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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 , Updated

City van plan to see Obama stirs up Dallas City Council

by PegNews wire

Some members of the Dallas City Council initially planned to use a city-funded van to transport them to Barack Obama's rally at Reunion Arena this morning. But after much drama (some of it that even makes sense), the van idea has been dropped. There was dispute as to whether city funds should be used to transport seemingly driving-abled city council members to a partisan, political event. According to Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia, Hillary supporters might not even have been notified of the original van plan.

The official explanation for dropping the van cited a security issue, not a political one. However, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwayne Caraway claimed that traveling as a group would be more secure for the council members, because, afterall, there could be bare asses everywhere!

Posted by Erin

Staff
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Anonymous

John McClelland, says:

Why don't they use DART? Or better yet, walk the one mile from City Hall to Reunion Arena.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Chad Jones, says:

Actually, sir, according to my calculations it is in fact 1.1 miles (either <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=777+Sports+St,+Dallas,+TX+75207&geocode=&dirflg=&daddr=1515+Young+Street&f=d&sll=32.773925,-96.808391&sspn=0.008606,0.015707&ie=UTF8&ll=32.774971,-96.802726&spn=0.008606,0.015707&z=16">up Young</a> or <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Dallas+City+Hall,+1500+Marilla+St,+Dallas,+TX&geocode=&dirflg=&daddr=777+Sports+St,+Dallas,+TX+75207&f=d&sll=32.778291,-96.797469&sspn=0.008606,0.015707&ie=UTF8&ll=32.773113,-96.802146&spn=0.008606,0.015707&z=16">via Canton</a>). Have YOU ever tried walking a mile in leather wingtips in 65-degree weather at the crack of 10:00 a.m.?

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Alex Bentley, says:

Actually, sir, your first "directions" had city councilmembers doing some kind of weird loop on Young Street, when the quickest way is actually <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=777+Sports+St,+Dallas,+TX+75207&daddr=1515+Marilla+St,+Dallas,+TX+75201&sll=32.772914,-96.80279&sspn=0.009003,0.020084&ie=UTF8&ll=32.774502,-96.803606&spn=0.009003,0.020084&z=16">0.8 miles</a>. I'll thank you not to waste our City Council's time -- that's their job.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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interestedcitizen, says:

The real problem is a constitutional one. The Texas Constitution, Article III, Section 52 prevents the use of public funds or property for private benefit. A political rally is a private gathering. Any city council member who suggested using a city owned van to attend a private political rally lacks integrity and commitment to the Texas Constitution.

Anonymous

1 year, 9 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

Well, Alex, the difference is that they're going to Reunion Arena from City Hall, not vice versa as your map indicates.

Google's <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=1515+Marilla+St,+Dallas,+TX+75201&daddr=777+Sports+St,+Dallas,+TX+75207&sll=32.772914,-96.80279&sspn=0.009003,0.020084&ie=UTF8&ll=32.775422,-96.801181&spn=0.013152,0.020084&z=16">reverse directions</a> on your map don't even involve Young St. since it's partially one-way and the opposite direction does not compute - it takes the Canton route of 1.1 miles. Sorry chief, had to hit you back for your <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2008/feb/18/paying-traffic-tickets-dallas-only-getting-easier/#c21499">snide comment</a> yesterday.

The more important thing is <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1515+Young+Street&geocode=&dirflg=&daddr=777+Sports+St,+Dallas,+TX+75207&f=d&sll=32.773925,-96.808391&sspn=0.008606,0.015707&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=32.774285,-96.803219&spn=0.013152,0.020084&z=16">this map</a> (reverse directions of Chad's first linked map, b/c he also seems to have botched the origination/destination) from the west side of city hall to Reunion Arena, showing 1.0 mile. So, you're both blowing smoke out of your respective rears.

It's difficult to say whether the most recently linked map is better than hitting Wood (parallel to Young) and taking the Reunion Blvd. loop around to Sports St. But at least it negates the suggested alternatives above.

Obviously the van was just the start of their troubles - I would expect a full-fledged debate over the most efficient route, while obviously disregarding the Texas Constitution altogether.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Alex Bentley, says:

Touché, Scott, although I was assuming that they'd be using the directions to walk, not drive, per John's original comment.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

Then you're doing it entirely wrong by mapping road miles, Bentley. Reasonable people would venture through all the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=777+Sports+St,+Dallas,+TX+75207&daddr=1515+Marilla+St,+Dallas,+TX+75201&sll=32.772914,-96.80279&sspn=0.009003,0.020084&ie=UTF8&ll=32.774267,-96.804024&spn=0.006576,0.010042&t=h&z=17">cemetaries, parks, and parking lots</a> they could to get there, cutting distance even shorter.

The <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/blogs/pegasusnewsblog/2008/feb/19/eoo/#c21568">Commenting Branch of PegNews</a> can't allow such shoddy & argumentative babbling. What, do you want this to turn into a city council meeting?

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Chad Jones, says:

You smell bad.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Alex Bentley, says:

Were they to do so, Doyle, our vaunted City Council would be in violation of <a href="http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1110900">various ordinances</a>, not to mention the desecration of gravesites. Just <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/oct/01/dallas-city-hall-corruption-investigation-indicts-/">what kind of people</a> do you think make up the Dallas City Council, sir?

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

I think a more appropriate concern would be: now that they've presumably arrived at the arena, HOW IN THE WORLD DO THEY PLAN ON GETTING BACK?!

gasp

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1 year, 9 months ago
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John McClelland, says:

Belo may be able to provide them with some sort of private jet from Reunion back to City Hall.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Michael Davis, says:

Someone ended up donating the cost of transporting them on a bus to City Hall. So there's that.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

BUT HOW DID THEY GET BACK?!

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1 year, 9 months ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

Wait, I meant:

BUT HOW DID THEY GET THERE IN THE MORNING?!

I'd just like to say I'm ecstatic to have been a part of this useless thread's comments hitting double-digits.

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1 year, 9 months ago
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John McClelland, says:

They have a teleportation device in the underground parking garage. You paid for it in the last bond package. I believe it was labeled "street repairs".