The wealthy wheel gets the grease (part 3)

As noted by blogHouston...

Mrs. White stands up for her man...

Led and influenced by wealthy developers, many of whom reside in zoned communities, Houstonians have repeatedly rejected all but the most rudimentary regulations on land use. Given the city's history, perhaps residents shouldn't be surprised or alarmed when inappropriate projects encroach on their neighborhoods.

But sometimes they are taken by surprise and become alarmed, and with good reason.

The most recent cause célèbre is a proposal to erect a 23-story mixed use building on the corner of Bissonnet and Ashby, near Rice University. The outsized project would literally tower over the houses that make up the upscale Southampton and Boulevard Oaks subdivisions.

Showing appropriate leadership, Mayor Bill White supports opponents of the tower. The mayor recognizes the desire of many Houstonians to move closer to their work, which will add density to the central city. However, White said in a statement to concerned parties that he believed the proposed project would impede traffic on two-lane Bissonnet, already congested during rush hours.

(snip)

Influential opponents of the Ashby Tower have won considerable support at City Hall and are represented by prominent litigator Rusty Hardin. Their clout has led some Houstonians to charge favoritism and inequity.

Well, of course. Well-heeled, civically active voters wield more influence than low-income residents who might have less time or inclination to vote and take part in civic affairs. Human nature is not easily repealed, but that's not all bad in a democracy in which politicians are supposed to consider their constituents' concerns.

Chris Amandas, a leader of the neighborhood task force opposing the Ashby Tower, said the project might never be built because of physical limitations. The property is not large enough to accommodate the required construction materials and equipment.

Its on very rare occasions that you find an instance where elitism is not only acknowledged, but openly embraced. Read that bolded statement again, go ahead, I'll wait.....

If you've read that and are not offended by the sentiment contained within then you are probably share the Chron's elitist sensibilities. You'll deny this until you're blue in the face of course, and then you'll write down a denial to speak for you while you come to from asphixiation, but you'll still be a part of the problem.

As blogHouston pointed out, this isn't the first instance of Mayor White pushing through policy that looks remarkebly close to favoritism. At least Mayor White had the political savvy to deny anything unseemly is taking place. Mrs. White doesn't seem to have those misgivings. She's quite content in letting us know that her group of most favored citizens have the "right" plan for Houston.

I wonder, in the interest of full disclosure, if the Chron would let us know if any of their Editorial Board live in or near Southampton?


For a group that contstantly engages in a glorified form of journalistic "gotcha" when it comes to the motivations of those whose opinions are in conflict with theirs, you'd think that Mrs. White wouldn't object to having the microscope focued on herself a little bit.

After all, its all about honesty and integrity right?




Oh....never mind.