We wrote to EVERY State Representative and State Senator:
State Representative Charlie Geren's HB-2639 is written as though a con-man was gearing up to rip-off the public for millions of dollars - and it would be legal!
We should all be kicking and screaming to our (and all) state legislators who voted for this corruption - promoting document.
HB-2639 states that the district (TRWD or Waterboard) may make loans or grants of money for economic development purposes. No wonder greedy developers are so happy about the 5-person elected Waterboard being able to forcibly take away private businesses and private property for the Trinity Vision project.
With the help of Geren's bill - they don't even have to get competitive bids for any of the massive work they plan to have done. How fair is that?
"An economic development program may involve the granting or lending of money, services, or property to a person engaged in an economic development activity."
Well, they don't have to spend your exact tax dollars on that, because after they "steal" property by abusing Eminent Domain, there will be millions of excess cash when they resell the land for huge profits to other private businesses and residents of their choice.
"The board of directors of the district (Waterboard) may by resolution create one or more nonprofit corporations to act of behalf of the district as the district's authority and instrumentality."
"A corporation created under this section may exercise any power of the district, but the corporation may exercise the power of eminent domain and the power to acquire, lease, purchase, or sell real property only on the approval of the board of directors of the district. When exercising a power under this section, a corporation and the corporation's board of directors (appointed by the Waterboard) have the same powers as the district and the district's board of directors, including the power to issue bonds or other obligations or otherwise borrow money on behalf of the district to accomplish any purpose of the corporation."
This terrible bill also states that, "A corporation created under this section
and the district may:
1) share officers, directors, employees, equipment, and facilities; and
2) provide goods and services to each other at cost without the requirement of competitive bidding."
"The district's board of directors (Waterboard) may sell, lease, loan, or otherwise transfer property of the district to a corporation created under this section." So - they can just about make themselves and their friends and relatives
"kings" with no limits.

After seeing and hearing from their victims they are trampling over for the Trinity Vision, I don't think this elected Waterboard should have that much power.
Nobody's property will be safe!

Do nothing and let it happen, or fight and call the following:

Contact: 1) Your State Senator Jane Nelson at 512-463-0109 in Austin
or 9721-724-0066 in Flower Mound,
2) Representative Charlie Geren at 512-463-0610 in Austin
or 817-738-8333 in River Oaks,
3) U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison at 202-224-5922 in Washington D.C.
or 214-361-3500 in Dallas,
4) Congresswoman Kay Granger at 202-225-5071 in Washington D.C.
or 817-338-0909 in Fort Worth,
5) County Commissioner J.D. Johnson at 817-238-4400 in Lake Worth,
6) U.S. Senator John Cornyn at 202-224-2934 in Washington D.C.
or 512-469-6034 in Austin.

Do you want to be stripped of your property rights in Texas with this abuse of eminent domain? There are many alternative ways to develop around the Trinity River without destroying the lives and livelihood of those 89 businesses and their hundreds of employees and their families. Reality is that the San Antonio River Walk is only a 3' deep concrete waterway that is only 3 -4 blocks long. The proposed Trinity Vision is over 10 times that size with an escalating cost that will be close to a billion dollars before it's done,
IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SPEAK UP!

All Tarrant County citizens including Fort Worth Residents should demand a VOTE on whether or not we spend $10 million to beef up the levee system, or 1/2 to a BILLION dollars worth of "improvements" when Fort Worth has a BILLION dollars worth of other flooding and drainage repairs needed, bad bridges and street repairs they have barely touched and haven't been able to afford for years. This money will come from our City tax dollars, County tax dollars, Waterboard District tax dollars, and Federal tax dollars.

A Waterboard is NOT a bank, realtor, or mortgage company and should NOT
be CLONED. The Waterboard's only concern should be clean water supply.

Darlia Hobbs
817-237-7972
President CAFA
Citizens Against Forced Annexation
www.noannexation.com
It's really hard to fight something this bad when no one helps keep you informed.
Any ONE of the Texas Representatives you elected (either by your vote, or by staying out of the voting booth) could have called for a "recorded vote" - none did - no record is available which of the Representatives were included in the majority that voted for this garbage legislation. Why should any bill NOT be a recorded vote?