An early welcome to 2011!
As a special treat for all those on the CCR e-mail list and other interested parties, a blog for the Controversial Committee Report has been established. The blog will feature the latest reports (ZAP!, CCR and the O-file) as well as an archive of previous reports. Additionally, we will blog tidbits, musings and coffee shop chatter that might raise questions regarding the sanity of elected officials -- local, state and national. So, bookmark the blog and check back often.
The purpose of the blog is to also make CCR and ZAP! reports available for later review when we have to -- either eat crow, or gently say “we told you so.” Right now, our batting average is leaning heavily toward the ‘we told you so” category. Of course, this could all change if: 1) the Attorney General does not appeal the judge’s decision to allow Irving to recover the alcohol tax money on the Entertainment Center; 2) the bond underwriters rate the Entertainment Center bonds high enough to find investors who are willing to buy these municipal bonds in a market that is barely keeping its nose above the water line; 3) Billy Bob actually has his $50 million share for the Entertainment Center in a bank; 4) the independent audit of the EC is swept under the carpet for all the questionable Billy Bob expenses; 5) the city finds additional funds to cover expenses over the $23 million already spent on the Entertainment Center’s development; 6) the city manages to keep its AAA bond rating; 7) the city does not have to pledge as a first lien the 7% hotel/motel tax designated for the Arts Center and the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau budgets for the Entertainment Center project; 7) the ugly solar-powered street lights lining Irving Blvd. produce as many lumens as regular street lights; (8) and we discover why a local grocery store is not allowed to sell onion rolls.
If you have suggestions for the blog or want to get in touch, contact information is available on the site. Stay tuned. 2011 appears to be poised for a more eventful year than 2010. Especially, since council elections will be held and these folks will have to defend: Entertainment Center voodoo financing, tax and rate hikes approved for a number of services, expensive and frilly projects implemented, lack of concern for citizens’ desires and a whole host of other issues that seemed to drain tax payers’ wallets. The political cauldron is bubbling already.
The location of the CCR blog site is:
http://controversialcommittee.blogspot.com/
R.I.P….L.W.
