How about an extra year for DISD trustees?

With many parents and teachers eager to blow up the entire DISD school board, word comes today in a DMN article that some board members not only aren't eager to leave — they're considering plans to extend their terms.

The board will consider a proposal Thursday to extend individual trustees' terms from three years to four, giving Leigh Ann Ellis, Edwin Flores and Ron Price an extra year before facing election (currently, their terms end May 2009). The rationale is that a trustee new to the board could use an additional year to do the job more effectively. Ellis told the DMN it takes a couple of years to understand the district well enough to have an impact.

Predictably, the same people who are calling for board members to resign as a result of the budget problems aren't in favor of the board extending members' terms. From a practical standpoint, the proposal makes sense — a four-year term (already implemented in Austin and Houston) would provide more time to do the job right and, theoretically, more board continuity since terms would be staggered with four members up for election at one time and the remaining five up for election two years later — as opposed to electing three board members every year.

Unfortunately, from a PR standpoint, this proposal might be a little harder to defend, since it does give the appearance of board members extending their own terms, much like Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently lobbied for in New York (he said given the troubling economic times, it would be too risky for New Yorkers to have an untested mayor on the job; Bloomberg wanted to run again, but couldn't because of term limits unless the city's charter was changed, so it was). Personally, I don't have a problem with the DISD proposal, but it probably would be better to carry out the May 2009 elections, as planned, and extend the terms of those elected then for four years, similarly adjusting the terms of the other trustees as they come up for election until the rotation is correct.

Also Thursday, the board will be hearing from Supt. Michael Hnojosa, who is scheduled to lay out a plan to make sure DISD doesn't face another budget crisis anytime soon. Who knows? Maybe public interest in what's going on in Washington will allow Hinojosa and DISD to get back on top of education here out of the limelight. Relatively.

Advocate contest: Guess how Siegel voted

My posts during the political season have elicited quite a few comments. (My favorite? “Your perpetual whining. …”)

More interestingly, I have been called a fat-cat Republican and a no-good Democrat. Plus, since I’m writing analysis, and not partisan commentary, I'm confused about how anyone can read anything like that into what I'm writing.

So, since we haven’t had a blog contest in a long time, how about this one? Guess how I voted in five key races yesterday. The winner gets $50 in restaurant gift certificates from The Grape, and we’ll throw in $20 for the entry that is the most wrong. The usual rules apply (no Advocate employees, volunteer bloggers can enter, Wamre is the final judge, and he already has my vote summary in a sealed envelope in his office). Send your entries here. Deadline is 5 p.m. Nov. 12.

And the races:

• President.

• U.S. House -– Pete Sessions vs. Eric Roberson.

• Dallas county sheriff.

• State house –- Allen Vaught vs. Bill Keffer.

• State senate –- John Carona vs. Rain Levy Minns.

• Tiebreaker: 2007 Dallas mayor’s race, Tom Leppert vs. Ed Oakley.

Elections results, part I

A few quick thoughts until I get chance to examine the numbers:

• U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who ran 30 points ahead of John McCain in Dallas County, becomes a leading contender for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate when incumbent Kay Bailey Hutchison resigns next year to run for governor.

• Will the Democratic landslide in Dallas County give Mayor Park Cities and his allies on the city council second thoughts about rushing the convention center hotel package through before next spring’s referendum? And don’t you think the anti-hotel people wish they had put the issue on the ballot yesterday?

• Turnout was almost 62 percent –- good, but not staggering. Statewide, it was about 59 percent. This means that early voting doesn’t necessarily translate into more voters, but the same number of voters voting early. This should change the way candidates campaign, putting more of a focus on early voters.

• The race for Dallas County judge in 2010 gets much, much more interesting, since the Democratic nominee would seem to have a leg up on winning. The Democratic incumbent, Jim Foster, may have as many as four opponents in the primary, all well known and respected -– former city councilmen Larry Duncan, John Loza and Chris Luna and ex-mayoral candidate Sam Coats.

• Democratic incumbent Allen Vaught beat Republican Bill Keffer by 1,800 votes for the state District 107 House seat. That’s 700 votes more than he beat Keffer by two years ago, and probably means the end of Keffer’s political career.

• The same is probably true for Republican incumbent Tony Goolsby in the District 102 House race. He lost by 2,500 votes to Democrat Carol Kent after holding the seat in 2006 by 1,500 votes.

Technorati Tags: Dallas County elections,Pete Sessions,Allen Vaught,Bill Keffer,Tony Goolsby,turnout

Barack Obama says “no” to a saggy pants ordinance

President-elect Barack Obama may well have an impact on one of the least-pressing but most-discussed issues facing the Dallas city council: whether to pass an ordinance outlawing "saggy pants". The DMN city hall blog reports that during an interview with MTV News, Obama dissed the very idea of outlawing saggy pants, saying: "I think people passing a law against people wearing sagging pants is a waste of time," among other comments you can read by clicking here. Anyway, deputy mayor pro tem Dwaine Caraway, an Obama supporter, has been the city’s leading proponent of the saggy pants ordinance.

Election results: Where to get what you need

Know what really makes me feel old? Remembering when the only way to find out who was winning the presidential election was to watch one of the three major networks, something that was true as recently as 1992.

Nowadays, of course, there are an infinite number of ways. Here’s a quick look at where you can keep track of what’s going on locally, plus some interesting national sites. Plus, for those too young to remember, how TV used to cover politics –- in glorious black and white:

Election Day

Lunchtime update: So far, turnout seems to be much lighter than expected. Many media outlets are reporting that this morning's long lines are gone. "It was almost like it wasn't a presidential election year," county elections boss Bruce Sherbet told Dallas' Only Daily Newspaper. Will it pick up this afternoon and evening?

If you vote today, comment here, and we’ll update this post throughout the day. If you aren’t sure where to go to vote today, check here.

Later this afternoon, we’ll post some web sites and other places to get results tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll have our usual spot on commentary about what happened locally and why.

Technorati Tags: election,voting

Democracy is so very sweet

Here's another election-day freebie. Ben & Jerry's is giving out free scoops of ice cream from 5-8 p.m. Unfortunately, the nearest participating Ben & Jerry's is located in Plano at 1501 Preston Road. Maybe we can get our local Paciugo to offer the same deal?? Never hurts to ask, right?

Vote for doughnuts!

Feeling like being a MAVERICK on your diet? Want to keep a little more CHANGE in your pocket?  On Election Day, November 4, stop by Krispy Kreme at Lovers and Greenville.  They’re offering a free star-shaped doughnut, with white icing and red, white and blue sprinkles, to each customer wearing an "I Voted" sticker.

Stickerless because you voted early?  Bring in your stamped voter registration card. 

 

 

Pop culture: SNL on the presidential campaign

If you've been hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, it's
possible that you may still have caught wind of Saturday Night Live's
special segments on the presidential campaign, along with all of its politician guest stars.

The last show airs tonight at 8 p.m., but if you miss it, you can always watch it (along with the other past episodes) on NBC's website. Tomorrow, when tensions are running high around the water cooler, it will be a good stress reliever.

Lakewood man elected President….well, sort of.

Lakewood's own Tommy Callahan (aka Craig Spivey) was elected president of the Shore Party '08 Election Saturday night and won a Smart Car. Running on the "Labor Party" platform, Callahan, was the clear choice winner of the crowd. However, in an added twist, the Freak Party was also declared a winner in a "tie vote". The Freak party, if they won, pledged to donate the car to the Notre Dame School of Dallas. Kudos to the hosts, Michael and Judy Shore for adding the Freak Party as winners as now a good cause gets a good vehicle to further enhance their work.

The Commies, Democrats, Rush and Green Party's have nothing to show from the election but the great time they had.

The picture is of Callahan, standing next to his prize. The car is signed by all the members of the Black Crowes who played at the party.