Dallas GLBT chamber backs Trinity toll road

by David Webb of Dallas Voice

Only one LGBT group has made an endorsement concerning an amendment to the Trinity River Project that voters will consider on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

The North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce's board of directors voted to oppose the amendment. If the amendment passes, it will prohibit the construction of the planned toll road. That action followed the lead of some 10 other chambers of commerce operating in Dallas-Fort Worth and after the chamber's board and members had heard presentations from both sides of the issue.

"The very clear business implications are the reason the chamber took it on," said Tony Vedda, executive director of the group.

Vedda said he believes the board voted for an endorsement against the amendment because of concerns about air quality and traffic congestion in Dallas that the toll road is intended to alleviate. No one has proposed a viable alternative to the planned toll road, other than moving it to align with Industrial Boulevard, he said.

"That would involve moving 300 small businesses," Vedda said. "To make a small business move could be devastating to it."

Vedda said an "unscientific" poll of the chamber's members revealed about a 2-to-1 ratio against the amendment. Those undecided numbered the same as those in favor of it, he said.

Dallas' LGBT political groups also heard presentations from both sides of the issues, but neither Democrats nor Republicans made a formal endorsement.

Stonewall Democrats of Dallas President Jesse Garcia, who declined to reveal how he was voting on the issue, said the group appeared to be "split down the middle" on the issue.

"You have Democrats working on both sides of the issue," Garcia said.

Garcia said people who support the amendment appear to be concerned about environmental issues while those who oppose it worry about the possibility of new taxes.

Log Cabin Republicans-Dallas President Rob Schlein is voting against the amendment.

Schlein said he believes the project as planned -- with the toll road -- will be a great benefit to Dallas.

"I'm a native of Dallas, and I remember as a young child them talking about doing something with the Trinity River," Schlein said. "I also remember the flooding of Cadillac Heights. For years, they�ve been talking about the need to improve the levees."

The toll road was added as a component because of the need to alleviate traffic congestion, he said.

"Different parties have come to the project with their needs," Schlein said.

Schlein said the project has always been about flood control and the need to reinforce and raise the height of the levees. The proposal to add parklands to the project was an afterthought, he said.

"The park was just an added amenity to make the levee project nicer," Schlein said.

Schlein said he sent out about 200 e-mails urging people to oppose the amendment. About a dozen have responded who agree with him.

Supporters of the amendment claim that ballot language misled Dallas taxpayers who voted to approve the project and the toll road 10 years ago, and that they thought there would only be a slow-speed parkway in the park. They are concerned that the toll road is an ill-conceived project that will detract from the park and could hinder flood control.