Sunday, April 23, 2006

MCC Report: Johnson Development Co. Senior Vice President, Doug Goff, is being Deposed in the Fraud, Trade Deception, Harassment Lawsuit!!!

--To see other Johnson Development court cases on file in Fort Bend County only click on the title link above.

It has just been learned, by credible sources, that the first deposition being filed in the Johnson Development Lawsuit (SLAPP-back case) has been ordered through the courts for May 16th. Doug Goff, former GM of Sienna Plantation in Missouri City, is being deposed to answer questions related to his potential involvement in the fraud and trade deception case filed in February, 2006 by some Sienna homeowners. So far, in the court records, it alleges that Sienna/Johnson Development employees may have been involved in a scheme to with-hold critical development information from potential home-buyers, thus impeding their decisions during purchasing. Several Sienna entities (all names for the same company) have been named in the case and according to sources more depositions are on the way, some including political figures in the local city government.

In January of 2006 aspects of this case reached the Texas Supreme Court when a local homeowner and website administrator attempted to protect residence, who participated on his discussion site while making critical comments of the released plans for the community by Johnson executives. The company reportedly sought records that may have compromised the anonymity of participants in the community. Company legal representatives have denied this report, but several site participants contradict this official corporate position.

In a related case, in July of last year, Mayor Allen Owen of Missouri City had formal complaints filed for his advocacy of the approval of up to 2700 apartments for one of his major campaign contributors (Johnson Development Co. of Houston, Larry Johnson, President) during last years controversial city council vote when he failed to recuse himself from the voting on the project. Later, after the complaints had been filed in July, the city manager refused to investigate when these charges were formally entered into the public record.

In March of this year, citizens from several South Missouri City neighborhoods joined together to support the announcement of a mayoral candidate to run against the heavily developer-backed incumbent Owen. Greyling Poats, a successful Missouri City resident, businessman and member of the cities TIRZ board, was nominated as the first candidate to challenge Owen in over a decade. Poats has pledged to only accept contributions from homeowners, businesses and residents of Missouri City, unlike the majority of his oppositions financial support. Greyling has a business degree from Indiana University and a law degree along with serving as a former city attorney from ’77-81 in Gary Indiana, before moving to Missouri City and becoming active in area civic associations and politics. He has lived and raised his family here for nearly 25 years.

No comment was solicited from Mr. Owen in the reporting of this piece.

--As always check original sources in these and any reports.


_____________________________

Reprint of earlier MCC report:

Campaign Contributions (Public Record)-

Political Contributors To
Mayor Allen Owen
1999-2005 (thru Jan '05)
(Developers only in order of giving. Nearly 60% of all of Owen’s contributions)
____________________


1. Clinton Wong (Land Development Co.)

2. Larry Johnson (Land Development Co.)

3. Paris Schindler (Land Development Co.)

4. Rocky Lai (Land Development Co.)

5. Larry Wong (Land Development Co.)

6. Bob Perry (Land Developer)

7. Jim & Sandy MacNaughton (Land Developer)

8. Pat Cagle (Land Developer)

9. Thomas Cagle (Land Developer)

10. E. Blake Hawk (Land Developer)

11. Scott Reamer (Land Developer)

12. R.E. Reamer (Land Developer)

13. S. Jay Williams (Land Developer)

14. Eugene Arensberg, Jr. (Land Developer)

--This data can be confirmed via request from the Missouri City secretary for campaign contributions for anyone serving on the city council over the same time period. Many other contributions were made from corporate sponsors who live outside of Missouri City to Mayor Owen and this data will be released in a timely fashion.

--Question #1: With such a large percentage of Mayor Owens campaign contributions coming from those in the land development business can you trust him to represent your interests at council?

36 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

5:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Background from the Texas Herald Coaster:

Sienne Plantation resident sues developer that sued him for libel

By Stephen Palkot Wednesday, February 15, 2006 2:14 PM CST


A Sienna Plantation resident who has been sued for disparaging statements about a local developer is fighting back with a suit of his own.

Chris Calvin, who in late 2005 was sued by the Sienna/Johnson Development Co. for statements made on several websites, this week filed a suit in the district courts of Fort Bend County. The suit claims the company sold him a lot under false pretenses and filed their libel suit to harass him for speaking out against them.

The first lawsuit stemmed from Calvin's participation in several websites, including Missouri City Chatter, in which he used several pseudonyms while criticizing the developer.

The lawyer who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Sienna Plantation, John Keville, has said Calvin engaged in libel by using many different pseudonyms.

"[I]t gives the false appearance that there's this large group that has concerns with the community," he said.

Calvin has characterized that first lawsuit as a SLAPP, or strategic lawsuit against public participation, designed to overwhelm him with legal fees and to hobble his activism.

Calvin, who moved into Sienna Plantation in 2002, is opposed to plans for the construction of apartment complexes within the community, which currently has about 10,000 residents. He has spoken out both online and at public comments of Missouri City City Council meetings in opposition to apartments.

While Sienna Plantation is not within Missouri City's corporate limits, it is within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction, and the city council must approve new developments.

In Calvin's lawsuit, he states that he purchased his lot in 2002 based on certain representations by various Sienna entities.

"Those representations included, but are not limited to, the extent to which certain portions of the Community would be used for recreational purposes," the suit reads.

Since then, Sienna has "abandoned" that plan and has chosen to build multi-family housing instead, reads the suit.

The suit claims that Sienna Plantation engaged in negligence by supplying "false" information to Calvin when he purchased his lot.

Then, in December of 2005, the company "filed a groundless suit in bad faith and/or for the purpose of harassment."

Furthermore, the suit alleges the developer committed fraud when Calvin purchased his home.

"The false representations or promises were made to the Calvins for the purpose of inducing them to enter into the contract to acquire the Calvins' lot," the suit reads.

Finally, the suit alleges that the company engaged in deceptive trade practices, in violation of the Consumer Protection Act.

The suit requests that a court rule in their favor and to "award them their damages, costs of court, attorney's fees, and for such other and further relief that may be awarded at law or in equity."

In response to Calvin's lawsuit, Keville said "the basis of the claim is completely contradicted by documents he signed and testimony already given."

Keville said that before Calvin closed on the purchase of his home, he signed a document stating he understood the developer has the ability to include multifamily housing and other kinds of developments in the community.

"They had ample opportunity to look into what might or might not be built," Keville said.

The case will be tried in the 240th District Court of Judge Thomas Culver III.

5:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

More background from FBNow.com:

Activist Slaps Back In Countersuit Against Sienna Developer
by Bob Dunn, Feb 13, 11:03 am

Countering the defamation lawsuit filed against him by Sienna/Johnson Development, community activist Chris Calvin now accuses the developer of fraud and negligence in selling him a lot in the Sienna Plantation neighborhood.

Also named in the counterclaim, filed last week by attorney Jeffrey Singer, is Sienna/Johnson Senior Vice President Douglas Goff and three other related business entities: Sienna/Johnson North, LP; Sienna/Johnson North GP, L.L.C.; and Sienna/Johnson Development GP, L.L.C.

In the counterclaim, Calvin also accuses the defendants of deceptive trade practices and of filing a groundless lawsuit against him.

Calvin states in the claim that he and his wife bought a lot in Sienna Plantation in November of 2002, in part based on “certain representations” that included “the extent to which certain portions of the community would be used for recreational purposes. In fact, one or more of the Sienna entities have now abandoned the plan for certain recreational areas and has designated such sites for other purposes, including construction of multi-family dwellings.”

Calvin began objecting to Sienna Plantation plans for building apartments, both publicly (in Missouri City Council meetings) and on web site discussion forums. This objection, he states in his counterclaim “resulted in the filing of the plaintiff’s petition in this case against him.”

Sienna/Johnson and Goff filed suit against Calvin and an associated organization, the Committee for Responsible Development, in December, accusing him of defamation, business disparagement, public nuisance and “tortuous interference with prospective contract.”

The suit also seeks a permanent injunction to prevent Calvin and his organization “from making any statements under any pseudonyms” regarding the developers or their affiliates.

Calvin has characterized Sienna/Johnson’s actions as typical of a SLAPP suit strategy – a legal tactic in which a business entity tries to blunt criticism by burdening opponents with the cost of a legal defense.

Sienna/Johnson attorney John Keville, however, has said the developer tried to settle its dispute with Calvin without filing suit. It’s main complaint was that he had been making comments on web forums under several different aliases. So many, Keville said, that Calvin made it appear a large number of people supported his critical views of Sienna/Johnson, when that wasn’t really the case.

Calvin has said he believes what he posted on web sites “is protected free speech and we do have the right to disagree publicly (anonymously or not) with public figures. They don’t have to like what we are saying. I’m, however, not responsible for any unintended consequences regarding their corporate interests or profits as a result of this public debate and poor public relations management.”

In his counterclaim, Calvin says Johnson/Sienna filed their suit against him”in bad faith and/or for the purpose of harassment.” He therefore seeks unspecified sanctions against the defendants, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

Prior to the lawsuit, Sienna/Johnson filed a petition in district court seeking to depose Calvin and Matthew Feinberg, operator of the web sites on which Calvin posted. The depositions proceeded, despite protestation and legal appeals by Feinberg’s attorneys, which included representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.

Late last month, the Texas Supreme Court denied a petition by Feinberg seeking to have his deposition sealed to protect the identities of his web posters.

“The question Mr. Feinberg wishes to raise is whether he can be required to disclose the identity of anonymous web site users in a pre-suit deposition,” Sienna/Johnson noted in its response to Feinberg’s Supreme Court petition. “That question is moot because Mr. Feinberg appeared at his deposition and answered questions (and revealed only that he did not know any such identities).”

The high court apparently agreed.

5:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Related comments from FBNow.com:

1 - - Feb 14, 04:46 am
Background on this strike case:

Johnson Development SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) case against own residents begins.—
http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/317/fight-over-apartments-could-restrict-free-speech-on-the-web·

Allen Owens Involvement in this case?—http://www.fortbendnow.com/opinion/351/an-open-letter-to-the-missouri-city-mayor

Johnson Development SLAPP suit against own residents adds homeowners committee and asks for maximum damages allowable by law.

http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/487/sienna-plantation-developers-sue-community-activist-for-defamation

Sienna-Johnson Development Co. supports road diversion which will aid airport expansion/flights over Sienna Plantation.

http://www.fortbendnow.com/opinion/544/raising-a-red-flag-over-arcola

Feinberg appeals case to protect homeowners from exposure by Johnson Development. SLAPP suit continues.

http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/548/missouri-city-case-over-anonymous-web-postings-appealed-to-texas-supreme-court

TX. Supreme Ct. refuses to act on the petition upholding lower courts decision providing inadequate protections for SiennaTalk.com participants (homeowners in Sienna). Court also refuses to hear Johnson Development lawyers arguments on attempts to injunct/sanction resident’s attorneys, homeowners or the claim of frivolous appeal (not a victory for Keville and JDC).

http://www.fortbendnow.com/news/645/texas-supremes-side-with-siennajohnson-deny-bid-to-seal-deposition

-For more on this and the fight against Arcola airport expansion/road diversion courtesy of Bob Hebert, FAA, Jaime Griffith, Johnson Dev. Co (Sienna/Johnson) and Mayor Gipson visit http://missouricitychatter.blogspot.com .

2 Carlos Krystof - Feb 15, 04:12 pm
I moved to Sienna at the end of 2002. I was told straight up that apartments were going in. Beyond that I was told any future plans were subject to change. Case in point, I am very disappointed about the removal of the golf course from Sienna South. Will this bring my property value down? Will apartments? It is very unlikely. As it stands Sienna property is about 20-30% higher than neighboring communities. That is becuase Sienna is second only to the Woodlands in size, and they have a master plan that includes everything from apartments, to schools, 3000 acres of parks, sports fields, playgrounds, retail, commercial, a hospital, a community college, a library, recreation facilities, pools, horse stables, and lush landscaping of 100s of acres of common areas. By the way, property in the Woodlands is 20 – 30% higher than Sienna. Anyone who feels decieved by their builders or Sienna has the option of the selling their property and may even come out a head. As a Sienna resident for many years I do not appreciate the publicity and stink raised over the apartments or making it appear that the whole community was against it. They will be high quality apartments that will serve a basic need of the community. Thank you.

3 Right To Be - Feb 15, 05:42 pm
Go getem Chris!!!

4 expandingairport - Feb 16, 05:48 am
And I suppose they also told you about the expanding airport and increased jet traffic that will come as a result of your developers support of the road diversion and airport expansion?

Of course (sarcasm intended) increased density, increased jet traffic over Sienna and surrounding communities is welcomed?

Most people by homes as part of their portfolio for retirement and expect consistent return. They also purchase because of the school system. Apartments do not add value to school taxing districts—they over-crowd them as has been historically documented. Whether or not all Sienna residents supported the petition drive which garnered over 1100+ signatures is irrelevant. The reason home values currently are high is because Sienna is a new neighborhood. Travel up a few exits and see this same mix in action and assess those property values (2-3% increase in a market that has seen 8% or more). Take a look at Quail Valley just a few miles from you all. Home values are flat and they are trying to sell off parts of their golf course.

Planning..planning..planning! We don’t see any apartments here in Riverstone, another masterplan or Lake Olympia.

Check your facts first before making such claims. I believe a recent article by Mr. Wiley of the Greater Fort Bend Econ. Dev. Council stated it well when he expressed his deep concern over the excessive development of apartments in this county. The 2700 allowed into the Missouri City community (specifically the Sienna apts) almost matches the growth of all the apts. over the past 5 years of the entire county.

As far as changing plans goes maybe they shouldn’t call them masterplanned communities anymore if it is going to be a rotating map.

My-2-cents

5 William but you can call me "Bill" - Feb 16, 06:26 am
When you look at this suit from a privacy issue, it gets kind of scary. Tell me Bob, if someone took your deposition looking for the ID of your people posting, what would they learn?
This is how my republican majority in the courts is starting to scare me. Big business always appears to be right and the individual is always wrong. What does is it matter who posted what on his site. All they are trying to do is scare people from making negative comments about their development. “Better not say something bad or we will take you to court”
I have voted republican for the past 20 years, but the party is starting to scare me. They have Killed the US Constitution and the
Amendments for political purposes. This is the real problem and the Dems, they are not much better. Had we had a judge with more courage and appelate court justices who were not bought and paid for by the developers this article would not even be here. Whether Mr. Calvin is right or wrong on the development I don’t care. This is turned into a much larger issue with the lawsuit they filed. Boy, talking about lawsuit abuse, by the very people who are fighting for tort reform. Their moto should be “you can no longer sue me, but I can take everything you have just because I am big business” That is sure the message this case sends to me. Just another case of the republican controlled courts stepping on the little guy. What else is new. Corruption in another form. My thought for this election is vote them all out and give some new a chance. Also, when they start spouting god and the republican party platform look out. Experience has shown this only means that they cannot think for themselves and will do anything to get elected. Oh and lets not forget the Democrats who can only say me me me me.

6 Tara Jurica - Feb 16, 08:26 am
I completely and totally object to Mr. Keville’s (attorney for Sienna/Johson) statment that Chris Calvin made it appear a large number of people supported his critical views of Sienna/Johson, when it really wasn’t the case. I am not quite sure where John Keville has been, but there are LITERALLY thousands of people who feel the same way Mr. Calvin does, the only difference is that they are, probably in fear of retaliation, not willing to to speak up in the way Mr. Calvin has.
For Mr. Keville to make comments such as that, he apparently hasn’t been to a city council meeting, where these topics were discussed, or maybe he just wasn’t paying attention.

7 Chris Calvin, Ph.D. - Feb 16, 08:37 am
Bill,

I would have to agree with you. There was a time I thought the republicans were the last defenders of the const. I no longer feel or think that way. Perhaps it was a mistake to believe such. The process was co-opted long ago, but what scares the special interests the most is if the general population decides to “wake up” and take back local control. With low local voter turn-outs and few real selections, disinterest increases. How does one lone candidate run against the well financed non-local machine candidates?

I will be voting a mixed ticket this year and not for the machine folks. The goals they espouse and their actions are out of sink. When they start really looking out for voters, homeowners, families, taxpayers then maybe, but not as long as the strings are being pulled by someone else.

Get out and vote this year. Find out who is supporting your candidate (via the campaign contributions), check on their voting record and if it doesn’t match your belief system then vote the alternative—but vote!

8 John Armstrong - Feb 16, 01:47 pm
Carlos… I guess we are at opposite sides on this one. But, since I’ve been dealing with people of the same view point, that we were not told and we do not think apartments will add value to the community (especially the school systems in the area) I am glad you spoke up. I really wished that I had your apparent spokes person as you did… because I wasn’t told a thing about the apartments. Now, as to the ‘stink’ well, that is portional to the size of the ‘road apple’. Trust me this ‘stink’ as you put has been blown out of proportion not by the doings of Mr. Calvin. I have never seen so much blantant attempts at misdirection over what was said and conclusions drawn during the deposition. There were alot of accusations made about Mr. Calvins guilt of this, that and the other thing. But, never a quote of what he did say. In fact it was sold in the papers as ‘it’s time to get back to real people and have real conversations’... blah, blah. Was that a quote of Mr. Calvins? No. Mr. Calvins first action item was inquiring with the developers over the development, lets talk face to face. You want to know what happened with that request, nothing. In fact, meetings that were set up were canceled.

So, I too don’t appreciate the ‘stink’ per se but, make sure you understand that you are down wind of it, as is Mr. Calvin.

5:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FBStar OP-ED related piece:

Matthew Feinberg’s counsel responds to article

Dear Ms. Sandlin:

I am one of the cooperating counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, representing Matthew Feinberg in In re Sienna/Johnson Development. The suit is perhaps better known as the one Sienna Johnson brought against Mr. Feinberg and Chris Calvin to find out the identities of the anonymous users of www.mocitytalk.com http://www.mocitytalk.com and www.siennatalk.com http://www.siennatalk.com. Sienna/Johnson allegedly sought those identities in anticipation of bringing a suit against one or more of the users for alleged defamation and/or business disparagement.

It is unfortunate that Ms. Fulenwider did not seek to interview either me or Mr. Feinberg’s other counsel before submitting her article.

Although I do not represent Mr. Calvin, we could have provided her with the following information: First, the law of the United States is crystal clear that the users of an Internet discussion board, including Mr. Feinberg’s website, have a right under the First Amendment to make anonymous posts, as long as they do not break the law in doing so. Regardless of what Mr. Calvin or any other website user writes - whether brilliant, boring, or ridiculous - he has the right to do so anonymously, as long as he doesn’t violate the law.

Sienna/Johnson’s lawyer, John Keville, said in Ms. Fulenwider’s article that he wants Mr. Calvin to stop making anonymous posts. In order to make that happen, however, Mr. Keville would either need to get Mr. Calvin voluntarily to agree to the prohibition, or Mr. Keville would need to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to change the well-settled law of the United States concerning anonymous speech. As things currently stand, if Sienna/Johnson doesn’t like people making anonymous criticisms of what it does, that’s Sienna/Johnson’s problem, and not anyone else’s.

As a second issue, it appears that neither Mr. Calvin nor Mr. Feinberg wrote the one and only post that Sienna/Johnson alluded to in its petition as allegedly constituting defamation or business disparagement.

Additionally, neither knows with any certainty who in fact wrote it. Sienna/Johnson evidently deposed the wrong individuals, if it in fact was interested only in finding out the identity of that one poster. However, Sienna/Johnson was not interested in finding out just that one poster’s identity. It was interested in finding out the identities of many different users of the site.

Some readers may wonder why an average person might resort to anonymity to make criticisms of powerful and wealthy people or businesses.

Mr. Calvin says that he’s spent over $20,000 in attorney’s fees involving this case. If Mr. Feinberg didn’t have pro bono help, his fees would have far exceeded this amount, to date. It should therefore be evident what a law-abiding individual such as Mr. Feinberg should fear from large businesses and powerful individuals if he dares to exercise his Constitutional right as an American on American soil simply to sponsor discussion that sometimes becomes critical of a powerful entity in a public forum and make himself identifiable in doing so.

Although we tried to stop Mr. Feinberg’s deposition from taking place, we were unsuccessful. No court of appeal has yet considered the matter based on the First Amendment issues involved. The case is presently before the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston.

Sincerely, Laura Hermer, J.D., L.L.M.

University of Houston Law Center

5:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's one for you JK:

How many court cases do you think JDC/SJD has been involved with over the last 5 years in FB county alone?

What would happen to that formula if it were expanded to other Houston area counties?

and what is lawsuit abuse anyway?

5:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some of you may want to see the cases filed by the First Colony Community Services Association in the 240th FB county court only.--These types of cases must be a bonanza for the local court system here:

http://courtcn.co.fort-bend.tx.us:80/pls/public/ck_public_qry_cpty.cp_personcase_details_idx?backto=P&soundex_ind=&partial_ind=&last_name=&first_name=&middle_name=&begin_date=&end_date=&case_type=&id_code=@3363

7:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

--what is lawsuit abuse anyway?

7:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lawsuit abuse is a fancy way of saying "if you sue me it's abuse". Remember those making the rules determine what lawsuit abuse is and they also get to decide which cases, usually theirs, aren't. Large corporations, in other words, will decide through their PACs what lawsuit abuse is and that doesn't include the consumer at least here in TX!

7:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Interesting link here. Notice whose names appear again:

http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/11/9/15581/1958

9:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

6:39 AM  
Blogger responsible_dvlpmnt said...

Ck this story out:

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2005/04/25/story8.html

5:32 AM  
Blogger responsible_dvlpmnt said...

Those of you following this case may be interested to know that in John Keville's last request of documents from us he asked for all the names, phone numbers and addresses for anyone associated with the committee who worked with us against the developers up to 2700 apts. allowed in our community. --Not sure how they intend to use such information but we will challenge this attempt to access this information for inappropriate uses (harassment).

5:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You know exactly how that information will be used. It's already started. Sienna Residents are being sigled out and are receiving non-compliance letters about their property. They are being harassed about and made to rip up small herb gardens, while others aren't. They are being harassed about the wrong fence stain, while others aren't. They are being denied access to join committees because they suddenly received a non-compliance letter, while others aren't. Some are allowed to install yard lamp posts and not harassed. Some are allowed to have white lattice work fences and are not harassed. Some are allowed to have bridges and are not harassed. Houses are being sold out of compliance. There are a lot of things being let go, unless of course, you're on that list. It's blatently selective and discriminatory enforcement. It's bullying all grown up.

6:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This reminds me of the attempt by their lawyers to get at Matthew's SiennaTalk.com databases and his client list of residents here. Kinda like this FBNow.com piece:

When Schoolhouse Bullies Grow Up

Having spent a few years on school playgrounds, I’ve had the opportunity to observe childhood behavior during free play extensively. One disturbing reoccurring theme in this environment is the emergence of those who attempt to dominate or physically bully other children.

It is a problem that faculty, staff and administration spend a great deal of time on. Government programs have even been funded with much research ongoing, yet still the problem persists.

One of the first interventions monitors use in any situation, where bullying may occur, is to remove the victim and confront the bully over the behavior. This seems like such a simple solution, until we realize that the children are learning this inappropriate interaction from us adults.

As you would expect, this rather simplistic intervention only solves the problem temporarily. The actions usually continue, but only in less obvious areas of the playground. A more covert behavior emerges as the child adapts (because through compliance, by the victim, it is rewarded).

Over the last year and a half I’ve had the opportunity to witness first-hand adult bullying and like many children on the playground have hoped that someone in authority will come and intervene. Of course, in the adult world, bullying is often allowed and encouraged.

Even Stanford professor Jeff Pfeffer’s 1992 seminal work “Managing With Power,” and countless other leadership texts, seem to be encouraging the bullying mentality of those “with the most gold get all the power.”

Legislation and the courts are easily subverted in this process and become part of the adult game. Those with less power are merely expected to comply and even apologize for their efforts to “call the bullies” on their behaviors.

In the current local elections we see the culture of political-business co-optation in more of the adult gaming processes. In Missouri City, like many other communities, we have an entrenched mayoral incumbent heavily backed by large Houston land corporate interests, who have decided that they need this mayor and council until they are finished with their area projects.

The message seems to be that we can have our local government back when they are finished with their work/profit taking here. How do local voters, taxpayers, and residents deal with such antics on the adult playground? The simple answer is you don’t, but I believe most of us still have an infantile memory of schoolhouse justice. At least enough to expect that something can be done.

The answer, for me and many others, seems to be in the political process itself (voting). As I write this piece a sign war is going on between the local incumbent mayor’s backers (bullies) and local residents of this community (victims) supporting his opponent.

I’ve never replaced so many yard signs in my life, not even when the developer was pulling our “No More Apartment” signs here in the controversial ‘05 issue that led to the SLAPP suit and eventual TX Supreme Ct. case. What can be done about this? . . Nothing, maybe, but I’m writing to let you all know my sense of infantile schoolhouse justice! . . . =-)

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POLLHOST POLL RESULTS:

POLLHOST POLL RESULTS:

 

Question: Do you trust Allen Owen, mayor of Missouri City, TX, to represent you rather than his Houston corporate backers?

 

Results:

 

3%  participating said yes  (n20)

 

91%  participating said no  (n573)

 

6%  participating responded not sure  (n39)

 

(N) sample =  632

 

Stay tuned as more surveys for coming elections are posted!

Web Statistics
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This site covers the Missouri City, Texas and local vicinity. Copyright (c) c.calvin 2005-2010 ....you can contact the web-blog coordinator for MCC/CRD at responsible_dvlpmnt@yahoo.com