Panther City Bikes on YouTube

Bernie over at Panther City Bikes just posted this little promo video on the PCB blog. In his post about the video he writes: "Behold the raw power of what Jason likes to call my ".38 Special" 'stache!"

Is this indeed a .38 Special mustache? Watch the video and then judge.

As for me, I'm already convinced. Jason, you nailed it. I offer you Exhibit A, the guy on the left:


BTW, you can actually vote on whether on not Bernie should grow his stash back. Visit the PCB blog to cast your vote. But hurry up, because only two days remain.

Bernie Scheffler Endorses Joel Burns

Bernie Scheffler announced yesterday on his campaign blog that he is endorsing Joel Burns in the District 9 City Council race.

Bernie wrote: "I've had a chance to meet with both candidates to discuss their plans for the city, and their positions on what I consider to be the most important issues facing us today.

"I've also taken into consideration the manner in which their campaigns have been run, as I believe now more than ever Fort Worth needs positive leadership. Since the URL dust-up, Joel has changed the tone of his campaign. He has stayed positive and started talking about real issues. Juan's campaign has continued with negative tactics (like comparing a fellow democrat to Karl Rove in a mailer).

"So, dear friends, I'm announcing today that I will cast my vote for Joel Burns on December 18.

"Again, this was not an easy decision; both candidates have actively sought my support, and both have their merits. However, I feel that Joel will be a more effective leader at city hall. It's also important to note that Juan already has an elected position with the Fort Worth ISD, a district that still very much needs his progressive leadership.

"I can tell you that I would not have endorsed Joel Burns if he had not given me good answers about his position on urban gas drilling. This is the most pressing issue facing our district, and we need someone in office who can advocate changes to the current system."

Early voting starts Monday, and runoff election day is December 18. Even if you didn't vote on Nov. 6, you can participate in the runoff.

Joel Burns: A Clarification

I've been a little rough on Joel Burns during the campaign season. As in asking him to drop out of the race rough.

However, we had a little chat on Election Day in front of the polling place at Lily B. Clayton Elementary. "I'd appreciate it if you gave me another chance," he said. "I'm really not a bad guy."

He explained a few things about the phone poll and the BernieScheffler.com URLgate thing and reiterated his apologies for both. He also explained that he does own more than the six URLs I listed in my article, and he was kind enough to provide me with a list of 55 URLs, which I checked out as being owned by him.

"I offered Bernie’s [URL] to him by transfer or by not renewing it when it expires in Jan. I also have some for Wendy [Davis] I registered at the same time that I’m transferring to her once she gets her campaign set up."

Joel's explanation and his apology for what happened are enough for me. I believe that my own apology is in order for inaccurate reporting. I'm sincerely sorry.

I also offered Joel a fresh start, and in that spirit, we are turning the page. I am going to reset the game clock to zero. Joel has agreed to an interview. I've also asked Juan Rangel for an interview, but have not received a response yet. I look forward to bringing those interviews to you soon to help you make your voting decisions in the District 9 race.

One thing I would hope to hear from both candidates is a clear and comprehensive position on urban gas drilling issues confronting our city, such as the injection well moratorium, downtown gas drilling and high-impact variances. Gentlemen, start your engines.

Knee-Jerk Reaction to Election Day

Yesterday was a long day. I was up early and out late with Bernie Scheffler on the campaign trail. So if anyone dropped by expecting up-to-the-minute coverage, sorry.

I'm still processing everything that went on yesterday, and I'll have more to write on this in the coming days, but I do have a few thoughts I would like to share about yesterday's District 9 election:

Before I get into anything else, my first question is this -- was my vote counted? When I look at the precinct-by-precinct results for both the District 9 City Council race and the House District 97 race, I do not find results for my precinct, 1435. Was mine the only missing precinct? Or were there others?

Obviously, I am disappointed that there were not more votes for Bernie, but I don't think it diminishes his effort. As that great Republican environmentalist, Teddy Roosevelt, once said: "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause." That describes Bernie pretty well. I admire him because of his effort and his enthusiasm. And Fort Worth is a worthy cause. Our community is a better place because of you, Bernie. I am honored to be your friend.

So our choice is this: Joel Burns or Juan Rangel. Although I have previously taken issue with the conduct of Joel's campaign and I have had one particularly overzealous Juan supporter make a racist comment directed at me on my blog, I am taking the approach that this is a new campaign. I am starting with a clean slate. I will write more on this later, but for now let me just say that in the last few months, Wendy Davis has been a much-needed advocate on gas drilling safety issues at City Hall. As the City Council considers revisions to the gas drilling ordinance and considers the future of injection wells in the city, we need a candidate who will actively work to protect the citizens and environment of Fort Worth and not just kow-tow to the desires of gas drilling companies. If one of these candidates shows a willingness to stand up and show leadership on this issue, I will endorse and vote for that man. But I haven't ruled out not voting at all.

You know, I always thought that District 9 was liberal, but I didn't know it was that liberal -- two-thirds of the vote went to Burns, Rangel and Scheffler.

Maybe I drank a little of the Kool-Aid, but I thought Chris Turner would do better than 18 percent. Did the whole Silcox-gate thing hurt Turner? Yeah, I think so. The funny thing is that I don't believe that Turner or Silcox are homophobic, I think Silcox was just cynically throwing out red-meat for Republican voters and Turner was paralyzed by indecision about how to handle the issue. Was that indecision enough to cost Turner a shot at the runoff? Maybe. What's interesting is there are rumblings that Turner may endorse Juan Rangel. It's pretty clear there is no love lost between Turner and Burns. I think these guys truly hate each other.

Another candidate that had a disappointing day was Jim Beckman. He had a lot going for him -- a big pile of money, the top Republican political consultant in Texas -- Bryan Eppstein running his campaign, and the endorsements of lots of big names and fat wallets. What happened? My hunch is that he really didn't want it bad enough. It's a hell of a lot of work, and if I'm Jim, I'm thinking "Who needs it?" You're a nice guy, Jim. Get back on your bike and forget about all this political nonsense.

One Last Word About Bernie Scheffler

I have a confession to make: I am really sick of this election process.

Tales of dirty campaigning have just gotten worse as we get closer to Election Day tomorrow. And it's easy to understand why this election went south on us: this race is anybody's ballgame and the candidates all know that. That has created a lot of apprehension among the faithful supporters of each candidate across the field in the District 9 City Council Race.

As much as I wish that this race could be about the issues and the candidates themselves, a lot of this race has been about money. I know that money is the lifeblood of politics, but these numbers are staggering. And so are these. And the amount of money spent sickens me as much as the name calling.

You've probably already made up your mind about a candidate. You may have already voted early, like I did. But if you haven't, hang with me for a few more paragraphs. I want to get in one last word about Bernie Scheffler.

You can get all of his platform stuff on his Web site. Or read the man tell you in his own words why you should vote for him. If you have a question, call him at his shop at (817) 348-0660. He'll talk to you. And if you're wondering about money, he spent around $1,600 last time he ran against Wendy Davis and he'll be lucky to double that figure this time around.

But one thing that's hard to get from a Web site or a phone call is the content of a man's character. And that's what I want to share today.

I have helped Bernie with his campaign for months. We've developed another blog together with our friends. We've worked on community issues together. I've gotten to know the man. He's my friend and I'm here to tell you that what you see is what you get. He's got a heart as big as the one on the front of the "I love FW" t-shirt he often wears.

And that's why I believe that Fort Worth needs him. He's one of us -- a regular guy who is trying to make this great city better for everyone.

That's it. I won't bore you any further. Go vote what's in your hearts tomorrow, Fort Worth. Best of luck to you!

The Ice Cream Man Cometh

I called Bernie Scheffler the other day to ask him what his big plans were for the last weekend before Election Day.

"Steve," he said. "I'm renting an ice cream truck."

Excellent.


So Saturday was spent meeting the voters of District 9 and handing out free ice cream from the window of a 1973 vintage ice cream truck covered with campaign signs and shoe polish. I can't think of a better way to wrap up a campaign, and I can't think of a better way to sum up the kind of guy Bernie is.

So my daughter and I met Bernie and his wife, Victoria, and Pete and Jenna up at the Rahr Brewery where hundreds of people gather every Saturday for free samples of their fine beer. We answered questions, shook hands and handed out ice cream and Vote Bernie postcards.

One of the Harley riding guys asked Bernie why he was running. Bernie told him that he wants to make a difference and he believes that government is too important to leave to the politicians and consultants. We need some real people in government.

"You are EXACTLY the kind of person he need more of in government!" the biker said as he walked off with his girlfriend. "I can vote for you."

During a lull, Bernie sat in the back of the truck and put his hand on the freezer. "You know, my granddad used to drive an ice cream truck," he said. "Both he and my dad had a lot of different jobs. You know, they'd do something for a little while and then do something different." Bernie looked around the inside of the truck that looked every second of its 34 years. "I gotta say, I wouldn't mind doing this. I mean, what could be better than handing out ice cream to kids?"


A little later, we made our way back into the brewery to shake a few more hands before leaving. A man holding a bag of Chex Mix stopped us and asked a question. "Why do you oppose gas drilling?"

Bernie carefully explained his position to the man. "I don't oppose all gas drilling, I just don't think it should be done in our neighborhoods," he said. "There's one proposed drilling site that is four blocks from an elementary school. I'm not OK with that. There are lots of open spaces away homes, schools and parks in Fort Worth. If there is going to be drilling, let's use those."

"That's a good answer," the man with the Chex Mix said. "You sound like the kind of guy I could vote for."

And so it went. Bernie Scheffler, winning over one voter at a time.


As the brewery closed down, we packed up and took the show on the road. Bernie and Victoria drove with the truck through Fairmount and Ryan Place with "Home On The Range" blaring through the loudspeaker. They stopped every block or so, shaking hands and offering free ice cream and postcards. Based on the kids' reactions, you would have thought he was handing out gold bars and not ice cream. "Vote Bernie!" one kid yelled as we drove off.


So did Bernie win over some new voters on Saturday? A few. The ratio of votes earned to ice creams handed out was nowhere near one, but you can't put a number on the feeling of satisfaction you get from giving away ice cream on beautiful, clear fall day. That is a feeling of true accomplishment.


As Bernie and Victoria finished up their ride in the long shadows of late afternoon, they stopped a few houses down from their where they live to hand out ice cream to their neighbors. "Hey!" said one guy who was wearing a Cowboys jersey and walking with crutches. "Get a picture of me shaking Bernie's hand."


So who am I to argue?

"Bernie is the best neighbor a guy could have," the guy said. "I can't wait to vote for him on Tuesday."

I hope there are a lot of people who feel the same way.

Why Vote for Bernie Scheffler?

Bret Starr explains his reasons.

The Trinity Trees' Biggest Supporter ....

... in the District 9 race is ... Juan Rangel?!?

WTF?

I got the above mailer today from the Juan Rangel campaign, and I am just gobsmacked. "Juan Rangel has the only proposal -- a six-month moratorium on drilling within 1,000 feet of the Trinity River -- that would protect the river, the Trinity Trees and the families that use the Trinity Trails. So I'm for Juan." Melissa Kohout.

Wow, that would be really impressive if it were true.

Unfortunately, it's not. If you follow the link, you will read Bernie's proposal for a new gas drilling ordinance for Fort Worth. You will also see a picture of Bernie speaking AT the Trinity Trees picnic, which Juan Rangel did NOT attend. Hell, Juan, even Chris Turner showed up for that one.

On Oct. 4, Bernie proposed a new gas drilling ordinance for Fort Worth that would impose a moratorium on all urban gas drilling until studies have been conducted to determine environmental impact as well as the impact on quality of life and safety in neighborhoods where drilling has already begun. Last time I checked, the Trinity River did flow through Fort Worth.

Furthermore, Bernie's proposal would increase the minimum set back of drill sites to one mile from homes, parks, schools and hospitals, and ban high-impact variances to the set back distance. Last time I checked, one mile was a greater distance than 1,000 feet.

I'm disappointed that Juan used the Trinity Trees mailing list for this purpose. And I'm also disappointed that Juan is coming late to the party and playing fast and loose with the facts on this one. I guess Juan is worried about the endorsement of Bernie Scheffler from the most prominent opponents of urban gas drilling, FW Can Do.

At this time, we need leaders, not politicians. Vote for a leader on this issue on Tuesday. Vote for Bernie Scheffler.

UPDATE:, 11.3.07: "Rangel 'Trees' flier sparks controversy" in the Star-Telegram: Mike Lee writes: "The Trinity Trees petition organizers haven't endorsed anyone, said Jim Marshall, one of the group's founders. And he's a little miffed that Rangel got hold of the petition drive's mailing list. 'Trinity Trees is an organization of people who agreed on that one issue -- we did not endorse any candidate for District 9,' said Marshall, who helped organize the petition drive." I agree with Jim 100 percent -- I don't think the organization should endorse any candidate. I also think that using the mailing list and the issue in this way was inappropriate.

Catching Up

I've whiffed on more than a few things around town this week, but I did want to point out a few things today:

For a good, unbiased, factual overview of the District 9 race -- not my biased, Bernie Scheffler-centric view of it -- check out the story in the FWWeekly by Betty Brink and Dan McGraw. I found it very well done. BTW, you can meet Bernie at the Rahr Brewery this Sunday night at 7. Drop by and say hi. And, of course, Vote Bernie.

The Cowtown Chronicles podcast was a lot of fun this week. We talked extensively about modern art, a topic of which we know little but express lots of opinions on anyway. In a nutshell, I like Frank Gehry, Kevin doesn't. You won't learn much, but you might laugh. Check it out!

There was an interesting article the other day in the D(a)MN regarding conflict of interest and reporting over an American Airlines story. The details of the story aren't as interesting to me as Managing Editor George Rodrigue's lead: "One of the canons of our ethical code is avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest. This week, we blew it." I was wondering if I would ever see that lead on a story about the Star-Telegram's own conflict of interest (see last item). I'm not holding my breath. Somehow, the Wizards of 400 West 7th don't think that signing a drilling lease with Chesapeake Energy on nearly 40 acres in South Fort Worth compromises their coverage of the gas drilling issue. I still beg to differ. I believe this is a conflict of interest in appearance and in fact.

More Slash and Burn at the Star-Telegram

Allow me to refer you to this post on Bernie Scheffler's campaign blog:

It's tough being a small-money, by-the-rules-playing, non-partisan city council candidate. Here's an example of what we're up against:

Most of you have probably read the story in today's Star-Telegram about City Council member Chuck Silcox bringing party politics into this campaign by questioning another candidate's sexuality.

Well, my wife got a call today from a friend of ours explaining that she had written a letter to the editor lambasting the use of party politics in what should be a non-partisan campaign. In the letter, she said she mentioned that she was friends with both me and Joel Burns and that we were both excellent candidates for the city council position.

But here's the frustrating part: the Star-Telegram called her and told her they edited her letter for space, and in doing so removed any references to the Bernie Scheffler Campaign.

This is isn't the first time the Star-Telegram has altered the message of a Letter to the Editor on a contentious issue either... I'm just saying.

No, it's not the first time -- the S-T badly butchered a letter to the editor last month to the point that they completely turned around the author's meaning.

The S-T apologized and reprinted that letter to the editor. They should do the same with this one as well.

Even though the Star-Telegram has made up its mind who District 9 voters should choose, allow me to remind the Wizards of 400 West 7th, there's still a campaign going on. Don't assume it's over yet.

21st Century Calling Chuck Silcox: Join Us

Well, I am disappointed. I thought we could get all the way through the District 9 City Council race without this.

In this morning's Startlegram, Fort Worth City Councilman Chuck Silcox urged a group of Republicans to vote for Chris Turner in the nonpartisan District 9 council race because Turner is Republican and straight.

"This is an excellent time to have Republicans get out and support a Republican: Chris Turner," Silcox told a Republican Women's Club meeting on Wednesday. "We have two people of opposite partisan politics, opposite philosophical persuasions and opposite sexual orientations.

"I didn't tell you which one was homosexual," Silcox said as the crowd laughed. Pointing to Turner, Silcox continued: "He's married to a female, and the other's married to a male. You make your own mind up."

The article goes on to explain that the other candidate to which Silcox refers is Joel Burns.

Let me be clear -- there is no place for this type of bigotry in Fort Worth. Period.

Although I believe there are good reasons not to vote for Joel Burns, this is NOT one of them. A person's sexual orientation should not be an issue in Fort Worth politics.

Joel, I'm sorry that happened to you. Although I do not support your campaign, I support what your candidacy means for Fort Worth. I thought this was a new day in Fort Worth when an openly gay person could run for office as a candidate and not as "the gay candidate." Obviously, we aren't there yet, Fort Worth.

I hope that Mr. Silcox apologizes immediately for his remarks. I also hope Mr. Turner will clarify that Silcox's remarks have no place in Fort Worth politics. Chuck, you are out-of-step with the times. This is the 21st Century. Join us. It's nice here.

That said, it is time to move past petty partisan potshots and the politics of labels. The people are tired of it. I'm tired of it.

We don't need politicians, we need leaders. We need a someone who has a positive vision for Fort Worth.

I believe there is a leader in this race. That leader is Bernie Scheffler. Please vote for him and help bring the vision to reality.

UPDATE: Huh? Pete at Cowtown Chronicles reminds us that once upon a time, Silcox helped spearhead the addition of sexual orientation as a protected category under Fort Worth’s anti-discrimination ordinance. It just makes this whole thing that much more puzzling.

UPDATE 10.25.07, 5 p.m.: Tim Rogers at FrontBurner weighs in on Silcox: "There's something even more ironic about Chuck Silcox and his playing the "straight card." Follow me here: Silcox points to Chris Turner and tells everyone they should vote for him because he likes women. Everyone laughs. Turner is a political consultant. He has a partner named Craig Murphy. Together they run a firm called Murphy Turner Associates. Murphy ran Ed Oakley's campaign for Dallas mayor. Ed Oakley likes guys. And in that race, when the Heritage Alliance urged everyone to vote for Tom Leppert because he was straight, Murphy cried foul. To me, that sounds like hypocrisy."

District 9 Candidate Forum

I didn't make it out there -- last-minute work issues -- but I highly recommend checking out Cowtown Chronicles for Pete's take. Sounds like my man Bernie Scheffler had another good night.

District 9 Candidate Forum Tomorrow

If you missed last week's District 9 candidate forum, you've got another chance.
There's a joint neighborhood forum scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Travis Ave. Baptist Church community center on Berry at Hemphill. The candidates will each make a two-minute presentation, then the moderator will ask questions of the candidates (submitted in advance). Questions will then be taken from the floor.

District 9 City Council Forum

I attended the League of Women Voters forum at University Christian Church last night. I went to support my good friend and candidate of choice, Bernie Scheffler. Though I am biased, I think he did quite well. He is polished, articulate and genuine.

Without getting into everything said at the hour-long forum, I think it came down to one question. The candidates were asked what they believe to be the most important issue facing this city. Bernie Scheffler answered clearly and firmly -- gas drilling. The other candidates hemmed and hawed about that being a tough question. I say no. It isn't a tough question. Gas drilling is the issue people in Fort Worth are concerned about. The City Council wouldn't be revisiting the gas drilling ordinance if it weren't for the public outcry. We need a candidate who can address this issue head on. Fort Worth needs Bernie Scheffler on the City Council.

Some reflections about the other candidates:

I thought Juan Rangel also did quite well. He seems a little nervous and short on stage presence, but he was very knowledgeable.

In spite of myself, I want to like Chris Turner. I know he's very Republican and he acts like he just drank two too many Dr Pepper's, but I want to like the guy. Maybe it's just Stockholm Syndrome from all the mailers he's sent out. But he does say some crazy stuff sometimes. Case in point: his proposal to build pipelines to remove wastewater from gas drilling. Huh? Is that even feasible? [UPDATE, 10.11.07: Yes, it is feasible. Crazy, and ill-advised, but feasible.]

Jim Beckman is supported by Kay Granger. There really is nothing else to say about him. That should be enough to scare you right there.

Joel Burns has the knack for talking a lot and saying nothing. He seemed flat, like he didn't really want to be there. The only thing I am able to glean about his campaign is he is pro-yard sign. But again, I am biased here. I'm still pissed about the whole URLgate thing. So don't dislike him just because I do. Find out more about him and discover reasons of your own not to like him.

For another take on the District 9 candidates, check out Andy N's write-up on the Fort Worth Architecture Forum.

I also caught the tail end of the House District 97 forum and let me say this -- Fort Worth attorney Dan Barrett is the real deal. He was the most impressive candidate, period. If you want to send a message to Tom Craddick on Nov. 6, do this -- vote for Dan Barrett.

League of Women Voters Forum

Tuesday is your chance to hear the District 9 candidates at the League of Women voters candidate forum, starting a 7 p.m. at University Christian Church, 2720 S. University Drive.

Bernie Scheffler Proposes New Gas Drilling Ordinance for Fort Worth

Bernie Scheffler, the frontrunner in the campaign for Fort Worth City Council District 9, called for a new city ordinance regulating neighborhood gas drilling to ensure the safety of residents, protection of the environment and the highest possible quality of life for citizens of Fort Worth. Bernie is categorically opposed to Urban Gas Drilling. His position on the issue is clearly stated on his campaign Web site and stands in stark opposition to the positions of his opponents, none of whom categorically oppose drilling in our neighborhoods.

“I’ve been very clear on this point from the beginning of my campaign. I categorically oppose drilling for gas in our neighborhoods,” Bernie said. “I believe that neighborhood drilling is unsafe, bad for the environment, bad for quality of life and a poor economic choice.

"Proponents of urban gas drilling would have us believe that bonuses and royalties add up to an economic windfall for the people of Fort Worth. But residents of neighborhoods where drilling has already started will tell you these limited economic incentives are small compared to increases in property taxes and decreases in home value. And the economic issue becomes less important once residents experience the sharp decline in quality of life caused by neighborhood drilling complexes.

"This is a simple equation: energy companies win and the people of Fort Worth lose.”

Bernie's proposes a new city ordinance to virtually eliminate neighborhood gas drilling. A new ordinance, created by a committee comprised of neighborhood residents rather than energy company representatives would create a strong defense against special interests. Mr. Scheffler’s recommendations include:

Impose a moratorium on all urban gas drilling until studies have been conducted to determine environmental impact as well as the impact on quality of life and safety in neighborhoods where drilling has already begun.

Increase the minimum set back of drill sites to one mile from homes, parks, schools and hospitals, and ban high-impact variances to the set back distance.

Permanently ban disposal wells within the city limits.

Require special use permits for all wells within the city limits, and require drill sites within 2 miles of a park to be reviewed by the city parks board.

Impose strict limitations (and enforce penalties) on construction hours, noise pollution and light pollution.

Impose strict limitations (and enforce penalties) on heavy truck traffic within residential areas.

Bernie calls on all residents and neighborhood associations to refuse leasing their mineral rights and to support the passage of a new ordinance. “I urge District 9 residents and all citizens of Fort Worth to flatly reject leasing their mineral rights to energy companies. And I challenge my opponents in this race to rethink their positions on Urban Gas Drilling and get behind the people rather than the energy companies.

"Despite what the energy companies say, neighborhood drilling will not improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. The only people getting rich of the Barnett Shale are energy companies.”

Way to go, Bernie. Thanks for showing some leadership on this issue. Fort Worth needs it.

Web of Deceit

Joel Burns seems to have too much money on his hands. If you visit www.berniescheffler.com, you'll find that you get pointed to Joel's Web site. Is that really necessary, Joel?

What's even more interesting is that this domain name has been registered
to Joel for a LONG time. The most recent record shows that he registered
the name on 21 January 2007. This isn't just something that was thought of last week.

I'm extremely disappointed in the Burns campaign for moves like this and the phone poll. It shows a win-at-all costs attitude that I find distasteful. Unfortunately, that seems to be the tone of the Burns campaign. And there's a whole other month to go. Wee.

Joel, I encourage you to make this right. Issue an apology and point www.berniescheffler.com to Bernie's Official Campaign Web site. It's the right thing to do.

UPDATE, 10.2.07, 10 a.m.: Looks like www.berniescheffler.com now points to Bernie's Official Campaign Web site. Thank you, Joel. I am hoping an apology to Bernie has also been offered.
UPDATE, 10.2.07, noon:Joel Burns doesn't exactly put the funk in perfunctory with this apology note: "Bernie, Sorry about that. I apologize. Best of luck with your campaign. Joel." Nonetheless, case closed.

District 9 Candidates on Drilling

Anthony Spangler was kind enough to cloud the District 9 race with facts in this morning's Startlegram. Specifically, the candidates in their own words on gas drilling. I'll have more thoughts on this later, but for now, I give you the position of my candidate -- Bernie Scheffler:

Bernie Scheffler, 28, a bicycle shop owner, rents a home in Fairmount. He does not own the mineral rights. Even before the race began, Scheffler embraced a Fort Worth movement that opposes urban gas drilling. He is not against rural or open space drilling.

"I'm against drilling in the dense, more urban core of the city because it's just an inappropriate land use. We've seen various kinds of accidents related to gas drilling. If we're looking at putting them inside the city limits, we've got to find ways to mitigate, or for the wells already in place, to protect the neighborhoods around them so people are protected.

"The ordinance minimum distance ought to be increased quite a bit. I think 600 feet is too close. The Wise County explosion of the fracking water broke windows 1,200 feet away. The current minimum distance here is half of that.

"As for the fracking water, I don't like the idea of injection wells. The best solution for everybody, except for the drilling companies, is to recycle the water and make it reusable. Some well-organized neighborhoods negotiate good deals for themselves but push the problems into poorer or less-organized neighborhoods. City Hall should be more of an advocate for some of these folks."

District 9 Dirty Campaigning

Tuesday's Star-Telegram revealed that the candidate behind the District 9 City Council race phone poll was ... Joel Burns.

Burns, a city zoning commissioner, acknowledged that his campaign conducted the poll but said it was not a push poll because it targeted only 360 voters. He said he approved all the wording in the survey.

"It was a poll to test a wide variety of things and potential perceptions," he told the S-T. "It was testing positives and negatives."

All five of Burns' opponents -- Jim Beckman, Mark Pederson, Juan Rangel Jr., Bernie Scheffler and Chris Turner -- criticized the campaign tactic. Some said the survey straddles the line between a legitimate poll and a "push poll" -- a survey that loads questions with potentially negative information about a candidate.

"It seems to me that, so far, Joel has run a pretty slick campaign but hasn't said much about where he stands on the issues," Scheffler said. "It seems unfortunate that he is more interested in painting candidates in a one-dimensional way."

I agree. Joel, let's make this campaign about issues, not labels.

UPDATE, 10.01.07: Joel seems to have too much money on his hands. If you visit www.berniescheffler.com, you'll find that you get pointed to Joel's Web site. Is that really necessary? I'm extremely disappointed in Joel's campaign for moves like this. Unfortunately, that seems to be the tone of his campaign. And there's a whole other month to go. Wee.

District 9 Nastiness

When you have six candidates running for something, things are bound to get a little ugly. When sheer ambition collides with the better angels of our nature, the desire to win sometimes comes out on top. We're seeing a little of that in the District 9 City Council race.

One of the things I've always liked best about the candidate I support, Bernie Scheffler, is his positive attitude and contagious optimism. That's part of why I believe this city needs him. In May, when Wendy Davis congratulated him on a race well run, she thanked him for running a positive campaign. That's the Bernie that I know and respect.

However, there has been a whisper campaign from another District 9 candidate trying to paint Bernie as a dilettante, a dabbler, someone who is running this race as a lark. When I spoke to Bernie, he shrugged it off. He's not concerned about it. He knows he's serious, and he believes the voters will, too.

Although I was able to find the source of the rumor, I really don't believe it's important to name the culprit. Although the person in question may see this as hardball politics, I think it is just grade school. Stop the whisper campaign now. I assure you that Bernie is quite serious. He's in it to win it, and I believe he will win.

Unfortunately, this isn't the only incident so far in this young campaign. There is a phone poll being run by a candidate in the race which attempts to prejudice voters against Joel Burns and Chris Turner. Although I don't support either of these candidates, I believe Mr. Burns and Mr. Turner deserve better than this. I deplore this attempt to make the campaign about something other than issues of substance.

I encourage all the candidates in the District 9 race to follow Bernie Scheffler's lead -- run a positive campaign based on the issues. The people of Fort Worth deserve this. Too much is at stake.