Thursday Gary learned that the Tarrant County Central Labor Council, made up of all local AFL-CIO unions, has endorsed him for District 3 City Council. You heard it here first.
This is wonderful news since Gary is truly a man of the people who has served this City and his neighborhood for the last 10 years. Gary is the only candidate in this race whose record shows that he is interested only in serving his constituents. He has no aspirations to higher office and no fat bank account running over with donations from special corporate interests. He is running against two financial heavy hitters, both of whom are outspending Gary by at least 8 to 1, and one of whom has been the beneficiary of a fundraiser hosted by Rosie Moncrief. This same candidate has been seen at a candidate forum sitting with Danny Scarth, Carter Burdette, and Jungus Jordan.
The present mayor and his Council have not served the people well. They have bestowed lavish tax gifts on Cabela's and other companies that have not produced the tax benefits that were promised to offset the tax abatements. They have botched the handling of the gas industry, placing every neighborhood in the city in danger of an explosion or fire due to heavy industrial installations placed in residential areas by threat or exercise of eminent domain. The negative economic consequences of such an unwise policy will become manifest when it is generally realized that Fort Worth homes may have high pressure raw gas pipelines passing within a few feet of their foundations and when the insurance industry decides this risk will require much higher insurance rates. During this Council's tenure someone has frightened the city staff into requiring a Freedom of Information Act application approval before the most basic public information will be provided to inquiring taxpayers. The mayor has turned city council meetings into gatherings where unwanted information is ignored and freedom of speech is abridged to the point where the truth can only be spoken in the blandest of terms.
Chuck Silcox fought these kinds of unwise proposals. We need Gary Hogan to continue that fight. Otherwise it will be open season on the pocketbooks of District 3 residents.
