At the press conference held this week at the swank Trinity River Vision offices downtown, the big players were there to hear all about the wonders of flood control and how the cost is now up to $576 million to dam the river and build restaurants we can sail up to. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison was the honored guest, accompanied by U.S. Rep. Kay Granger and Fort Worth’s Mayor Mike.
The meeting’s ostenstible purpose was to bring Sen. Kay up to speed. When J.D. Granger (TRV leader and son of Rep. Kay) laid out the plan, he stayed on message: Flood control is what TRV is all about, and economic development is just a little side benefit. Neighborhoods like Linwood and Crestwood and B-urton Hill – and even Montgomery Plaza’s expensive lofts – would be spared from the flooding problems they have experienced in the past, he said. J.D. pointed out there had been flooding in these parts in ’22, ’49, and ’08.
Static thought it must have missed some major gullywasher this year because of excessive drinking. Well yes, but missed in another way: That would be the nineteen-oh-eight flood Granger was referring to.
Sen. Kay sent out a press release that backed the project. “The Trinity River Vision project should be used as a nationwide model to exhibit how local, state, and federal entities can work effectively together to create and execute a plan that dramatically improves the quality of life for an entire community,” she said.
The key to that statement is the part about federal entities working effectively together. There might be trouble for the project no matter what happens in November, since the federal government’s part of TRV funding is coming via those pesky earmark bills pushed through by Rep. Kay. Both U.S. Sen. John McCain and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama have gone on record as wanting to limit earmarks if elected, and they have the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Rep. Kay said not to worry. “Local politicians know what is best for their community, and in order to stand up for them, earmarks are sometimes necessary,” she said.
Static isn’t worried. Nobody in Congress or the White House cares if flood- control money is used for the development of offices and condos and expensive eateries. And if they do raise questions, Rep. Kay can just point to that big flood we had in ’08 – obviously we’ve got a clear and present danger here.
