WHO are you voting for?

Be there Thursday to learn about the candidates, one of which, will end up voting for YOU. 

Looking at the line up, it should be fun.

TX House District 91 Candidate Debate
Stephanie Klick vs Ken Sapp vs Charles Scoma vs Theresa Thombs
Thursday, March 22 7:00-8:00pm
Foster Village Recreation Building
6600 Starnes Rd, Watauga 

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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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If a city has 16 candidates....

There's a reason. Be there Thursday and find out what it is.

City Council Candidates will attend first forum Thursday at 7:00 PM

By D. J. Zitko

Sixteen challengers for five seats on the City Council!

It is an extremely rare occurrence to have five seats in contention. Two seats are open due to resignations and three of the incumbents are up for re-election. In total, nineteen candidates are listed in the City Council races.

Fourteen of the challengers will take part in the first city council candidate forum this Thursday night, March 15th. This free event is open to the public and gives citizens an opportunity to meet the challengers and listen as they give timed responses to questions on the issues that face our city. The event will be held at the Odis Pharr Community Center, 3535 Marathon,Pantego, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event is hosted by the Arlington Tea Party.

The organizer of the event, Kelly Canon, a former candidate for City Council herself, spoke with the Arlington Voice about the forum’s format, “Due to the large number of candidates this year, we will keep answers to timed, one-minute responses. Each candidate will be given an opportunity to briefly introduce themselves and talk about the issues that are most important to them as a potential/future council member.”

Read the full story at the Arlington Voice.

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Texas Toll Roads, Freeway or free for all?

HOW many in Texas?  WHY?  ASK.

TAXPAYER DISASTER:

STOP tolls on FREEways! 
It's been 7 years since Congress passed the last federal highway bill. Now its racing through Congress at the speed of light -- why? Because they want to sell-off our public roads to private corporations, raise your taxes through tolls, and lift the ban on imposing tolls on existing highways. There are 500 toll projects being contemplated in Texas alone!

An amendment to allow tolls on ALL existing interstates in all 50 states is expected to be presented on the floor by Senator Carper of Delaware. Imposing tolls on existing freeways is a massive DOUBLE TAX -- charging motorists an additional tax, a toll, to use what they've already built and paid for!

The current House Bill, HR 7, only bans tolls on existing FEDERAL interstates. It GUTS the ban on imposing tolls on existing STATE highways -- like US 281 and Loop 1604 -- a ban that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison put in place for Texas since 2007.  The fate our public freeway system is under attack!

ACTION ITEM
Call Senator John Cornyn and ask him to support the Hutchison  ban on tolling existing STATE and FEDERAL freeways and to STRIP PPPs & TIFIA loans OUT of the transportation bill .

Call Cornyn's office at 210-224-7485 & email him here.

Call your member of Congress and ask him/her to ADD the Hutchison "Freedom from Tolls" Amendment to ban tolling existing freeways - BOTH state and federal - to HR 7 and STRIP PPPs & TIFIA loans OUT of the transportation bill.

Find out who your member of Congress is or call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Learn more here.  Don't be sheep.

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Water Boarding continued

WHY did the Tarrant Regional Water District vote to extend their terms in office?

 Fort Worth Star-Telegram says -

 Sparks, who intended to run again, said he expects to have an opponent because of the high-profile issues the district encompasses, including the Trinity River Vision project.

 Section 490.103 of the water code states that elections should be held on the uniform election date in even-numbered years "to elect the appropriate number of directors."

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Texas Vs. Oklahoma

Politex quoted an Associated Press article concerning the Tarrant Regional Water District and their lawsuit against Oklahoma to take their water.

The same Tarrant Regional Water District that is committing you to a billion dollar economic development project and just voted to give themselves another year in office.

Seems THE PEOPLE in Oklahoma may get to vote on what their state does with their water.  What a concept.

And what do you know?  The Fort Worth Way doesn't work across state lines.

Ellis, who is based in water-rich Southeastern Oklahoma has been one of the most vocal opponents of water sales to Texas and said the future of Oklahoma water should not be decided in private meetings between politicians and Texans.

Read more here: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/politex/2012/01/bill-would-give-oklahomans-the-right-to-vote-on-any-texas-water-sale.html#storylink=cpy

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Well said -

A letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tells you how to fix this mess our politicians have made.

Voting strength

It seems to be the common belief among most citizens that this country is gradually sinking into nothingness. It also seems to be common knowledge that the main reason behind our decline is the arguing and bickering among elected members of our do-nothing Congress.

It seems that the only way to get this country moving again is for all voters to, for once, forget party loyalty and vote out the slackers, regardless of party affiliation, who do nothing but draw their pay check and sign ridiculous pledges.

The way I see it, for us to thrive again and rebuild our recognition as the number-one economy in the world is try our best to rid Washington of all the greed and self-preservation of our selfish representatives. Yes, it can be accomplished at polling places!

-- Ed Huddleston, Fort Worth

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Good Question

 In the Fort Worth Star-Telegram letters. 

Whose city?

I was proud to present an overhead slide at the City Council meeting where Mayor Betsy Price said the city is "our Fort Worth" and requested that we "take ownership" of the city and make it better.

During the discussion on whether to let voters decide whether or not to increase the size of the council, we listened to a litany of excuses about why members thought we should stay at nine instead of increasing to 11.

The City Council is powerless to decide the size of the council if we, the people, decide to change it.

How can the mayor tell neighborhoods "it's your Fort Worth," then tell them their vote and opinion won't count?

How does an elected official tell the people to "make our great city even better by taking ownership," then attempt to deny them that ownership?

-- Louis McBee, Fort Worth

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Just say NO

Many people have been asking about voting on the amendments in Texas.  Here's an interesting read we were forwarded.  WHY would some of these be coming right out of Tarrant County?  Where's that Attorney General when you need him?

This amendment will allow bonds to be sold to be used for a private commercial real estate development project and to pocket the profits. Public monies should not be used for private development. And it is highly questionable how the public can benefit from a developer building condominiums. It hasn't worked very well in the past--many big promises were made as to how the tifs would benefit us but it hasn't worked out that way.

This amendment allows counties to use eminent domain to take property and use for commercial interest. The sponsor of the amendment says it is to allow counties to build roads. But it also allows most anything else they can think of---just as happened which began the boondogle TRV project.

Voters already voted down a transportation bill for extensive rail projects that weren't liked and the same people who brought that item to the ballot are strongly supporting this--- so they can do an end-around the voters and decide to plan a rail project without public support. If this amendment passes, they can take private land without paying a fair price,  sell bonds without voter approval, and build whatever rail project they want,  then sell extra land to private developers to finish out project..... all without your approval and/or participation in the process.

Funding also provided by complicated tax refinancing similar to TIF'S. As you know some tifs have been a financial drain on taxpayers--they only help the private developer and big business, and not fulfilling the big promises of increased jobs and increasing tax base. They were also originally designed to use "blighted" areas for redevelopment but have turned out to be anything but that. The process has been abused in our area many times but voters are without recourse, once they unwittingly give up that power.

And the whole process depends entirely on the expectation that future property values will increase. If they don't the govt. entities must cough up the money somehow... so who do you think will pay if they are in danger of defaulting on their bonds?

I'm all for adding more rail projects but don't believe this is the way to do it after the TRV was shoved down our throat, leaving us with no recourse.

I'm voting no on all amendments,except maybe the first one.

Please join me in voting NO to prop 4 on Nov. 8

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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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MHMR Client calls 911

From MHMR lobby.  WHY didn't you see it on the "news"?  Good question.  ASK them.

You can see it on the Paradise Center Scandal blog.

Be sure and read the comments.  It tells you who the elected officials are that should be paying attention.  ASK them WHY they aren't.

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Keller Citizens Catching On

Due to KISD wanting to raise taxes, citizens have taken to the web.  Check out their site, lots of good info.  Watch their Youtube video and VOTE SATURDAY!!!

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Fort Worth's Seventh Street gang

Being called out in the Texas Tribune.  (via the New York Times site).  That should tell you something.

VOTE Saturday!

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Fort Worth Mayor Forum

Tonight's forum is sponsored by the Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods -

6:30 p.m.
University Christian Church
2720 So. University Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76109

Tomorrow night's forum includes the candidates from District 7 and is the Community Arts - Scott Theatre.  They'll have Rahr beer and Paul Harral, the former Editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  We miss Paul. 

Attend a forum, ask a question.  VOTE.

We have a question for Dennis Shingleton, WHY would you not have a website?  We find Jon Perry at several meetings all over the county, see youtube videos and emails he sends asking everyone to vote, even if not for him...We've yet to see the establishment candidate at a meeting and we can't find a website.  Ask WHY?

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Doesn't add up...

Some good Letters to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  We wonder how much they were edited? 

Seems people have the same question we've been hearing since news broke Betsy Price was running for Mayor...WHO pays??

A tax assessor makes more than a hundred grand a year. The Fort Worth mayor's position pays about $30,000. Why would a person leave a well-paying public position for one that doesn't even pay one-fourth as much? Maybe there's some outside lobbying going on. I think we'll be the ones paying for it down the line. I just don't trust a person who has made that much money on the taxpayers' dime for so many years to suddenly take a huge cut in pay, all for "the good of the people."

I am voting for Jim Lane in this runoff. He's given a lot to this city without the large salary. He's the clear choice for Fort Worth.

-- Don Beims, Fort Worth
 
The next letter made us laugh.  Beholden to the taxpayers?  Which ones?  The Grangers? Cheseapeake? The Kelly's?   Where do they find these people?  City Hall?
 
Betsy is beholden only to taxpayers, not to special interests inside or outside city government.
 
And they'll be laughing, all the way to the bank...

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Ditto

A recent Letter to the Editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram speaks for itself...

Political neutrality

I don't agree with the Star-Telegram's practice of recommending political candidates. The idea of media endorsements is a holdover from when newspapers were affiliated with political parties.

In my opinion, this is a chink in what should be an impenetrable armor of objectivity.

Your role in the political process is to fairly present the candidates to potential voters.

Voters should be swayed by the candidates, not by those whose credibility requires neutrality.

As the 2008 presidential primaries were heating up, Time magazine Managing Editor Rick Stengel raised the same issue: "How can a newspaper be objective on the front page when it endorses a candidate on the editorial page? [Readers are] dubious about whether the reporter who covers Hillary Clinton can be objective if his newspaper has endorsed Barack Obama -- and vice versa. And they're right."

I agree.

-- Tim Tune, Fort Worth

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Things that make you go Hmmm...

The 912 group is having training Sunday (see below). It's free unless you want lunch.  You can see a video concerning the "new urbanism" here.  The Fort Worth Chamber, not to be left out, is putting on a show too.
Maybe you should attend both and tell us what YOU see.  It ain't pretty.

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WHO knows?

WHY was the election judge in Haltom City removed a couple of days in to early voting? 

WHY was another election judge removed in Haltom City previously?

WHY were people that voted in those first days of early voting hanging outside the polling place door on the last day of early voting? 

Small towns...which is worse?  That or the Fort Worth Way?

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Texas Politics

The redistricting is causing quite a stir.  Seems just like before it's politically motivated. Surprise! 

WHO does it involve?  Tarrant County, who else.

Some don't want to take the time for a special session.  Isn't that their job?  Aren't their constituents worth the time?  Don't answer that...

How is it that when someone says something about the President, they are racist, but when someone wants to "divide and conquer" one race or another in redistricting they are called a politician? 

Read about the drama in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

"There's no doubt that the minority community is divided and conquered," Veasey said.

Veasey said the shift would place most of his African-American and Hispanic constituents in a largely rural and predominantly Anglo district, where they would have no opportunity to influence the outcome of elections.

"I feel we're put in the basement and shut off," said Veasey, the only African-American in the Tarrant County House delegation.

Veasey and Davis have contended that the new plan violates the federal Voting Rights Act, but Solomons defended it.

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Frisco Votes

Saturday Frisco voters got a say on the Trinity River Vision boondoggle, not really, they don't get to vote on it either.  They voted on the Arts of Collin County center.  And how did they vote?  To revoke the bond.  Seems the taxpayers and some council members don't think spending tax dollars on something that should be paid for with private developer money is a good idea.  Imagine that.  Read about it on NBCDFW.

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