Fort Worth has plans that would create a lake and park area out of the Trinity River that runs just north of its downtown area. These plans would not affect the Trinity River areas downstream. However, it would be important to Ft. Worth and would help to re-vitalize the near-Northside area of the city -- an area that badly needs re-vitalization.
But U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Dallas) seems to be doing everything that she can to kill the project in her neighboring city. Johnson heads a water resources sub-committee in the House. When that sub-committee sent the House a water bill last summer, she would not include the Ft. Worth project in the bill (even though she included a similar project planned in Dallas for the Trinity River).
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison put the Ft. Worth project into the bill when it reached the Senate. But Johnson demanded and got the project pulled out of the bill in conference. Her actions are leaving Ft. Worth officials to wonder just what they have done to justify her actions.
Ft. Worth and Dallas are only about 30 miles apart, and together make one very large metropolitan area. In the past, there has been some serious rivalry between the two areas. But in the last few years, the cities have cooperated effectively on several things important to the area, such as the DFW Airport.
That's what makes Rep. Johnson's actions so mysterious to Tarrant County residents. They know she's not opposed to Trinity River re-vitalization -- she approved it for Dallas. It's just the Ft. Worth project that she seems to be against.
Like the Ft. Worth officials and residents, I wonder just why Rep. Johnson is doing this. Do you really hate your neighbor to the west that much? Why are you not in favor of making Ft. Worth a better place for its people?
Just what do you have against Ft. Worth, Rep. Johnson?
