Low census returns could hurt Texas representation

Texas Could Lose Out After Census Deadline

When the U.S. Census Bureau began a campaign to increase participation in this year’s decennial headcount, hopes were high the statewide response would translate into four additional congressional seats for Texas.

Now it looks like skeptics who remembered Texas’ lackluster effort in decades past might have been right. On Wednesday the bureau released its mail-in participation rates for the country, with Texas’ effort coming in at 69 percent. That falls below the national average of 72 percent, which the Associated Press reports could mean Texas gains less than it anticipated.

According to the report: “Of the five states on the cusp, the biggest potential losers are California and New York, which could have a net loss of one and two House seats, respectively. Texas may end up gaining just three House seats instead of four.”

The original four-seat prediction could still emerge correct, however. Census workers will now go knocking on doors, asking residents who didn’t participate the same basic information requested from the 10-question mail form.

A major concern for state officials has been the response rate along the border, specifically in the low-income and hard-to-count areas known as “colonias.” Residents in those areas, they fear, could have concerns about their residency status and what the repercussions of filling out the forms could be. Time will tell what actually knocking on their doors next month will bring.

And if you’re curious how each of Texas’ 254 counties participated, we’ve updated our county-by-county participation map.

credit: Texas Tribune

Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted April 29th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Grand Prairie hosts Tea Party rally

Tea Party protesters stir things up in Grand Prairie

With signs, American flags and yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” banners by the hundreds, Tea Party activists packed QuikTrip Park for a tax day rally Thursday night.

Participants said they were protesting against a government that spends too much and reaches too far into Americans’ lives.

“I don’t like the way the Congress is spending our money,” Vincent Bustamante of Dallas said. “We need to get people in office who are fiscally conservative. I’m trying to educate people. That’s why I’m here.”

Similar rallies across the country also attracted thousands of Tea Party supporters with conservatives speaking. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addressed an event in Austin.

Republican candidates and officials touted the tea parties, billed as a resurrection of the 1773 Boston Tea Party, as a sign their party will see a surge of support in the November midterm elections.

Although the Tea Party movement, which is not its own political party, is strongly conservative, many organizers have stressed unhappiness with Democratic and Republican incumbents alike.

At the Grand Prairie event, organizers estimated attendance at 18,000, though no count from police was available. The ballpark has a seating capacity of about 5,400, but thousands more crowded the outfield.

Speakers included talk radio host Mark Davis, who was the rally’s emcee. He rebutted accusations that the Tea Party movement is intolerant of minorities, immigrants and others.

Instead, he listed things that he said he and Tea Party activists oppose.

“We will not tolerate spending so high and a debt so massive that it threatens our children’s future,” Davis said.

He added to that list people who disregard the Constitution and government that does things individuals should do on their own, among others. Davis also had a jab for the Republican Party.

“We will not tolerate Republicans who talk a good game … but who betray the voters when they go to Washington,” Davis said.

People at the rally signed a 50-foot-long “postcard” that Tea Party organizers said would be delivered to the White House. Messages included “Shame on you!” “November is coming,” and “Throw the bums out!”

Signs related to economic issues dominated, such as “The Obama recession continues,” but others had messages such as “This is the first time I am scared of my own government.”

Marci Bucklaew of Hurst said she attended the rally Thursday night because she is mad. Mad at Congress, mad at the president and mad at how the media portrays the Tea Party movement as a group of extremists.

“I want the health care bill repealed,” she said. “Let the people take care of each other.”

Bucklaew said she is more politically engaged this year than ever before. She’s pushing people to write their elected officials and keep the Tea Party movement energized.

“To change things, we need to stay unified,” she said.

Radio host Chris Krok rallied the crowd late into the evening, railing against President Barack Obama and urging people to make a difference at the ballot box.

“He has tried to make us look like the enemy,” Krok said. “He has awakened a sleeping giant. That giant is you.”

credit: Dallas News

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted April 16th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Right vs Left for Dallas County Judge

Dallas County judge race narrows to two with clear differences

Republican Wade Emmert and Democrat Clay Jenkins, both lawyers, represented their party’s interests during the 2008 state representative race pitting Linda Harper-Brown and Bob Romano.

Emmert helped Harper-Brown protect her thin lead in a recount, while Jenkins tried to secure any votes that should have gone to Romano.

Harper-Brown, the Republican, won by 19 votes.

“He and I made the comment that this may be the first of our two face-offs,” said Emmert, a Cedar Hill City Council member. “Round 1 went to me, I suppose.”

For Round 2, the stakes are much higher.

Though both downplay it, the Emmert-Jenkins contest will help determine the political dynamic of the Dallas County Commissioners Court.

Some similarities

Emmert and Jenkins are at similar stations in life.

They are 40-something lawyers from Baylor Law School who have become emerging stars on the local political scene.

And they are family men with young children who have backed away from negative campaigning.

But Emmert’s and Jenkins’ respective paths to their nominations were different.

After working as Barack Obama’s presidential campaign lawyer in Dallas, Jenkins gobbled up endorsements from the Dallas County Democratic establishment and quickly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for his campaign against Foster and Dallas County Schools Board president Larry Duncan.

Though he needed a runoff to put Duncan away, there was little doubt that he would become the party’s standard-bearer.

Emmert was already on the Cedar Hill City Council, but like Jenkins, was unknown to most Dallas County voters.

As Democrats quickly rallied to support Jenkins, Emmert had to scramble for the Republican support and money he needed to build a campaign.

Other big-name Republicans, including former Dallas City Councilmember Mitchell Rasansky, considered running for the GOP nomination. That would have made Emmert’s path more difficult.

But Rasansky opted not to run for county judge, and Emmert was unopposed in the Republican primary.

“I built my campaign one supporter at a time,” said Emmert, the rare GOP countywide candidate from southern Dallas. “He came into it as the establishment candidate.”

Diverging views

While Emmert and Jenkins agree that Dallas County needs new leadership, transparency in government, southern Dallas development and a more efficient government, their party affiliations and political ideology make them different.

Emmert is a conservative Republican, while Jenkins is an ObamaDemocrat.

Jenkins has urged county commissioners to get out of the way and let District Attorney Craig Watkins handle an investigation of ConstablesJaime Cortes and Derick Evans.

In contrast, Emmert has questioned whether the district attorney is acting in the best interest of Dallas residents. And he supports an outside party taking over any criminal investigation.

“There are similarities there about our background,” Jenkins said. “But for our race, we have differences on the issues.”

Both men say they want the campaign to be about ideas and issues, not negative, partisan attacks.

“We have a commitment to having a pretty civil dialogue,” Jenkins said.

Emmert agreed.

“I really don’t perceive it as a battle,” he said.

credit: Dallas News

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Posted April 15th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

D Magazine Cover Story: John Carona, the Last Republican

The Texas state senator has questioned how the legislature spends money. For that, his own party treats him like a heretic

John Carona still has the bulk and rolling shoulders that he once used to plow through a defensive line for Bryan Adams High School. For a hefty man, he moves quickly, always on the go. But there are times when Carona stands still, and at those times he is like a wall.

Within days of the opening of last year’s session of the Texas Senate, where Carona has served for 14 years, Tommy Williams of the Woodlands proposed a suspension of the Senate’s two-thirds rule to take up a highly controversial voter ID bill that the GOP wanted to push. The two-thirds rule protects the minority by requiring broad agreement in setting the Senate’s agenda for the session. The Legislative Reference Library of Texas calls it “an honored tradition” that “fosters civility, a willingness to compromise, and a spirit of bipartisanship” in the Senate. These days, “compromise” and “bipartisanship” are not words that flow naturally from Republican lips. With Democrats hotly opposed to the bill, Williams wanted to make it clear from the start that the Republican majority would get its way without them.

The 19 members of the Senate GOP caucus unanimously agreed to suspend the two-thirds rule—almost.

The lone holdout was John Carona. For one thing, he argued, newly elected House Speaker Joe Straus wouldn’t consider voter ID because Democratic members had helped elect him. So suspension of the rule in the Senate was nothing more than an empty gesture. Why outrage the other side of the aisle at the beginning of a session for no good reason?

But Carona had a larger and more long-term concern. The rule had served the Senate for generations. Republicans were once in the minority and someday would be again. Even if Republicans did not cotton to compromise and bipartisanship today, might not they desperately need it tomorrow? Shouldn’t people who describe themselves as conservatives be the first to uphold custom and tradition, especially when it had for decades protected the Senate minority against what the Founders described as the tyranny of the majority?

He might as well have been talking to his chair. When the vote came, Carona was the lone Republican “nay” on suspending the rule. He then voted for the voter ID bill, which he had supported all along. It passed, was sent to the House, and disappeared.

The incident could be taken as merely one more anecdote about the shortsighted and ultimately self-defeating partisanship that defines politics today. But it is more important than that. It is a telling example of what has happened to the Republican Party in Texas and to conservative political philosophy in general. Both are victorious—and both are in shambles.

Republicans have lost all sense of who they are—or, more accurately, who they once were. The shallow symbol is more important to them than any concrete achievement. Nowhere is this more apparent than their dishonesty about money. Conservatism today has reduced itself to only one constant refrain: no new taxes. A movement that once established an entire historical and intellectual framework for prudence, pragmatism, and fiscal responsibility has been stripped down to three sparse words, as denuded as a mountainside in Haiti with three gnarled and leafless trees. Those three words constitute a doctrine that has made Republican governance all but impossible. Even as staunch and long-serving a Republican as John Carona now regards his party with a palpable sense of disbelief and an attitude approaching grief. It could have done so much good, and it has done so much harm.

more: D Magazie

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted March 8th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

DART Steetcars?

Streetcars in Dallas would be highly beneficial

Streetcar is coming. Streetcar is coming!

I’m sure most of the regular readers of this site have heard the good news. Dallas won a federal TIGER (transportation initiative) grant for $23 million (PDF) to start design and construction of the proposed 1st phase of the modern street car line. The second piece of good news, is that it is actually going to be one of benefit rather than the tourist trap downtown loop initially proposed. The flip side of this story is that while the application was pursued in concert with Fort Worth, the federal government took it upon themselves to extricate Fort Worth from the receipt.

There has been some speculation that red Tarrant county was victim of some partisan politics from the Feds. First, whenever I see the victim card played, typically red flags go up in my head. Before we start getting all conspiracy theory, let’s remember that between the high speed rail and TIGER grants, that some of the biggest winners have been states with Republican governors. So without cynicism, perhaps we might find other reasons for Fort Worth being left out … like the feds might have some concern that Fort Worth is double-dipping with multiple applications (i.e. the New Starts Grant later this year)? That is just a guess, but one that I think might be a little more logical.

It is a setback, but ultimately one more of timing and inconvenience than anything else. The shame of it is that in my opinion, the area of Fort Worth due to get the early phase streetcar is more lined up for immediate real estate investment. This is where the real value of streetcar is found, ROI. I’ll have more on this later, but first think about the kind of returns via private investment Portland ($2.5 billion) and Tampa ($900 million) talk about with their streetcar lines. And Tampa did virtually everything wrong!

So maybe there is hope for us when we begin to get off the rails (pun rather intentional) …

For the uninitiated, the first question one might ask is, “more streetcars?! Like that old-timey trolley thingy on McKinney Avenue?” In fact, no. These will be sleek, quiet, comfortable low-floor, accessibly loading modern streetcars. And, I’m told that they will be purchased domestically from a company in Portland (rather than the Siemens cars), so I don’t have to spend time belly-aching about bailing out Ford to build more stuff that we don’t need rather than overhauling plants to build that which we will.

Freeways were the way to the future for the baby boomer generation, making the streetcar “of its time.” Anything resembling nostalgia will limit its potential and reach towards the new population bubble, the Millennials.

Beyond style or preference, I find that the contemporary if not almost futuristic look is an important indicator of progress to the public at-large. It is a subtle but important message for building support that the City of Dallas is serious about building a great city rather than any feeble attempts at freezing people in time like a ride at Disney. This isn’t about tourists, it is inclusive, but primarily for residents (the significance of which I will explain in a bit).

I expect them to look more like these Portland cars …

Your second question might be, “what can this possibly do for me?” First, why turn your nose up at $23 million dollars from the Federal government that isn’t going towards highway expansion (although as part of the TIGER grants, somehow something called “innovative highways” [guffaw] received funding including a highway expansion in Dallas. I guess being second in highway lanes per mile just isn’t good enough. Kansas City, don’t you know everything MUST be bigger in Texas, for better or worse — we make no qualitative distinction, or lest we consider ourselves failures, and frankly, we just can’t live with that.).

Public transportation can often be a lightning rod because of its relatively high upfront costs and seemingly low revenue generation. It is important to remember that no form of transportation on the history of the planet was ever “profitable” in and of itself. Even for me to ride a bike to the new bowling alley bar in Deep Ellum this summer requires 1) cost to buy the bike, and 2) energy, i.e. calories. I have to eat a Power Bar to expend the energy to get to my destination. Yet, it seems free, just like it does to hop on the highway and drive to Walmart. The true costs have been “unbundled,” so the average person has no idea how much they’ve been screwed over by the automobile monoculture.

Second is that streetcars by nature encourage density (eek density! Arm yourselves with crosses and garlic!) and density pays the bills; it requires less infrastructure per capita, lessening the tax burden on everyone. This is the ROI that I spoke of regarding streetcars and transportation in general.

Here is where I say this is how transportation should always be thought of, but never is. Except that I am not too naive to understand that it is FAR too easy to externalize certain factors/costs, and convince people that a new highway is actually a good expenditure. The question you have to ask people then really comes down to, how do you want to live, how do you want your city to look?

Third, the streetcars will help to lessen the burden on downtown parking for workers. Less demand, with all that supply (OMG ALL THAT SUPPLY) could mean lower costs for parking for commuters into downtown. Though, that is a very slippery slope into circularity of argument.

Fourth, streetcars will help lead to safe, interesting, vibrant areas — with unique restaurants and experiences. Note that I didn’t say “will.” The implication being that streetcars are some magic bullet for livable cities. They are one in a kit of parts. As I’ve said before, if it isn’t part of a chicken/egg dilemma, you probably aren’t on the right track toward building more livable cities.

See McKinney Avenue. It took the state’s first TIF, will of city leadership/stewardship, and private developers willing to take a monumental risk so big that they had to go oversees to find lending for projects in what was one of the worst areas of the City 20-30 years ago. Now we have things like Crooked Tree Coffeehouse, the prototypical third place/hole in the wall, offering character while indicating a mature, resilient, complete neighborhood. (Yes, I shamelessly plug my favorite spots in the City: those that are local, embedded in their community, friendly staff, and full of character.)

more: Pegasus News

Tags: , , , , ,

Posted February 19th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Texas and the Tea Party

Tea Party movement takes aim at Ron Paul

There is more than a little irony in the fact that congressman Ron Paul is facing three primary challengers this year, all of them linked in some way to the Tea Party movement.

Many observers give the libertarian from Texas credit for having sparked the Tea Party movement in 2007 when he held a “money bomb” fundraiser on the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, raking in some $6 million for his presidential run in one day.

But, as the Dallas Morning News reported earlier this week, Paul is facing three primary challengers — more than he has faced in the past six primaries combined. And every one of the challengers is linked to the Tea Party movement.

Washington Independent contributor David Weigel told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Monday night that the Tea Party movement of today has little in common with that fundraiser in 2007.

“Those libertarian ideas [may be] popular at the Cato Institute, [but] they’re not really popular with Tea Party activists,” Weigel said.

As the Morning News put it, Tea Partiers say Paul is “too focused on his national ambitions; that his views are too extreme; that he doesn’t support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; that he votes ‘no’ on everything, including federal aid for his district after Hurricane Ike.”

By comparison, “the Sarah Palin version of Tea Party conservatism is a little bit less specific,” Weigel said. “It’s more slogany. You can write the talking points on your hand if you want to.”

That the Tea Party movement has become a threat to Paul is not lost on the congressman.

The Morning News reports that, in December, Paul sent out a letter to supporters saying that his opponents “turned their attack dogs loose on me,” and warned that the anti-incumbent mood among voters could affect him as well

credit: Raw Story

Paging Dr. Doug Ross. Nurse Debra Medina may soon be endangering your popularity.

Medina’s campaign should be giddy. Yesterday’s Public Policy Poll reported that, with 24 percent of the primary vote, the registered nurse from Beeville is now within four points of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Gov. Rick Perry had 39 percent, leaving Hutchison with 28.

The news is huge for Medina, who has struggled to be seen as more than a spoiler who would force a run-off for the other two candidates.

After all, it was only a few weeks ago that Medina’s campaign had to fight to get the candidate in the first Republican debate. Even after good reviews for her performance there, it was still another fight to be in the second debate.

Interestingly, the poll received attention in several news outlets across the country. A national fascination with Tea Party candidates, (and Tea-approved candidates) has made Medina’s campaign a bit of a touchstone for national press.

“Texans are smart,” said campaign manager Penny Lanford Freeman in a press release. “They see the fighting between Kay and Rick and know that they no longer have the people as their first priority. Debra speaks to the people with truth, respect and honor and Texans appreciate being able to support a real Texan at last!”

I still think the campaign should consider a spot on Grey’s Anatomy a secondary option.

CULLED

• Cracks in the foundations? Homebuilding magnate Bob Perry is back in court with the Culls, an elderly couple who say his company, Perry Homes, built them a defective house. The Culls already won $800,000 in arbitration, but Perry refused to pay, saying they had waived their rights. The case, between a modest-means couple and a major political contributor (Perry’s given millions to politicians over the years) is sure to gain public interest. It may be even more symbolic of the “working man’s fight” than the spat between Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno.

• A sunshiney day? Democratic gubernatorial candidate Farouk Shami picked up the Mexican American Democrats endorsements yesterday. His competitor, Bill White already got the Tejano Democrats of Texas endorsement a month back. You have to wonder if Shami’s memorable debate points on dealing with immigration had anything to do with yesterday’s timing.

• Forbidden reading. When Gov. Rick Perry announced the state would not compete in Race To The Top, he didn’t emphasize the fact that the Texas Education Agency had already invested 800 hours in filling out the application. But now, those hoping to find out what exactly those 800 hours looked like are out of luck. The Houston Chronicle was denied Public Information Access to information, based on Education Commissioner Robert Scott’s decision.

credit: Texas Tribune

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted February 11th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

State Representative Terri Hodge pleads guilty, resigns seat

Lawmaker pleads guilty in Dallas bribery case

A Texas lawmaker has pleaded guilty to participating in a bribery scheme and will resign.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Dallas announced Wednesday that State Rep. Terri Hodge pleaded guilty to fraud and false statements on an income tax return.

Hodge faces up to three years in prison, a $100,000 fine and restitution to the IRS. A sentencing date has not been set.

The Dallas Democrat has agreed never again to hold public office. She has been a state representative since 1996 and had been seeking re-election.

According to court documents, Hodge received more than $32,000 in rental subsidies, utilities and carpeting from an apartment developer who built complexes in her district. She never declared the funds as income on tax returns.

Hodge’s attorneys did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

credit: Washington Post

Tags: , , ,

Posted February 9th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Reaction to the Belo Debate

[vodpod id=Video.2954428&w=425&h=350&fv=]

For no other reason than sheer curiosity, I spent last night at WFAA studios for the taping of The Belo Debate featuring Republican gubernatorial primary candidates Rick Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Debra Medina.

I just had to know why dozens of journalists would pack themselves into a storage room to watch an event on television that, of course, they could watch on television anywhere and report the exact same story. The possible upside to being in attendance? Catching the post-debate press conference. But, as had been the case after the first debate, Perry and Hutchison balked at facing the press (Perry announced early that he was out; Hutchison considered it before ultimately declining), while Medina made a statement, took a few questions and left. So while I still try to figure out why everyone didn’t just watch it from the comfort of their homes, here are my top 10 observations, a concept admittedly stolen from Richie over at the Sportatorium.

10. This is likely the last debate between these three until the March 2 primary, and Belo decides that relevant questions include naming the first governor of Texas (which Hutchison flubbed, guessing “Burleson,” while no Texas governor had that name) and estimating the average annual salary for a teacher (which Medina nailed, guessing $46,000, only $179 off the mark). Even the editorial board at The Dallas Morning News had issues with what they referred to as “Double Jeopardy” questioning. These are not questions that matter to voters, and the exercise amounted to a total waste of time.

9. Will Perry stay for all four years if he’s reelected? Will Hutchison really leave the Senate no matter what happens in the primary? Again, these aren’t issues germane to the race! Of course, Perry is going to say he’s going to serve all four years as governor if he’s reelected. And, of course, Hutchison will maintain that she’s leaving the Senate no matter what — she’d be contradicting her previous stance if she said anything else. But does anyone seriously believe that Hutchison is ready to end her political career if she loses? And does anyone think Perry would balk at a presidential run in 2012 if the opportunity presented itself?

8. Hutchison spent a lot of time talking about Perry’s support of the Trans-Texas Corridor, but she struggled to articulate why it was such a bad idea. I don’t think the words “eminent domain” came out of her mouth once. While the plan is dead, which Perry admitted last night, Hutchison must keep its sprit alive by detailing Perry’s land grab. Heck, tell a story about all the farmers who have called you with land that has been in their families for generations that Perry wanted to take from them. This is an issue that matters to a lot of conservatives, but she’s not making it resonate the way it should.

7. A lot of time was spent discussing the Texas Enterprise Fund — $380 million of taxpayers’ dough that has been used to lure companies to Texas or convince existing ones to expand. Both Hutchison and Medina attacked Perry on this issue, but it was one area where I thought Perry did relatively well. He strongly defended its use (“I will defend that any day”), while Medina called it a “corporate slush fund,” and Hutchison said the businesses would have come here anyway, arguing that the money would have been better spent on education. But where were the facts from Medina and Hutchison?

6. Medina handled her toughest question of the night extremely well, which was related to her comments at an August 2009 Texas Sovereignty or Secession Rally in Austin. She made it clear that she’s “never been a fan of secession,” and she added that her statements were made in response to Perry’s “ill-advised comments” on secession months earlier.

5. Perry was less smarmy than the last debate, but that’s not saying much. His low point? Winking at San Antonio’s Sarah Lucero during the painful lightening round of questions (see it at -5:29). I’m guessing Lucero spent extra time in the shower last night scrubbing away that painful exchange. I know I did.

4. Doesn’t anyone have any real solutions to our road crisis? Hutchison and Medina aren’t convinced that there’s really a funding problem and apparently believe an audit of TxDOT will solve any problems. Perry is against raising the gas tax and seems to think toll roads are the answer. All three candidates simply failed to advance the ball forward on this issue.

3. Perry was at his absolute worst when forced to answer questions about allowing instate tuition to illegal immigrants, while not offering the same to legal residents from other states. He noted that the illegal immigrants are on a path to citizenship, but for someone who claims to be hardcore on the issue of illegal immigration, this stance makes no sense. Denying educational opportunities to U.S. citizens in favor of illegal immigrants doesn’t jibe with conservatives. Plain and simple.

2. Boy, after she was laughed at in the first debate regarding her answers about abortion, you’d think Hutchison would have come prepared. DMN‘er Wayne Slater asked her: “Do you support overturning the ruling that legalized abortion in America — yes or no?” Hutchison said “no,” deferring to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion on the matter. Then after she failed to answer whether she actually believed there would be more abortions if Roe v. Wade was overturned, Slater said, “I think you said tonight that you think the legalization of abortion ruling should stand.” To which she replied, “I do not characterize it that way. Those are your words, not mine.” Huh? (Watch the madness unfold for yourself.)

1. Much like the first debate, Medina emerged as the winner, if nothing else for not being Perry or Hutchison, whom she described as a “team of economic tricksters.” She also gets credit for firing off an explosive press release, which is below, calling “bullshit” on Perry just minutes before the debate. As she did in the press release, Medina called Perry out in the debate for increasing spending by 13.5 percent, and she continued to sell voters on her abolition of property tax, which she discusssed with me Thursday afternoon.

Medina benefits by not having a track record to attack, comes across as a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge, has been smart in attacking Perry and because she’s the underdog, she’s forced to come up with actual solutions to problems as opposed to relying on her name ID or conservative credentials (which actually seem to be more solid than Perry’s and Hutchison’s). She’ll undoubtedly get another boost in the polls from her performance, but it’s unlikely to be enough to do much else than force a runoff between the two heavyweights, which shouldn’t result in much of a contest given Hutchison’s struggling campaign.

Debra Medina Calls “Bullshit” on Perry Before Debate

DALLAS, TX, Friday, January 29, 2010 — According to Governor Rick Perry, under his leadership, Texas is the strongest state in the nation, but the devil is in the details.

In a recent interview at the Blogger’s Summit, Governor Perry said that ending the property tax in Texas was a very intriguing and positive idea. However, he fell short of embracing the end of property tax or any significant change in management of the state’s current fiscal crisis, maintaining that Texas is on the right path. “Well, I’m saying “bullshit” and here’s why,” Medina said.

Not only have we seen loss of jobs in the private sector, the most recent State Comptroller’s Fiscal Notes shows total state tax collections have fallen by over 20%, while funds from the federal government to the state government have risen nearly 34% so far this year over last year, to plug the huge hole in Governor Perry’s state budget.

Furthermore, while Texas families and businesses have been tightening their belts during that same year, and while Governor Perry is boasting about our solid economic footing, he has spent nearly $1.7 Billion in his own department, 13.5% more this year than last!

“A double-digit spending increase is not sound management. It feels like state theft, pure and simple. He is taking food from the mouths of Texans,” says Debra Medina. “While the Governor is living high-off-the-hog, Texas families are struggling to feed their children and pay their bills.”

credit: Dallas Observer

4 comment(s) / Post a Comment

DePaul McGraw says:Clear win for Perry. Clear loss for Hutchison. Meh for Medina. She doesn’t really matter.Posted On: Saturday, Jan. 30 2010 @ 2:00PM

TXWatcher says:Texas would be well served by electing the People’s candidate, The Wildflower of Texas, Debra Medina.http://medinafortexas.com/

Please support grassroots candidates. Special interests do not beat paths to their doors….

Posted On: Saturday, Jan. 30 2010 @ 2:31PM

Suzette Watkins says:Medina pushed both Perry & KBH all over the stage. She will force a run off with Perry and win as the new Texas Governor in the end. Love her, she’s awesome!! Not a politician, just a brain that will whip our State into some fiscal fitness!! www.medinafortexas.comPosted On: Saturday, Jan. 30 2010 @ 2:32PM

rain39 says:I’m voting for White. None of the three candidates has convinced me that they should hold the office. Medina is way too far to the right, Perry has been in office too long and I’m not convinced he has been a good steward for the State of Texas and Hutcheson is just not meeting the challenge as I thought she might.Posted On: Saturday, Jan. 30 2010 @ 3:58PM

<!–

Post a comment

–>

Name:
Email:
URL:

Remember personal info?Comments (you may use HTML tags for style):

Comments may not show up immediately after submission. Please wait a minute after posting a comment for it to appear.

All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking “Post,” you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

  • Weekly
  • Music
  • Promotions
  • Dining
  • Events
  • Dallas After Dark

Subscribe

Now Click This

Backpage.com

Free Classifieds Dallas, TX

Personal of the Day // featured personal // i_love_moz
// “I rock. Seriously. And I’m a great kisser and a fabulous friend. Also, I’m vegetarian, so I can’t be all bad, right?”

Tags: , , , , ,

Posted January 29th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Perry, Hutchison debate whos the better GOP candidate for Texas Governor

Republican Governor Hopefuls Face Off In First Live Debate

Heated exchanges over taxes and jobs marked the first gubernatorial debate among the Texas GOP candidates. KERA produced the live, statewide broadcast from the Murchison auditorium at the University of North Texas. KERA’s Bill Zeeble has more on some of the fireworks.

Governor Perry and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison created the most friction as they battled over the same conservative territory occupied by Republican primary voters. Hutchison was not buying the Governor’s claims that Texas recently added a hundred thousand jobs. And she blamed his tax policies.

Hutchison: The way to create jobs is to lower the burden on business. Perry has increased taxes on business. The business margin tax, unemployment tax, because of mismanagement of funds has increased the burden on business. And that means business is going to hunker down and not hire people. And oh by the way, we definitely lost more jobs in Texas this year than we gained, we lost more that 300,000 in Texas alone this year. That’s not a record to be proud of.

credit: KERA

Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted January 15th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Dallas Council approves Atmos Energy rate hike

Atmos customers to see higher bills as Dallas City Council approves increase in fee

Dallas customers of Atmos Energy can expect a bump in their bills after the Dallas City Council approved an increase in the annual fee City Hall charges the utility company Wednesday.

In an effort to raise $12 million in revenue for a shaky budget, the council voted 14-1 to boost by 1 percentage point the fee charged to Atmos for use of city-owned right of way.

That fee will be passed on to customers, who will see a 1 percent adjustment to the fee on their gas bills.

District 13 council member Ann Margolin was alone in voting against the fee.

“While we claim not to have raised taxes, I truly believe this is a back-door way to raise taxes,” she said.

Mayor Tom Leppert took issue with that, saying that cities around Dallas have already raised their fees from 4 percent to 5 percent.

Letting utilities use the city’s land assets creates costs, Leppert said.

“Those costs have to be reimbursed. … We owe it to our taxpayers to be competitive,” he said.

credit: WFAA

Tags: , , ,

Posted January 14th, 2010 in News, Politics | 0 Comments »

Next Page »