“It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into”

Jonathan Swift
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"The Democrats have moved to the right, and the right has moved into a mental hospital." - Bill Maher
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"The city is crowded my friends are away and I'm on my own
It's too hot to handle so I gotta get up and go

It's a cruel ... cruel summer"

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

water, water everywhere

Alfred Stanley, Treasurer of the Texas League of Conservation Voters sends along the following to PTS readers:

Your former mayor, Kel Seliger, is a key vote on HB 2833, which his committee is considering today (5/16/05). HB 2833 passed the House last week. It makes it so that just about any kind of land use regulation could cause a city to have to compensate a landowner for the consequent loss of property value. The Texas Municipal League is opposed to this bill because of the unpredictable budgetary consequences to Texas cities. Because your Senator is a former mayor, he should appreciate the kind of unanticipated problems this bill will create.

Kel was a class ahead of me at Dartmouth College, and though I did not know him at the time, I don't believe anyone can spend four years in Hanover and not leave with some appreciation of the importance of conservation. I understand he did some good things with regard to water in Amarillo while mayor. While I know from your website that you are ardent Democrats (as am I) what we need here in Austin right now is help from constituents willing to call Kel's office. Simple message: HB 2833 goes too far; please oppose. Thanks!

Respectful contacts to his office from folks in Amarillo would help:
(512) 463-0131
kel.seliger@senate.state.tx.us