Alder's "Corridor" Bond: Opposition holds Campaign Event

"Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth."
1 Samuel 17:49

South Lamar Blvd. -- This afternoon Ashley Schor, proprietor of Bead It at the corner of South Lamar and Oltorf, opened up her business to a rally and press conference for opponents of Mayor Adler's so-called "corridor" bond.  As a business owner on South Lamar, Schor would be sacrificed in pursuit of the Mayor's so-called "smart" corridors.  A variety of citizens, candidates, and elected officials spoke.

From our notes:

Jim Skaggs (Longtime taxpayer advocate):

• Construction can drag out for months, or even years, at a time which will directly threaten the viability of every independent business in this bond's path.

Ora Houston (#ATXCouncil, D1 -- East Austin):

• "Just because I do not support this bond does not make me a 'do nothing.' "

• This bond would make traffic worse, not better.

• We don't know the final cost.
• Author's Note: $720 million is essentially what is known in business as a W.A.G.

• Flawed process created flawed proposal.
• "Corridor" plans were developed pre 10-1.

• "Corridor" re-development threatens local businesses.

• Bond ignores district 1.

Don Zimmerman (#ATXCouncil, D6 -- Far Northwest Austin):

• City attorneys misled council behind closed doors; by excluding a provision related to tax impact on the ballot language, the city has given itself authority for unlimited taxation to repay bonds.

• City transportation department could put district 6 projects on the back burner.

• Floated 2018 proposal: Something 'less expensive' ($500 million ish) with council, instead of the city bureaucracy, directing the project.

Rob Walker (Candidate -- #ATXCouncil, 10 -- West Austin):

• We certainly need to 'do something' but we don't need to do something stupid.
• Author's Note: That will make the original problem worse.

Jerry Patterson (Austin Resident and former elected official):

• There's a difference between 'doing something' and fixing the problem.

Ashley Schor (Business Owner):

• Adler's scheme would destroy the character of the "corridors."

Bottom Line: We'd love to begin fixing traffic congestion, but step one is to halt this massive step in the wrong direction in it's tracks.

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Texas Tribune Strips Concealed Carry Author's Second Amendment Rights

An alarming announcement from Texas Land Commissioner (and Lt. Governor candidate) Jerry Patterson (*):

CHL author stripped of rights at gun panel
Patterson disallowed from carrying during political festival held at UT


AUSTIN – Concealed-carry law author Jerry Patterson will join other state leaders on the University of Texas campus for a panel on the future of gun laws.


Known for carrying a gun in his boot, Patterson’s trademark holster will be empty for this event. Texans are still deprived of their Second Amendment rights on college campuses.

“So there won’t be any show and tell this time,” joked Patterson, a straight-shooter when it comes to firearm freedoms.


Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, will headline the one-hour discussion on gun rights at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival. “The Fight Over Guns” panel will take place at 4:25 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at UT’s AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center.


A retired Marine and former officer in charge of a Marine Corps marksmanship training unit, Patterson will appear on the panel with Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas), and Sens. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) and Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso).

....

While Legislators were not allowed to vote on expanded Concealed Handgun Law (CHL) rights this summer, Patterson opened the door for guns to be carried in public places during his time as a Texas Legislator. Gov. George W. Bush signed Patterson’s history-making CHL bill into law in 1995.

 More on the history of concealed carry laws in Texas here.

* -- For the record, this press release was from the Office of the Land Commissioner, not the campaign.

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Contact Texas Tribune Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith:

Phone: (512) 716-8610
E-Mail: esmith@texastribune.org
Twitter: @evanasmith

Jerry Patterson: Conference Call and New Website

This afternoon, Cahnman's Musings was privileged to join a conference call with Jerry Patterson, a candidate for Texas Lieutenant Governor, and the current land commissioner.  The call focused on the launch of their redesigned website, with ample Q and A.  We liked what we heard and look forward to hearing more.

We were impressed that Patternson is writing the copy on his 'Issues' section himself.  Patterson said he wants to give voters more "specificity and detail" on policy than typical candidates.  This is music to our ears; it's also what Ted Cruz did.

He also said that while he didn't seek out controversy, he wouldn't be afraid of it if it appears.

Patterson understanding of the inside baseball of the Texas Senate stood out.  He called Lt. Gov. Dewhurst's handling of Wendy Davis' filibuster "a failure of intel and execution," that "should have been taken care of during the General session."  Cahnman's Musings concurs without reservation.

As a State Senator for three terms in the 90's, Patterson has learned that the legislative process "is designed to kill legislation."  That's due to provisions in the Texas Constitution that were adopted after Reconstruction.  As a result, getting bills passed "requires skill and finesse."

One area of concern is that Patterson called Senate Finance Committee chairman Tommy Williams a fiscal conservative.  While that might have been true in the past, Williams certainly wasn't one during the 83rd General Session.  The Senate Finance Committee remains an area of concern.

Overall, however, Patterson's philosophy is "you should always expand liberty unless there's a reason not too", that's good enough for us.