BlogSpasm #42...August 4, 2011
City Departments or PACs?
We may be a little confused and just don’t understand the new politic. It seems that somewhere along the line some current city departments may have transitioned from being city operations to open political supporters. Case in point: The ICVB has and continues to launch e-mails, phone calls and maybe even Tweets to muster up folks to help spread the fluff and puff of the Las Colinas Group. Tonight’s city council meeting is just another example of a city department attempting to lobby support and overt council consideration for the $250 million Entertainment Center.
What happened to the good old days when city departments ran their operations and left the politics to voters and the council for action? Are we going to see the Street Department sending thirsty supporters to the council to lobby for more bags of ice on their trucks? How far away are we from Irving’s Lubbock Mafia sending goons to households and telling folks to support higher property taxes? Didn’t voters recently witness the calamitous role the Irving firemen’s union PAC had on an election?
OZ’s Curtain
You heard it here first. Pulling the “curtain and exposing Oz” on the Irving ISD work sessions is a good idea! Even though this item was promoted by a board member (Huffstetler) and not directed by the administration for consideration, the public will benefit by seeing just how strong or weak board members are in their work session discussions. The televising of work sessions has been suggested many times over the years, but apparently previous boards and superintendents were not keen to decisional oversight of this magnitude.
Staff of the CCR hopes that this new TV exposure of Irving ISD board members does not become preening or political sessions, but rather factual and informative deliberations for tax payers benefit.
Believe in Reincarnation?
Staff of the CCR just converted to being believers in reincarnation. While we thought the “election was over,” it appears that the message either didn’t reach Councilman Santoscoy or he is the former mayor reincarnated. Yesterday, a work session agenda item related to another financial review -- which we do not support -- of Entertainment Center expenditures. This should have been a cut and dry item. The item was on the agenda...either vote for or against it. (Actually, it could even die for lack of a second.) End of discussion.
Instead, folks were treated to yet another council “cat fight” led again by Councilman Santoscoy. Not only does his agenda item-bashing of the mayor channel the former mayor, but he seems to have added the loquacious-gabbing of Councilman Philipp and the water toting job for the Las Colinas Group’s Charles Cotton and Billy Bob. Wow! A three persona reincarnation. Of course, Santoscoy is the “point” person for probably three or more other members of the council...which is another sad reminder that even these folks don’t realize that the election is over. Did the cat get their tongues?
Message to Councilman Santoscoy: Let the CCR kick the cats, since we are not reincarnated or reconstituted by those who have a specific agenda or stand to gain from council decisions.
………..Mark Holbrook
