Dear Rep.
Niland,
I’ve taken
some flack (not a lot) recently for not having endorsed you and, in a comment
to a comment on my blog, endorsing your opponent, Josh Dagda. I did so even
after the good news from you about your wanting to preserve land next to
Keystone and saying that you were not for abolishing the PSB. I wrote a post
about that and even sent the link to you. I was surprised and curious – but definitely
not peeved – when you didn’t respond. I took it that it was either no big deal
to you or that you took my praise for granted.
Let me be
clear. I like you and always have. I like the energy and passion that you have
brought to City Council. I think that you are a good person. I’ve never met your husband but have received very
thoughtful emails from him in the past. I hope I can meet him someday.
I realize
that people can’t agree one hundred percent all of the time. I don’t even mind
to agree to disagree with folks most or all of the time. You have a reputation
for getting things done for El Paso and you are a strong leader. Contrary to the
belief of many, I’m very pro-business and support any and all efforts to help
our local businesses. However, I don’t like unchecked, cancerous sprawl and
know that we can do better. We can also be more energy efficient and do more with
our building standards to conserve water. I am for open space and here lies my
problem with your policies.
You haven’t
been a friend to open space. You recently wanted to raid open space funds for
$3 Million. You now are opposed to development next to Keystone yet that issue
has been alive for three or four years now. Had you spoken with the
neighborhood associations near Keystone, you would have heard their dissent and
their concerns a long time ago. You can’t just blame the head of Environmental
Services and not take ownership yourself. Land conservation is inextricably
linked to water. Yet, you have tried in City Council to change bond language
which would have led to the City taking over the PSB’s prerogative to declare
when land is inexpedient if not a step toward abolishing the PSB itself. Also, I don’t believe that you were ever
confused about the franchise “fee” or that there was some kind of communication
break-down between the PSB and City Council. The “fee” originated in Council
not the PSB and the PSB tried to make it less onerous.
So, it’s a
matter of trust. I really struggled because I wanted to endorse you. It's just that trust was the trump card. The best way to predict the future is to look at the past.
Hopefully you will support conserving land around Keystone and hopefully there
will be no more attempts to use bond language as a backdoor to undermine the
PSB. Hopefully you will become a strong advocate of recommendations that come
out of the city’s Open Space Advisory Board.
I hope so
because I’d like to be one of your biggest supporters. As I said, I like you
and you are a good person. Rumor has it that you might run for Mayor in two or
six years. I’d love to be on your bandwagon. I just need – and other conservationists
need – a record of doing as much good for our environment as you have for
downtown and business development. After a few years more and a few more
actions by you on Council supporting open space, Keystone, the PSB and smarter
planning and development in El Paso, then you will have our trust, endorsement
and vote.
Sincerely,
Jim Tolbert
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