Contact Texas Reps and Senators NOW! Tell Them NO to HB 3105!!!!

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Click Here To See Flower Mound's Blog Post ~~  

H.B. 3105 Bad, Bad, Bad!!!

Take Action Against HB 3105

H.B. 3105 (Keffer) - Regulatory Takings/Oil and Gas would make a city regulation that damages, destroys, impairs, or prohibits development of a mineral interest subject to the Private Real Property Rights Preservation Act, which would:

• (1) waive sovereign immunity to suit and liability for a regulatory taking;


• (2) authorize a private real property owner to bring suit to determine whether the governmental action of a city results in a taking;


• (3) require a city to prepare a "takings impact assessment" prior to imposing certain regulations; and


• (4) require a city to post 30-days notice of the adoption of most regulations prior to adoption.

Stop the Presses! Goodbye Home Rule???

Bill:  HB 3105

Legislative Session: 82(R)

Council Document: 82R 5223 PMO-D

	Last Action:	04/27/2011 H Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

Caption Version:	Introduced
	Caption Text:	Relating to the applicability of the Private Real Property Rights Preservation Act to certain governmental actions.

Author:	Keffer

Subjects:	City Government--General (I0060) County Government--General (I0096) Mines & Mineral Resources (I0536) Property Interests--Eminent Domain (I0615) Property Interests--Real Property (I0595)

House Committee:	Energy Resources
Status:	Out of committee
Vote:	Ayes=5   Nays=1   Present Not Voting=0   Absent=3

Proposed New Map Splits Grand Prairie, TX Into 7 Districts

Talk about carving up the city. Hmmm...who else has been carving up the City in recent months? Could the same carvers be influencing this plan??  

Could O&G* be influencing redistricting?

Do Cows Mooooo??

Today on the Texas House Floor, our Westchester neighbor and House District 106 Representative Rodney Anderson (R-Grand Prairie) did a very nice job at the podium.  



Representative Anderson was dignified and well spoken. Being a freshman in Austin is not that easy.  Job well done.

Looks like Mayor England is even talking about a lawsuit if the current proposal gets voted in. Click Here and take a look at the story in the Dallas News today.

Highlights of the story:

If the redistricting plan passes as is, Irving will have four representatives within its city limits and Grand Prairie will have seven. But more important to city officials, the proposed map chops up the crucial districts almost entirely located within the two cities — District 105 in Irving and District 106 in Grand Prairie.



City officials say losing those primary representative voices at the state Capitol would make it almost impossible to promote their agendas.



"It’s devastating to us politically, as far as a voice in Austin is concerned,” Grand Prairie Mayor Charles England said. “I’ve been mayor 19 years, and I can tell you this is the most critical thing that’s faced this city for sure since I’ve been mayor."



[...]



England said he’s disappointed and angry with how the proposed map treats Grand Prairie.



"We’re a town of 175,400 people. We’re the 15th-largest city in the state,” he said. “And to come in and take representation out of Grand Prairie for the city and the schools … that is disrespectful as you can get." [emphasis added.]

If the current plan succeeds, and Linda Harper-Brown becomes Westchester's representative in Austin....God Help Us. Please.



*O&G = Oil and Gas Industry

Opus Scientific hiring

Opus Scientific, basedin Long Island has sever openings in the NY area. According to the company website the company is;

"...a specialized professional staffing firm providing temporary and contract staffing, contract to hire and direct hire recruitment solutions. Opus Scientific supports biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, cosmetic, chemical, food and other scientific intensive industries that require skilled talent. The core focus areas include research & development, drug discovery, pre-clinical development, clinical research, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, quality control and sales & marketing"

Some of their current openings:

* Compounding & Packaging Manager

* Manager Regulatory Affairs

* Regulatory Affairs Associate

REPEAT BLOG POST BUT TIMELY

just the other day I saw a dad with this kind of trailer and his daughter in the back as he made his way down a very busy narrow road, the dad is an idiot in my opinion!! read on for my repeat post

this style is just plain dangerous

this is better

I saw a post on Streetsblog.net talking about a problem a cyclist had with a motorist and his bike and child trailer. He has his daughter in the trailer and got buzzed closely at an intersection. The cyclist blamed the motorist.

I am taking the reverse position in this regards. I do not like to see bike trailers on roads. To me this is just too dangerous and not worth the risks to the child. There are other options, bike trails or roads in housing developments.

A better alternative is to get a good tricycle or small bike for the child. Walk with the child while she rides, more exercise and a better all around activity. I used to jog and my youngest rode his bike next to me. He loved it and we both got exercise.

Or if lucky like me, we had a large hospital parking lot near by, which was most times half empty and especially on weekends. We would bike together to the lot and then play bike games at the lot.

In the Philadelphia area we have many trails for parents to use with children and trailers. I do plead with those parents who think dragging a child in a trailer is safe to find something else to do with the child.

A trip to a park comes to mind. Swings, slides and climbers, way more fun for the child. But get rid of the trailes, just tooooooo dangerous.

Biking in Chester County in Pennsylvania

I live in Chester County, about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. My county is particularly suited for biking. What makes this county so unique is the amount of tertiary roads. This is not found in many areas. Most areas have roads and few secondary roads but not the spider web of little tiny side roads winding down along creeks and past farms and cows and horses and sheep and goats and herons and swans and foals. This is unparalleled in my opinion. I have biked in Santa Barbara, CA, Delray Beach, FL and Ann Arbor and I have yet to see an area that can duplicate the intricate maze of back roads.

The routes are endless that you can ride and not once repeat yourself. The wildlife and birds along the rides include foxes, deer, herons, eagles, bluebirds, red tail hawks and Baltimore orioles to name a few. The horse farms are almost uncountable. Mares and foals and riders on horseback dot the countryside. Creeks meander almost down each and every turn. Some back roads are so back, that nary a car passes.

If you live near or in Chester County and you are not biking, you are missing one fine pasttime. You can bike whether young or old, all you need is a good bike preferably a road bike. With the right equipment you have a life long sport to keep in you in shape as you age.

So what are you waiting for????

Thank you, Rodney Anderson (R-106)

Bill:  HB 3792

Legislative Session: 82(R)

Council Document: 82R 12028 DAK-D

Last Action:	04/06/2011 H Left pending in committee

Caption Version:	Introduced
Caption Text:	Relating to municipal authority to regulate gas pipelines located within the municipality.

Author:	Burnam | Truitt | Anderson, Rodney

Coauthor:	Parker

Subjects:	City Government--Land Use & Zoning (I0064) Oil & Gas (I0545)

House Committee:	Energy Resources
Status:	In committee