City Council to Put Two of Its Commissions Out of Commission. Sorry, Kids.

The city's Commission on Productivity and Innovation, born from the ashes of the alluringly named Privatization Technical Subcommittee, was created to advise the Dallas City Council and the city manager how to make City Hall run more efficiently. Guess it's done its job: Per the addendum for tomorrow's meeting, the...

By Robert Wilonsky

October 13, 2009

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The city's Commission on Productivity and Innovation, born from the ashes of the alluringly named Privatization Technical Subcommittee, was created to advise the Dallas City Council and the city manager how to make City Hall run more efficiently. Guess it's done its job: Per the addendum for tomorrow's meeting, the council will vote on putting the commission out of commission. So, then, a brief recap of its accomplishments: In 2005 it used $4,000 in taxpayer money to tell taxpayers to support verified response, much to the chagrin of some council members and assistant city attorney Jesus Toscano, who ended up going after e-mails between the committee and city officials. A year later, by a vote of 10-1, it recommended getting rid of WRR. And then there's this list of past accomplishments from 2007. Ah, such fond memories. I called chairman Bill "Bulldog" Cunningham for comment, but he doesn't get in the office till noon.

But what about the kids? The council will also vote tomorrow on killing the 15-year-old Youth Commission, which was, says here, to "serve as a voice for the youth of Dallas by understanding, recognizing and taking action on issues that exemplify safe, healthy, and positive youth development." Here, then, one final time are your 15 full-time high-school students serving on the committee. Welcome them to the real world.

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