It's on - TrinityVote has the signatures

According to my sources, which I believe are better than FrontBurner's, the city has certified that Angela Hunt's TrinityVote group has enough signatures to force a referendum on the toll road this fall. Confirmation should be coming shortly (probably around 10 p.m. news time), and then we'll all know for sure. Buckle up for threatened legal challenges, a lively debate, and some good old-fashioned politics. If people act civil and if those of us who live in Dallas pay attention, I think we're all going to learn a lot.

Update: Here's a pdf from the city secretary announcing the signature count decision...

-- Rick Wamre

Comments

[Matt Wood]

Its in the DMN http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/073007dnmettrinitypetition.c3f34628.html

[Rick Wamre]

One thing to clarify about the News article: The writer states that the referendum, if approved, will effectively kill the toll road since it could no longer be routed inside the levee. That is incorrect, as I understand the situation. Instead of killing the road, it will have to be relocated outside the levee, which supporters of the existing Trinity plans say will be so expensive as to effectively kill it. Those are two very different statements, in my opinion. And it begs the question: Does anyone really believe that any road project would be spiked solely based on cost? I hardly think so: If a public works project is deemed important enough by the powers that be, somehow, someone, somewhere manages to find the money from federal, state, city or private coffers to fund it (look at the signature bridge). No, this entire election will come down to two simple issues: 1) Do city voters prefer a major toll road inside or outside of the levee (or, if you prefer, through the middle of or away from the proposed park); and 2) Do city voters believe that the park, as planned and funded, is really worth "saving" by re-routing the tollway.

[Michael Davis-Dallas Progress]

Once again, Rick is ahead of the writers at the DMN.