Trinity referendum on tap: Group says it has the signatures necessary

Just saw this note on the DMN website: Angela Hunt announced a few minutes ago that her group has more than 48,000 signatures, more than enough to force a referendum on the issue this fall. More details as they come in.

Second update: How does 80,000 signatures sound? That's what the Observer's Jim Schutze is reporting. Note to Mayor Park Cities: That's almost more signatures than the number of votes that you and your opponent totaled in the run-off. -- Jeff Siegel

Third update: Dallas' Only Daily Newspaper has already started whining. Editoral writer Colleen McCann Nelson invoked the name of Zac Crain, whose mayoral petitions came up a bit short, and repeated the News' mantra that that the logic for the referendum is mostly about "campaign slogans and sound bites." This, I think, requires a quote from Elvis Costello re The News: "I used to be disgusted. Now I try to be amused." -- Jeff Siegel

Fourth update: No mention of petition drive success on blog at Plastic Surgery's Favorite Local Magazine. No doubt they aren't quite sure how something they opposed could actually take place. These sorts of things are not supposed to happen in their world. -- Jeff Siegel

Comments

[Michael Mosteller]

Outstanding news. Congratulations to Ms. Hunt and all the volunteers who made this possible. Especially you Jeff for keeping people on this blog in touch with what is going on. Special thanks to Jim Schultz for making people aware of this mess of a tollway project. Power of the pen in action and great journalism.

After the first run off election, I was feeling down about the direction this city was going. I really felt like the people were going to further lose their voice with the election of either Oakley or Leppert. This project is so incredibly important to the future of Dallas. It could really make Dallas a signature city with both a great tourist attraction and a magnificent park for the citizens of Dallas to spend time in. It is too important to allow the same backroom, good ole boys way of doing business. Thank goodness Ms. Hunt had the foresight to take on this challenge. She is a testament to the type of people we need at the highest levels of our government.

Now begins the hardest part, fighting the Dallas Citizens Council's spin machine. Keep fighting the good fight guys!

[Michael Davis-Dallas Progress]

Angela said that the sigs were already verfied.

It's tough, because in this process I disagree with some people that I really like and hold a high level of regard. But this is about safety and carrying out the will of the people.

Angela is amazing. And so are all of the people that volunteered and did way more than me in this effort to bring the matter in front of the voters. Once again, she stated the voting for TrinityVote would not endanger any of the plans for the Trinity River Project.

Again, I am not opposed to the project but I am opposed to a high-speed tollroad going through the middle of the park. I am more worried about people that live in South Dallas, Cadillac Heights, Oak Cliff, West Dallas, and Pleasant Grove being losing their homes and dying. If we have 80,000 then hopefully we'll have 80,000 people show up at the polls in November.

[Jeff Siegel]

1. Do we have a new TV star in our midst, Mike D.? Was that your telegenic face I saw on the news, as you carried a box of petitions?

2. Kind words for me, indeed, Michael M., and I appreciate them. But Hunt and the people she brought together at TrinityVote, as well as my old pal J. Schutze, did the work. I just made a few pithy comments.

Hunt outmanuvered what are supposed to be some of the cleverest people around here, and she made them look like a bunch of yokels in the process. She has built up an awful lot of credit with me. And Jim deserves a Pulitzer Prize. He dug and dug and bit his teeth into a story that no one else wanted to do, despite the obstacles. This is why he is one of the best newspapermen I have ever seen -- and I have seen quite a few good ones.

[Michael Davis-Dallas Progress]

Yes, Jeff....twas me. That wasn't in the plan. That's why I was looking off to the right the whole time. I saw a box of petitions still on the ground when we left the flag room so I took them in.

I'll say it again. Angela is amazing. When she asks you to help her, how can you say no? You know she's already done her part and her research.

We have to protect Angela because I'm sure the powers that be will try to run her out of District 14 next election. I know we won't let that happen.

I just watched Chinatown this weekend. The story revolves around the powers that be trying to jerk Los Angeles into a water project that will make a few people rich and nothing else. Sound familiar?

[james ragland]

I typically don't respond to anything written about me, even if it's wrong. But for some reason, your June 29 missive struck a chord. With all due respect, I did not file the post that you mentioned on June 29 regarding the Trinity River petitions. Not once did I say there were not enough petitions. Please set the record straight. Thanks.

[Jeff Siegel]

Done and done, James. I owe you a cold one if I see you at Louie's.