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from Ms.BettyPolitic (11/30/9)
Many Residents in the Black community disliked me during the battle over 14-1
vs.10-4-1 and other plans floating around when the Court ruled that minorities
deserved more seats on the Dallas City Council. I said then and repeat today
that 14-1 would be bad for the city.
I was right, and I can prove it.
In 1968 or 69, my then husband, Maxie White, and I founded White's
Transportation
to provide bus service to TI and Collins Radio for all three shifts so people
could get to
work. Dallas Transit (as the city's bus service was called back in the day) did not go out to Forest
Lane or TI .
Julia Scott Reed, the first Black writer for The Dallas Morning News, wrote an article on
the good bus service we were providing and how it had helped women get and keep
their jobs. The same day the article was printed, my husband called saying some man from the City had
telephone our transportation office and
said we must stop the bus service by 3PM that day or risk a fine or jail because
a City of Dallas ordinance stated no private bus company could
operate with city limits until all bond debt owed by Dallas Transit was
paid in full.
You know me. There was no bus service to the jobs. We picked up our passengers and returned them to their homes
for all three
shifts. That made us unique, so I decided to fight the City of Dallas. I called
Councilman George
Allen, the first and only Black councilman at the time. Together, we generated about
$10 million dollars in news coverage. Both The Dallas Times Herald and
The Dallas Morning News gave us
front page coverage for five days straight. On council day, the chamber was full
with
people from North, South, East and West there to support us and the right to have
transportation to work. It was not about a minority bus company, it was keeping
people on the job and off public assistance.
WE WON THE FIGHT AND BECAME THE
FIRST PRIVATE BUS COMPANY TO BE LICENSED under the new ordinance. Now,
when I see private bus companies on the street, I know they don't have a
clue who helped them win that right.
There was no 14-1, it was just ONE George Allen. He knew how to get along
with his council colleagues. He and the other council members cared about the people.
I received a copy of a letter Councilwoman Vonciel Hill sent to Mayor Pro
Tem Dwaine Caraway and copied to Pastor Freddie Haynes.
Little history, Dwaine Caraway chairs the city council's Public Safety Committee.
There have been two
murders at a car wash on Ledbetter in District 5. Pastor Haynes and his Men in
Black under the Leadership of Corp. Allen went down some 200 strong with their
"Stop The Violence Campaign". They prayed, marched and tried to bridge the gap
between the young people. This group of volunteers wanted a place to meet and
Councilman Caraway tried to facilitate this meeting in a city owned building.
In her letter, Councilwoman Hill tells Caraway not to hold any
meeting in HER district. She tells Pastor Haynes he can meet at his Church or in
District 4. District 4 and 5 are separated by a street.
Mind you, we are talking about a public building paid for by taxpayers, all city
taxpayers. How can any council member make such a demand regarding a publicly owned building. To make matters
worse, Councilwoman Hill then ordered the City Manager in a memo copied to all department heads, "not to rent any building in District 5 to any group, person, organization without prior notice" to her,
Vonciel Hill. What is this?
District 5
has the highest crime rate in the City of Dallas, and this councilwoman wants to
stop
volunteers who are trying to help from having a meeting.
Councilwoman Hill is very angry with Mayor Pro Tem Caraway. She may have good reason to be, but
why punish the residents of District 5 to get back at Caraway?
I live in District 5. We need all the help we can get. Councilwoman Hill
must come to her senses and put the people
first. Councilwoman Hill is a minister. She cannot allow the Devil to
overtake her. The Chair of Public Safety is the Chair for all of Dallas.
If he leaves
District 5 out, what are we to do?
What gives any councilmember the right to
dictate who rents a public facility? This is what 14-1 has become.
Councilwoman
Hill had some strong community leaders supporting her, I am calling on Rev. Zan
Holmes to please speak with her, Demetris Sampson, please speak with her.
You also
live in District 5. I will pray and ask God to take this type of
anger from her heart.
We
only have 4 black people on the city council. If two of them are fighting each other,
it leaves two to take care of business. If the Southern Sector
representatives are not on the same page, nothing gets done.
District 5 has seen our former councilman found guilty. Now, our current
council member is all
involved in getting back at Caraway, while District 5 is going to
hell -- fast.
Betty Culbreath
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