Referenda

Killing the Trinity Toll Road Could Be the Best Bargain in Big D

Several of you have asked me to explain a point in my column in this week's newspaper about the Trinity River toll road and why it may be unstoppable. Sorry. Should have done it in the column. And as it turns out, I had this wrong on two scores, one more important than the other. I say in the pape ... More >>

Gosh, We're Just Too Trusting, or: The Dallas Morning News's Embarrassing Confession

​Oh, well, who the hell knows? Who will ever know why The Dallas Morning News turned into an Iron Curtain-style propagandist Pravda sheet in 2007 when it was so eager to see Angela Hunt's Trinity River referendum defeated? Now they say they were seduced: "This newspaper -- and likely plenty o ... More >>

Reliving the Trinity River Toll Road Campaign With Mayoral Candidate Ron Natinsky

Photo by Sam MertenRon Natinsky​In our cover story about the mayoral race, perhaps you read the section about council member Ron Natinsky and noticed a glossing over of sorts when it came to his public comments during the contentious 2007 Trinity River toll road referendum. As is often the ca ... More >>

Tom Leppert for Senate. Let's Talk About That.

​Dear Opposition Researchers working for U.S. Senate campaigns other than that of former-after-midnight Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert: Please contact me about the following things Leppert is going to say about himself in a campaign. First, he is going to say he led two successful referendum campai ... More >>

As City Awaits Ruling in "Billion-Dollar Case," New Lawsuits Were Just Added to the Pile

Joe Betzel, one of the Dallas Fire-Rescue workers who filed suit against the city -- yet again -- today​Back in December we wrote a few items about the so-called "billion-dollar case" currently being considered by the Supreme Court of Texas. Very long story way too short: It stems from a 1979 refe ... More >>

The Humane Society and big agriculture slug it out over animal rights

So, No Solar-Powered Water Taxis, Then? But ... But ... But We Were Promised!

Mayor Tom Leppert, seen here during the Trinity River toll road referendum​So tomorrow, on some page of The Dallas Morning News (I assume Page One), Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert will concede that the Trinity River Project has hit the wall. Wall, wall, wall. A story posted on The News's Web site this ... More >>

Lies, Damned Lies and Project Pegasus: Yet Again, News Reveals It Lied About Trinity Toll Road Without Fessing Up

​Yesterday on The Dallas Morning News transportation and editorial blogs, Rodger Jones, an editorial writer, casually passed on a bit of information -- as if it were a sort of minor tid-bit -- gleaned from a recent meeting of the editorial board with Texas Department of Transportation Regional Eng ... More >>

Hunt Wants to Know Why She's to Blame For City's Failure to Make Levee Repairs

​Jim's wrapped up his review of Michael Lindenberger's Sunday story in The Dallas Morning News -- you read it, right, the front-pager headlined "Analysis: Dallas' crucial levees only weakened amid debate on park, toll road." Schutze's essay is forthcoming shortly. But till then, then, here's what ... More >>

Maybe News's Story on Cause of Levee Delays Was First Step to Rehab? Nah.

​The headline of Michael Lindenberger's big front-page to-do in the paper version of Sunday's Dallas Morning News was "Grand Plans Delay Levee Fix." It was, in many ways, a remarkable story for The News to publish, exposing as a serious public lie the repeated assurances of Dallas Mayor Tom Lepper ... More >>

Both Sides of the City of Dallas's "Billion-Dollar Lawsuit" State Their Case

​No doubt you'll hear plenty more about the city's billion-dollar lawsuit between now and the spring or summer of 2010, when the Supreme Court of Texas rules on whether the city is immune from rescue workers' claims stemming from a 1979 referendum concerning pay raises and two subsequent lawsuits ... More >>

Mayor Tom Leppert May Run for Senate? What, and Miss All The Fun?

Hotel? No Hotel? Hard to Say, as Early Voting's Split Darned Near Right Down the Middle.

One of the city of Dallas's official renderings of the convention center hotelMerten and Pulle are out; Schutze is about. They'll offer their reports from hotel shindigs pro and con -- and, just maybe, some council member throwdowns -- later in the night, as Dallas County Elections begins kicking ou ... More >>

The Convention Center Hotel Vote is Not Just About a Building. It’s About a Mayor.

In Memo to Council, Angela Hunt Asks Colleagues to Stop Talking Out of Their Asses

Natilee DeeAngela Hunt has delivered a sound thwacking to fellow city council member Ron Natinsky and Assistant City Manager A.C. Gonzalez over some loose-lipped claims Natinsky and Gonzalez have been making about our upcoming referendum on a city-owned hotel downtown.She says Natinsky and Gonzalez, ... More >>

Leppert Potentially Jeopardizes Tax-Exempt Status of Two South Dallas Churches By Telling Audience Members to Vote No on Props 1 and 2

Sam MertenMayor Tom Leppert did not mince words Sunday: "Vote no on Proposition 1. Vote no on Proposition 2."Mayor Tom Leppert and wife Laura spent yesterday worshiping at churches in South Dallas, where services were interrupted so the mayor could give his convention center hotel sales pitch and in ... More >>

Union Puts the Squeeze on Tax Breaks

The only thing worse than giving developers subsidies is a union’s threat to stop the giveaways

Shhhhh: Mayor Tom Leppert Won't Talk to Us, But His Critics Will

Patrick Michels When given the opportunity to explain his actions, Mayor Tom decided to keep his mouth shut.In this week's paper version of Unfair Park, council member Angela Hunt and political consultant Pat Cotton spoke out loud and proud concerning Mayor Tom Leppert's recent command to stop the b ... More >>

Are Gay Mexicans Homophobic or Do You Just Like Being Treated Badly?

Sure, We've Signed the No-Hotel Petition. But, Look, We'll Sign Anything.

Convention Center Hotel Referendum, Not Your Same Ol' Petition Drive

An Unfair Park Exclusive: Harlan Crow's PAC to Gather Signatures for Dallas Convention Center Hotel Referendum

Toll You So

The Trinity River Project should be floating right along. Instead it's sinking under the weight of its own folly.

Gunfight at the Trinity

The biggest shoot-out in Dallas' political history

On the Road Again, Leppert Stumbles

Selling You Down the River

Tom Leppert: Same As He Ever Was

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert Maintains His Lite-Rock Rhetoric

The Unholy Trinity: Kirk, Miller and Leppert

The Colonel Gets Fried

It took time and 90,000 signatures, but Dallas finally joins the 21st century

Schutze's Index

Petition Count Taking Its Toll. And Time.

Culture Wars

The toll road referendum will squash the big-hairs

When Jim Schutze Has No Problem With Convicted Murderers

Angela Hunt and Craig Holcomb: C'mon, Let's Hug It Out

Looking on the Bright Side

Laura's Goons

Some of her "blockers" barely rose to the task

Road Rage

Who's telling the truth about the Trinity toll road? You decide.

This Just In: Harlan Crow and Dallas Citizens Council Hate Democracy

Fresh Eyes

Basically, it's Coats versus the Manchurian Candidate

Angela Hunt: "Let the Voters Decide."

Coats Says Oakley Ain't Woonerful

Sam Coats Calls for Trinity Toll Road Vote

Licensed to Speak

Run from any political group with "freedom" or "liberty" in its name

Place Called Hope

Prop 2 could fail, if the right people stay home

Fifteen Stooges

The Dallas City Council does a comedy campaign for its critics

Still Thirsty

Plano petition fails to wet the dry lands

Officer Wacko

Is it possible for Dallas police to behave any worse than this?

Absentee Minded

Hey, Mr. Zillionaire Developer, got a big public project you want to sell? Black Dallas has the votes you need--dirt cheap.

Let them cast ballots

Why can't citizens vote on new arena?