Post by ConqueringWolf on Sept 30, 2004 15:55:44 GMT -5
Aided by a task force of 12 members of minority groups, the Dallas Cowboys and Arlington are close to announcing a "fair-share agreement" setting goals for the team to hire minority- and women-owned firms in construction and operation of a new stadium.
But the former president of the African-American Chamber of Commerce in Arlington, Rico Brown, contends that Mayor Robert Cluck dragged his feet on the issue.
And current president Robert Phanelson, while happy to be part of the task force and satisfied with the draft agreements, says a fair-share agreement must be in place before minorities can vote for increases in the sales tax and hotel and car rental taxes on Nov. 2 to finance half of the stadium's $650 million construction cost.
"We felt that getting the fair-share done was the most important thing," Mr. Phanelson said. "Once the matter at hand was taken care of, we intended to be much more active in campaigning.
"But I will tell you that the overriding sentiment from the beginning was that we wanted the Cowboys here."
Given Arlington's significant and growing minority population – about 40 percent in the 2000 census – nailing down the issue before the election carries political importance.
There also is political baggage on the issue in Arlington: The African-American Chamber was formed because there was no fair-share agreement for the construction and operation of Ameriquest Field.
Dr. Cluck said he has met three or four times with the fair-share task force, which includes members from minority chambers of commerce, the Dallas/Fort Worth Black Contractors Association, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the NAACP. The mayor said he presented the latest draft agreement to the City Council in a closed session Tuesday.
"The group that's been working on this, which represents all minorities, has been a fantastic group," he said Wednesday. "They've had great ideas. I would bet this is one of the better fair-share agreements."
But Mr. Brown is not part of that group. He said he resigned from Touchdown Arlington, the pro-stadium group, about five weeks ago, frustrated that Dr. Cluck had not committed to getting a fair-share agreement in place before the election. He said he had asked Dr. Cluck about the issue for a month before finally deciding to resign.
Mr. Brown was further disturbed to learn that the "minority hiring, contracting and vending" clause in the Cowboys-Arlington master agreement relied on the Cowboys adhering to language in a state statute that appears to apply only to Dallas County.
He renounced his support for the stadium project and formed, with former Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president John Ramon, the United Minority Coalition of Arlington to force the issue.
Mr. Phanelson declined to comment on what seems to have been his brief membership in the group, but all sides agree that the mayor, in early September, invited him and several others to become part of the city's task force. Mr. Ramon did not return calls for comment Wednesday.
Dr. Cluck said that nothing in state law prohibits other cities and counties from adopting the state statute in the current Cowboys-Arlington master agreement; it is just that had the Cowboys gone to Dallas, it would have been mandatory for them to abide by the statute there.
He also agrees with Mr. Brown that he called Mr. Brown a "bomb-thrower" and refused to let him join the task force. "Obviously, we don't need anybody from the opposition to develop a fair-share agreement to something they oppose," he said Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, Mr. Phanelson said his only concern is that the fair-share agreement supercede the clause in the Cowboys-Arlington master agreement. Dr. Cluck says it will. Cowboys team officials referred requests for comment to Dr. Cluck.
Neither would reveal details in the agreement, but Mr. Phanelson said, "I will say that the process has gone on in good faith, and that all parties have done the right thing in representing the minority community but more importantly all of Arlington. I would have to take my hat off to the city and to the Cowboys for very honorable and ethical dealings to date.
"But we still have some I's to dot and some T's to cross."
But the former president of the African-American Chamber of Commerce in Arlington, Rico Brown, contends that Mayor Robert Cluck dragged his feet on the issue.
And current president Robert Phanelson, while happy to be part of the task force and satisfied with the draft agreements, says a fair-share agreement must be in place before minorities can vote for increases in the sales tax and hotel and car rental taxes on Nov. 2 to finance half of the stadium's $650 million construction cost.
"We felt that getting the fair-share done was the most important thing," Mr. Phanelson said. "Once the matter at hand was taken care of, we intended to be much more active in campaigning.
"But I will tell you that the overriding sentiment from the beginning was that we wanted the Cowboys here."
Given Arlington's significant and growing minority population – about 40 percent in the 2000 census – nailing down the issue before the election carries political importance.
There also is political baggage on the issue in Arlington: The African-American Chamber was formed because there was no fair-share agreement for the construction and operation of Ameriquest Field.
Dr. Cluck said he has met three or four times with the fair-share task force, which includes members from minority chambers of commerce, the Dallas/Fort Worth Black Contractors Association, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the NAACP. The mayor said he presented the latest draft agreement to the City Council in a closed session Tuesday.
"The group that's been working on this, which represents all minorities, has been a fantastic group," he said Wednesday. "They've had great ideas. I would bet this is one of the better fair-share agreements."
But Mr. Brown is not part of that group. He said he resigned from Touchdown Arlington, the pro-stadium group, about five weeks ago, frustrated that Dr. Cluck had not committed to getting a fair-share agreement in place before the election. He said he had asked Dr. Cluck about the issue for a month before finally deciding to resign.
Mr. Brown was further disturbed to learn that the "minority hiring, contracting and vending" clause in the Cowboys-Arlington master agreement relied on the Cowboys adhering to language in a state statute that appears to apply only to Dallas County.
He renounced his support for the stadium project and formed, with former Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president John Ramon, the United Minority Coalition of Arlington to force the issue.
Mr. Phanelson declined to comment on what seems to have been his brief membership in the group, but all sides agree that the mayor, in early September, invited him and several others to become part of the city's task force. Mr. Ramon did not return calls for comment Wednesday.
Dr. Cluck said that nothing in state law prohibits other cities and counties from adopting the state statute in the current Cowboys-Arlington master agreement; it is just that had the Cowboys gone to Dallas, it would have been mandatory for them to abide by the statute there.
He also agrees with Mr. Brown that he called Mr. Brown a "bomb-thrower" and refused to let him join the task force. "Obviously, we don't need anybody from the opposition to develop a fair-share agreement to something they oppose," he said Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, Mr. Phanelson said his only concern is that the fair-share agreement supercede the clause in the Cowboys-Arlington master agreement. Dr. Cluck says it will. Cowboys team officials referred requests for comment to Dr. Cluck.
Neither would reveal details in the agreement, but Mr. Phanelson said, "I will say that the process has gone on in good faith, and that all parties have done the right thing in representing the minority community but more importantly all of Arlington. I would have to take my hat off to the city and to the Cowboys for very honorable and ethical dealings to date.
"But we still have some I's to dot and some T's to cross."
