Mayor Park Cities and the fast track

I have a question for the mayor: If the city can't re-pave a mile or so of Skillman on time, how can it speed up construction of the Trinity toll road? Or, as he phrased it, "within the space of a couple of years."

This is the mayor's second blanket guarantee in the last 10 days. His earlier promise: To put all the resources of the city at the disposal of the DISD, as part of his campaign pledge to help reform the Dallas public school system. Hopefully, the school district doesn't need any roads paved.

I realize that I'm not as smart as the people on the winning side of the Trinity vote. Perhaps the intrepid journalists at plastic surgery's favorite local magazine can point out the error of my ways. Because, as they always point out, they are smarter than the rest of us.

I have tried to be a good loser about the Trinity vote, but the mayor's posturing is getting to be a bit much. Let's see if the city can hire enough cops, pick up the garbage, and pave our streets before he starts making promising promises that can't be kept.

Comments

[Nathan]

Jeff, things are going great in North Dallas and Oakcliff. We're getting our garbage picked up three times a week and code enforcement is leaving fruit baskets on everybody's front porch! Our boulevards have never had fewer pot holes. Unfortunately, due to the insubordination of certain voting precincts east of downtown and their unrepentant, rebellious fist-raiser of a council woman, your neighborhood will not be receiving the level of service that some other parts of town are. You know, the parts of town that are a little more grateful and appreciative of our fine mayor and council (especially Dave Neumann!). Voting against the establishment was sooooooo 1960's man! You guys can start making amends by saying what a great idea it would be for the city to sink a small fortune into a downtown convention hotel. We'd all appreciate your support on that matter. Don't look to deep into the details, though, our fine mayor and council (especially Dave Neumann) will take care of all that.

[Farinata X]

Tom Leppert is A Man with Big Ideas. He doesn't have the slightest clue how any of these Big Ideas will be put into action, but that's not the point. The point is to characterize himself in the media and to the public as A Man with Big Ideas. It's all rhetorical ectoplasm, but so what? That's all it's supposed to be anyway.

[Jen McSpadden]

I am actually excited about Leppert's plans for DISD, and I am hoping that he follows through on them. I am sending him a letter based on an event where he spoke. His response will give me a good idea of how willing he is to follow through-I will keep all posted.

[Rick Wamre]

I thought it was interesting that, among Leppert's plans for DISD as outlined in the Morning News story, he's talking about building or having built some type of "preparatory school" academy downtown, describing it as a way to help draw more residents to downtown. I'm not quite sure what this has to do with DISD, and I guess we should wait to see what his long-awaited but soon-to-be-unveiled education platform/plans actually says, but the whole "prep school" idea within DISD (if that's the plan) concerns me. But maybe I'm just jumping the gun...

[Kyle]

It concerns me too, Rick. Actually it's a bit odd that Leppert doesn't seem to know about TAG, The Arts Magnet and Woodrow - which all fufill the bill and are located in or very near downtown.