Spring has arrived with a possibility of real changes in our city, changes that if made without close consideration could set this city back 50 years: set communities against one another, invite litigation and stymie our economic development efforts now underway.
Dallas cannot afford the Blackwood petition form of government. As your representative on the City Council, I cannot express my feelings with any more fervor. I do not believe that 30,000 citizens read the 55-page document before signing that petition. If they had, they would have to agree with total control of city government by one office – i.e. one person’s desires and goals. That is not representative government.
Today your councilperson has the ability to advocate for District 10 without repercussion in case of disagreement, and to make appointments to boards and commissions of qualified district residents, a power that would be lost to the mayor under the Blackwood proposal. Dallas is not a homogeneous community. We don’t need a government with homogeneous goals. I invite you to read the full document on the City of Dallas website. I feel confident that if the citizens of Dallas truly understand the petition, they will join me in voting “no” to Proposition 1 on May 7.
By the time you read this article, you should have seen the construction underway on Kingsley Square Shopping Center. Please say a loud “thank you” to the Mi Cocina folks, and Ray Washburne in particular, for believing in our community and our future. Let’s support any new businesses Ray brings to this corner.
Thanks to most of you for the support of the name change from Kingsley Road to Walnut Hill Lane. I’m very aware of the trauma this change has caused to the small businesses and long-time homeowners fronting Kingsley between Abrams and I-635. However, I believe that the change will have an extremely favorable effect on the long-term health and viability of the new retail being planned along this corridor as well as the existing businesses. Street name recognition citywide is a valuable asset to business.
Crime in our district continues to decline. A nine percent drop in February is good news. The current weekly reports indicate as great a decline for the month of March. Chief Brown and the men and women in blue are working hard to make this district the safest in the city. Let’s continue to help through participation in Crime Watch and VIP groups, now training monthly at the Northeast Substation.
Once again, I thank you for allowing me to be your voice downtown. My hope is that you will allow me to continue the initiatives begun in my first term.
Happy Easter.
