant County.  And ask WHY?

Small Town politics continued

This time in Richland Hills.  Read the letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

THE PEOPLE are listening.  Wonder what they'll say in May?

City Hall silence

The Richland Hills City Council decided Tuesday that it has the right to remove any speaker if council members feel insulted by what is said.

The council should be commended; this shows members are standing up for what they see is right. Think about it. I could say something like, "This decision could ruin this city." But that might hurt their feelings. I might be asked to leave.

So, no audience member should speak at all. In fact, I am not sure why an audience is even there. Let council members do whatever they want behind closed doors. Residents don't need to exercise their right to participate in government.

I just hope we don't elect three new council members who respect citizen input.

The preceding letter is sarcasm. Vote those guys out while you still have a voice.

-- Travis Malone, Richland Hills

Forest Hill Fight

Small town politics never change. Unless you vote in new folks. Remember that come May.

Read about the brawl between the Mayor and council member in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.