The Government We Deserve

"The 2006 tax swap - lowering local school property taxes and creating a new state business tax to make up the difference - is at the center of the state's current budget troubles. It was never an even swap, and the architects are still pointing fingers over what and whom to blame for the 'structural deficit' in state finances. Then-Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn told lawmakers at the time that the package of bills didn't balance. ... By her reckoning, the state was raising $23 billion less with its new taxes over the first five years than it was promising in relief to property taxpayers in local school districts around the state.

Here's a line that seemed inflammatory then but looks practically clairvoyant today: 'At worst, it will relegate Texans to Draconian cuts in critical areas like education and health care for at least a generation. This is not a victory for taxpayers. It is a sham, and Texans will see it for what it is.' She urged Perry to veto it. He signed it instead."

-- Ross Ramsey, The Texas Tribune

Carole Keeton Strayhorn, whose crystal ball was crystal clear, is today a largely forgotten ex-office holder. Rick Perry, the engineer of Texas's current budget crisis, is a multi-term governor whose popularity in Texas has never been higher and who is being mentioned as a potential Presidential candidate.

What's wrong with this picture? Maybe it's the assumption that Texans oppose "Draconian cuts in critical areas like education and health care for at least a generation." Although Perry never said in so many words that that was what he wanted to accomplish, that's what he delivered. It must have been to the satisfaction of the majority of Texans. They voted for him. He remains popular today.

"In a democracy, people get the government they deserve."
-- Alexis de Toqueville

Easter in the Steger Garden (2011)

From Flowers

Richardson Idol: Week Five

Richardson Idol's popularity is growing, staging three new shows this week. Tuesday's show was sponsored by the Richardson Chamber of Commerce. Because it was pay-per-view our judges will not consider it in their reviews. Thursday night's show was sponsored by the American Muslim Alliance. Saturday's matinee will be sponsored by the Mark Twain HOA and Glenville Park HOA. Our judges don't do the daytime version of our show, so this week's voting is based solely on the Thursday night show.

Eleven of thirteen contestants vying for the grand prize, a seat on the Richardson City Council, performed on our stage for our judges Thursday night (absent: Clawson, North).

As the format requires, it is up to the audience (and by audience, I mean me) to eliminate one contestant each week until we have a council.

But before we hear who will be eliminated this week, let's first hand out superlatives ... after the jump.

Should Richardson Tear Out Central Expressway?

"Eisenhower, the father of the quite necessary INTERSTATE system, understood far better than anybody gives him credit or anybody involved with transportation planning/funding/building since, that INTRACITY freeways destroys the wealth of nations, the economies of cities."
-- Patrick Kennedy

Patrick Kennedy, Dallas urban designer and champion of tearing out Dallas's downtown freeways, argues that Eisenhower's interstate highway system was a good idea carried to a bad extreme. Building highways to connect cities, good. Building highways through downtowns, bad. IH45 between Dallas and Houston, good. R.L. Thornton, Stemmons, Woodall Rodgers, the Canyon, the Mixmaster, Project Pegasus, all bad, bad, bad.

After the jump, one man's intercity freeway is another man's intracity freeway.

"It's Still Being Litigated"

 

"It's still being litigated." That was City Council candidate William Gordon's claim at a recent candidate forum regarding his 2007 lawsuit against the City of Richardson. That appears to be technically correct, if by "still being litigated" you mean Gordon and his attorney are still filing motions with the court.

After the jump, the City of Richardson's response of April 8, 2011 to Gordon's latest motion.

Municipal Court Building Naming

Food Lion

At Monday's work session, the Richardson City Council considered the possibility of adding an honorary name to the city's Municipal Court facility on Campbell Road. The city has in mind Ray Noah - former mayor, council member, municipal judge and DART board member. No argument from me. Still, it would be a shame not to explore the other possibilities just a little bit. What if Ray Noah declined the honor?

After the jump, some ideas for consideration.

City Council Election Quiz - Part 2

This is Part 2 of our Richardson City Council Election Quiz. (Part 1 can be found here.) There is only one question in Part 2.

The Dallas Morning News Voter Guide asked the candidates this question: "Who are your top three contributors?" The candidates' answers are below.

Question: Which answer(s) sounds less like a champion of open and transparent government and more like someone using legalisms to avoid being transparent and open with the voters?

• William Gordon: I report all campaign financing in accordance with state law, and will file my first report next week; any information I have at this time would be incomplete.
  
• Bob Townsend: Richardson Firefighters Association, Richard McLarnon, Felix Chen
  
• John A. DeMattia: The Richardson Citizens Alliance, my wife and myself,
  
• Mark Solomon: Mark Solomon (me), Richardson Firefighter Association, Felix Chen
  
• Laura Maczka: Richardson Fire Fighters Association, MetroTex Association of Realtors, Sam Yang
  
• Karl Voigtsberger: Richardson Citizens Alliance
  
• Kendal Hartley: Metro Tex Association of Realtors, F. Chen, M. Bailey
  
• Dennis Stewart: Campaign funding is on-going and will be listed on the Campaign Finance Report to be filed April 14, 2011
  
• Diana Clawson: Richardson Protection Alliance
  
• Amir Omar: Richardson Fire Fighters PAC, Robert Allen, Dr. Haroon Rasheed

Hint: There is more than a little irony associated with one of the answers considered correct.

City Council Election Quiz

This quiz is about the May 14 Richardson City Council election. It has three questions. Take your time.

• Question: The tweets below were all posted at almost the exact same time. Which one's timing was most likely just accidental that it was simultaneous to the others?
  

  
  

• Two-part Question: Who is the real voice behind these candidates? And, if the candidates are willing to turn their Twitter accounts over to him or her, what else are they willing to turn over?

  
  

• Essay Question: If you are not yet on the city council, you are not yet bound by the Texas Open Meetings Act. Still, if open and transparent government is a key goal of your election campaign, would you feel at least a moral obligation to be open and transparent with the electorate about schedules, agendas and minutes of any meetings you have with four other candidates -- a potential quorum and majority on the new city council you are all running for? Why or why not? Discuss. (For bonus points, include in your discussion the concept of a "walking quorum.")

Grading will be on a curve.

Richardson Idol: Week Four

Richardson Idol aired two episodes this week. Tuesday night's show was sponsored by the Berkner Park Neighborhood Association. Unfortunately, it was only a "Meet and Greet" so our contestants did not take the stage and perform. Thursday night's show was sponsored by the Turquoise Council for Americans and Eurasians.

Twelve of thirteen contestants vying for the grand prize, a seat on the Richardson City Council, performed on our stage for our judges Thursday night (absent: North; seriously tardy: Mitchell)

As the format requires, it is up to the audience (and by audience, I mean me) to eliminate one contestant each week until we have a council. (The recap of last week's show can be found here.)

But before we hear who will be eliminated this week, let's first hand out superlatives ... after the jump.

Un-Tree the Town, I Say

"They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
Then they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you've got
'Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot."
-- Joni Mitchell

A public meeting is planned for April 27 for public input on location and design for a new "mini-neighborhood park" in the Richardson Heights and Cottonwood Heights areas. It's great to see this 2010 Bond item moving forward. It's rare to see buildings giving way and trees making a comeback in a developed area.

Then I got to thinking about parks in general. And that made me think about one undeveloped part of Richardson in particular (yes, there is at least one such gem left). And that led me to flip-flop on a vision/dream/fantasy I've long had about that gem of nature. Yep, flip-flop. I'm now thinking that some trees, at least a few anyway, just might have to go. I'm suggesting "Un-Tree the Town," at least a little bit, in one very specific location.

After the jump, please stop me if I'm making a big mistake.