Downtown District

A Letter to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram makes an excellent point.  Downtown Fort Worth isn't a congressional district.  It's part of one.  Don't show up in the rest of the district asking for our money to dump into our river.  Pay attention. 

Seeking attention

The Sunday article about Rep. Kay Granger gave much information about her international activities. I wish she would do as much in her own district, which is not just Fort Worth. The Tarrant County portion of her district, before redistricting, has 14 percent of the area and 79 percent of the population.

If you go by her own claim for appropriations in 2010, 61 percent was spent in Fort Worth and 4 percent in Parker County, with the rest being national or regional. Most of the Parker County spending went to a company that does business outside the county. Wise County got nothing. I got appropriations information from her website but can no longer find that link.

Granger does come to Parker County to raise money. With 86 percent of the area and 21 percent of the population, Parker and Wise counties would like to have more than 4 percent of the attention.

-- Darrel Behrens, Aledo

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It's all fun and games

Till someone gets hurt, or goes broke.

Read about the Party in Fort Worth, sponsored by Chesapeake, on Durango.  Tickets were $200.00 for individuals and up to $25,000 for a table.  WHO paid for YOUR elected leaders to attend?

There were several in attendance, from Mayor Price to Queen Earmark. 

How much did that cost YOU?

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All that glitters

Letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

Fool's gold

Letter writers and columnists are lambasting the new Museum of Science and History and nostalgically longing for yesterday's old museum. What if after a billion earmark dollars are spent on new-fangled Trinity Vision with its boondoggle of canals, condos and bridges to nowhere, Fort Worthers, suffering buyer's remorse, wake up, tax bills in hand, and long once more for the old nature-carved Trinity and its vanished West Fork-Clear Fork landmark confluence admired by Ripley Arnold, Robert E. Lee and Amon Carter -- the confluence where the deer and the antelope played and Indians pitched their tepees, a picture that no museum artist ere could paint.

An 1898 painting by Frederic Remington portrays Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado on his ill-fated quest in 1541 to find the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola. The expedition, which included hundreds of soldiers and Native American guides, lasted two years and traversed some 4000 miles of the American West. In the end, no cities of gold were found and Coronado returned empty-handed and in debt.

Coronado's Seven Cities of Cibola. Kay Granger's Trinity Vision. All that glitters is not gold.

-- Don Woodard Sr., Fort Worth

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There IS a reporter in the country

They happen to be at the Washington Post.

Check out what list YOUR Congresswoman made now.

Next time you complain about government spending in Washington, check your own city.

And is 'government spending' an oxymoron?  WHO's money do you think they are spending?

Don't be a moron.  Oxy or otherwise...

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Wanna Wakeboard?

The Cowtown Wakeboard park, part of the Trinity River Vision "flood" control project in Fort Worth, failed to save anyone from flooding today.  Apparently, it couldn't even save itself.

The Trinity River took back the wakeboard park.  And left a sign of just how clean the river is.  Remember that when they invite you to Tube the Trinity during the Rockin' the River events brought to you by the Trinity River Vision Authority and the Tarrant Regional Water District.

With all the flooding footage today, WHY did you not see any of the wakeboard park?  Ask.

While you're at it, ask what it cost YOU and what it's going to cost YOU to repair it.  After all, it's YOUR money.

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WHO controls YOUR water?

It's a tricky question.  For a reason.  There are many water districts in Texas.  Nine times out of ten, they are above the law, as in they don't have to follow any.

There's been a lot of talk about the Tarrant Regional Water District lately, but it hasn't been due to water.  It's all been about the J.D. Granger and Tim Love Woodshed restaurant sweetheart deal on the Trinity River. A million dollar (give or take a few, again, it's just YOUR money) deal.  Don't you wish YOU could go into business for with no start up cost and if it bombs, you lose nothing?  YOU bet you do, cause you've already lost another million.  And counting.  It's a small price to pay for the billion dollar boondoggle known as the Trinity River Vision. 

The TRWD and the Trinity River Vision Authority, under the leadership of JD Granger, Congresswoman Kay Granger's son, heavily promoted Tubing on Trinity or Rocking on the River this summer to the citizens and taxpayers of Tarrant County.  WHY didn't they test the water?  WHY did the citizens have to pay to have it tested?

The project was touted as flood control, so it would receive federal money.  YOU hear that rest of the country?  YOU'RE paying for this too, so there.  We have to ask again, what does a BBQ shack on the river, a wakeboard park and bridges over dry land do for flood control?  YOU should ask.  After all YOU paid for it.

The TRWD should be reaching out to real water planners of the world and getting their act together before Fort Worth runs out of water.  Instead their reaching out and suing our neighbor, Oklahoma for their water.  The same state those gas drillers using all our water hail from. The same fellas that made our water district rich. Hey, here's a thought, why don't you make them bring their own water and take their waste back with them?  Ever wondered why many drill sites are close to the river and the tributaries? Remember, it flows both ways. Water, too.

If all that weren't enough, then there's fracing.  Even if you don't believe it could ever possibly happen, let's just say, what IF just ONE time it does? Remember the coast? What IF the Trinity aquifer is contaminated?  How do YOU fix it?  What happens then?  WHO is responsible?

If all that isn't enough, we came across the article below.  Which brings us back to the original question, WHO controls YOUR water?

I am in Parker County at a hearing where Range Resources has filed a plea to jurisdiction in the water contamination case where EPA had to step in. If the judge grants this motion, it means the Texas Railroad Commission is the final authority in fracking water contamination cases. It means you can’t sue for damages if the Big Gas Mafia fracks up your water. It would be a disaster for all Texas water drinkers. 

Read the rest here. 

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WHO's your daddy?

As previously mentioned, we keep it in the family in Fort Worth.  Literally.

Read about the court connections on PoliTex.  And keep in mind, that ain't nothin.

This is Texas, we do it up big.

They’re the latest in a long line of notable offspring to be hired by the Tarrant County district attorney’s office.

Others who have branched out on the district attorney’s family tree include:

--J.D. Granger, son of U.S. Rep. (and former Fort Worth mayor) Kay Granger. J.D. Granger is now executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority.

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Death or taxes?

Jeers in the Fort Worth Star Telegram:

To U.S. Reps. Joe Barton and Kay Granger, who are fighting the EPA on regulations that would curb mercury and other toxic pollutants being emitted from power plants and cement kilns. They profess that any increased regulation would kill jobs, apparently not caring that those same toxins can kill people.

-- Sharon Austry, Fort Worth

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Jeers to you know WHO

A jeer in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram caught our eye this weekend. We hear there's more to this jeer...stay tuned.

Jeers: To the people who encourage us to tube, swim, wakeboard and otherwise recreate in a river that is known to have contaminated fish and fecal matter in it, as shown on WFAA last month. Is the Trinity clean now? If so, who cleaned it?

-- Debbie L. Sheffield, North Richland Hills

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Meanwhile, back on the ranch

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram sticks with the usual spin. 

Don't worry, your local "news" knows "what's good for you". Remember, THEY also tell you WHO to vote for.  How's all that working out for ya?

And how has this worked out in the past?

WHY would a local politician and backers "scratch and claw" for this project?

That "local government money" they talk about, where do YOU think they get that?

The federal government may be in a world of hurt, but not the Trinity River Vision.

That was the message last week, when Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, called a news conference to announce that $15 million in federal money had been secured for the river project.

Given that the TRV is estimated to cost $910 million and take at least 10 more years to complete, it hardly seems newsworthy that officials locked up 1.6 percent of the budget. Except that these days, every federal dollar is precious, and Granger's TRV coalition served notice that it'll scratch and claw to keep the Fort Worth project on track.

Maybe its best argument is that local government is paying more of the early costs rather than relying exclusively on Uncle Sam. Through August, local sources had contributed $83 million toward the project, while the federal allocation was almost $44 million, not including the latest $15 million pledge.

Despite some Republicans calling for an end to earmarks, Granger believes that this cost sharing will keep the TRV on course.

"The projects that can't come up with their local funds are the ones that are really going to slow down," Granger said. "That's one reason ours goes to the top of the list."

Fortunately, this ambitious idea took root in 2001. Back then, most people still believed that government could do great things, such as moving a river and reviving a distressed area about the size of the central business district.

But such progress gets overshadowed by the infighting in Washington, where earmarks -- money OK'd by Congress for specific projects advocated by members -- have been attacked as wasteful spending. That broad brush discredits every infrastructure project in the country, including the good ones. And the TRV is counting on the feds to cover more than half its budget, or nearly $488 million, so Granger has to keep the money flowing.

The Army Corps of Engineers, penciled in to provide the big bucks, isn't expected to start digging the $94 million bypass channel for three years, so a lot could change by then. Officials are already adjusting schedules in the event that Congress reverses course and plows new money into infrastructure jobs; if that happens, several pieces of the TRV will be shovel-ready and eager to compete for funding.

But at the moment and probably until the TRV is finished, there will be fears that federal support will dry up. Granger said she's always asked whether local, state and national leaders are still behind it.

"Our actions speak as loud as our words," Granger said Thursday, proud that local officials had found a way to land more money.

Originally, the Transportation Department was supposed to provide the last piece of funding for two bridges on Henderson and North Main streets. But the transportation bill is bogged down over a House proposal to cut spending by 30 percent, so Granger went to the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

That local agency had enough federal money to close the gap. Bridge construction starts next year, and Granger was quick to say that 800 jobs will be created.

If the federal money stopped completely, the TRV would be in serious trouble. The local players -- the Tarrant Regional Water District, Tarrant County and Fort Worth -- have already pledged a combined $102 million.

In a more austere time, when the corps can't do as much, one priority should be to finish projects that are under way. The TRV has already bought property, moved businesses, demolished old buildings and completed some environmental cleanup. Building bridges adds to the list.

Under the worst-case scenario, local governments could increase their contribution, Granger said. And some cities have sold bonds to complete vital projects. She wouldn't suggest how the local share might change, saying any shift wouldn't be necessary until 2014 or beyond.

"It'll be a year-to-year thing" with federal funding, said Vic Henderson, president of the water district. "We may have to slow it down some time, but we'll finish this project."

Officials also discovered that the bypass channel could be about 8 feet shallower than initially projected, which will cut extraction costs by $10 million to $15 million.

Sometimes, the savings benefit the Army Corps' side of the ledger; other times, they lower the costs for local players. Either way, the TRV wins and in the process shows how a ground-breaking project should work.

That's not only good for taxpayers and government. It may be the only way to keep the federal money coming.

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Perry Polls

The media is saying Rick Perry dropped 10 points in the polls.

Maybe some folks picked up the Fort Worth Weekly Best of 2011 edition.  While the critics chose another of our local/Washington politicians (Kay Granger) for The Politician most likely to sell grandma to the highest bidder, the readers of Fort Worth chose Rick Perry. 

If the citizens of one of the largest cities in your state think you'll sell them out, WHY would the rest of the country want you for President?

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Best of Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Weekly has released their Best of Edition for 2011.  Pick one up, check it out.

In addition to finding all the best spots in town, you can read about groups and people we've told you about - NCTCA, Clyde Picht, Ann Sutherland and Layla Caraway, just to name a few.

WHO was the politician most likely to sell grandma to the highest bidder?  YOU know WHO.

Oh, and Readers Choice for Locally Made Film - Up a Creek.  Congratulations to Bob Lukeman and TRIP and to all those out there making a difference.   Like the Weekly.

Lone Star salutes you all.

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Political Hog

Interesting letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Good question.  If she ever attended a town hall, you could ask her.

Hogging the wealth

On Sept. 2, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger wrote to her constituents: "... the House is working to foster job creation by reducing the regulatory burden on small and large businesses. ... We have consistently voted on measures to repeal job-destroying regulations in order to empower businesses to create more jobs."

Wow! Business has been consistently deregulated for the past 10 years. And what do we have to show for it?

Seventy percent of the national assets are owned by the top 1 percent of our citizens, and the bottom 70 percent of the wage earners account for only 10 percent of the economy.

In 1976, the top 1 percent controlled 22 percent of the economy.

What does it take for Granger to learn? Is she a shill for big business to control 90 percent of the economy?

An entire generation of massive wealth creation has been strategically withheld from 99 percent of the U.S. population.

-- Barbara Rubin, Fort Worth

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Dear Congresswoman Granger -

Your letter to some of your "Friends" states -

America has had enough. Enough reckless, wasteful spending. Enough piling up more and more debt. You deserve to know the truth about America’s budget, and it’s my responsibility to make sure you have the real information. No budget tricks, no more gimmicks, and no more empty promises.

American families have had to tighten their belts and learn to do more with less. So should Washington.
 
Some people claim it's just more campaign rhetoric to cover yourself, some claim it's because you can't decide which side of the aisle you're on, some say they don't believe anything you say.

We say - Prove it.

Put OUR money, where YOUR mouth is.

You want us to believe YOU?

Then stop letting OUR water district spend OUR money and pay YOUR son to tell us (sell us) to get in the polluted river.  Stop letting them take taxpayers land to give to large campaign donors and developers.  Stop committing us and our children to more debt. Stop letting corporations suck water out of our drought stricken river.  Stop letting the Army Corp of Engineers try and move the course of the river.  Stop letting the NCTCOG (North Central Texas Council of Governments) spend OUR money.  Help your constituents in Tarrant County fix our roads, our infrastructure, our air.  Help us get our kids back to school and open the libraries and pools.

That grotesque amount of money being made from the gas drillers, if not going to benefit the taxpayers it belongs to, should instead be poured back in to finding solutions for when we run out of clean, usable water and to fix the flooding problems in Tarrant County and clean up the waterways that are full of trash, bacterias and PCB's.... Not so the New Kids on the Block can run up and down 7th street and jet off to Vancouver. 

So when you give up your billion dollar pet project (which is OUR money) for the good of ALL the citizens in your district, we might buy it.  Until then, business as usual.

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The Great Divide

In Fort Worth.

A couple of interesting things in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

One being a letter to the editor that makes note of the switch in political parties our Congresswoman made to get elected and WHO she is beholden to.  Remember, she asked your new Mayor to run.  WHO is she now beholden to?


The new mayor

Fort Worth blew its opportunity to elect a qualified known quantity as mayor. I am not acquainted with Betsy Price but am looking forward to falling in love with her. The last female mayor we had was a very good one. It was only after she left the mayor's post that she became so totally beholden to the Republican Party.

-- Joe Hays, Fort Worth

The other being Bud Kennedy's article about Fort Worth being divided.  There are reasons for the split  - they are political and have a great deal to do with the economics of each neighborhood.

Kathleen Hicks is at it again, saying we can find money for a Superbowl but not streetlights.  Doesn't Kathleen serve on the Trinity River Vision board? 

Boswell summed it up in two words in 06.  Failed and neglected...

In 2006, then-City Manager Charles Boswell gave a passionate speech about how leaders have neglected "the other Fort Worth," the one-third of residents with low graduation and employment rates but high crime rates.

He didn't draw an east-west split, but he did say City Hall failed to maintain inner-city streets and drainage.

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TRV aka - Kay's Swamp

That is the title of the email we received.  Read along and remember, it could happen to YOU.

TRV HAS WON! After being near downtown for 58 years...

ALLIED FENCE IS MOVING ON JUNE 17, 18, 19th.

I have served my country, worked for my dad, Bill, all my life in the fence business.  The pressure and loss of sleep has taken its toll on me.  TRV will pay for one move, not two!  They will not give me time to build a new place.  TRV says, "Go, Go, Get out now".  So now I will be out about $50,000 to move, they don't care - get out!!  This is what you don't see in the paper or on the news.  Why not??

Good question.  WHY doesn't the "news" report on the existing businesses being railroaded by the Trinity River Vision?  Ask them.  NOW.

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Using YOUR kids...

Don't miss the comments from THE PEOPLE on this article about the Tarrant Regional Water District and the Trinity River Vision's school kid art contest concerning the the Trinity River.

Again, you can't make this stuff up.  WHO were the judges of the contest?  None other than our Congresswoman, Kay Granger and Tarrant Regional Water District board member, Marty Leonard.  For once, we agree with something Marty said, "The river belongs to all of us...", not our politicians... 

The contest was "What does the Trinity River mean to you?"  We'd love to see the rendering our congresswoman would submit. 

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Don't miss the comments, as usual, they are the best part.

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With Friends like these...

WHO needs enemies?

Friday, our Congresswoman Kay Granger, sent a message to her "friends".  Not those on 7th Street or American Airlines, but all you little people. 

We're not sure if it's in response to TRIP, or the Up a Creek documentary, or citizens attending the TCC/TRV meeting Wednesday and asking questions.  They say timing is everything.

All we know is "The Truths about TRV" leave a lot to be desired.  We're reminded that the Fort Worth portion of the Trinity River Vision is $26 million.  That's a lot of money for a city that's broke.  And again, WHO's money is it?  WHERE will the rest of the money come from when the federal portion never comes through?  If not Fort Worth, will it be Tarrant County or the Tarrant Regional Water District?  Ah, yes, that's YOUR money too.

It's good to have friends...

And don't worry, they say the trolley car money isn't coming out of Fort Worth, we can't wait to see WHERE it's coming from.  Yes, the council voted down the streetcars, we've now heard JD Granger and his mom basically say, that doesn't matter.  Maybe that's WHY they want to pick YOUR new mayor.  Ms. Granger also says it will create a billion dollars of economic impact, so if we spend a billion for it, does that make it a wash?  WHO is it impacting exactly?

You can read more about it on Landslide Clyde.  YOU can't afford to miss it.

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Double take

Check out the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and the Fort Worth Mayor Boondoggle on Durango.

The picture alone is worth it.

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Fort Worth Fail

The Fort Worth Mayor race...what a disappointment.  Since some of you couldn't be bothered to get off your couch to vote, you'll get more of what you got. 

Now what we've got is a bunch of politicians, the gas industry, the police and fire associations fighting over the Mayor.  So, whichever one is elected, WHO do you think they will answer to?  THE PEOPLE or the ones WHO bought their campaign?

Good guess, Einstein.

See what Durango had to say here.

See what Clyde had to say here.

I think it’s by design that two candidates favoring abuse of eminent domain, gross waste of public monies, and favoring the well connected and influential, are the last two standing in the June runoff election.

Kay Granger, Dee Kelly, and Ed Bass will laugh all the way to the bank. They win no matter who is elected. The TRV keeps wasting along and the influence over public spending and other downtown accommodation doesn’t change a bit. Those are three individuals who Betsy Price initially named as the ones who influenced her to run for mayor. Chesapeake gas jumped on the half Price bandwagon late in the electioneering, so they have preserved their place of influence as well.

Not that Lane is without influence, his treasurer is Ken Barr, former mayor and Chesapeake Gas lobbyist. It goes without saying that Jim will continue to support the flagrant abuse of property rights and wasteful spending of tax dollars. Jim’s other albatross is the police and firefighter unions who have pumped tons of money into his campaign. So to whom does he owe his allegiance?

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