By John Cobarruvias - Bay Area Houston - April 17, 2009State Representative Senfronia Thompson's Ethic Commission reform bill will be heard on Monday April 20 in the Elections Committee. This bill would prevent many of the violations identified in "Don't Mess with Ethics" including over $3 million in undisclosed expenditures by 95 Legislators as well as spending their donors money to buy condos, memberships to exclusive golf courses, and paying family members for personal services.
The problems with the Texas Ethics Commission can be fixed to prevent these gross violations in the future with HB3178.
COMMITTTEE: ELECTIONS
TIME & DATE: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess Monday, April 20, 2009
PLACE: E2.028
CHAIR: Rep. Todd Smith
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Texas House of Representatives Deliberations on Transportation
By Vince Leibowitz - Capitol Annex - Friday, April 17, 2008
[DFWRCC is posting the excerpts of Vince's live blogging/tweeting from yesterday's Texas House of Representatives debates and votes pertaining to transportation. Please visit Capitol Annex for Vince's play-by-play report on Texas House deliberations on Education and Criminal Justice.]
12:52 we’re back after a brief break.
12:56 amendment by Lon Burnam would require TXDoT to notify the Legislative Budget Board and each member of the Legislature of each waiver it intends to make that would waive any requirement of a toll?road entity to compensate property owners affected by projects. The notice would be required to be delivered to the LBB and each legislator at least 30 days prior to date on which the waiver would take effect.
12:57 amendment is temporarily withdrawn. Now to page 2 of supplemental packet no clue what that is. Unemployment fund amendnent. It is adopted.
1:00 a.m. Amendment by Guillen mandates that TxDOT adopt rules to allocate funds under general provisions of funding for public transportation in which the total amount appropriated for the Formula program is less the 90% and the Discretionary program is less than 10%. A provision is required to ensure that the specified programs do not receive less than allocated. Adopted.
1:02 a.m. Amendment by Davis of Dallas affirms that the Legislature’s intent is for the Texas Transportation Commission to approve funding projects that are geographically balanced across the state.
1:03 amendment by Frost would prohibit TXDoT from entering into contracts for any toll-related project that contains non?compete clauses.
1:06 Amendment by Burnam would require TXDoT to notify the Legislative Budget Board and each member of the Legislature of each waiver it intends to make that would waive any requirement of a toll?road entity to compensate property owners affected by projects. The notice would be required to be delivered to the LBB and each legislator at least 30 days prior to date on which the waiver would take effect. Acceptable to author. Has an amendment to Amendment.
1:08 Amendment by Darby would would decrease TWC General Revenue Dedicated
authority by $3,443,800 in FY 2010 and $2,405,179 in FY 2011. It would then increase Federal Funds authority in TWC Federal Account No. 5026 by $3,443,800 in FY 2010 and by $2,405,179 in FY 2011.
adopted
109: Amendment by Madden temp w/d’d.
1:09 Amendment by David that would prohibit funds appropriated to TXDoT in the budget from being used to contract with a foreign entity if the term of the contract is longer than 25 years.
[DFWRCC is posting the excerpts of Vince's live blogging/tweeting from yesterday's Texas House of Representatives debates and votes pertaining to transportation. Please visit Capitol Annex for Vince's play-by-play report on Texas House deliberations on Education and Criminal Justice.]
12:52 we’re back after a brief break.
12:56 amendment by Lon Burnam would require TXDoT to notify the Legislative Budget Board and each member of the Legislature of each waiver it intends to make that would waive any requirement of a toll?road entity to compensate property owners affected by projects. The notice would be required to be delivered to the LBB and each legislator at least 30 days prior to date on which the waiver would take effect.
12:57 amendment is temporarily withdrawn. Now to page 2 of supplemental packet no clue what that is. Unemployment fund amendnent. It is adopted.
1:00 a.m. Amendment by Guillen mandates that TxDOT adopt rules to allocate funds under general provisions of funding for public transportation in which the total amount appropriated for the Formula program is less the 90% and the Discretionary program is less than 10%. A provision is required to ensure that the specified programs do not receive less than allocated. Adopted.
1:02 a.m. Amendment by Davis of Dallas affirms that the Legislature’s intent is for the Texas Transportation Commission to approve funding projects that are geographically balanced across the state.
1:03 amendment by Frost would prohibit TXDoT from entering into contracts for any toll-related project that contains non?compete clauses.
1:06 Amendment by Burnam would require TXDoT to notify the Legislative Budget Board and each member of the Legislature of each waiver it intends to make that would waive any requirement of a toll?road entity to compensate property owners affected by projects. The notice would be required to be delivered to the LBB and each legislator at least 30 days prior to date on which the waiver would take effect. Acceptable to author. Has an amendment to Amendment.
1:08 Amendment by Darby would would decrease TWC General Revenue Dedicated
authority by $3,443,800 in FY 2010 and $2,405,179 in FY 2011. It would then increase Federal Funds authority in TWC Federal Account No. 5026 by $3,443,800 in FY 2010 and by $2,405,179 in FY 2011.
adopted
109: Amendment by Madden temp w/d’d.
1:09 Amendment by David that would prohibit funds appropriated to TXDoT in the budget from being used to contract with a foreign entity if the term of the contract is longer than 25 years.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Irby quizzed Arlington Mayor Pro Tem Ron Wright about danger of contamination to Pantego's Drinking Water in 2007
Excerpt from Arlington Texan - Oct. 21, 2007
Harriet Irby, of Pantego, became concerned when she learned of gas drilling in adjacent Arlington and Fort Worth. Pantego and DalWorthington Gardens rely on well water for their municipal water supply. At a League of Women Voters Gas Drilling Symposium in 2006 Faith Chatham quizzed Arlington Mayor Pro Tem Ron Wright about the danger of contaminating drinking water through the gas development process. Mr. Wright blew it off as not an issue stating "Arlington doesn't get its drinking water from aquifiers." Harriet Irby spoke up and stated: "But we do in Pantego!" Mr. Wright's response was: "Arlington is always ready and willing to sell water to Pantego!"
Not satisfied with that answer, Ms. Irby began visiting the City Manager and Mayor of Pantego, alerting them to developments in neighboring Fort Worth and Arlington. Dale Henry was always just a telephone call away, advising her and educating her on technical issues which she presented to the leaders of her town. At the time, neither DalWorthington Gardens nor Pantego had gas drilling ordinances. Both have developed some and are polishing them now. Pantego's plans include water testing to establish a baseline plus requirements that gas drillers pay for perodic testing of the water supply. "These are, however, only measures that address part of the danger." Ms. Irby is also concerned with depletion of the water supply through Gas drilling.
Gas is removed from the ground by a fracing process which utilizes millions of gallons of water. Gas drilling is an industrial process which has encroached into high density residential neighborhoods in Tarrant County. In rural western Tarrant County, Parker County and Wise County, some water wells have been sucked dry by the drain on the aquifier by gas drilling. Residential water usage is monitored but industrial gas drilling is exempted from water conservation caps. Current Texas law does not require that water usage for gas drilling be recorded and reported.
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