March 29, 2011
By
Steve Thompson / Reporter
In endorsing David Kunkle for Dallas mayor this morning, former Dallas Mexican American Bar Association president Marcos Ronquillo said race relations in the city have taken a step backward.
"Within the last tenure, we've had a racial vote split down the middle, with whites on one side and minorities on the other side," Ronquillo said.
Ronquillo, attorney for Love Field concessionaire Hudson Retail, was likely referring to the Love Field contract debate.The issue came under scrutiny when the City Council considered awarding Hudson Retail and longtime Love Field concessionaire Gilbert Aranza no-bid contracts for more than half the concessions space at a renovated Love Field for a term of at least 12 years.
The no-bid contracts were further complicated by their political connections. Hudson is owned in part by state Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas, and a blind trust that controls the assets of U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas.
Former Mayor Tom Leppert narrowly won a bitter fight to put the contracts out to bid.
Asked how he saw the matter, Kunkle said he didn't know the issue well enough to know how he would have voted. But he said Leppert mishandled the matter.
"I didn't agree with the way Mayor Leppert conducted his campaign," Kunkle said. "I believe that the mayor should have debated that issue with his colleagues in the council chambers, not taking it out to the public - not, in my opinion, demonizing people on the council who disagreed with him.
"I'm not familiar enough with how the contract should be broken up, whether it can be bid that way to get qualified vendors and open up the process," Kunkle said.
The entry "Leppert mishandled Love Field contract debate, says Dallas mayoral candidate David Kunkle"is tagged: contracts , david kunkle , love field
Categories: Dallas City Council, Dallas City Hall, Steve Thompson
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Mayor Dwaine Caraway sues city of Dallas
Dallas City Attorney says city is ready to release Caraway records unless a court orders otherwise
Tue., Mar. 8, 2011
At this morning's hearing over Mayor Dwaine Caraway's attempt to block release of police records, City Attorney Tom Perkins (right) made clear the city is ready to release them unless a court orders otherwise.
"The city does not intend to file a lawsuit against the attorney general to stop the disclosure of the documents," Perkins said. "And we think we have an obligation to disclose, promptly and without delay."
Asking about potential awkwardness in the mayor suing the city, Caraway's attorney, Michael Payma, said it's not a lawsuit in the sense most people think about them.
"We're not asking for any damages or making any claims of wrongdoing," Payma said. "This is to maintain the status quo until the court has had a chance to actually hear the evidence."
Caraway's lawsuit to permanently block release of the records has been filed in Travis County against the attorney general alone.
Payma emphasized his client is acting as a private citizen, not as the mayor of Dallas.
"Dwaine Caraway is not in this suit as the mayor, he's just a private citizen just like you and I," Payma said to reporters afterward.
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Mayor Dwaine Caraway sues city of Dallas to keep police records private
Tue., Mar. 8, 2011
UPDATE: Associate Judge Teresa Guerra Snelson has granted Caraway a two-week temporary restraining order.
Original item: Just a few days into office, Dallas Mayor Dwaine Caraway has filed suit in Dallas County District Court against the city he represents.
Caraway, who has already filed suit in Austin over the same issue, wants to prevent the city of Dallas from releasing records of a police visit to his home.
Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is also named in the suit, ruled the records are public and must be released.
Caraway is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the records release, saying providing them to the public will do irreparable harm.
Police went to Caraway's home in early January over a domestic incident between him and his wife, State Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway.
Despite a police report that stated the two were involved in a domestic spat, Caraway told The Dallas Morning News that the incident revolved around a fight between his two friends, Arthur and Archie.
Caraway corrected that false version ten days after the incident at a City Council meeting.
Continue reading at :cityhallblog.dallasnews.com
Tue., Mar. 8, 2011
At this morning's hearing over Mayor Dwaine Caraway's attempt to block release of police records, City Attorney Tom Perkins (right) made clear the city is ready to release them unless a court orders otherwise.
"The city does not intend to file a lawsuit against the attorney general to stop the disclosure of the documents," Perkins said. "And we think we have an obligation to disclose, promptly and without delay."
Asking about potential awkwardness in the mayor suing the city, Caraway's attorney, Michael Payma, said it's not a lawsuit in the sense most people think about them.
"We're not asking for any damages or making any claims of wrongdoing," Payma said. "This is to maintain the status quo until the court has had a chance to actually hear the evidence."
Caraway's lawsuit to permanently block release of the records has been filed in Travis County against the attorney general alone.
Payma emphasized his client is acting as a private citizen, not as the mayor of Dallas.
"Dwaine Caraway is not in this suit as the mayor, he's just a private citizen just like you and I," Payma said to reporters afterward.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Mayor Dwaine Caraway sues city of Dallas to keep police records private
Tue., Mar. 8, 2011
UPDATE: Associate Judge Teresa Guerra Snelson has granted Caraway a two-week temporary restraining order.
Original item: Just a few days into office, Dallas Mayor Dwaine Caraway has filed suit in Dallas County District Court against the city he represents.
Caraway, who has already filed suit in Austin over the same issue, wants to prevent the city of Dallas from releasing records of a police visit to his home.
Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is also named in the suit, ruled the records are public and must be released.
Caraway is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the records release, saying providing them to the public will do irreparable harm.
Police went to Caraway's home in early January over a domestic incident between him and his wife, State Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway.
Despite a police report that stated the two were involved in a domestic spat, Caraway told The Dallas Morning News that the incident revolved around a fight between his two friends, Arthur and Archie.
Caraway corrected that false version ten days after the incident at a City Council meeting.
Continue reading at :cityhallblog.dallasnews.com
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