The Race at the Halfway Point
The election campaign for Richardson City Council is at the halfway point, with two of four scheduled forums behind the candidates. It's time to review and revise, if necessary, my preliminary recommendations, published on March 10, 2009.
- Place 1: Bob Townsend. This recommendation still looks good. Bill Denton, running as a write-in candidate, doesn't have a good explanation why he's running at all. Townsend might have had reservations about running, but Denton must have, too, as he missed the deadline to be on the ballot. Denton hasn't offered any policy differences with Townsend. Townsend has served Richardson well and deserves another term.
- Place 2: Mark Solomon: This recommendation still looks good. Solomon has the background, knowledge, temperament and priorities to serve the citizens of Richardson well. The other candidates are encouraged to remain active in Richardson politics. With more experience, they all could make fine candidates themselves.
- Place 3: John Murphy: This recommendation still looks good. Murphy has served Richardson well and deserves another term. Sheryl Miller, bless her heart, has a naive notion of government, promising tax cuts for all and improved services to boot. Chris Davis scares me still. She is evasive on her support for DART and on her acknowledgment that illegal immigration is primarily a federal matter. She has an unacknowledged conflict of interest in her employment for Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey.
- Place 4: Gary Slagel: This recommendation still looks good. Slagel has served Richardson well and deserves another term. Diane Wardrup's campaign is based more on driving up Slagel's negatives than on offering a better program for Richardson. Thomas Bache-Wiig doesn't have the background or experience necessary.
- Place 5: Pris Hayes: This recommendation still looks good. Pris Hayes has increased the environmental consciousness of the council and deserves another term. Bob Macy is halting in his answers and does not offer a compelling reason for running or for not re-electing Hayes.
- Place 6: Steve Mitchell: Mitchell is unopposed. He has performed adequately in his first term as mayor and deserves another term.
- Place 7: No recommendation. My preliminary recommendation was Dennis Stewart. Because of his negative campaign against Amir Omar and because he spends more time on platitudes than on spelling out a compelling program for Richardson, I have to withdraw my recommendation. Unfortunately, I can't give it to Amir Omar, either. His proposed property tax freeze for seniors is unwise. His emphasis on it risks ignoring other more important issues.
20 comments:
I like Chris Davis and do not see a conflict of interest. She is an employee in Dallas and does not decide policy there. I think we should give her a chance to decide policy in Richardson because of her integrity and her qualifications.
I understand your point, but when a candidate says, in a public forum, that officeholders should be above even the appearance of a conflict of interest, you have to be a little tone deaf not to hear Chris Davis' own employment situation clanging loud and clear.
Chris' employment situation?
Oh, I'm sorry was she the one working out of Startech rent free while "serving" our city? No.
If you ask me there are bigger, Slagel size fish to fry when we start talking about employment ethics.
Or let's just discuss ethics in general here. Word around the rumor mill is Gary isn't John's only bedmate, something about him living with a women who isn't his wife???
Anybody else heard that one?
STARTech's relationship with the city is a legitimate issue. If Chris Davis wants to make it an issue again in 2009, she ought to do so directly. Instead, she indirectly calls for candidates to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. By that standard, she herself fails.
Ed, do you live in Richardson?
Do you even know the real issues?
Gary Slagel is from Illinois and that explains a lot of what we have seen in his lack of ethics.
Please do us all a favor and get to the backstory. It is seedy!
Chris has never tried to hide the fact that she works for Maurine Dickey, County Commissioner. Check the DMN questionnaire, where she states that she works for the Comish. This is just a whisper campaign.
To both anonymous readers, thanks for sharing your viewpoints on this matter.
That Chris Davis acknowledges her employment by the county commissioner does not remove the potential conflict of interest that such employment holds. Because she is the one making conflict of interest an issue in this campaign, she ought to be above the appearance of it herself.
Lets not forget that Davis opponent, John Murphy, is the President of North Central Texas Council of Governments.
If Davis wins two things happen:
1) Richardson loses influence because it loses having the NCTCOG president in its backyard.
2) Maurine Dickey removes an obstacle on NCTCOG.
If that doesn't smell of an "appearance of a conflict of interest" what would?
Ed, are you a member of the Richardson Coalition PAC? You're backing their candidates. There is nothing wrong with change for the sake of change. We need more new minds. Jimmy Schnurr is very appealing. Diane Waldrup is super qualified. Hayes and Stewart are just getting started. Chris Davis is a gem - probably the most qualified and on-top-of-things candidate we've had in years. And the legal eagles have said there is no conflict of interest.
Suzanne
My dander is up on this now. If the citizens of Richardson want to remain in the dark and continue to have the wool pulled over their eyes,have increased taxes, mucho money spent behind closed doors, then keep the old cronies in office.
If you are ready for a fresh start, the FIRST EVER Code of Ethics, REAL term limits (non retroactive term limits for council members who have been in office for nearly or fully 2 decades-come on...pleeeease!), online voting records and much more COMMON SENSE government that WE THE PEOPLE will be able to participate in, then elect the NEW BLOOD- Chris Davis, Diane Wardrup, Jimmy Schnurr, and KEEP Dennis Stewart and Pris Hayes.
"...That Chris Davis acknowledges her employment by the county commissioner does not remove the potential conflict of interest that such employment holds. Because she is the one making conflict of interest an issue in this campaign, she ought to be above the appearance of it herself."
What potential conflict are you talking about? Is this the old tactic of whispering something long enough, and people begin to think it is the truth?
You got it wrong with Slagel. Yes, during his 22 year tenure he's done some great things, but he's embarrassed himself and this city by soliciting contracts with entities the city either gets or receives funding or appoints boardmembers, all while a sitting council member/mayor. He ran his business out of a city hall office until he moved it to a city owned building. When 4 council members finally said "enough is enough" and denied him a 9th term as mayor, he said he was going to resign (and didn't). What other evidence do you need here to demonstrate that it is time for a change in district 4? Signed - A former Slagel fan
Suzanne, I am not a member of the Richardson Coalition PAC.
Change for the sake of change costs the city experience on the council. I know that experience doesn't guarantee good governance and inexperience doesn't guarantee bad governance, but other things being equal, I prefer experience. If other things are *not* equal, then that is what the challengers should focus on, not change for the sake of change.
Maybe the "legal eagles have said there is no conflict of interest" in Chris Davis' employment. But Chris Davis didn't set the bar so low. She said council members should avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
"Anonymous", the potential conflict of interest Chris Davis has is that she is an employee of Dallas County in a fairly sensitive position, executive assistant to Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey. The city and county have dealings with each other all the time. She will inevitably have sensitive and private information about the county that shouldn't be used in city council discussions. And she will have sensitive and private information about the city that shouldn't be shared with the county commissioner. Certainly, there will be at least the appearance of a conflict of interest on numerous issues that arise before the city council in the next two year.
You'd think by reading the angry "throw them out" crowd, that Chris Davis was running against Gary Slagel.
Uh... A little hint for you folks. She ain't.
The hypocrisy makes ones eyes roll. If any of the longer term council members had the same connection to Maurine Dickey that Chris Davis has, then you all would be screaming bloody murder.
However, since its the warm body on your side (or so you think), then overlooking a conflict of interest is A-OK. I have to agree with someone above. If the Davis-Dickey connection isn't a conflict, what qualifies?
Its not a "whisper campaign." Its a serious issue that ought to be talked about openly.
Add to all this that Chris Davis is a well placed operative in the Republican Party running in what is supposed to be a non-partisan race.
Someone says that "legal eagles" looked over Davis situation and found it legal. Yet, when Slagel makes the same claim, all you people get in a tizzy. More hypocrisy.
This city is in for some hard times. It grew out up through the 1980s by people who sacrificed much, planned hard, and worked hard. We have few such people now willing to step up. Can you blame them? They will spend time away from other things only to be called corrupt and god knows what.
People are losing sight of the real problems the city has. Those problems won't be solved by your ability to see city expenditures on the city website and because a bunch of council members take an ethics oath. There already are ethics standards for anyone in an elected position in Texas!
Ed makes mention of Dennis Stewart calling out Amir Omar. He attacked Omar for the spelling of his name fer crying out loud. In doing so Stewart violated the fair practice agreement that candidates sign including him. Add to that real whisper campaign where Stewart's door to door people are giving conspiratorial hints because Omar's parents are foreign born. What does this say about someone's ability to live up to an ethics code?
We have lost any sense of strong leadership in Richardson. I don't see it in new council people and the older ones are so bullet ridden from public service they are less effective. Mitchell is a nice guy but a poor leader. He looks good in a suit. He does things to not upset the voters. Most of the things he claims are great were things pushed before he was mayor and when he was a minor first term member. Hayes is on the right side of many things. She is all over the map and disorganized. On development and growth issues she is non-existent. Stewart is a populist cop. He waves the flag around and talks about common sense but he wouldn't grab a progressive idea if it bit his nose off. He flip flops. He was for the senior tax freeze but after it got him elected he ain't. How convenient. The older ones. Well we won't get into that. They did their good things and they weren't perfect and nobody is.
Schuuuuuur? No Richardson experience. He is not running for the whole city. he keeps talking about the east side. Suicide thinking if we ever come to that. Justice and Volmer? Uh move along please. Wardrup? talk to people who have had run ins with her when they disagreed with her in civic groups and chamber groups. You get a different picture than her smiling forum persona. Bache-Wiig? See Justice and Volmer. Bill Denton? "I am running because Bob townsend said he might not." but then townsend did by signing up on the FIRST day and Denton waits to be a write in... Uh.. ok... Sheryl Miller? oh god why? oh god why? Macy? Good intentions. Should he be there? Maybe if Sheryl miller was his opponent.
We are knee deep in the big brown stuff folks. You guys need to get a grip. Get off your bangwagons and urban legends about this guy/gal or that and try to develop some decent leaders.
To the "anonymous" above - let's see, you trashed all of the current council and candidates, except Slagel, Murphy, Townsend, and candidate Omar. Thanks for not trying too hard to disguise your Richardson Coalition identity. Sorry, your candidates are going to be defeated and your coalition of 15 "has beens" will be history May 10. If you and your team were serious about making Richardson a better place, you'd sent Slagel and his antics packing. If all of his ethics malfunctions weren't bad enough, just remember, 80% of those who voted in the last charter election said 12 years was enough - hmmm, last count, Slagel has been on for 22 years. I rest my case...
@...let's see, you trashed all of the current council and candidates..."
@...not trying too hard to disguise your Richardson Coalition identity...."
This demonstrates the problem with this election. It's about being against people and not being for a better Richardson. My point is that good strong leaders are not coming out of the woodwork. Where are they?
This is so true that you assume anyone with a differing opinion must not only be supportive of the Coalition but must be one of them. If that kind of paranoia is widespread then god help us all.
Don't you believe that people can have different opinions that are reasonable but different than your own? Or is it the case that only your opinion and your side matters?
@...Sorry, your candidates are going to be defeated..."
You don't know who "my" candidates are and that assumes I have any that I would support. Further, how does such a childish "nah nah nah" attitude help Richardson?
@...just remember, 80% of those who voted in the last charter election said 12 years was enough - hmmm, last count, Slagel has been on for 22 years. I rest my case..."
If that is a guide (and I think its not but let's use your reasoning for a minute) then what the voters said was that an additional 12 years for any council members was enough. In other words it would be OK for Mitchell to be mayor for 14 years if elected and a council person for a total of 16 years if so elected. So again, your paranoia and willingness to spin spin spin doesn't help Richardson.
A better interpretation is that a mob of people were bothered about a group of individuals and not about the general long term interest in the city. Raymond Noah was mayor for something like 16 years and a council person a little longer.
@...you and your team were serious about making Richardson a better place..."
I have a team? If you were interested in making Richardson a better place you would look and positively encourage good leaders instead of attaching yourself to people who just happened to come along and who are against people that fuel your paranoia.
Dear coalition member, you should probably take a look in the mirror. Your comments are laughable at best, and, yes, paranoid at worst. Let's keep to the facts: your candidate Slagel has emarrassed this community as a result of his ethical challenges, plus the fact that he's been on the council 22 years when the voters said 12 years was enough. Too bad they grandfathered the term limits!
Chris Davis brings excellent qualities to the table and has an untarnished reputation in the community. John Murphy's reign as president of the COG will be over by June. At that point, he will have ZERO to offer.
After 18 years, voting for Chris would not be "change for change's sake", but would be a refreshing change from the current leadership that has grown stagnant after almost two decades. Nobody seems to be able to come up with an initiative that Murphy has championed (think about it). He has been a lap dog and an enabler for Gary Slagel all these years and the situation has gone from bad to worse. It took getting new people on the council in the past four years to raise the issue of Slagel's ethics in using his elected office to benefit his business and himself personally. Murphy was perfectly happy with the status quo and with letting Slagel stick it to the taxpayers. What an embarassment to Richardson!
Let's get some new blood and new life on the Richardson City Council while we have the chance.
"Anonymous", thanks for your feedback. Your endorsement of Chris Davis would carry more weight with this voter if you talked a little more about initiatives Chris Davis is for instead of saying the current leadership has grown stagnant and it's time for new blood.
Post a Comment