09.01.06
Star-Telegram Calls Out The “Cowardly” Perry
This is just good stuff, A Texas two-step:
One of the scenarios discussed, the article said, was to set aside only 100 acres of the 400-acre site as a “conservation easement” that would not be developed. That would tragically diminish the value of the site as a nature-oriented park and haven for wildlife.
Patterson’s office has claimed that Perry has the final say-so on the disposition of the property. Perry’s office has claimed that Patterson does. Or is it really some money-hungry developer who has the final say? Who’s on first, guys?
Patterson has said outright that he favors turning part of the property into a high-dollar residential development.
With all due respect, Commissioner Patterson, high-dollar homes can be built in lots of places without destroying a precious opportunity to create a highly attractive and badly needed urban park on a site that state taxpayers paid for long ago.
Perry has done nothing but talk out of both sides of his mouth on the issue of not only the proposed Eagle Mountain Lake park but funding for state parks in general.
After the enormous public outcry in recent months about the shortsighted, inexcusable neglect of the state parks system during his tenure as governor, Perry suddenly has been publicly professing to be a parks lover.
But actions speak far louder than words. In reality, Perry’s actions — and lack of such — as governor have consistently been radically anti-parks, including his thumb-twiddling as the parks system became financially emaciated.
In other words, Perry has virtually zero credibility on parks issues. And only he has the power to change that.
It now looks as if Patterson and/or Perry and/or some unnamed developer might announce the fate of the Eagle Mountain Lake park site shortly after the Nov. 7 election.
How convenient — and cowardly — that might prove to be.
Go here to see what Chris Bell will do for our state parks as governor.