Local Developers, Caller/Times Deplore Community "Divisiveness!"

Above: Early opposition to coastal "development!"

Lately op ed pieces and letters to the editor have been appearing in our local daily, the Caller/Times, decrying what they call the "divisiveness" they say is prevalent in our community and is inhibiting our "progress."
Frankly, that is their opinion, it is not necessarily a matter of fact.
This idea of a lack of progress is expressed by those who have supported many grandiose development projects which have drawn opposition from within the community.
These developmental hand wringers whine that if we can't stop this so called divisiveness we are doomed as a successful city.
That's a bunch of baloney! In the first place Corpus Christi is a city of over 400,000 inhabitants. The surrounding communities add many more to the regional population numbers. The notion that everyone is going to agree on anything is ludicrous! The problem has been that big time, usually out of town and often foreign, investors have tried to shove some of these failed plans down our throats. If you happen not to like some of these ideas you are immediately chastised by the local media and the development uber alles crowd as an "aginner" or worse!
There have been no attempts at consensus building or consideration given to the desires of the community at large.
Back to consensus building for a moment. You will never get a half a million people in a diverse community to agree on much of anything. Many are now very much alert and on guard against new development that may conflict with their perceived interests.
What is needed now is a timeout period. It is time for our elected leaders to get out among the people to try to get a view of the public pulse. It is also time for local government to stick to roads and drains, in other words; fix the infrastructure! Politicans often don't like to be concerned with the mundane items in running a city, they tend to love the headline grabbing, big ticket items which make a splash. It would go a long way if these politicians would take care of infrastructure and public safety first and possibly restore some trust in local government.

How Politics Work; #3

King O' The Hill!


Today our local daily, The Corpus Christi Caller/Times, announced they were to resign from the local Chamber of Commerce, citing differences with Chamber President Terry Carter.
Now I am no fan of Terry Carter. I have had major problems with his positions on many issues, most notably on the beach isssue we fought here last year. I also never cared much for his style, I don't know him personally and have never met or spoken to the man but I had a poor impression.
However, I think it is extremely arrogant and condescending of the Caller/Times to attack the leader of the local Chamber of Commerce. The Caller/Times had been a member of that organization for 75 years and the purpose of such an organization is to put the community in the best light to promote business and tourism. It seems to me the newspaper should be a part of that. Carter wont be the president forever. Will the paper approve of the next president? Will they let a personal problem keep the paper out of the chamber in the future?
I think this is just the latest example of the Caller/Times trying to make the news and not report it. The newspaper is a newspaper, it is not the omnipotent, all seeing lord of the community! It also has no role in making policy or staffing the Chamber of Commerce.

Perry Says "Bush Was Not A Fiscal Conservative."





It seems Texas Governor Rick Perry has had a recent change of heart concerning President and former Texas Governor G.W. Bush. Always an ardent G.W. supporter Perry recently said that while ..."Bush was a great Governor he was not true fiscal conservative."
That's the truth! When Bush took over from Ann Richards he inherited a strong state government with a huge budget surplus. It did not last long. Bush, with the careful guidance and support of the powerful Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, engineered tax cuts for his wealthy supporters. The effect of this was soon felt as state parks and highway projects began to hurt for cash. The surpluses quickly turned into deficits.
Now, for some reason, Governor Perry has seemed to wake up to this situation. He is distancing himself from Bush. It must mean that Perry is looking ahead to running for another term. he may have some stiff competition from U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is widely believed to be setting up a campaign for Texas Governor next November.

County Continues To Spend Big Dollars On Richard Borchard Fairgrounds




Here is a partial list of items recently approved for purchase by the County Court of Commissioners. Most, but not all of these items, are designated the Richard Borchard Regional Fairgrounds in Robstown.
You can see that these items amount to some real money! About $15,507,732.9 by my figuring.

For the Regional Fairgrounds, two John Deere HPX 4X4 Gator Utility Vehicle,
$13,828.42.
For the Regional Fairgrounds from Corpus Christi Cycle Plaza, two Kawasaki Mule 3010 Tran 4X4, $19,415.90.
For the Regional Fairgrounds from American Material Handling, Inc., a Toyota Model 8FGU25 Industrial Forklift Truck LP, $26,155.00.
For the Regional Fairgrounds, from H&E Equipment Services, a 2007 JLG 2646ES Electric Scissor, $14,262.00.
For the Regional Fairgrounds from John Deere Company for:
i. John Deere 6330 Open Station Tractor, $40,883.50.
ii. 6430 Comfortgard Premium Cab Tractor 95 HP, $51,904.50.
Authorize a Tarrant County Cooperative purchase for the
Sheriff’s Office for a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe from Windham
Motor Company in the amount of $27,506.08. This vehicle will
replace Unit #53249.
Authorize a purchase for nine 2007 Chevrolet Impala 9C1 from Caldwell Country Chevrolet in the amount of $170,383.00. Each vehicle will replace an existing police package unit.
For the Regional Fairgrounds, 8’ Model 1300 TR3 Arena Rake, Kiser Dragmaster, and 1,000 Gallon Kiser Water Wagon from Absolute Innovations, $31,235.00

Rogue's Gallery: These Right Wing Idealogues Have All Spoken Here This Year!

Ask Not Who Pays the Toll. It Is Paid By Thee!!

Texas Toll Roads; A Ripoff Of The Taxpayers!!

Your TXDOT Dollars At Work!



South Padre Island Drive has suffered from poor design and planning from the beginning. TXDOT(Texas Department of Transportation) has recently embarked on an ambitious program to move, reverse and alter many off and on ramps to correct errors inherent since the earliest days of the freeway.
Their success has been mediocre at best and has caused many chain reaction, multi car crashes. Who knows how long this will go on?

Texas Lege Fails To Appropriate Red Light Camera Money To Cities

Mauricio Celis, The Great Pretender!

Mayor Of Corpus Christi Henry Garrett; "Happy Henry!"

Disney World Padre Island?






Todays' paper(Oct. 16,2007) has a story about market research being done by a Florida media group at the behest of Paul Shexnailder, the millionaire Austin developer who sparked last year's fight over closing of some public beaches to vehicles to allow him to build a huge, foreign financed, beach resort on North Padre Island. A Florida consulting firm, i.d.e.a.s.,based at Disney studios, held a focus group to gauge public support for development on the Shexnailder properties that have been at the center of the beach dispute for several years now.
Though no direct connection with Disney is yet known, speculation abounds as to what may be in store for these properties.

The First Developers On Padre Island!

New Unies For Corpus Christi Police Department!


Recently new uniforms have been proposed for the Corpus Christi Police Department replacing the light blue shirts, dark blue pants outfit they have worn for many years now.
The new unies are a dark blue color which some have questioned, considering our warm climate. Proponents of the change say the uniforms will be cool and durable. I suspect they will cost a lot less also.

Turnabout Is Fair Play?

Ex Corpus Christi City Council Members Air Sour Grapes!


Recently a group of former Corpus Christi City Council members met and bemoaned the poor state of local infrastructure. This was kind of funny since the current council has been in office about eight months and these guys were in office for many terms and don't have much to brag about!

White Elephant! Police Shooting Range An Expensive Embarrasment!





Somebody dug a pit and called it a shooting range and billed the City of Corpus Christi an enourmous amount for the job! It's another example of waste and incompetence in local city government!

To Kill The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg...
Big Money Developers Have Plans For Our Area!

Landfills Filling Up!





The landfills in the Corpus Christi area are filling up. Where the next will be is becoming a hot potato as a political issue.
A few years ago the local city government ended the city backed re-cycling program. .

Corpus Christi Is In A Coliseum Quandry!





There are many plans for the Corpus Christi Memorial Coliseum. Most are crackpot ideas. Many want to tear it down. The big fear is, what would be built in it's place?

Bay Front Plans Are Disastrous!








So far all the "plans" proposed for Corpus Christi's bayfront are plans that would involve giveaways to big money developers which would wipeout the natural beauty and add tremendous commercial clutter and overcorwding in an area that needs no more stuff!

Corpus Christi City Staff Meeting

Our Local City Government Is A Bad Joke!

Computer Surf Art

What If They Don't Come?