OPINION

I've lived in Lake Highlands for more than 30 years and have followed all of the many changing rules regarding trash pickup. My alley has easy access for garbage pickup, but now I have to figure out a way to get it to the front.

Our garages have easy access in back for everyone on this alley, making it easy to get the garbage cans out on pickup day. My elderly neighbor across from me will not be able to manage the incline to get her can to the front, so I will help her. When did taxpaying homeowners lose our right to put out the trash in the back where it belongs?

We just received notices in our neighborhood that trash cans have to be set out at the front curb instead of the alley. First, we have to haul the darn things around the block -- none of our fencing was built to admit those monster bins. Then we have to find a new space to stash them. This will make our neighborhood look like a ghetto. Also, our many elderly citizens won't be able to haul those bins around.

Dallas spends money on high-profile items, but they don't spend money on the everyday things.

Re: "Building inventories don't add up for city," by James Ragland, Wednesday Metro column.

James Ragland recently wrote that the city of Dallas didn't know how many buildings it owned. This being the case, the citizens should ask their council member exactly what it is that the city does know.

Did we get duped into building a convention center hotel? Maybe we already have one!

Re: "At Cotton Bowl, a hollow feeling -- With game gone to Arlington, businesses near stadium sigh," Sunday news story.

After attending college football games at the Cotton Bowl and Cowboys Stadium, I am convinced the Cotton Bowl is the best location. The Cowboys Stadium is too big, has too many distractions and was not designed for the average fan. Because the Cotton Bowl is more compact, more fans are much closer to the field, giving a better game experience.

Also, I am beginning to see a backlash for Jerry Jones' attempts to undermine efforts to get more games at the Cotton Bowl and to siphon other events from Dallas.

Yes, I went to see Jerry World or Death Star, as some call it, but I will not go back. The same can be said for many of my friends and associates.

Re: "Dallas assault statistics play down violence -- By deviating from FBI guidelines, police create an 'artificial image,' experts say," Tuesday news story.
The Dallas Morning News can pat itself on the back for its latest "gotcha!" story about how the Dallas Police Department categorizes crime. But so what?
These suspects are still charged with a crime, whether simple or aggravated assault. A higher charge means a longer sentence upon conviction. Do you really want another billion-dollar prison building spree and the tax hike that would be needed to fund it?
Sounds to me like DPD is just being realistic. The only news in this story is The News' own self-congratulation -- and its misguided emphasis on what's in the headlines, rather than what happens in the trenches.

Re: "Lockdown in District 5: No other council members allowed," Hits and Misses, last Saturday Editorials.

I am proud to be a member of the Dallas City Council and to work with colleagues who handle the citizens' business with dignity and professionalism. Mutual respect is an expected component of that working relationship.

Over the past several years, council members' standard procedure has been to notify each other about projects or meetings that affect their respective districts. Neither the mayor nor most of the council members will call community meetings in a council member's district without notice to the council member in whose district the meeting is to be held and without invitation to that council member.

I am disappointed that your editorial chose to use "fiefdom" and "border fence," implying territorialism, rather than recognizing the duties of responsibility and accountability owed by each district representative to his or her electorate. Your readers would have benefited from an assessment based on facts instead of editorial assumptions.

I respect the structure of our city government and the individuals elected to serve within that structure. I hope that your news organization will, at some point, come to share and exhibit that same respect.

When is the last time any member of the Dallas City Council has strolled along the street across from the new $18 million Main Street Garden by the old Dallas Hotel?

Couldn't any of the money earmarked for the new lovely garden be spent to clean up the foul odor of human waste that surrounds the old hotel?

This is not a new problem, but one I've noticed for the last 10 years. Way before work began on the Merc Building, I walked past that area from my parking garage, and daily there were signs of human waste if you didn't actually witness it happening before your very eyes.

I hope all those who have bought or leased the high-dollar units in the Merc Building were provided gas masks, so that they could enjoy the lovely Main Street Garden.

Congratulations to Chief David Kunkle on his outstanding leadership of the Dallas Police Department for the past five years.

Falling crime rates, more officers on the streets and enhanced public and staff confidence in the department are all a part of his legacy. Kunkle will leave Dallas a better place than he inherited in 2004.

Re: "Unexcused Absence -- Council should back plan for derelict properties," Monday Editorials.

Dallas City Council member Sheffie Kadane asked at the Nov. 4 council debate, "Where are the problems? We don't have a problem."

It alarms me that any council member could be so uninformed about the problems of absentee property owners in Dallas. I've visited southern Dallas neighborhoods and have seen the effects of the north-south gap. Isn't it reasonable to expect all of our elected officials to be similarly in touch?

Single-member council districts were created to achieve minority representation. Some council members focus solely on their districts, oblivious to some important issues because they are not seen as relevant. We all pay the price for this insulated approach.

All council members should be aware of issues that may technically be outside of their districts yet impact the fiscal and social health of the entire city. As a community of many districts, our boats rise or sink together. Council members are elected to do a job. It is reasonable that we expect them to do it well.

Re: "Leppert: I'd consider a run -- He would have to quit as mayor, catch up to other GOP hopefuls," Saturday news story.

Mayor Tom Leppert would be the most qualified candidate to run for the U.S. Senate from Texas. However, the last time a Dallas mayor, Ron Kirk, ran for the U.S. Senate, we ended up with Laura Miller as mayor.

Leppert should finish his first term and run for a second term. Dallas needs his integrity and leadership to complete important unfinished projects. After his second term as mayor, I am confident Tom Leppert would make an excellent candidate for any state or national office.

Re: "Dallas faces lawsuit over strict sign ordinance -- Group says business owners hurt; city leaders cite cleanup," Wednesday news story.

Most cities wouldn't dream of prohibiting advertisements in the top two-thirds of a newspaper page or restricting TV advertisements to only 15 percent of the screen. Yet, Dallas now demands that no commercial message be carried in the top two-thirds of any window and that such messages may not cover more than 15 percent of any window.

Essentially, Dallas now permits only those signs that are small enough and low enough to render them completely ineffective. Records show that Dallas is using this law to target small businesses, while large chains violate it in plain sight.

The city needs to understand that commercial speech deserves every bit as much constitutional protection as political speech. Instead, Dallas would have you believe a city bureaucrat's subjective impression of the beauty of a particular sign is more important than a small business's First Amendment right to convey important, truthful information to potential customers.

When the government is given the power to choose who can speak and who cannot, that power will inevitably be used to target the underprivileged, the powerless and the unpopular.

We need a First Amendment jurisprudence that protects speech regardless of who the speaker is and whether the government likes what he or she has to say.

Re: "Legitimacy? CityDesign Studio aims to transform riverfront -- It will pick up where sleek Arts District buildings left off, says Lee Cullum," Friday Viewpoints.

Downtowns are not made up of empty buildings; they are made up of people. The Dallas CityDesign Studio Cullum touts will thrill the wonks in New York City and the "artistes" at the National Endowment for the Arts, but it will be an empty, lifeless monument unless the people can come. You will have to bow to the fact that they are not going to come on DART, at least not in any numbers.

Likewise, Industrial Boulevard is going to be Industrial Boulevard to most people, no matter what it is named. Besides, you can call it Rodeo Drive, and it is still the location of the county jail.

So, start taking the people of Dallas into account. Quit trying to impress a lot of critics who will go on thinking of us as the city that shot President John F. Kennedy. Start building family-friendly, Texas-type things, places to shop, places to play, and let the people make downtown Dallas live.

Re: "Legitimacy? CityDesign Studio aims to transform riverfront -- It will pick up where sleek Arts District buildings left off, says Lee Cullum," Friday Viewpoints.

As usual, Cullum has written a thoughtful and well-informed article. Her praise of the progress Dallas has made culturally is entirely justified, and her praise of Deedie Rose and Gail Thomas was well deserved.

I can't help but remember that it has most often been the ladies of Dallas, many of them, who have pushed forward the wonderful projects that we all see coming to fruition. I can't help but remember that Mr. Catalyst, Stanley Marcus, encouraged and stimulated many of our great ladies, including Margaret McDermott and Nancy Hamon, to become involved and initiate financially the projects Dallas citizens will be enjoying for many decades to come.

I, for one, thank and salute each of Dallas' Great Ladies.

Re: "News to close southern Dallas plant," Saturday Business.

For at least a year now, The Dallas Morning News has printed a steady stream of editorials regarding the progress -- or lack thereof -- in the southern sector of Dallas.

I have been impressed with the consistent focus in this arena. Given that A.H. Belo is closing its southern Dallas packaging plant, will The News now be printing an editorial expressing its displeasure and disappointment with the closure of this southern Dallas plant in favor of A.H. Belo's Plano facility?

I realize the Internet and general state of the economy have wreaked havoc on the business plan of old-fashioned newspapers everywhere and that difficult decisions like this must be made every day. However, given all the preaching The News has been doing all year about propping up the southern sector, I was mildly surprised to hear that you are not walking the walk.

Once again, Dallas has missed an opportunity to do something right and instead flubbed it up.

If one wishes to experience a beautiful, elegant and functional opera house, one needs only to drive 32 miles west to Fort Worth's Bass Hall.

You'll be delighted and come away with an extremely pleasant experience.

Re: "Board: Staff handled Texas-OU crowds well -- Members suggest changes but aren't sure agency could ever meet full fan demand," Wednesday news story.
My two young sons and I decided to try the much-advertised DART service to the State Fair of Texas. We waited about 45 minutes before it was our turn to board. When we did get on board, we stood the whole way to the fair. We were exhausted even before we set foot on the fairgrounds. We vowed never to ride DART to the fair again.
Now for the rest of the story: Our experience was over 20 years ago when DART was running buses from Valley View Mall to the fair. It seems that DART has learned nothing in more than two decades, yet the DART board has offered congratulations to its staff for the "good job" during the Texas-OU game. Is the DART board arrogant or simply naive?

Re: "Leppert's Gamble -- We hope move pays off on council ethics reform," Wednesday Editorials.

Your editorial is a short and quick assessment of what is needed at City Hall. If ethics reform is feared and opposed by one group or another, there is the problem.

Hats off to Mayor Tom Leppert and the job he is doing for all of Dallas.

My husband and I suffered a burglary in 2008. It was, by the definition of the Dallas Police Department, a real burglary. A coin collection, gun, ammunition and jewelry were stolen, a custom patio door was shattered, and the house trashed.

The thief put two of our elderly cats, who had never been outdoors, out of the house and so injured and frightened one of them that he is still traumatized. My anger about the burglary and vandalism was nothing compared to the fury I felt and still feel because of the injury to our beloved old cats.

It doesn't really matter what Chief David Kunkle and the Dallas Police Department want to call crimes. They are just doing what Mayor Tom Leppert and the Dallas Citizens Council tell them to do in order to lure businesses to Dallas.

Those of us who have been victims of crimes know the kinds of damage and loss and outrage they cause, and that vandalism can often cause more damage than burglary, both to the property and to the victim.

Re: "Do police count all burglaries? Kunkle says intent must be clear in break-ins as some fault classification system," Sunday news story.

I used to respect Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle and his adherence to the rules. Now I read that our crime reports are still slanted to make Dallas and criminals feel safer.

A burglar will feel more emboldened knowing that if he tries and fails, he is only looking at a vandalism misdemeanor. Chief Kunkle states that his officers have to report obvious burglary attempts (such as doors forcibly kicked in) as vandalism if nothing is taken. He states that his officers cannot assume what was in the mind of the crook unless it is backed by solid evidence.

A question, chief: If your officer sees a person pull a firearm, is that officer "allowed" to assume the man is going to use that weapon, and respond with deadly force, or must he wait until the evidence supports his defending himself?

This is not a position that I can respect. I am happy to live in Collin County.

Re: "Do police count all burglaries? Kunkle says intent must be clear in break-ins as some fault classification system," Sunday news story.

I had great respect for Police Chief David Kunkle until I read the articles describing obvious crimes being reclassified to improve our crime statistics. Kunkle says, "Officers cannot assume what the criminal intent of the person was." Yet they do that every day when they stop people suspected of prostitution, drug dealing, drunken driving, etc. Or when they ask to search someone's car or home.

If someone kicks my door in, any reasonable person will assume he or she intended to steal from me, because in the vast majority of cases where someone got caught, the intent was burglary. The police, with all their training and experience, know this all the more.

The citizens of Dallas should be outraged about this attempt to manipulate our crime statistics. We should be treated as adults by our city leadership.

Re: "A star is born: Dallas City comes of age culturally as it gives residents a sneak peek of its snazzy performance spaces," Tuesday Business.

To everyone who had a part in bringing us the AT&T Performing Arts Center and all its venues: Bravo!

Where is the elegance?

For more than 40 years, I have waited for the new Dallas Opera house with great anticipation, and I must say it is an impressive building from a distance. But upon close inspection, I was shocked at the tackiness.

From the interior red walls covered with scuff marks to the cheap half-dead landscape that looked better suited to the mobile home exhibit at the state fair, it was a big disappointment. The grand entrance was nothing more than concrete. The overall feel was that the venue was thrown together.

Have too many casual Fridays stripped us of our sense of style? If the critics think this is a stunning facility, an appropriate opening production for this place would have been "The Emperor's New Clothes."

Re: "After-school programs' ripple effects -- They save our children and protect our streets, says Police Chief David Kunkle," last Monday Viewpoints.

Kunkle confirms what has been proved to be effective. Making investments in after-school and educational programs to help youth now will reduce crime, welfare and other costs.

A few years ago, AT&T chose to sponsor several Teen Centers at the Dallas Public Libraries. They proved so successful that the AT&T Foundation donated $500,000 to the Friends of the Dallas Public Library to fund Teen Centers and new programs at 20 additional library locations.

Teen Centers provide at-risk youth with exposure to positive role models in the community and offer special programs on career planning, college admission and homework help via the Internet. Teen Center activities include interview training, job fairs, computer training, help with college and scholarship applications, creative writing, public speaking, Web design, and arts and crafts. Library staff, as well as academic and professional community residents, guide and advise teens throughout these activities.

AT&T is to be congratulated that they have chosen to invest in the youth in our community. The programs are as close as your nearest branch library.

If you want a great perspective on southern Dallas, and not the high crime, beaten-down area generally portrayed by the media, take a Sunday bike ride through the area.

I was one of the participants in the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon -- I use the term participant, as my time could hardly support the idea I was racing. The bike portion went from Joe Pool Lake to the American Airlines Center by way of many of the roads I hear of only on traffic reports or incident reports.

Rather than a run-down area of town with people huddled behind their doors, I saw hundreds of residents who braved nasty weather to cheer on the competitors.

Neighborhood leaders were assisting the seemingly hundreds of law enforcement officers. The hours-long procession of bikes made their way through areas with manicured lawns and bustling businesses that were not at all what I expected.

Although I live in another area of town, I look forward to going out of my way to support them as they did me.

Re: " 'Resounding decision' -- Hill, cohorts guilty on most counts in bribery, extortion," and, "Once-rising star's historic fall stuns friends, supporters," last Tuesday news story.

It is amazing but predictable that Don Hill would seek to appeal the verdict of guilty. Hill lamented that the verdict left a dark cloud lingering over City Hall. He might have added that it was a roadblock to the redevelopment of South Dallas and eroded the value of single-member districts.

Hill was quoted as saying, "God's got something in store for us other than the result we wanted." Perhaps it may have been incarceration. This was such a waste of leadership to a segment of Dallas that so cries for true leadership.

Hill: Operating in the wrong city

Dallas is nothing but a microcosm of Washington, D.C. Some of our corrupt members of the U.S. Congress collect more in one day than former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill and his cohorts could illegally collect in a lifetime. That is not an excuse for Hill but a slimy indictment of many of our corrupt politicians and their bureaucrats, appointees and volunteers. The only difference is that the former mayor pro tem got caught. Washington actually has a license to do it. Hill lives in the wrong city.

The Dallas Morning News is to be congratulated for exposing much of the corruption over the years -- another good reason for the paper to survive and thrive. The populace needs you.

Re: "The Right Fit -- City should rename part of Central for Chávez," Wednesday Editorials.

Renaming Central Expressway in honor of César Chávez will create the only downtown Dallas street named after a leader also honored with a Texas state holiday.

However, we lose critical connections to Dallas Hispanic history by stopping the renaming at Pacific Avenue. The new name should continue north up Pearl Street and include Moody Street. The Dallas city archivist can find no documented sources for either the Pearl or Moody name.

This addition would connect César Chávez Avenue with many parts of Dallas Hispanic history.

An acknowledgement of Hispanic history in Dallas benefits everyone, especially the 66 percent of DISD students who are Hispanic. The focus on a student's own history is proven to lower dropout rates. Our city's improvement must continue.

The real heroes in the Don Hill trial are the minority jurors, who took their judicial vows seriously, gave their full attention to the facts and rendered their decision without regard to other pressures. Did the Hills count on at least one of them to give him a hung jury? The black community should be proud of these fine citizens. I know I am.

I am an African American reared in the African American Church, and I am appalled at the attitude of our community when elected leaders are caught doing wrong.

We as a community detract from the truth by screaming racism each time evidence clearly shows our elected officials wrong.

As a community, we have accept the wrongs of our leaders and not blame racism for their insidious actions.

Re: ".'Resounding decision -- Hill, cohorts guilty on most counts in bribery, extortion," Tuesday news story.

Justice was not served today," said Sheila Farrington Hill, the wife of former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill. Really?

If justice wasn't served, the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson would have been waiting on the steps of the courthouse for a photo-op.

Re: "Central eyed for Chávez -- Council members propose downtown street for renaming," Wednesday news story.

I have no knowledge of what César Chávez has done for the city of Dallas, or for the state of Texas for that matter. So why is the City Council even considering this issue?

If the Dallas City Council wants to start renaming streets, then let's rename them for people who have sacrificed everything for the city of Dallas: the Dallas police officers who have died in the line of duty. Until every Dallas police officer who has been killed in the line of duty has a street, city park or city building named after him or her, the City Council should not be considering any other people for these honors.

Ah, the great State Fair of Texas: rides aplenty, good (and not so good) food, and -- horrors -- beer! Remembering the outpouring of anger directed at Six Flags over Texas when the decision to serve beer was made, I'm wondering: What's the difference?

When we were making plans to visit the State Fair of Texas, we thought using the DART Green Line made a lot of sense. Until we actually took it.
There is no parking at the American Airlines Center near the DART station. Two of the four ticket machines were out of service, and one did not accept the quality of my $10 bill. None of them accept credit cards. I can only assume that DART customers are still "cash only" people.
As we were ready to get to the fair, a train arrived just in time. Just in time for us to sit 20 minutes waiting for no one else to join us.
The Green Line must take the award for being the slowest public transit of all time filled with many stops where no one got on or off.
The Green Line does drop you off at the main gate. That is a plus. However, the extra hour added to our trip was not. Next time, no matter how much parking costs at the fair, skip the Green Line. You will more than make up the parking cost in your time.

I am disappointed that the city would move so slowly in tearing down a burned apartment building that has a huge hole in the roof at Chariot Drive and Rothingham Road.
Code enforcement is aware of it, as it has been in this condition for more than four years. I pleaded with the council in June to help tear down this structure. What I got was a lame response that the school district should take some responsibility.
This building is in eyesight of Skyline High School. Parents say that some students skip school and gather there. After several calls to the city, I was told that the legal department had the complaint about the apartment, rejected the demolition and now has it again. I wish the Southern Dallas Task Force extended its boundaries to Southeast Dallas.

Re: "After 3 months, jury receives case -- Panel will have to decide whether Hill, others took bribes," Thursday news story.

After three months, the trial has gone to the jury. I wonder if it is all down Hill from here?

How can Dallas have the innovators to imagine and fund the Woodall Rodgers deck park, but not to find a creative use for the old Dallas High School/Crozier Tech derelict at the DART Pearl Station?

This eyesore gives city visitors the impression that Dallas is a can't-do place, no matter which color rail line they ride.

Re: "A look at the landscape two years into our project, Bridging Dallas' North-South Gap," Sunday Points.

Typical southern Dallas businesses have been food produce companies requiring warehouse, office and vehicle storage facilities. Stories in The Dallas Morning News have detailed the woes of produce companies, staving off drug users who would rip every strand of recoverable metal out of their properties. It was better to leave trucks unlocked and open to robbery than to have them busted open and needing repair.

About 25 years ago, a produce company moved into the Graves Heights area south of Interstate 30 where my late wife's family had owned a homestead since 1895. By the 1980s, all that was left were three vacant lots that we rented for a nominal amount to the produce company.

Family members drifted off, which persuaded us to sell the lots to the produce company for less than the appraised value of $30,000. Half of the proceeds was spent on title insurance and a fiercely negotiated sale contract with indemnities to protect the sellers against pollution liability. We were glad to be free of responsibility for the lots.

It was a hard sell to the buyers, who wished that they hadn't located their business there 25 years ago and didn't want to buy more property.

Re: "New arts center to bear AT&T name -- Donation amount not disclosed; Wi-Fi promised for complex," Tuesday news story.
More than 100families have given in excess of $1 million each to see this epic effort move to completion. This is an insult to the generosity of the many people who have made this happen.
I cannot believe that the Winspears or Wylys are happy about this. Nor would I be if I had committed millions to this project. This is rightly the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, underwritten by citizens of Dallas that care.
I can see the new Cowboys Stadium being the AT&T Stadium, but I cannot see Lincoln Center in New York being The Bank of America Performing Arts Center.

Re: "Crime counts to change -- Procedural move, review planned after car break-ins underreported," Friday news story.
It is no secret that cops have regarded the theft from unlocked vehicles and/or homes as gifts made to the thieves for years. Why are people outraged now?
I would be in favor of reporting those as crimes when the ones responsible for leaving the doors unlocked are also reported for aiding and abetting criminal activity. After all, fair is fair.

Re: "Crime counts to change -- Procedural move, review planned after car break-ins underreported," Friday news story.
I am glad that the Dallas Police Department and Mayor Tom Leppert want to address this issue, but I have several concerns.
Crimes were under-reported for what many people may experience as the only crimes committed upon them in their lives, such as burglary of vehicles, malicious mischief, vandalism or break-ins. The police are overworked already, and we don't need to have them respond to every minor criminal activity reported.
If the police are busy, and I call in a vehicle break in and/or theft with little or no chance of catching the suspect, I am OK with a civilian on the phone taking a report and making it part of the statistics so that I have verification if I file an insurance claim. They could always make this type of report a minor crime against property and possibly not count in major crime statistics reported throughout the country, such as murder, rape, armed robbery, etc.
I'm proud of all our police officers but don't want them to have to come see me and fill out a report for a minor crime with little or no chance of catching the suspect.
Don Webb, Plano

Re: "Fee increases would spare some cuts -- Amendment calls for restoring rec hours, library purchases," last Sunday news story.

As a professional working with low-income senior citizens, I see on a daily basis how much programs such as Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, the Office of Senior Affairs and the MLK Senior Center mean to this community and its seniors.

These should remain. The difference they have made in the lives of many of my patients can not be measured in dollars. Too many grandparents are left to take care of grandchildren. They are often totally ill-prepared to raise a child in today's times -- socially, physically or economically. The commitment is there, but the reality is that support is often necessary to make it a win-win for grandparent, child and community.

How ironic that Dallas, home of former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, has had to make such deep cuts in its public services.
Perhaps Laura Bush, as a former librarian and constant advocate for literacy, could use her considerable influence to find a revenue source to restore the hours and vitally needed services of the library system in the city she now calls home.

Re: "Formula could refine picture of poverty -- New rules would almost double rate for seniors, measure medical, housing and other expenses," Saturday news story.

This report should let the Dallas City Council know how much they need to keep the Office of Senior Affairs and other senior assistance such as employment initiatives and dental health services.

As the number of seniors living in poverty continues to grow, seniors will need more assistance.

Re: "Council's attendance rules become stricter -- Members will have to be at half a meeting to be counted present, get pay," Thursday news story.

Carolyn Davis says "there could be many reasons why she could not attend a full meeting," and, "I believe this rule is more punitive than productive."

She was "hired" to do a job at a nice salary. She knew the requirements. The council conducts important business and attendance is imperative to insure that the best interests of the city are maintained. Without a quorum, business cannot be conducted. Maybe this job is too much for her, and she needs to get another one.

I have a job, and if I am not at work, I don't get paid.

In the town hall meeting I attended last week, the question was asked, "Would you approve a small tax hike?" The answer was a unanimous "Yes!"

We don't live in an affluent neighborhood. Many people are without jobs. There are a lot of retirees living here on fixed incomes. Yet to a man, to a woman, we said we would vote for a tax hike.

We would prefer a small tax hike to the growing potholes and broken surfaces of our streets. We would prefer a small tax hike to having our neighborhood park disappear under a sea of weeds and an ocean of paper plates, cups, beer cans and less palatable items after every Sunday's revelry.

We would prefer a small tax hike to losing subscription resources, new books and evening hours at our libraries. We would prefer a small tax hike to losing hours and programs at our recreation centers. We would prefer a small tax hike to losing every resource for the elderly in the city of Dallas and the Senior Affairs Commission as well. We would prefer a small tax hike to losing after-school programs for our children. We would prefer a small tax hike to losing the 311 service on the weekends.

My thanks to Vonciel Jones Hill, Tennell Atkins, and Carolyn Davis for speaking up for the tax hike we need.

The city of Dallas has a history of balancing its budgets on the backs of the most vulnerable among us: the elderly, the children, the disabled and the poor. Surely we can do better than this.

Is this a joke or what? Some Dallas City Council members object to being required to be present for at least half of a council meeting in order to be paid. Wow.
We should all be so lucky as to be paid for being at work half of the day. I wonder what my boss would say if I said I couldn't be there because I have to take my daughter to school.
City council members have very flexible hours -- I don't think it's asking too much for them to be present for their scheduled meetings.

Re: "Home turf in dispute -- Man loves artificial lawn, but city, neighborhood association want it gone," Sunday news story.
Kate Singleton, chief planner in the city's preservation office, said, "Landscaping is part of it [the historic district] and artificial turf is simply inappropriate for neighborhood houses built from 1900 to 1940." Her statement is true but incomplete.
Lead paints, wood shingles, lead or galvanized water piping, DDT, single-glazed windows, septic tanks, polio, narrow alleys and dirt streets were also a part of that era's neighborhoods. Why not bring it all back?
Kudos to Jose Escobedo for saving the most precious resource: water. This is hardly a fault. Perhaps he should plant weeds in the artificial turf and paint the entire lawn a drab olive-brown. That will be the norm when the taps are cut off in the near future.

It seems strange that we have to add more police officers and cut other city services when there is so much waste in how Dallas city resources are being used.

A prime example is the two Dallas police officers who were protecting stop signs in and around White Rock Lake between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on a recent morning.

If they don't have more important work to do than to stop a few cyclists from running stop signs, then may be we should put them to work in the library where they can truly serve the public.

Re: "Ramped up on Wright," by David Dillon, Wednesday GuideDaily review.

Dillon's review of the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum is a reminder that once someone had a vision for a landmark hotel in Dallas.

With the recent discussion of the planned convention center hotel, it's too bad there is no one in a leadership position in Dallas who has a similar vision. We have a great arts district on one end of downtown and Victory Plaza on the other and will have a bland, boring hotel in between? Come, on movers and shakers, get with it!

Re: "Easing of job losses a sign recession may be lifting," Saturday news story.

Tell that to the 800-plus Dallas city workers who will lose their jobs, as listed in the article below that one. I'm sure it will make them feel better.

I applaud the city's efforts to bring the College Football Hall of Fame to Dallas from South Bend, Ind. The logical place for the new museum is Fair Park.

Fair Park now attracts more than 6 million visitors annually, and with DART coming next month, that will only increase. Bringing six million people to the new museum's front door without lifting a finger should be a plus.

Fair Park can lease land to the museum for $1 a year, so the cost of a new facility will be much less than any alternative site.

Fair Park now has the nation's premier State Fair, the finest musical theater in the Southwest, an extraordinary Women's Museum, an IMAX theater, the Museum of Nature & Science and planetarium, the Aquarium at Fair Park, the African American Museum, Texas Discovery Gardens and a new Summer Place Park featuring Midway rides and games, just to highlight a few attractions.

Fair Park is one mile from the Central Business District.

So yes, let's bring the College Football Hall of Fame to downtown Dallas and make Fair Park the museum's new home.

Re: "Informant: I was forced to 'pay to play' -- Defense says developer isn't trustworthy," Wednesday news story.

This story is totally infuriating. Here was Don Hill, who was elected to represent a portion of this city that could have used a shot in the arm of new construction and instead we have an elected official accused of having front guys blackmailing contractors.

It's disgusting to think people put down Oak Cliff and other parts of southern Dallas as trash and the very people they elect to represent them are part of the problem. And there sits Hill, all cocky, still in denial, with lawyers saying their client is still not connected.

There was a time when Dallas politics were clean.

What a message this sends

Re: "Miller a solid witness; Nealy a bit more colorful," by James Ragland, Saturday Metro column.

So Al Lipscomb (and others) do not appreciate "veteran black political consultant Kathy Nealy" testifying under oath about alleged criminal wrongdoing or even -- as Lipscomb puts it -- "no more than potential ethical issues."

Lipscomb then is quoted with "I'm here to watch the BSC ... The black snitches choir."

Good job, and a wonderful message there. In other words, blacks who testify against other blacks are nothing more than snitches.

Now that's the way to encourage people to come forward with information or testimony about wrongdoing. The only thing he left out was the Uncle Tom accusation, but there is no doubt that Lipscomb simply forgot to throw that one in.

Re: "Once a week for garbage pickup? Citywide plan includes recycling on same day," Friday news story.

I certainly hope the once-a-week trash pickup is approved by the City Council. The only problem I have is deciding if I will buy a new Lexus or plan an around-the-world cruise with the 64-cent monthly reduction in my sanitation bill.

Re: "Once a week for garbage pickup? Citywide plan includes recycling on same day," Friday news story.

Picking up trash one day a week is a plan long overdue. By scheduling it on the same day as the recycling pickup, maybe people will put more in the recycle bin for a change.

Now it is time for DART to take out every other bus stop. I see DART buses stopping to pick up one or two people at each bus stop. These stops are close together. It would save a lot of time and gas, and cut down on pollution if they just combined bus stops.

Re: "Taking apart Reunion," Wednesday photo.

We can be thankful we live in a city that removes its old landmarks. In Memphis the first thing you see as you cross the Mississippi River is their pyramid sports arena, which is as dead as the pyramids of Giza and has been for years.

Re: "Get DART out of HOV," by J. Bruce Collier Jr., Wednesday Letters
Too many HOV drivers seem to think the lane is their personal Autobahn. They don't like it when other drivers go the speed limit -- or maybe 10 mph over.
On countless occasions when driving in the HOV lanes on U.S. Highway 75, I've looked in the rearview mirror to see a vehicle right on my tail, sometimes with the driver angrily gesturing that I should speed up or get out of the way -- rather a challenge when there are pylons blocking any exit from the lane, and I'm already a little over the speed limit. It can be especially scary when the vehicle on my tail is an oversized pickup or one of those monster SUVs.
I sure wish the police would ticket people for tailgating, especially in HOV lanes. It's a dangerous practice that is all too common in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Re: "Cut out this DPD job," by Don Skaggs, Tuesday Letters.
I read letters for years for another agency, in addition to my regular duties. I'm sure every law enforcement agency in the world does this, including national security agencies.
You would be amazed at the information contained in these letters. Many lead to acute, otherwise unreported situations. I'm surprised that there is not a brotherhood of law enforcement letter readers -- what stories they would tell.
It's ironic that a reader would write a letter protesting that reading letters is not a productive function and should be eliminated.
Mark McDonald, Dallas

Re: "Baring their souls to Kunkle -- Letters to police chief filled with emotions, advice, praise, folly," Monday news story.

A police officer trained to fight crime opens letters for the chief to read rather than fighting crime. It makes one appreciate that crime is so low in Dallas.

It appears that there is some budget-cutting room in the Dallas Police Deparment.

Re: "Pete Oppel: Dallas City Council needs to expand cellphone ban," Dallas City Hall blog, dallasnews.com.

Oppel is right in declaring that cellphones should be banned citywide.

I don't understand how the level of concern can depend on the speed the person is driving. Is it really more dangerous to text and drive at 20 mph than it is at 60 mph?

If speed were to even come into question, it should be the other way around. Sure, school zones should have more restrictions and the law should be enforced with greater strength there, but cellphone use behind the wheel can hurt anyone, anywhere.

The worst accidents have been seen on highways and busier streets, where people are driving faster. Although it is not always the case, a great deal of these accidents involved a hand-held device.

The use of hand-held devices (most important, for texting) should be banned for the safety of the entire community.

Re: "Hunt is again passed over in panel picks -- Leppert declines to tap her to lead any standing committee," Thursday news story.

Once again, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has slapped the residents of District 14 through its elected representative, council member Angela Hunt. By not appointing her to a chair or vice chair of a council committee, he has shown himself to be a ward politician of the worst kind.

The story quoted the mayor as saying that he tried to look at the council as a whole. That one will not hold water. It is a strong-arm tactic that attempts to punish Hunt for her independence. Where is The Dallas Morning News editorial standing up for the residents of District 14? Where is your backbone?

Two water department employees were recently in our front yard bleeding out the fire hydrant.

Instead of the Tahoe they were driving, would it be possible to have all the employees who are in charge of this service drive trucks with water tanks and capture the thousands of gallons that go washing down our city streets?

That water could be used to irrigate city-owned parkways, parks and library grounds, all of which seem to be suffering. The triangular parkway at Abrams and Gaston lost many large trees last year due to lack of water. The water department and the parks department blamed each other. That same parkway is suffering this year.

This seems like an easy solution to one of the many problems Dallas has in balancing the budget.

Re: "Senior services office may close -- Meals served 5 days a week at the MLK Center could also fall prey to budget shortfall," Sunday news story.

Martin Luther King Jr. Center's services cost $2,000 per person annually. Does City Manager Mary Suhm know what happens to seniors who are isolated with no access to health and social programs? Ultimately, many of them end up in Medicaid beds in nursing homes at an annual cost to the taxpayer of 15 to 18 times more than that.

But Medicaid is paid by federal and state dollars. The MLK center is funded by the city with many other services available at the center through collaborations with the county, the Dallas Area Agency on Aging and other social-service organizations. In our shortsighted way of funding services for people, the big picture is rarely taken into consideration. Do we really want to trade on seniors' lives in this way?

Re: "Police cut back on Bush security -- Officers will respond only as needed at Preston Hollow home," Thursday news story.

Dallas is almost $190 million in the hole. Our city government had a furlough day last week to save money. The Police Department's civilian workforce may be cut by 25 percent.

Now, our city managers have proposed cutting three of the city's four health clinics that provide immunizations for the poor.

Thank goodness we are now going to save some of what it cost us to protect former President George W. Bush. That's the first sane step toward getting Dallas' priorities straight.

Re: "Frustrated by furloughs -- Unpaid day off irks visitors, some city workers," Tuesday news story.

For years, people have questioned why government can't be run more like a fiscally responsible business.

The city of Dallas is trying to do just that. It seems the process needs some adjustment, but rolling furloughs is a better alternative to cutting services altogether. City Manager Mary Suhm should be applauded for making a tough business decision.

Re: "Put street name in perspective," by Bill Spotts, Thursday Letters, and, "There's a central option in Chávez debate," by Steve Blow, last Sunday Metro.

Along with several original streets in Oak Cliff, Jefferson Boulevard was named in honor of President Thomas Jefferson. After the Dallas annexation, some of the names had to be changed.

Naturally, Oak Cliff had to relinquish their claim to the duplicate presidential names. At that time, Jefferson actually continued over the river and into downtown Dallas.

Jefferson Boulevard is the historic main thoroughfare for Oak Cliff -- the main artery into its heart. From the main business district, Jefferson continues west through the Winnetka Heights Historic District and is mentioned several times in the National Register of Historic Places.

If there is to be a street renamed in honor of César Chávez, I can't imagine one more fitting and visible than Blow's suggestion of the former Central Expressway into the Farmer's Market area.

Suggestions from outsiders

Re: "Renaming Illinois offers option," by Kay Parsons, and, "Put street name in perspective," by Bill Spotts, Thursday Letters.

The above ideas for renaming a street for César Chávez appeared in Letters. One writer was from DeSoto and the other from Carrollton. It amazes me why people who do not live in our city are always to eager to put in their two cents worth.

Not everyone who lives in Oak Cliff is Hispanic. I have lived here about 65 years and I love it. I am not Hispanic, but if someone feels the need to name something after Chávez, let DeSoto or Carrollton do it.

Leave Oak Cliff out of it.

Renaming Illinois offers option
Re: "There's a central option in Chávez debate," by Steve Blow, Sunday Metro.
As a native Dallasite who lived in Oak Cliff for 38 years, another suggestion for renaming a street would be Illinois Avenue.
It is a fine street, well-traveled by all in the southern sector, with a large new Fiesta supermarket not far from my favorite Mexican restaurant, Tachito's. There is a DART station on the corner of Illinois and Westmoreland Road.
And whatever the origin, no one should miss the current name of a Midwestern state on street signs.
If Dallas Latinos actually do resent other Oak Cliff and southern sector residents making suggestions, how do they feel about the "advice" in Sunday's Dallas Morning News from readers in Plano and Farmers Branch?
I always resent residents of northern 'burbs ever so eager to give Dallas the benefit of their wisdom.

Put street name in perspective
Re: "Why not an Oak Cliff address?" by Mark Miniatas, Sunday Letters.
Miniatas would change Jefferson and Davis Streets to César Chávez Street. Miniatas shows bias toward Jefferson Davis because Davis was the president of the Confederacy. Miniatas, not unlike others in today's politically correct climate, would disregard or revise American history.
Jefferson Davis, before becoming president of the Confederacy, was a cotton planter, intellectual, West Point graduate, hero of the Mexican War (probably didn't want to hear that one), U.S. senator, and one-time secretary of war.
So many other problems need to be addressed, and they are fighting over a street name.

Re: "Resuscitation, Stat -- Help for dying Southwest Center Mall can't wait," Sunday Editorials.

When I read Sunday's editorial regarding the land study on Southwest Center Mall, I had a sense of déjà vu. The Urban Land Institute suggested that the center undergo major demolition to result in an open-air commercial-residential venue and that TIF financial programs would help spur the development. It suggested a mix of stores, restaurants, theater and residential spaces would create a miniature village.

On the other hand, Wynnewood Village does not need major demolition. It has all the access roads. It already has open areas for shops or condominiums. It sits near the already-begun Fort Worth Avenue and Davis Street projects. It sits in the heart of Oak Cliff, not its outermost fringe.

The Southwest Center parcel is an eyesore and a drain on the local economy. But this situation is akin to putting a tourniquet on a patient with no chance of survival. The city should not throw money into this bottomless pit but spend far less money and focus on Wynnewood Village.

Southwest Center should be closed, bulldozed and turned into a green field for a developer to purchase, with zoning laws that require what the Urban Land Institute recommended.

The city of Dallas and Mayor Tom Leppert are doing a great job of hitting the city budget issue head-on. They realized early on that tax revenues would fall and the budget would have a deficit, so they did what most politicians wouldn't do. They went public. They released a detailed proposed budget and then asked for input.

Dallas is a good city, but to become a great city, it needs a public school system that works. Frankly, I am hoping beyond hope that Leppert's budget initiatives become a model for the DISD trustees to follow.

Re: "Chávez renaming plan has a new address: Young Street -- Salazar says effort to honor leader now centered on downtown road, but council support uncertain," Wednesday news story.

There are two main thoroughfares near downtown just south of the Tom Landry Highway, also known as Interstate 30, named Jefferson Street and Davis Street. Those two names form the name of the Confederate president. They run through Latino Oak Cliff.

Why can't those streets be renamed in honor of César Chávez and maybe another Hispanic leader? Is it really this hard to find an area that would welcome the renaming?

I nominate a Farmers Market street

I suggest that the street around the Farmers Market be renamed for César Chávez. It is appropriate, as these hard-working people exemplify what he was all about. It would be an honor for the farmers and Chávez to have his name in place there.

A new street would please all

With Dallas experiencing a deficit approaching $200 million, wouldn't it be prudent to avoid the cost of replacing street signs, reprinting maps, changing city stationery, etc.? Can't we placate everyone by naming a new street after César Chávez?

There must be a street being built somewhere in Dallas right now that we can name after him.

Rename Pearl instead

Wednesday's article was illustrated by a map that left a gaping hole on Pearl. It should have been noted that the area in the map where Pearl Street seems to disappear is César Chávez Plaza, renamed after César Chávez in 1995.

Completing the process of renaming Pearl after Chávez would not dislocate the name of a Dallas pioneer, as does renaming Young Street. Instead, it would connect the heart of what used to be Little Mexico, at the north end of what is now Pearl, with César Chávez Plaza.

It would also pass the cathedral named after Our Lady of Guadalupe, to whom Chávez had a very special devotion.

Dallas can make a dent in the budget shortfall by simply enforcing the traffic laws.

I see drivers speeding tailgating and running red lights and stop signs with no sign of a police car. If there were an actual police presence that enforced the traffic laws, there would be no shortfall.

Re: "Teen centers open at Dallas branch libraries," Wednesday news story.

The new teen centers from The AT&T Foundation are a positive addition to the Dallas Public Library. It is a shame, however, that this addition is necessary at all; shouldn't the skills being taught in the Teen Centers be the responsibility of DISD?

College admission and homework help are clearly the duty of the schools. Poor money management at the district level has created the need for facilities such as the teen centers. Fortunately, we have a private company to cover the shortcomings of the local public school system.

The AT&T Foundation was wise to give the $500,000 to the public library system and not DISD.

Re: "100 turn out to back lights at White Rock -- Few concerns aired at meeting on plan going to Park Board this week," Tuesday news story.

For years, people have used this lake for a variety of activities. Why would they now need light around the trails? Parking lots do need some light to prevent crime, but the rest of the lake would be ruined. The ecosystem would be disrupted, and the new lights would encourage more vandalism.

All the runners and bikers who want to run at night can go somewhere else, and Dallas Running Club can run during the day.

Re: "More home sales prices kept secret -- Dallas trend makes it hard to set accurate values, experts say," Thursday news story, and, "City library cutbacks untimely," by Susan Tinkle, Thursday Letters.

Deep cuts in needed and appreciated services will be cut from the city budget because of a revenue shortfall. This will be borne on the backs of the average citizen, as illustrated by Tinkle's letter.

The story about home sales prices explains the reason for the shortfall. What is happening is that the majority of the citizens of Dallas are subsidizing with curtailed services the tax avoidance of the owners of these undervalued properties.

Re: "Bring back the Hop-a-Bus," by Susan Chizeck, Wednesday Letters.

Why spend $80 million on streetcars that only tourists and retirees will ride (even when it's free -- see McKinney Avenue Trolley) when we have perfectly fine buses?

What is it about a streetcar that people find acceptable to ride when a bus is essentially the same thing? If we're adding streetcars for sentimental reasons, why not add horse-drawn carriages?

Downtown will remain dead until the freeways that besiege it are dismantled, and downtown becomes a pedestrian-accommodating destination. Dallas lacks leadership with the vision and courage to take such bold steps away from continual road-building. Cars and trucks circling downtown add no economic value, but they increase the environmental costs and reduce quality of life.

Ride with a Pegasus theme

Trolleys are an impediment to serious traffic, and the tracks are a land mine for pedestrians and cyclists. If the bunny ears on the Hop-a-Bus aren't cool enough for Dallas, put wings and a horse's head on them, and call them a "Peg-a-Bus."

In these days and times, can't the City Council budget retreat be at the Dallas Conference Center at City Hall? By the way, we own it.
I'm sure they can find a room for their budget retreat. Maybe a dinner at a good restaurant in Dallas. This would be OK for their hard work, but the money should be spent in Dallas. They could save thousands this year on travel, rooms and dinners outside Dallas.
Supporting a local Dallas restaurant isn't sexy or fun, but gets the job done if you are really interested in Dallas and Dallas employees.
We are doing without our vacation and our out-of-town trips this year. How about a little shared adjusting from our City Council? I'll bet the citizens and employees would appreciate the effort.

Re: "Budget shaved, slashed -- Cutting a little here, a lot there closing $190M gap but hacking into services," Sunday news story.

I was stunned that all branch libraries are to be limited to 23 hours per week. Many rely on their library as a source of Internet connection, social connection and research aimed at finding employment. These services, along with the obvious value of learning materials as well as pure enjoyment of reading matter, make the library even more important in these tenuous times.

I, for one, would be willing to take a property tax increase to keep some of these vital services alive.

Re: "City seeks $80M for streetcars -- Project to proceed even if federal funds don't," Saturday news story.

Dallas is seeking $80 million for streetcars downtown, in the midst of a severe budget shortfall. For a small fraction of that, we could have a fleet of small, fuel-efficient buses traversing that route 24/7.

Streetcars are inflexible and take a huge capital expenditure for tracks. We used to have the Hop-a-Bus, but apparently it wasn't sufficiently trendy for the City Council. It's time to bring it back rather than wasting huge amounts of money in yet another civic renewal scheme.

Re: "South Dallas' soul -- Broken-down society needs the church and Christ, says Julie Lyons," Monday Viewpoints.

Real change comes from the condition of the heart, which governs external behavior. This certainly is not a new idea. Those folks in South Dallas have simply seized on the truth that belief in Jesus Christ and following him changes behavior.

Prison Fellowship Ministries also has a long track record of using the Lord to change men and women from the inside out. As we in America have amply demonstrated in the last 40 or 50 years, all the social programs designed by man and funded with incredible amounts of money ultimately will fail. You don't suppose that is true because all of these efforts disregard the condition of the soul, do you?

Re: "Davis retains S. Dallas seat; Jasso wins vote in Oak Cliff -- Incumbent, newcomer handily overcome challengers in runoff," Sunday news story.

My elderly mother and two adult children and their families live in District 1. I am keenly aware of the decline of the neighborhoods due to lack of services. Although that troubles me to an extent, my real concern is with crime in their neighborhoods.

Last week, my niece, visiting from out of town, witnessed an attempted robbery of a beauty salon in broad daylight. There are still a lot of home and car break-ins. There is the constant issue of drug houses. They are visible because of the constant visitors and their fancy cars. All this activity occurs in the late evening hours and weekends, so no one can blame high school kids. Passing a daytime curfew was not the answer.

All these issues were addressed by all District 1 candidates. Obviously Delia Jasso and Justin Epker made a significant impact on voter turnout. I hope status-quo elected officials observed what happened.

Voters get tired of being lied to and start looking at the issues rather than how status-quo candidates are financed and endorsed.

Re: "Between the levees and a hard place -- Residents see flood insurance as budget burden," Wednesday news story.

If the city knew that this area was in danger of being flooded, why did they give permission for companies to build there?

I live in West Dallas, just two streets from the road they are rebuilding, Canada Drive. When my parents bought this house, they were told that there was no way for these houses to flood. Just a few years ago, all the streets around my neighborhood were flooded and all the drains were not working.

The city should at least help people living in these areas with the insurance.

Re: "Exactly where is 'The Grove'? If you trust local media (and this time you shouldn't), says Rawlins Gilliand, it's all of southeast Dallas," Monday Viewpoints.

Southeast Dallas is proud of our diversity, of our police and firefighters, and of our city leaders. I venture to say that in no other part of the city are city workers and leaders as involved on a daily basis.

Gilliland makes an excellent point about Pleasant Grove being all stigma and no recognition. By the way, the southeast part of Dallas no longer deserves the stigma -- it now has a lower crime rate than many North Dallas areas, like the one next to University Park around Greenville and Park Lane.

The point is that Southeast Dallas is experiencing some great growth and improvement. Let's not diminish that by labeling all of the area with a moniker that, rightly or wrongly, comes with baggage.

It would seem that with all the ink, paper and blog time The Dallas Morning News has expended trying to bridge the North/South gap, it is time to acknowledge the positive things that have happened in City Council District 7 in the past two years.
A new library will be built. A questionable motel near a school is gone. Crime (regardless of how the statistics are measured) is down. Schools are expanding. A shared community prosecutor and part-time code inspector are in place. A senior housing development is being built on Dolphin Road. The Spring Avenue Revitalization and Public Improvement project is under way. There are new townhomes on Bexar Street and renewed commercial, residential, mixed use, education and social services planned.
Long-range plans are being written for the Bottom, Buckner Terrace, 2 Points and South Lamar. Baylor Health Care is putting in the Juanita Craft Diabetes Center. There is a new Heroes basketball facility on Bonnyview. This is all good. Give District 7, its council member and its residents the respect and recognition they well deserve.

Now that the referendum on the convention center hotel has been decided, it is time we get creative. We need to think outside the box. Brookings Institution data show 44 new or expanded taxpayer convention centers were new or under construction in 2005, while convention traffic peaked in 1993. We will need a game changer.

Las Vegas is the No. 1 convention destination on the planet for a reason. The adult entertainment industry brought in an estimated $1 billion in taxable revenue in 2007 and has its own chamber of commerce. We should allow galaxy-class topless nightclubs to enter the downtown market, as well as permitting places like the House of Blues and Gilley's Dallas book Las Vegas-style adult entertainment shows and reviews.

Re: "There are no good options in City Council runoff," by Steve Blow, Sunday Metro.
Like Steve Blow, I also believe Dallas voters are being cheated when Carolyn Davis and Ron Price are the remaining choices for a City Council seat. I am surprised either one of these candidates was able to graduate from high school.
Both of them should be required to take and pass the TAKS test before they can run for office. I will bet neither of them could pass the TAKS.
Voters get what they deserve, and this is just one more reason I moved from Dallas 10 years ago.

Philanthropy abounds these days when it comes to performing arts venues or science museums. But what about more public venues, such as the Dallas Zoo or other public parks, that have been neglected for years due to lack of funding from the private sector?

Can you imagine what the zoo would be like if the private sector were to pour $50 million or $100 million into new and renovated exhibits? It would easily be one of the best zoos in the world, much less the nation, and would set attendance records for years to come.

Let's take these aristocrats to task in regard to funding these more public venues where real education takes place.

Re: "The Bridge to better lives -- Center measures first year's success in jobs, housing found," Friday news story.

The Texas Legislature has approved $20 million over two years for big cities to combat homelessness, as this story reports.

I strongly encourage Gov. Rick Perry to approve these funds. Investing $20 million in reducing homelessness will avoid the far greater expense of managing homelessness.

Providing permanent, supportive housing to the chronically homeless costs only a fraction as much as incarcerating those same people or treating them in local emergency rooms. Unlike some other forms of government assistance, funds directed at preventing homelessness yield returns that benefit all of us: safer streets, cleaner communities and stronger state coffers.

Re: "No Easy Budget Choices -- Dallas must consider all cuts, including new cops," Wednesday Editorials.

The top-flight leadership in the Dallas Police Department must feel that Dallas needs to add the new officers. Why put both the veteran officers and the city at risk?

It is very irresponsible for The Dallas Morning News to recommend that Dallas not hire more officers. Hiring more officers educates more people, provides jobs and, most important, keeps you and me safe.

Re: "City chopping block looks to be crowded -- Unlike other years, officials don't see easy way out of $100 million shortfall," Tuesday news story.

Proposals to balance the city of Dallas' budget deficit solely through service cuts and employee terminations are extremely short-sighted.

If enacted, they will simply accelerate the movement of people and businesses to the suburbs, where the public amenities are already superior to those in the city. A more sensible approach would be to maintain current service levels by imposing 5 percent salary reductions across the board and increasing the property tax rate by 5 percent.

Re: "Slashed budget still $100M short -- Streets, libraries, zoo face cuts; layoffs planned for 350 workers," Sunday news story.

In these days of unintended consequences and the "cut off your nose to spite your face" mentality running rampant through the hallways of City Hall, how much sales-tax income was eliminated in the name of political correctness by eliminating the pleasures of smoking in one's favorite bar, grill or pool hall?

Add the cost of enforcement, while drawing precious resources away from more pressing problems, and the total of lost revenue and increased cost becomes obscene. Maybe the new City Council will have more sense than the old one did.

Re: "Larger than their lives -- Bonnie and Clyde's legend 75 years after their deaths is far flashier than the killers' real run from the law," Sunday news story.

Another Bonnie and Clyde remembrance was printed in The Dallas Morning News, and again Bonnie Parker's elementary school was not mentioned as a sight to see.

Standing like some gigantic ancient temple to the Cement God out on Chalk Hill Road, it should preserved for its architectural uniqueness, even if it wouldn't make the perfect site for a museum .

Built for the children of the company in what was once called Cement City in Far West Dallas, it is one of the most striking buildings to ever house a school.

Re: "Council OKs daytime curfew -- Supporters say limits on youth will help reduce crime, but opponents fear racial profiling," Thursday news story.

This is my 42nd year in public education as a teacher/counselor. I have noticed a marked decline in the amount of control that parents have over children.

I have also noticed a decline in the amount of support that parents lend the school when we have to step in with discipline. It's obvious that many parents cannot make their children attend school; therefore, the law has had to step in. It all seems very sad, indeed.

Bills affecting teens discriminate

Re: "Teens may feel picked on by lawmakers -- Bills target curfews, rodeo helmets, tanning," last Monday news story.

As a teenager myself, I know that some of these bills are not helping. People are targeting teens because they know we can't fight back, and they think that we don't know what is best for ourselves.

The bill about teens tanning is reasonable, but requiring teens to wear helmets in the rodeo seems very discriminatory. And the Dallas daytime curfew for teens is ridiculous.

Re: "Southern Dallas squanders election opportunity," Wednesday Editorials.

I live in District 7, but not in South Dallas. Therein lies the problem.

Too many districts, too many fiefdoms and District 7 is gerrymandered to the extent that it is "over, under, sideways and down."

If there must be this many districts, District 7 should look like what The Dallas Morning News says it is: South Dallas.

My father is a pilot for Southwest Airlines, and, even as a high school student, I have been able to see the negative impact of the Wright Amendment on Dallas Love Field.

For years, a perfectly good airport and a successful, growing company were inhibited. Although they had the capability, they were restricted in their routes and expansion.

Finally, Love Field will be getting renovations it deserves. I'm sure that everyone is willing to pay the few extra dollars it will take to give Love Field and Southwest their hard-earned chance at being great.

After years of being picked on, it feels good to get a little Love.

As much as I have enjoyed the "drops in the bucket" editorial series, The Dallas Morning News has yet to come up with workable solutions for the property owners.
The owners cannot afford to repair the problem properties; the owners cannot afford to demolish the problem properties; the owners cannot sell the properties for what the tax folks say they are worth; the owners aren't banks, so they government won't rescue them, so they are stuck with a problem property that they cannot even give away.
So, what is the solution for the owners?

Wasn't the vote to approve a convention hotel in Dallas a real blow to Harlan Crow? Wonder if he will join in purchasing bonds to build it so he'll have a hand in his own competition?
Better to join the winning side than fight it. Strange how politics creates bedfellows.

Hotels good business for all ...
Hopefully Harlan Crow will come to understand that a rising tide raises all boats -- and 1,600-room hotels -- whether they are privately or publicly owned.

... but voters proved to be sheep
Congratulations, taxpayers. You have bought yourself a hotel. I can't argue with votes, but I can argue that it was a bad decision.
In a city that has leaders who can try to choke the life out of a real project like the International Inland Port of Dallas project but throws all efforts into a hotel that will only hang millions on taxpayers only reassures me that Dallas has lost its vision and belongs to the wealthy.
We used to be a city of visionaries and independents. Now we're just sheep. Rich sheep, but still just sheep.

I was very sad to see that, in a city as large as Dallas, so few citizens felt the need to come out and vote during our city elections. During the presidential elections, millions who had never voted registered so they could go out and vote for President Barack Obama, but these same people didn't see the need to vote so that we could have that same change right here in our own city.
Obama does care about change, but his concerns are not with the city level; that's a stand that we as citizens have to make for ourselves. We needed the new energy that people like Tiffinni Young, LeVar Thomas and Ron Price have to offer our city.
After this sad turnout, I now wonder just why a lot of us voted for Obama.

Re: "A Private-Sector Solution -- Here's a model to tackle blight, nonprofit-style," Thursday Editorials.
I have worked with Habitat for Humanity and am always very impressed with the service they provide.
I think Habitat working on the West Dallas area is a great idea. It will give people of the community a lot of opportunities and be a pretty and useful addition to the neighborhoods they build in.

I would miss her ...
I grew up with Jenny the gorilla and was saddened to hear she had reached old age.
I met Jenny when I was only 10 and visited her every weekend with my boyfriend through high school. I still have pictures of her.
As for Jenny, the elephant, I am afraid she will be traumatized by a move to the sanctuary in Tennessee.
I can tell the employees at the Dallas Zoo do their best to care for her, so maybe she should be left where she is.
After all, my Jenny lived to be the oldest living gorilla. I do miss her and would miss Jenny, my elephant. I just can't see her being uprooted from what she has know for life as it is now.

... but she deserves this move
Jenny has served her time. Elephants are social animals, and she deserves better. The Dallas Zoo should try leaning towards the humane treatment of this animal.
Send her to the sanctuary, so she can live out the remainder of her days in a place better suited for her.

I called 911 and reported the theft of a radar detector and money from my truck. When the DPD expediter called back to get all the info, I spent five minutes answering all the questions, but wasn't near my truck so couldn't give her my tag number. She informed me that without my tag number or VIN, she couldn't file the report, and I would have to call back in and go through the entire process again.
I complained, her supervisors called me back, and I was told that the deputy chief over communications had sent a memo that no reports of crime were to be filed unless all the blanks in the form were filled in. They had the address, what was taken, my name, birth date, etc., but because one blank couldn't be filled in, the crime didn't happen as far as DPD crime statistics are concerned.

Re: "Don't be fooled - we need this convention hotel," by Steve Blow, Sunday Metro, and, "In hotel vote, Leppert could win and still lose," by James Ragland, Wednesday Metro.
Voting no is a must for the economic health of our city. If not, then fast-forward to 2015.
Dallas has now become a second-tier convention destination. The economics of the area have gone south -- or north, with people looking for jobs. What used to be a good selection of hotels and operators is now land looking for other venues.
Citizens of this Dallas have noted that taxes are increasing, all because of the lack of forward motion that made Dallas a special city not too long ago.
Self-centered opposition won out. What a shame for those of us who care.

Law enforcement with the hotel
I am dumbfounded that this city government wants voter approval to be stewards of hundreds of millions for the proposed convention center hotel when they have proven to be incompetent guardians of the most basic city service: the safety of our citizens.
Brazen residential and vehicles burglaries continue to plague our Lake Highlands neighborhood, and indeed much of the city, at a sickening rate. Our understaffed police department is being overwhelmed, and the criminal element is treated to revolving jail doors.
Will the success of the proposed hotel enterprise receive the same indifferent treatment by the City Council?

Re: "Freeway park wasteful," by Gus Raymond, Tuesday Letters.
If Raymond's opinion that the Woodall Rodgers Park is undeserving were applied worldwide, Paris would have no Eiffel Tower, Seattle no Space Needle, San Francisco no Golden Gate Bridge.
Great cities need icons. Between the Arts District, the Calatrava bridges, and the park, Dallas will enter the big leagues.

The Dallas Morning News writes that a city-owned hotel would make Dallas a favorite spot for conventions. Even with the hotel, why would anyone want to convention in Dallas? I guess they could go to the Kennedy assassination site or to Jerry Jones Stadium.
If I owned a business in Dallas and taxpayers funded my competition, I would question the fairness of that. Finally, there is a substantial risk to the taxpayer if the hotel falls on hard times.