Denton Fracking Ban Looks to have Passed

MeanGreenTexan · November 12, 2014

About twelve years ago I worked next door to Beverly Hills High School. That whole Erin Brokovich oil rig was by then decorated in this weird broken pieces of shiny tile and concrete mosaic urban art. Leave it to California to turn a monument to oil vs. hippie lawyers into freaky art for all to see on their daily commute.

But really, the more I think about this, conservatives are, to my understanding, for stronger local government, weaker state government, and hands off federal government, or something roughly along those lines, right? By that logic, shouldn't the residents of a given municipality have the right to decide via popular vote whether or not a given activity may legally take place within their city limits? Maybe you believe that population is misinformed in their decision, but the bottom line is that it's their decision to make for their land, misinformed or otherwise.

This makes sense ideally, until some person or company decides to substantially increase your campaign war chest in exchange for legislative favors.

UNT90 · November 12, 2014

About twelve years ago I worked next door to Beverly Hills High School. That whole Erin Brokovich oil rig was by then decorated in this weird broken pieces of shiny tile and concrete mosaic urban art. Leave it to California to turn a monument to oil vs. hippie lawyers into freaky art for all to see on their daily commute.

But really, the more I think about this, conservatives are, to my understanding, for stronger local government, weaker state government, and hands off federal government, or something roughly along those lines, right? By that logic, shouldn't the residents of a given municipality have the right to decide via popular vote whether or not a given activity may legally take place within their city limits? Maybe you believe that population is misinformed in their decision, but the bottom line is that it's their decision to make for their land, misinformed or otherwise.

No doubt it is. Doesn't mean citizens will do the smart thing. If you don't like it, you don't have to live in Denton. I don't, and wouldn't.

The problem and the reasons for the comments is that this is the sane attitude the city counsel and citizens have shown toward the county's largest employer for the last 40 years. This does not bode well for the future of UNT.

Quoner · November 12, 2014

No doubt it is. Doesn't mean citizens will do the smart thing. If you don't like it, you don't have to live in Denton. I don't, and wouldn't.
The problem and the reasons for the comments is that this is the sane attitude the city counsel and citizens have shown toward the county's largest employer for the last 40 years. This does not bode well for the future of UNT.

You're amusing "sane" typo aside, couldn't you flip the argument and ask what UNT has done to merit this mythical tidal wave of support other than exist? Think of the things that made you pull back your support at times (not singling you out as I've done the same even before I moved), multiply them by decades and then maybe that's kind of the answer?

Cerebus · November 12, 2014

what UNT has done to merit this mythical tidal wave of support

Make sure Denton turned out to be Denton instead of Ponder. Mainly by employing 10,000, and thereby creating work for many more who provide them service.

Quoner · November 12, 2014

Make sure Denton turned out to be Denton instead of Ponder. Mainly by employing 10,000, and thereby creating work for many more who provide them service.

I'm not disagreeing with the logic behind it, just wondering how much decades of dealing with our leadership and administration might have turned a lot of folks who have a lot of obvious incentives to work with us off and created biases and grudges neither side is working very hard to break down.

I'm sure TCU had their share of issues before things took off, and as much as I hate to use them as a flag bearer and point to stamp and whine, they seemed to have figured out how to move forward together with the city.

UNT90 · November 13, 2014

I'm not disagreeing with the logic behind it, just wondering how much decades of dealing with our leadership and administration might have turned a lot of folks who have a lot of obvious incentives to work with us off and created biases and grudges neither side is working very hard to break down.

I'm sure TCU had their share of issues before things took off, and as much as I hate to use them as a flag bearer and point to stamp and whine, they seemed to have figured out how to move forward together with the city.

Considering that the one Fort Worth City Counsel meeting I went to last year was opened by a performance of the TCU choir, included some type of proclamation of support for TCU during the meeting and over half of the counsel wearing purple, and concluded with the mayor and city counsel members issuing multiple statements about supporting TCU and attending the game that Saturday, I'd say they figured it out.

And this was last year when the football team sucked butt.

I wonder what one would see at the Denton City Counsel meeting next week...

And yes, good point about inept UNT administrations contributing to this problem.

Edited November 13, 2014 by UNT90