What the fuck is wrong with you, Austin?

[Brisketexan 105,104]

On 2/29/2024 at 8:08 PM, onsager said:

Right now, we are stuck in the high energy transition state between two energy minima, which is what results in these non-idealities. But if Austin commits to doing this right (and in a cost-effective way) I think it'll be very good for the city in the long run.

Yeah....that bolded text is doing some HEAVY lifting.

"Not charming attractive brunette celebrities is a real problem for Brisket.  But if Brisket commits to eating right and working out so that his body is a sculpted masterpiece, gets plastic surgery to have the facial features of Brad Pitt, and goes to charm school to have George Clooney's charm, I think he'll seduce Sela Ward and Susanna Hoffs on the same day."

A ridiculous "if" can torpedo your entire premise.  You know, a ridiculous "if" like "if the city and cap metro commit to doing mass transit right an in a cost-effective way."

I remember voting against light rail her a jillion years ago.  And my argument and reason was NOT that I thought that light rail was a bad idea, couldn't improve our transportation, or anything like that.  My reason was that I would not vote for light rail....that Cap Metro would run.  That's it.  I didn't vote against the plane, I voted against the pilot.  Those issues have not changed for the better since then.

[Ghost of LL 15,531]

11 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

so they do their own road maintenance, fire dept, police dept? Seems like at a smaller scale, those things would be more expensive. What am I missing?

The neighborhood is kind of unique in that it was fully built out decades before annexation.  So the roads and utilities were already built out.  Austin Water would continue to do the utilities; road maintenance would be done by the MUD through a contractor (road maintenance on neighborhood streets is really pretty cheap).  Police would be through the sheriff; fire through West Lake Hills (as it functionally currently is).

That being said, there is only a slight break on the taxes.  Properties that are disannexed would still be on the hook for debt service on debt incurred while those properties were part of the City.

[TKthunder2 4,990]

2 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

so they do their own road maintenance, fire dept, police dept? Seems like at a smaller scale, those things would be more expensive. What am I missing?

I’m not annexed by the city. We pay our own trash, Travis county does the roads, Travis ESD1 provides fire, Travis sheriff covers police, Co-opt electric, but we do have Austin city water.

[utee94 15,819]

2 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

so they do their own road maintenance, fire dept, police dept? Seems like at a smaller scale, those things would be more expensive. What am I missing?

The part where you have as little to do with the City of Austin government as possible, which is invariably a net positive.

[Deej 76,764]

2 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

so they do their own road maintenance, fire dept, police dept? Seems like at a smaller scale, those things would be more expensive. What am I missing?

They can beat the shit out of any homeless people who try to post up in Lost Creek. 

[InkaUtexas 25,915]

So got a toll tag bill today. Past Due notice, never got one before. Says I was driving my jeep in Austin in February. Well here is the kicker. My jeep has been out of commision since December and the only car I use to go to Austin is my wife's. Fuckers.

[ztejas 43,419]

Count one more for Sylestine.

Fuck that was a long day. What I get for not early voting. 

[CooterBrown 18,007]

So got a toll tag bill today. Past Due notice, never got one before. Says I was driving my jeep in Austin in February. Well here is the kicker. My jeep has been out of commision since December and the only car I use to go to Austin is my wife's. Fuckers.

I got rid of TxTag and replaced its with KTag. 100 times better. You don’t even get a bill if your balance is less than $10.

[InkaUtexas 25,915]

2 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

I got rid of TxTag and replaced its with KTag. 100 times better. You don’t even get a bill if your balance is less than $10.

well that is the kicker, I don't have it since I do not use that jeep except for running around the town I live in. And even that is rare. The bar I go to is walking distance, HEB is two blocks past that (when it is open), and most of the time I walk or ride my bike where I need to go. Work from home, no clients in Texas, and I really do not enjoy Austin. Whats funny is last time I drove a car (rental) on a toll road was 130 and then in Dallas. And that bill was taken care of when I got the invoice in November.

Guess I get to talk to Mark in Hyperbad tomorrow.

[Texas Jeff 1,945]

On 3/4/2024 at 12:16 PM, FirstTimeCaller said:

Hey Project Connect fans... your $1B train just arrived

The new Zilker Eagle estimated first year ridership (from their website):  175,000
Actual CapMetro Red Line ridership for the last 12 months (from their website): 485,500

The Red Line has 10 trains serving 9 stations and is drawing 3x the crowd that a 1 train 1 station mini-train will.
 

[Updawg 2,266]

Txtag is all fucked up. Unless you enjoy wasting time and aggravation just pay it. Trust me

Just think of them as a mafia guido. Give them the money and move with your health

[The_Great_Hornsby 3,236]

4 minutes ago, Updawg said:

Txtag is all fucked up. Unless you enjoy wasting time and aggravation just pay it. Trust me

Just think of them as a mafia guido. Give them the money and move with your health

Agreed. I said I would just pay it going forward after I successfully got a 31 dollar charge removed. It was hours of my time and sanity lost. Just paying them from now on. Shitass organization. 

[jimmyjazz 45,907]

I'm pretty sure I've paid multiple TxTag tolls multiple times each.  It's infuriating.

[Armybrat 40,834]

On 3/4/2024 at 4:35 PM, Brisketexan said:

We shoulda just gone with this bad boy:

Downtown has already gone to the dogs.

[Armybrat 40,834]

14 hours ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

14 hours ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

Yeah 7-A Ranch in Wimberley and the Austin Zoo can figure it out all these years, but not the city of Austin.  

Mrs. Brat worked  at the 7-A Ranch in the summer of 1965. She worked in the office, waited tables and performed as a can-can dance girl on the saloon stage in the evenings until she fell down the steps.

Edited March 6 by Armybrat

[Armybrat 40,834]

9 hours ago, crash_davis said:

We are due for a train robbery. Can't let San Antonio own the last robbery.

 

https://www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2020-07-10/50-years-ago-there-was-a-great-little-train-robbery-in-san-antonio

An iconic San Antonio attraction has a darkly quirky event attached to it for all times. It happened in Brackenridge Park, on that little train that 300,000 people, primarily parents and children, ride yearly.

Tim Morrow is President and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, which operates the train.

"It's a historic miniature train that's been in Brackenridge Park since the 1950s," he said. "It's just a fun experience to be on the train, to hear the train horn going as you go through the park.”   

The train wends its way under the tree canopy of Brackenridge, over creeks and the rolling grassy hills of the Brackenridge Golf Course. One Saturday in July of 1970 though, the experience that families relish turned downright weird.  

"Fifty years ago, next weekend, two robbers stopped the train and began to rob the passengers of their goods — their checkbooks, their jewelry and their money," he said.

Passengers first laughed, thinking it was an Old West re-enactment gag. But when one of the robbers put a gun to the head of a passenger, they figured out it wasn't a joke.

"It was the first time a train robbery had happened in Texas in 47 years, so it had some historical significance to it," Morrow said.

The robbers were soon apprehended and turned out to be Army soldiers stationed at Ft. Sam Houston.

"It was a federal crime to rob a train, so those two gentlemen did their time," he said.

Yeah, I remember that incident but hadn’t heard the end result. 
We rode that train with our first born son a few years before the robbery.

[bschoolprof 6,252]

On 2/18/2024 at 1:00 PM, bschoolprof said:

Never underestimate the naiveté of the average Austin voter.  

Garza crushed Sylestine.  

[PvilleStang 2,888]

48 minutes ago, bschoolprof said:

Garza crushed Sylestine.  

I really have lost hope for Austin.  That was embarrassing.

[Wally Pryor 5,261]

I thought it would be 60/40 Garza.  Lulz. 

It's Austin. If you thought the result would be anything different enjoy waiting on the Easter bunny in a few weeks. 

[PvilleStang 2,888]

[Texas Jeff 1,945]

16 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

So, honest question here, just curious: what are the pros (for those in Lost Creek) to be disannexed? 

West Lake Hills city tax rate: $0.16
Rollingwood city tax rate: $0.19
Austin city tax rate: $0.54

Other benefits:

People you aren't able to vote for are not going to change the zoning on your property.

The same folks aren't going to propose a tax for a downtown subway to the airport, and then delete the subway part and the airport part once it passes.

No one's cancelling Uber or Lyft.

If the Lost Creek mayor went to Mexico and recorded a video telling other Lost Creek residents to stay home, the mayor would be forced out of office upon return.

If you do have a city government, you are more likely to encounter people you know and who know your neighborhood.  Austin is too big for city staffers to have a motivation to talk to the residents, so stuff happens based on what groups have the time and money to lobby the city.

[High Plains Drifter 11,045]

2 minutes ago, Texas Jeff said:

West Lake Hills city tax rate: $0.16
Rollingwood city tax rate: $0.19
Austin city tax rate: $0.54

Other benefits:
 

If the Lost Creek mayor went to Mexico and recorded a video telling other Lost Creek residents to stay home, the mayor would be forced out of office upon return.

 

 

rage

[Guest]

33 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

I really have lost hope for Austin.  That was embarrassing.

There was nothing from Sylestine until seemingly days before the election. You've got to win this stuff before it even starts. Nobody knew who he was and then that Austin Chronicle article about funding turned the narrative. In which *checks notes* three people with a history of giving to GOP candidates gave to Sylestine for a total of $58K.

Suddenly, he's secretly a Republican running as a Dem. Jesus, the guy was a public defender and then worked in the Travis County DA's office for 15 years... including some overlap with Garza. 

If you're serious, you've got to start being a household name well before you even announce a thing about running. 

7 minutes ago, Texas Jeff said:

West Lake Hills city tax rate: $0.16
Rollingwood city tax rate: $0.19
Austin city tax rate: $0.54

Other benefits:

People you aren't able to vote for are not going to change the zoning on your property.

The same folks aren't going to propose a tax for a downtown subway to the airport, and then delete the subway part and the airport part once it passes.

No one's cancelling Uber or Lyft.

If the Lost Creek mayor went to Mexico and recorded a video telling other Lost Creek residents to stay home, the mayor would be forced out of office upon return.

If you do have a city government, you are more likely to encounter people you know and who know your neighborhood.  Austin is too big for city staffers to have a motivation to talk to the residents, so stuff happens based on what groups have the time and money to lobby the city.

[HenryJames 66,047]

7 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

Nobody knew who he was and then that Austin Chronicle article about funding turned the narrative. In which *checks notes* three people with a history of giving to GOP candidates gave to Sylestine for a total of $58K.

Only $58,000, huh?

D.A. Challenger Funded Primarily by Right Wing Donors, Wealthy West Austinites: Jeremy Sylestine leads José Garza in January fundraising - News - The Austin Chronicle

[YGIFS 19,450]

21 hours ago, crash_davis said:

We are due for a train robbery. Can't let San Antonio own the last robbery.

 

https://www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2020-07-10/50-years-ago-there-was-a-great-little-train-robbery-in-san-antonio

An iconic San Antonio attraction has a darkly quirky event attached to it for all times. It happened in Brackenridge Park, on that little train that 300,000 people, primarily parents and children, ride yearly.

Tim Morrow is President and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, which operates the train.

"It's a historic miniature train that's been in Brackenridge Park since the 1950s," he said. "It's just a fun experience to be on the train, to hear the train horn going as you go through the park.”   

The train wends its way under the tree canopy of Brackenridge, over creeks and the rolling grassy hills of the Brackenridge Golf Course. One Saturday in July of 1970 though, the experience that families relish turned downright weird.  

"Fifty years ago, next weekend, two robbers stopped the train and began to rob the passengers of their goods — their checkbooks, their jewelry and their money," he said.

Passengers first laughed, thinking it was an Old West re-enactment gag. But when one of the robbers put a gun to the head of a passenger, they figured out it wasn't a joke.

"It was the first time a train robbery had happened in Texas in 47 years, so it had some historical significance to it," Morrow said.

The robbers were soon apprehended and turned out to be Army soldiers stationed at Ft. Sam Houston.

"It was a federal crime to rob a train, so those two gentlemen did their time," he said.

Sometimes I think like a criminal.  I get the mini-train had inherent value.  I appreciate the planning and pulling off of the heist.  But when you're taking a dump after lunch today, let your imagination wander...who the fuck was the Fence in this scheme?  How do you convince some criminal masterminds that can you discretely sell a miniature train, take your cut, and make them well in the meantime?  I mean, I know some pretty sophisticated, but very shady people, but how do you perform a confidence racket on some guys to grab a mini-train and then move the product?  There's con-men and there mini con-men.  

12 hours ago, Updawg said:

Txtag is all fucked up. Unless you enjoy wasting time and aggravation just pay it. Trust me

Just think of them as a mafia guido. Give them the money and move with your health

For such a "limited-government" state, our administrative divisions really can't find much they can't fuck up and bill us for...

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Only $58,000, huh?

D.A. Challenger Funded Primarily by Right Wing Donors, Wealthy West Austinites: Jeremy Sylestine leads José Garza in January fundraising - News - The Austin Chronicle

Yes, that's the article I pulled that number from. It highlights Coon, Sheffield, and Farmer as being right-wingers who have a combined total of $58K. It then lists other donations from other sources, citing that "other Sylestine donors have a more balanced political contribution history"

 

 

[TKthunder2 4,990]

6 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Only $58,000, huh?

D.A. Challenger Funded Primarily by Right Wing Donors, Wealthy West Austinites: Jeremy Sylestine leads José Garza in January fundraising - News - The Austin Chronicle

Where did Garza’s funding come from? Multiple news orgs covering the “10 donors who have a history of contributing to Republicans.” but very little coverage on anything Garza related. It’s always great when local media goes all out in their investigatory duties to cover issues only in a single direction.

But seriously, Austin voters are idiots. Nothing new here.

[HenryJames 66,047]

44 minutes ago, TKthunder2 said:

Where did Garza’s funding come from? Multiple news orgs covering the “10 donors who have a history of contributing to Republicans.” but very little coverage on anything Garza related. It’s always great when local media goes all out in their investigatory duties to cover issues only in a single direction.

From the same article:

Garza’s January filing was much less interesting (no George Soros donations this round). He took in just over $39,000 – perhaps because he entered the primary with a mountain of cash on hand. He spent $112,000, which left him with about $158,000 in cash as of Jan. 25.

Garza’s largest donations were for $5,000 and he received three of them. One from John Dismukes, a co-owner of the Armadillo World Headquarters, one from local criminal defense attorney Brad Vinson, and one from local healthcare attorney Carlos Zaffirini. All three have a history of contributing to national and state level Democrats. Zaffirini has also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republicans

And not all of West Austin wants Garza to lose. He received $2,600 from the same two ZIP codes that funded more than one-third of Sylestine’s campaign in January – including three $500 donations from West Lake residents.

 

[Steamboat1874 4,058]

22 hours ago, crash_davis said:

We are due for a train robbery. Can't let San Antonio own the last robbery.

 

https://www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2020-07-10/50-years-ago-there-was-a-great-little-train-robbery-in-san-antonio

An iconic San Antonio attraction has a darkly quirky event attached to it for all times. It happened in Brackenridge Park, on that little train that 300,000 people, primarily parents and children, ride yearly.

Tim Morrow is President and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, which operates the train.

"It's a historic miniature train that's been in Brackenridge Park since the 1950s," he said. "It's just a fun experience to be on the train, to hear the train horn going as you go through the park.”   

The train wends its way under the tree canopy of Brackenridge, over creeks and the rolling grassy hills of the Brackenridge Golf Course. One Saturday in July of 1970 though, the experience that families relish turned downright weird.  

"Fifty years ago, next weekend, two robbers stopped the train and began to rob the passengers of their goods — their checkbooks, their jewelry and their money," he said.

Passengers first laughed, thinking it was an Old West re-enactment gag. But when one of the robbers put a gun to the head of a passenger, they figured out it wasn't a joke.

"It was the first time a train robbery had happened in Texas in 47 years, so it had some historical significance to it," Morrow said.

The robbers were soon apprehended and turned out to be Army soldiers stationed at Ft. Sam Houston.

"It was a federal crime to rob a train, so those two gentlemen did their time," he said.

That is fucking awesome.

I had never heard that story before.

[MAUFRAIS 6,624]

That is fucking awesome.
I had never heard that story before.

Michael Corcoran’s post today is partially about your namesake:

https://michaelcorcoran.substack.com/p/a-sixth-street-sesquicentennial?r=2vpa7&utm_medium=email

[Steamboat1874 4,058]

1 minute ago, MAUFRAIS said:

Michael Corcoran’s post today is partially about your namesake:

https://michaelcorcoran.substack.com/p/a-sixth-street-sesquicentennial?r=2vpa7&utm_medium=email

Thanks and I will check it out.

[gsoda3 3,256]

22 hours ago, crash_davis said:

We are due for a train robbery. Can't let San Antonio own the last robbery.

 

https://www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2020-07-10/50-years-ago-there-was-a-great-little-train-robbery-in-san-antonio

An iconic San Antonio attraction has a darkly quirky event attached to it for all times. It happened in Brackenridge Park, on that little train that 300,000 people, primarily parents and children, ride yearly.

Tim Morrow is President and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, which operates the train.

"It's a historic miniature train that's been in Brackenridge Park since the 1950s," he said. "It's just a fun experience to be on the train, to hear the train horn going as you go through the park.”   

The train wends its way under the tree canopy of Brackenridge, over creeks and the rolling grassy hills of the Brackenridge Golf Course. One Saturday in July of 1970 though, the experience that families relish turned downright weird.  

"Fifty years ago, next weekend, two robbers stopped the train and began to rob the passengers of their goods — their checkbooks, their jewelry and their money," he said.

Passengers first laughed, thinking it was an Old West re-enactment gag. But when one of the robbers put a gun to the head of a passenger, they figured out it wasn't a joke.

"It was the first time a train robbery had happened in Texas in 47 years, so it had some historical significance to it," Morrow said.

The robbers were soon apprehended and turned out to be Army soldiers stationed at Ft. Sam Houston.

"It was a federal crime to rob a train, so those two gentlemen did their time," he said.

richard stark strikes again!

[Bevo 13,576]

15 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

well that is the kicker, I don't have it since I do not use that jeep except for running around the town I live in. And even that is rare. The bar I go to is walking distance, HEB is two blocks past that (when it is open), and most of the time I walk or ride my bike where I need to go. Work from home, no clients in Texas, and I really do not enjoy Austin. Whats funny is last time I drove a car (rental) on a toll road was 130 and then in Dallas. And that bill was taken care of when I got the invoice in November.

Guess I get to talk to Mark in Hyperbad tomorrow.

Maybe the wife took it out. Get the photo to make sure no one else was in the car.

[InkaUtexas 25,915]

20 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Maybe the wife took it out. Get the photo to make sure no one else was in the car.

Yeah, see, it does not really run and she hates driving it. And yes, I am calling them at lunch time and asking for that.

Or as others say, might just pay off the mafia.

 

 

[DalTxHornFan 3,101]

13 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm pretty sure I've paid multiple TxTag tolls multiple times each.  It's infuriating.

I switched all of our cars to TollTag several years ago and could not be more pleased.  Efficient and no fuck ups.

[Bevo 13,576]

7 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

Yeah, see, it does not really run and she hates driving it. And yes, I am calling them at lunch time and asking for that.

Or as others say, might just pay off the mafia.

 

 

 

See that's what they are expecting you to say. The next thing you know, you find out your daughter's boyfriend fixed it without telling you. OTOH, you work from home so it is hard for them to pull it off. And you are good with guns.

[Wally Pryor 5,261]

Corcoran is still alive? Thought he and Kelso took their turns about the same time.

 

[Helobious 9,448]

I’ve never lived in Austin but the Garza blowout win is interesting. The Travis county jail population has actually increased since he’s taken over, which is the opposite of what he ran on and promised. But it’s something his opposers should be applauding you would think.  

[Shaggy3.0 1,695]

2 hours ago, HenryJames said:

From the same article:

Garza’s January filing was much less interesting (no George Soros donations this round). He took in just over $39,000 – perhaps because he entered the primary with a mountain of cash on hand. He spent $112,000, which left him with about $158,000 in cash as of Jan. 25.

Garza’s largest donations were for $5,000 and he received three of them. One from John Dismukes, a co-owner of the Armadillo World Headquarters, one from local criminal defense attorney Brad Vinson, and one from local healthcare attorney Carlos Zaffirini. All three have a history of contributing to national and state level Democrats. Zaffirini has also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republicans

And not all of West Austin wants Garza to lose. He received $2,600 from the same two ZIP codes that funded more than one-third of Sylestine’s campaign in January – including three $500 donations from West Lake residents.

 

so john dismukes, brad vinson, and carlos zaffirini are dumb fucks.   got it.

 

[PvilleStang 2,888]

I swore Willy pumped a bunch of cash into Garza in the last week or two.

[MAUFRAIS 6,624]

Willy lump lump?

[Guest]

In late 2023, there were skeletal remains found in the Greenbelt. Cops just arrested a second person in connection.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/man-arrested-in-connection-with-homicide-at-south-austin-greenbelt/

The affidavit also revealed the homicide may have happened between March and May 2023 in a transient camp behind a clothing store on South Lamar Boulevard. The camp is east of the store and is located in the West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt, court records said.

According to witnesses, a fight happened between the suspect, Melcolm Martin Lee, 24, and the victim Jehu Patrick Flores, 20. During the argument, Lee pulled out a firearm and shot Flores one time in the back of the head, court records said.

After Flores was shot, Lee asked Billy John Lamar, 47, to help him remove Flores’ body from the camp and put him in a hole farther into the greenbelt, according to the affidavit.

According to online court records, Lamar was arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail on a charge of tampering/fabricating physical evidence/failure to report human remains on a $30,000 bond.

On Nov. 27, 2023, two witnesses came forward to investigators saying they knew where Flores’ body was buried in the greenbelt. On Nov. 29, officials responded to the area with a search and rescue K9, and that is when the skeletal remains were found, court records said.

On Dec. 12, 2023, the Austin Police Department requested for the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force to find and arrest Lee, “who was last known to be transient in the Austin community.”

-----------------

Just looked at that area on Google Maps. Jesus.

Sure, no big deal having this next to arguably the best playground in Austin and in the heart of the city:

 

 

[texasdago 7,573]

I hope that train wakes them from their Tempur-pedic slumber!?

[ChickenSandwich 9,834]

2 hours ago, Helobious said:

I’ve never lived in Austin but the Garza blowout win is interesting. The Travis county jail population has actually increased since he’s taken over, which is the opposite of what he ran on and promised. But it’s something his opposers should be applauding you would think.  

turn out was a joke, if this was closer to Nov I think Garza would be out

[YGIFS 19,450]

4 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

turn out was a joke, if this was closer to Nov I think Garza would be out

(Nicole checking calendar); “uh, I’m not gonna be posting for a few months.  Nothing to worry about.  Check ya later.”

[TKthunder2 4,990]

14 hours ago, HenryJames said:

From the same article:

Garza’s January filing was much less interesting (no George Soros donations this round). He took in just over $39,000 – perhaps because he entered the primary with a mountain of cash on hand. He spent $112,000, which left him with about $158,000 in cash as of Jan. 25.

Garza’s largest donations were for $5,000 and he received three of them. One from John Dismukes, a co-owner of the Armadillo World Headquarters, one from local criminal defense attorney Brad Vinson, and one from local healthcare attorney Carlos Zaffirini. All three have a history of contributing to national and state level Democrats. Zaffirini has also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republicans

And not all of West Austin wants Garza to lose. He received $2,600 from the same two ZIP codes that funded more than one-third of Sylestine’s campaign in January – including three $500 donations from West Lake residents.

 

KXAN interviewed the Sylestine the other night on his block walk who stated that 40% of Garza’s funding came from out of state. The ONLY reason I heard that is because it came directly out of the candidates mouth. You’d think someone would have fact checked that statement and made a bigger deal out of it one way or another. Since it didn’t get coverage I’m going to think it’s likely true and it was not covered intentionally.

[Js1 85,316]

3 hours ago, TKthunder2 said:

You’d think someone would have fact checked that statement

[Bozo_Casanova 26,449]

On the DA race- look, I’m disappointed too. Garza doesn’t deserve to keep the job because he’s not good at it, and that alone was a great reason to fire him. 
But the fact is that while you can get the police union to go on FOX and convince a national audience that Austin is some kind of chaotic lawless wasteland, and you can get on KLBJ and convince people in Leander that it’s too scary to come downtown because in cities crime exists, it’s far more difficult to convince the people -in- a city that things are worse than what they experience every day. And the reality is that in absolute terms Austin is very safe, for reasons that have nothing to do with the DA’s office. And the police dept has problems for reasons that has everything to do with bad city management and nothing to do with the DA’s office. 

The biggest problem with Garza is the problem with the system: DAs shouldn’t be elected. It’s the same reason I don’t want a strong mayor system. I don’t want people who actually manage things chosen by voters, because voters are more concerned with ideology bullshit and mouth noises than competence. The other guy would have been a new version of the same shit.
 

And for that reason, I’m not losing any sleep over it. I’m just enjoying Mackowiak and Sepulveda act like ninth graders arguing on Sherdog forums. 
“I don’t run away” had me rolling.

 

Edited March 7 by Bozo_Casanova

[HenryJames 66,047]

Sucks that the guy who entered the race on the last day to file, relied on six figure donations from rich shitbags, and had no popular support somehow lost.

[Guest]

Actually surprised that most areas out west even mostly went for Garza: