Lina Hidalgo, eager to improve Harris County government (Houston, San Antonio: school, living)

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

It looks like she may be reneging on her campaign and post election position, that the renovation of the Astrodome was a settled matter...How could she not have known the scope of that renovation before now ?

I think she is discovering there is more that is unknown, than is known. Even I didn't know there wasn't any A/C, and I follow the Dome news fairly closely.

It's becoming clear that, even after voters turned DOWN the renovation, and commissioners voted for it, that this has the potential to be a huge anchor around the neck of Harris County. No A/C?? Clearly ramrodded thru by CC just to get it approved at a cheap price. Good for her for her willingness to look into it.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

and alienating what is a sizable political block that may have been energized against her.

That political block wasn't sizable enough to either pass that 2013 referendum, or retain Ed Emmett.

The number of voters who want the Dome kept at all costs dwindle further with every election cycle, becoming less relevant.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by astrohip

I think she is discovering there is more that is unknown, than is known. Even I didn't know there wasn't any A/C, and I follow the Dome news fairly closely.

It's becoming clear that, even after voters turned DOWN the renovation, and commissioners voted for it, that this has the potential to be a huge anchor around the neck of Harris County. No A/C?? Clearly ramrodded thru by CC just to get it approved at a cheap price. Good for her for her willingness to look into it.

The plans were there in public view, you just didn't bother to look, and neither did she, yet she tacitly endorsed them anyway. Typical political behavior, we won't know what's in the bill until after we pass it. Either she was mal-informed or uninformed either way she got pantzed and that's not a good sign is it.

Originally Posted by jfre81

That political block wasn't sizable enough to either pass that 2013 referendum, or retain Ed Emmett.

The number of voters who want the Dome kept at all costs dwindle further with every election cycle, becoming less relevant.

Your assuming nobody under 40 supports historic preservation and that is a false assumption. It's still listed as a state historical site so even if she does poo poo this renovation all she will be doing is putting the Dome back into limbo.

This new project will be well ventilated and more comfortable than you might think for a greater part of the year. And nothing about it prohibits future installation of AC.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Your assuming nobody under 40 supports historic preservation and that is a false assumption.

You're(*) assuming that everyone who supports the idea of historic preservation in general does so without regard to cost or feasibility.

I'm pushing that under/over 40 line myself. Old enough to have not only gone to three or four seasons' worth of Astros games, and old enough to work with people half my age who are full-grown adults who grew up here and never set foot in the Dome. But not old enough to remember a time when the teams that played sports in the Dome weren't threatening to move if a new stadium didn't get built because the Dome didn't meet their needs.

The "save the Dome" people aren't 40 and up. They're more like 50-55 and up. Old enough to have not thought about or cared about the Dome's future at the time it was clear that the world of major league sports was through with it.

The Dome has been unused and ignored for roughly half the lifespan of a 40-year-old, and for the balance it was obsolete and on its way out, while the "visionaries" took strike three looking when it came to preserving a useful life for what's supposed to be a landmark.

The plans were there in public view, you just didn't bother to look

Why would he bother to look? It's not like he got the chance to vote on it or something.

I can't simply chalk up Hidalgo's win to Beto. A decade ago, especially after Ike, Emmett was the most popular figure in local government. It's really, really hard to go from that to losing by 19,000 votes to a 27-year-old political outsider just because of some straight-ticket voters. What might make that happen? Defying the will of a majority of voters for the benefit of your pet project might make that happen.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by jfre81

You're(*) assuming that everyone who supports the idea of historic preservation in general does so without regard to cost or feasibility. .

The Dome is a big building you are not going to give it a chance of being "feasible" without a significant outlay of cash. Your argument is circular.

Originally Posted by jfre81

The Dome has been unused and ignored for roughly half the lifespan of a 40-year-old, and for the balance it was obsolete and on its way out, while the "visionaries" took strike three looking when it came to preserving a useful life for what's supposed to be a landmark..

Most buildings that are candidates for historic preservation have been outdated and obsolete for years, that's why we developed the concept of historic preservation. A building that has obvious "feasible" uses will be renovated by private companies without public funding. Most "public" buildings are money losers period, if they weren't, again the private sector would build them and we wouldn't have to vote on these bonds to build building like NRG, Minute Maid, ect..

Originally Posted by jfre81

Why would he bother to look? It's not like he got the chance to vote on it or something.

This is so uniformed of what our government is about. Most major decisions are made by our elected officials, not via referendum. If we aren't staying informed of what our CC, or City Council , State Legislator's or Congress is doing then how can we say we are casting an inform vote come election day ?

So Lina didn't know what was in there (Why should she) I voted for her because she is a hot progressive that's all I needed to know.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

The Dome is a big building you are not going to give it a chance of being "feasible" without a significant outlay of cash. Your argument is circular.

What's circular is Emmett's logic that lots of money needs to be spent on turning the Astrodome into something that will pay for itself. The more you spend, the harder that is.

The last time we talked about this, you were telling me how we needed that much column-free space for OTC. Which happens in May, when it starts getting from warm to hot, so whatever novel way Emmett thinks it's going to be climate-controlled better work.

Most buildings that are candidates for historic preservation have been outdated and obsolete for years, that's why we developed the concept of historic preservation.

None of them cover 9.5 acres of space inside a fenced-in complex in a city where land is a lot more valuable than it used to be. For the umpteenth time now - this is apples and oranges. Actually, this is more like apples and jackfruits.

This is so uniformed of what our government is about.

Who's in uniform?

Most major decisions are made by our elected officials, not via referendum. If we aren't staying informed of what our CC, or City Council , State Legislator's or Congress is doing then how can we say we are casting an inform vote come election day ?

Well, the voters had already cast an "inform" vote on the future of the Astrodome, and Emmett and the county commissioners disregarded it. Then the voters voted again, and Emmett lost.

So Lina didn't know what was in there (Why should she) I voted for her because she is a hot progressive that's all I needed to know.

She was campaigning on flood control and transparency in the county government. Turns out both can be used a lot more than the Astrodome.

[bu2]

Houston has tended to tear down all our history very quickly. The Dome is unique and important. Its ignorant to say otherwise.

Now whether its worth the money it takes to preserve it? Opinions can differ. But the commissioners worked hard to find a method to preserve and use it.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by bu2

Houston has tended to tear down all our history very quickly. The Dome is unique and important. Its ignorant to say otherwise.

The reason why this happens isn't completely because of a lack of sense of preservation. It's the lack of development that had lasting utility in the first place. Building lots of freeways, destroying neighborhoods and permanently altering traffic patterns doomed more structures than any deliberate decision of "hey, this was built more than 50 years ago, let's tear it down."

The Astrodome was built to make Houston a major league sports city in 1965, but it wasn't built to keep it a major league sports city in the century we now live in. We have serious infrastructure needs that don't involve the Astrodome or buildings at all.

But the commissioners worked hard to find a method to preserve and use it.

No, they didn't. If they thought that a non-climate controlled indoor space is going to generate rent year round, I want their weed man's number. HSLR might use it, but they've had no use for it for the last 15+ years, and don't really need it now.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by jfre81

What's circular is Emmett's logic that lots of money needs to be spent on turning the Astrodome into something that will pay for itself. The more you spend, the harder that is.

The last time we talked about this, you were telling me how we needed that much column-free space for OTC. Which happens in May, when it starts getting from warm to hot, so whatever novel way Emmett thinks it's going to be climate-controlled better work.

None of them cover 9.5 acres of space inside a fenced-in complex in a city where land is a lot more valuable than it used to be. For the umpteenth time now - this is apples and oranges. Actually, this is more like apples and jackfruits..

The new ground floor could be used by conferences like the Offshore Technology Conference, or for music festivals or other events. Officials from OTC wrote a letter earlier this month in support of the plan with the Houston Auto Show, Houston International Boat, Sport and Travel Show and the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market, a ballet fundraiser, among others.

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...me-9305121.php

Include The Texans and the Rodeo as supporters of this plan. But wait you and Lina know more about utility and feasibility than any of those people.

Originally Posted by jfre81

Well, the voters had already cast an "inform" vote on the future of the Astrodome, and Emmett and the county commissioners disregarded it. Then the voters voted again, and Emmett lost...

Originally Posted by jfre81

She was campaigning on flood control and transparency in the county government. Turns out both can be used a lot more than the Astrodome.

You mean "informed" vote. Elections are forward looking, like you said she campaigned on other issues and not the renovation of the Dome. During her campaign she articulated a position that the Dome issue was "settled "


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[jfre81]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

You mean "informed" vote.

Actually, you meant "informed" vote.