More Political Pornography

When the Local Government Corp. announced recently that it would join with the City Council, AmarilloGlobe-News and on at least two Facebook pages (here and here), that this meeting is another ploy at propaganda to shove the Wallace Bajjali-Downtown Amarillo Inc. plan down our throats.

Downtown Amarillo Inc., Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and others in a community meeting on July 1, TIRZ Chairman Richard Brown and others represented the meeting as one seeking input and discussion. It turns out now as a story unfolds in the

While the first clue that the meeting Wednesday wasn’t really for community input came from reports about Mayor Paul Harpole’s “Town Hall” meetings, at which he has been reported to reject an election on the Wallace Bajjali-DAI stadium, clear confirmation arrived Sunday with the story referenced above.

Government must reclaim its integrity

About three weeks ago, ABC 7 News ran a storyabout allegations that Amarillo Police Department officers beat a black man, Robert Johnson, during an incident on the north side of town. Today, the Amarillo Globe-News reportsthat Blackburn and Brown, a law firm headed by civil rights advocate and attorney Jeff Blackburn, has asked for DNA testing on bags that APD officers allege they found on Johnson during that incident. The cops allege that the bags contained marijuana. The implications in the article are clear. Johnson’s attorneys are suggesting that the cops planted the weed on Johnson.

But wait, there’s more — more dots to connect.

According to the Globe-News, the testing is to be done at a private lab in Virginia, not the taxpayer-owned and -funded Department of Public Safety lab. That’s probably a good decision. It seems that DPS can’t be trusted.

As I reportedin my companion blog in April, the Dallas Morning News’ Dave Lieber told us “the state is selling our private information to firms so they can market their wares to us.” Today, Lieber exposesDPS’ lies about its TrapWire system, a high-level surveillance system to ostensibly catch terrorists. Turned out, the DPS claim of TrapWire resulting in 44 arrests was false. Worse, not only was the TrapWire claim false, but so was another DPS claim about drug seizures. And before that was the DPS claim some time ago about DPS troopers confiscating jars of urine and feces from pro-choice advocates during a debate before the state Legislature that was also a lie.

And that brings the story back to the city of Amarillo and the Amarillo Police Department, which is now reeling from allegationsthat one of its officers, Micah Meurer, sexually assaulted a woman while on duty. As the story and subsequent investigation unfolded, you can’t help but notice that none of the stories about Meurer mention APD Chief Robert Taylor — at least so far. The public face so far has been Acting Chief Kenneth Funtek.

Now let’s connect the dots.

To those of you who work for taxpayers in government jobs at all levels: In case you’ve not noticed, you and your jobs are under attack by the Tea Party and other conservatives who think government is too big, inept and corrupt. Every time you tolerate and fail to cure incompetence or corruption in your ranks, you give the anti-government forces more ammunition to take away your jobs. Your greatest and best self-interest is to make sure you and your co-workers are part of a government that delivers services with integrity and competence.

Then, there is the message for Amarillo, its City Council, with its new members and city leadership: You face a daunting task of righting two horrible wrongs. You must figure out a way to completely reboot and redirect the downtown revitalization activity while minimizing the downside of curing any contractual issues with other entities, especially and specifically the hotel and garage developers. And, you need to see the operational problems — the day-to-day service delivery — are solved.

Our nation and government was founded on integrity. It’s time to reclaim that way of governing.

Government must reclaim its integrity

About three weeks ago, ABC 7 News ran a story about allegations that Amarillo Police Department officers beat a black man, Robert Johnson, during an incident on the north side of town. Today, the Amarillo Globe-News reports that Blackburn and Brown, a law firm headed by civil rights advocate and attorney Jeff Blackburn, has asked for DNA testing on bags that APD officers allege they found on Johnson during that incident. The cops allege that the bags contained marijuana. The implications in the article are clear. Johnson’s attorneys are suggesting that the cops planted the weed on Johnson.

But wait, there’s more — more dots to connect.

Why scrutinize the Amarillo downtown plan and ballpark?

John Kanelis is my friend, a fellow journalist and blogger and a gentle soul. His posts at High Plains Blogger reflect his kindness and decency. But on one issue, he and I disagree strongly and have for years.

That issue is Amarillo’s downtown redevelopment and the plan that Paul Harpole and the former City Council, aided and abetted by Downtown Amarillo Inc., the Amarillo Economic Development Corp., the Local Government Corp. and the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, have ramrodded since at least 2008.

The three-legged stool (the metaphor of stool is purposely chosen) consisted of a “convention hotel,” a parking garage and a so-called multi-purpose event venue. John focuses on the MPEV, questioning why this ballpark is getting so much attention and repeating, sadly, the City Council “party-line” that (and here is how John said it), “No tax money will be spent on these projects.”

I had a similar debate on Facebook with Walter Riggs, a veteran banker in Amarillo. Like John, he supports the current plan. The exchange with Walter was civil and courteous and in the end, we agreed to disagree. I am sure John and I will also. Nevertheless, here are some of the key points I made to Walter and offer for my reader’s and John’s consideration.

·In 2008, the then- City Commission still had political capital to overcome its sneaky trick of subsidizing the Globe-News Center shortfall, which was $1.8 million, not the “million or so dollars” John cited. The city could have, according to my sources, gotten a bond passed for redoing the Civic Center.

·Alan Abraham, a reluctant candidate who fell to long-time councilor Brian Eades in the recent city election, a while back showed the City Commission/City Council a university-based study that the cookie-cutter approach pushed by DAI and failed master developer Wallace Bajjali that packaged the ballpark, a garage and “convention center” hotel was doomed in a community of this size. I also posited that downtown could be revived using the Herring Hotel as the touchstone and capitalizing on Amarillo railroad and Western history. I still believe that would have been a viable approach.

·It was The Amarillo Independent that vetted Wallace Bajjali better than DAI, the Amarillo Globe-News and the city of Amarillo’s hired attorneys. I suspect those in power didn’t want to listen to the Indy because I was one of those horrible “liberals.” But my politics have nothing to do with it. Nor do I consider being right about this a matter of luck. I believe we uncovered information through hard work, due diligence and good judgment.

John asked why the scrutiny on the ballpark. He notes, “I also am willing to trust that it can be done the way its proponents say it will be done: through lodging revenue collected at our hotels and motels.”

And perhaps that is the difference between a nice guy like John and someone who has watched politics in Louisiana, New Jersey, Colorado, New Mexico and, now, Amarillo. I am not willing to trust the city’s current administration or the prior City Council. Those experiences have informed my cynical view. Further, the way the city has treated the Herring Hotel reinforced my view that something is going on in Amarillo that doesn’t pass the “smell test” and ultimately, with the FBI and Grand Jury looking at the AEDC, may not pass the legal test.

And, that is why we need to watch the City Council and the rest of the downtown planning closely, and especially the ballpark.

Why scrutinize the Amarillo downtown plan and ballpark?

John Kanelis is my friend, a fellow journalist and blogger and a gentle soul. His posts at High Plains Blogger reflect his kindness and decency. But on one issue, he and I disagree strongly and have for years.

That issue is Amarillo’s downtown redevelopment and the plan that Paul Harpole and the former City Council, aided and abetted by Downtown Amarillo Inc., the Amarillo Economic Development Corp., the Local Government Corp. and the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, have ramrodded since at least 2008.

The winds of change blew into city Hall Saturday

The Amarillo City Council got a strong message Saturday. The voters have said, “We don’t like what you’re doing and we don’t like the way you’re doing it.”

Here’s where we stand with the unofficial final numbers posted at 9:18 p.m. (here)

Mayor — Paul Harpole retains his seat with 54 percent of 14,016 votes cast. That certainly is a less resounding victory than two years ago. The 8 percentage point spread isn’t that big in the context of the 2013 race and the other results down ballot. It should be clear that Harpole no longer can claim a mandate, as he has with such hubris. Don’t overlook that Harpole had tons of money and challenger Roy McDowell didn’t. McDowell is not a smooth operator like Harpole.

Place 1 — Incumbent Ellen Robertson Green falls to Elisha Demerson with 44 percent of the 14,148 votes in this nasty and hotly contested race. Voters going down ballot are clear they want a different councilor in this slot. How much the nastiness in Green’s campaign backfired isn’t clear; nor, is it clear whether Green’s record and the way she touted defeated her. Demerson ran on transparency and took the high road.

Place 2 — Incumbent Brian Eades’ victory over Alan Abraham is no surprise. Abraham, who ran more out of conscience and a desire to foment discussion than a fire to win, didn’t mount an aggressive campaign. Even at that, he got more than one-third of the votes (35 percent of 13,942 cast), which I attribute to anti-incumbent backlash. Eades garnered much support from the Amarillo medical community and for his role in the animal control debacle. He was also the only councilor who finally admitted some culpability in the city’s lack of leadership. Will we see an Eades-Harpole contest in 2017? If Eades decides to run for mayor in two years, he will be formidable.

Place 3 — Randy Burkett bested the five-contender field with 55 percent of the 13,956 votes, defeating incumbent Lilia Escajeda. Escajeda’s lackluster get-along-by-going-along record for downtown development and other issues coupled with Burkett’s more aggressive style sealed her fate, despite an eleventh-hour hatchet job by the Amarillo Globe-News.

Place 4 — Jim Simms’ seat, as it will likely be known for some time, heads for a run-off between Mark Nair and Steve Rogers. Nair’s 45 percent to Rogers’ 25 percent of 13,848 votes wasn’t enough to elect him outright. The three other contestants divvied up the rest of the votes. Undoubtedly, the upcoming contest in June will see many reminders that Rogers is the appraiser in the questionable Commerce Building deal and is also, if my sources are correct, Harpole’s hand-picked choice. If Nair can overcome the establishment, Harpole’s money and be aggressive, he can win this election.

There are some important lessons:

·Those who say there is no hope for change in Amarillo and voting doesn’t matter are wrong. The results are nothing short of stunning, especially if Nair prevails in the run-off. That gives the five-member council three anti-incumbent seats, leaving only Harpole and Eades to defend the council’s past actions.

·The City Council and mayor will need to back off on the headlong cockamamie downtown plans and the stupidity of the ballpark. It opens the door for a reboot of downtown planning and a re-evaluation of the roles of Downtown Amarillo Inc., the Local Government Corp. and the Amarillo Economic Development Corp. Whether some folks’ résumés over at city Hall need updating remains to be seen.

·Paul “Mr. Hubris” Harpole might consider this a lesson in etiquette and courtesy. Let’s see if it’s a teachable moment.

Of course, it ain’t over till it’s over. Stay tuned.

The winds of change blew into city Hall Saturday

The Amarillo City Council got a strong message Saturday. The voters have said, “We don’t like what you’re doing and we don’t like the way you’re doing it.”

Here’s where we stand with the unofficial final numbers posted at 9:18 p.m. (here)

Mayor — Paul Harpole retains his seat with 54 percent of 14,016 votes cast. That certainly is a less resounding victory than two years ago. The 8 percentage point spread isn’t that big in the context of the 2013 race and the other results down ballot. It should be clear that Harpole no longer can claim a mandate, as he has with such hubris. Don’t overlook that Harpole had tons of money and challenger Roy McDowell didn’t. McDowell is not a smooth operator like Harpole.

Amarillo City Hall runs off the rails -- again

If you thought the stupidity out of Amarillo’s City Hall couldn’t get worse, think again. A story from

ABC 7 News reports that the city is considering making the $3 million Santa Fe Depot, which it bought with taxpayer money, into an “Intermodal Transportation Center.”

Normally I don’t quote a story this extensively, but I’ll make an exception in this case because you’ll have to read the verbiage to see how pathetic this is. The idea seems to have come from Downtown Amarillo Inc., which quoted DAI’s board chairman John Lutz, “We could take all of our transportation assets such as our busing — both private and public, our taxi system, and different things and put them all right here. This way they could be a better resource for the city at large.”

Yes, let’s do that, Mr. Lutz. All the assets, and “different things.” What different things? Like Amtrak? Oh, wait, the passenger train doesn’t stop here anymore. Does “all” include bringing the airport downtown?

Of course, that last little dig is mine, mainly to show how silly, ill-informed and scared the downtown development cabal is running. And if you want some more vague generalizations, check out the quote from Amarillo’s city manager.

“You're going to have the opportunity for many things,” said Jarrett Atkinson, City Manager. “You can take advantage of the space, take advantage of those historic buildings and keep moving forward.”

“Many things.”

“Keep moving forward.”

The city and DAI are grasping at straws, trying to generate some semblance of progress on downtown development. A few weeks ago, it was the Liberty Theater, with misleading information, if not lies, about how that icon of civil rights in Amarillo will be preserved. Now this.

You see, while the city, DAI, the Amarillo Economic Development Corp., the Local Government Corp. and the City Council were financially fornicating with Wallace Bajjali, and getting screwed in without even a kiss, the city sat on its butt doing nothing to get the Southwest Chief rerouted. Or, to explore other options that might have revived rail service for Amarillo. Can’t be done, you say? Look at other states: Illinois, the New England state; ones along the route of the Crescent up the East Coast.

Thanks for ABC 7 News for exposing another problem with a City Council that is at the heart of a mismanaged city.

Amarillo City Hall runs off the rails -- again

If you thought the stupidity out of Amarillo’s City Hall couldn’t get worse, think again. A story from

ABC 7 News reports that the city is considering making the $3 million Santa Fe Depot, which it bought with taxpayer money, into an “Intermodal Transportation Center.”

Let's ask council incumbents some questions

I have already voted in the City Council, Amarillo College and Amarillo ISD races. As a result, I see

no need to attend the campaign ploy that Paul Harpole is running under the guise of being a mayor’s “town hall meeting.” That meeting was announced using city of Amarillo resources, by the way. The notice came from the city’s community relations coordinator and is posted to the city’s website (http://www.amarillo.gov/?p=6880).

If anyone goes, or knows of anyone going, please feel free to circulate these to pose to Harpole. In fact, if anyone encounters a city incumbent anywhere, perhaps these would be good questions to ask.

Why did the council ignore The Amarillo Independent’s findings about Wallace Bajjali? If The Amarillo Independent wasn’t good enough, why go to a law firm to investigate? Why not do your own due diligence?

Why did Alan Taylor retire? Was there any truth to the rumor that he disagreed with the downtown plan?

The Strategic Action Plan effort had fewer than 1,000 participants. Why did the City Council consider that representative of the city?

Why was the Herring not included in the land use planning? Why has the City Council ignored the Herring Hotel as a resource for conventions? Who is behind the squeeze play on the Herring?

What happened to the “citizen vote” that was promised? With such a pathetic voter turnout in 2013, how can you justify that this was a mandate or endorsement of the ongoing plans?

If the new hotel is such a strong asset, why does it need to be protected by a non-compete clause? Or revenue guarantees?

How does city ownership of the hotel square with this community’s prevailing Libertarian or Republican ideals of a free market, a market where government doesn’t pick winners and losers?

How is it that the City Council ignored university studies that showed the very cookie-cutter plans that Wallace Bajjali brought to you don’t result in economic development?

How can the city contract with the Southern Independent League without a city-owned stadium to play in?

Why does the City Council and city management stonewall public records requests?

Why does the City Council protect the Amarillo Economic Development Corp.’s and Downtown Amarillo Inc.’s incompetence?

Let's ask council incumbents some questions

I have already voted in the City Council, Amarillo College and Amarillo ISD races. As a result, I see

no need to attend the campaign ploy that Paul Harpole is running under the guise of being a mayor’s “town hall meeting.” That meeting was announced using city of Amarillo resources, by the way. The notice came from the city’s community relations coordinator and is posted to the city’s website (http://www.amarillo.gov/?p=6880).

If anyone goes, or knows of anyone going, please feel free to circulate these to pose to Harpole. In fact, if anyone encounters a city incumbent anywhere, perhaps these would be good questions to ask.

Irony, hubris and time will tell

The Amarillo Globe-News’ editorial on April 23 makes clear it is fed up with the city’s problems. And, in

the height of irony and hubris, refers to the “Wallace Bajjali debacle.

Anyone following city government, downtown development and the Globe-News’ role in all this knows that, for years and especially since 2008, the city could do no wrong. The city and the Globe-News were so enamored with one another that the City Council placed the paper’s publisher, Les Simpson, on key boards tasked with planning and implementing downtown redevelopment. In fact, Simpson was the head of Downtown Amarillo Inc.’s board when DAI recommended Wallace Bajjali as a master developer for the downtown effort.

You have to wonder what prompted the paper’s 180-degree turn-around. What triggered such a falling out between two lovers? I’d love to know other people’s theories on this one.

The Globe-News exhorts people to turn out to the upcoming city election. Stating it this way, “Voters that (sic — it should be “who”) are content with the way things are going in Amarillo — feel free to show your support for the status quo at the ballot box. Voters that (sic — it should be “who”) see the need for a new and fresh approach to leadership, at least for Amarillo government, opportunity is knocking — as the saying goes — at the same ballot box.”

The editorial concludes, “Amarillo residents can talk change all they want, but voting is the only way to accomplish change.”

But in the end, how much change does the Amarillo Globe-News really want? We’ll see when the Globe-News lists its endorsements in the race.

Early voting begins Monday and citywide polling occurs May 9.

Irony, hubris and time will tell

The Amarillo Globe-News’ editorial on April 23 makes clear it is fed up with the city’s problems. And, in

the height of irony and hubris, refers to the “Wallace Bajjali debacle.

Anyone following city government, downtown development and the Globe-News’ role in all this knows that, for years and especially since 2008, the city could do no wrong. The city and the Globe-News were so enamored with one another that the City Council placed the paper’s publisher, Les Simpson, on key boards tasked with planning and implementing downtown redevelopment. In fact, Simpson was the head of Downtown Amarillo Inc.’s board when DAI recommended Wallace Bajjali as a master developer for the downtown effort.

Amarillo mayor uses city resources as part of campaign ploy

At about 3 p.m. Monday, the city of Amarillo issued a news release announcing what Mayor Paul Harpole and Sonja Gross, the city’s public relations person, call a “town hall meeting.” You can read the entire release here. However, for those of you who wish to be critical and analytical thinkers, let’s deconstruct this release before we get too dizzy from the PR spin the city seems to live for these days.

Harpole and Sonja Gross, the city’s public relations person, calls a “town hall meeting.” You can read the entire release here.

·“Although it is customary for Amarillo City Council to welcome public comment at the end of each regular meeting, the public is limited to addressing the Council about City policies, programs or services that are not on the agenda. In turn, City Council can only respond with facts or direct specific questions to staff.” — Not totally true. While it is true that the city attorney’s interpretation of the Open Meetings Act restricts the councilors’ comments, it is not true that the act restricts what members of the public may say to the City Council during the comment period.

The notion that the City Council welcomes comments (the new release’s words) challenges my ability to believe what the city puts out. I’ve attended enough of the council meetings to state with certainty that the council, and the mayor especially, brooks no disagreement and is often boorish in his treatment of those he disdains.

·“Because of these limitations, Mayor Paul Harpole is hosting town hall meetings with one scheduled for this Tuesday following the regular City Council meeting.” — The limitations are false. And, it is questionable that, as the City Council election shifts into high gear, that an elected official seeking re-election uses the city and its resources for an obvious campaign ploy.

By the way, “those limitations” noted in the release don’t mention the three-minute limit the City Council and city have imposed on speakers. This restriction came under Mayor Debra McCartt’s reign when she and the councilors tired of citizens confronting them with disagreements over the depraved downtown development plans.

·“‘There will be no time limitations and no restrictions on what the public can ask,’ says Mayor Harpole. ‘This is another opportunity for citizens to tell me what is important to them and their neighborhoods. I look forward to hearing people’s specific concerns, provide them with the best information possible and hear suggestions on how we can improve our great City.’” — The citizens of Amarillo have been telling the mayor and council what’s important for years, since 2008, in fact, when they rammed Downtown Amarillo Inc. and the other sleight-of-hand approaches to downtown down Amarillo’s throat.

·“The Mayor’s Town Hall meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14 at the Amarillo Public Library downtown, located 413 E. 4^th Ave, in the Harrington Library Consortium Room.” — Without time limitations, the mayor’s little campaign ploy might prevent him from getting to the candidate forum that the Democrats are hosting from 6-8 p.m. tonight. God forbid Harpole should face a crowd that doesn’t adore him. In truth, no one could attend his little ploy at the library and he could still have cover for not attending by claiming his “town hall” meeting was in progress. What about those ethics?

Amarillo mayor uses city resources as part of campaign ploy

At about 3 p.m. Monday, the city of Amarillo issued a news release announcing what Mayor Paul Harpole and Sonja Gross, the city’s public relations person, call a “town hall meeting.” You can read the entire release here. However, for those of you who wish to be critical and analytical thinkers, let’s deconstruct this release before we get too dizzy from the PR spin the city seems to live for these days.

Harpole and Sonja Gross, the city’s public relations person, calls a “town hall meeting.” You can read the entire release here.

Hypocrisy continues on Harrison Street

I am deeply concerned about the health of the leadership at the Amarillo Globe-News. In the story about getting public records from the Amarillo Police Department, the paper’s publisher, Les Simpson, risks breaking his arm patting himself on the back. I wonder if that’s covered under workers comp?

But, the reality in this story is once again, the Amarillo Globe-News continues its disinformation campaign.

There are, in fact, times when the city of Amarillo and the APD have made it more difficult to get public records. But, the APD knows well what is and isn’t public record and with the right information and approach, the department will turn over records. Usually, Sgt. Brent Barbee and Cpl. Jerry Neufeld can turn a request around quickly. Not always. And, yes, they are protective of the department’s foibles. But Barbee and Neufeld aren’t much different than another of the other public information officers in Amarillo. The culture in Amarillo is that the media are here to serve as the public relations mouthpieces for the governments and big institutions.

Some of that attitude is reflected in the Globe-News story, if accurate, quoting APD Chief Robert Taylor as claiming redacting the reports to remove privileged information is, in essence, too much work.

Part of the problem, of course, is that Morris Communications and the Amarillo Globe-News have eviscerated the newsroom. Those in the trenches are spread pretty thin. That’s no excuse for the “cops” reporter, who should be making a daily trip to the APD to check the blotter (I did that on occasion) and to maintain a professional relationship with the department’s PR people. Blaming the police department for the paper missing a story because the department didn’t issue a news release is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

However, there is a larger problem to which I’ve referred often. It’s the hypocrisy of the Amarillo Globe-News leadership. Simpson, quoted by his own media outlet, said ““Our job is to report and disseminate news and to determine what’s in the public interest.”

So, why hasn’t this third-rate devoted the same effort to covering downtown development? Or the City Council? Or Downtown Amarillo Inc.? Or the Amarillo Economic Development Corp.?

Clearly, the City Council and others spending millions of our dollars without due diligence isn’t in the public interest, according to the Globe-News. Clearly, hiring a master developer with a clear record of fraudulent behavior isn’t in the public interest. But why go on.

Early voting for the City Council begins April 27. The election is May 9. You know what you have to do.

Hypocrisy continues on Harrison Street

I am deeply concerned about the health of the leadership at the Amarillo Globe-News. In the story about getting public records from the Amarillo Police Department, the paper’s publisher, Les Simpson, risks breaking his arm patting himself on the back. I wonder if that’s covered under workers comp?

But, the reality in this story is once again, the Amarillo Globe-News continues its disinformation campaign.

the More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

In the process of rebuilding my main desktop computer from scratch, I ran across an old file I’d almost forgotten about. It’s an interview by now City Councilor Ellen Robertson Green when she hosted the KACV (now Panhandle PBS) program “Face-to-Face.” I am not certain when the interview was done or when the show aired, but I think it’s in Spring 2009. Based on the references in the interview.

In the context of what is occurring now with the City Council and the election in May, I think you’ll find the interview interesting.

the More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

In the process of rebuilding my main desktop computer from scratch, I ran across an old file I’d almost forgotten about. It’s an interview by now City Councilor Ellen Robertson Green when she hosted the KACV (now Panhandle PBS) program “Face-to-Face.” I am not certain when the interview was done or when the show aired, but I think it’s in Spring 2009. Based on the references in the interview.

Candidates for Amarillo City Council election on May 9