02/08/2001

By / The Dallas Morning News

Good morning, taxpayers. In Washington, the political parties are arguing over our paychecks as if they had helped earn them.

Ah, America, the beautiful.

And in Dallas, some poor ol' City Council members would like to get a raise from $50 a meeting to, well, perhaps $50,000 annually or beyond. (Aside: From my experience covering city halls, planning commissions and school boards, 50 bucks isn't enough to make me sit through another one of those meetings. And, by the way, my fellow citizens, it isn't always the elected officials who are tedious, trying or wacky.)

Of course, nobody beats a person until they "volunteer" to run for City Council. Still, you have to wonder: If council members made $50,000-plus a year, what would happen in this town?

Would potholes on Marsalis Avenue in front of Bowie Elementary School be filled? (Aside: The road in front of that Oak Cliff school is so rough that you almost have to decide whether to watch for potholes or watch for kids. Do we want a city that makes safety a choice?)

If council members got a living wage, would those annoying lane closures throughout downtown be handled with less disruption? Would maps showing utility lines be a little more accurate for the sake of backhoe operators who run the risk of setting off an explosion or a flood every time they drop a shovel through the asphalt? Would there be more cops to throw more burglars into the slammer? Would the city build a decent animal shelter lickety-split rather than years after the money was OK'd in a bond election? Would the public library system have more support in the annual budget?

Would there be a sensible, citywide recycling program? (Aside: Gasp! Recycling in Dallas? I almost expect to see a bumper sticker that reads "You'll get my trash separated when they pry my cold, dead fingers off the beer can." Seriously, folks, even a $50 council ought to be able to see the need for recycling.)

At $50,000-plus per council member, would there be more vigorous and less costly attempts to keep cable and utility companies from reaching into our pockets? And would Dallas try to lure the Cowboys out of Irving's aging, patch-roofed Texas Stadium into a spanking, new domed Cotton Bowl at Fair Park?

Think about it: If council members made $50,000-plus a year, what should citizens expect? Feel free to respond. You may also respond to this question: "What should citizens expect if council members continue to make $50 a meeting?"

• DALLAS DOES! – Ah, some good news. It appears that Dallas Can! Academy teacher Bennie Perry and a dozen social studies students and chaperons will get that trip to Washington, D.C., after all. Last week we mentioned in this space that the kids had been working to get enough money for a no-frills trip to the capital. They had been able to raise only $1,300 toward their goal of $3,500.

Almost immediately there were two big responses, says Dallas Can! spokeswoman Kim Jenkins. She says WFAA-TV (Channel 8) sports anchor and Dallas Can! pitchman Dale Hansen donated $1,000 and Phillip Tonge, president of AT&T Consumer Services (Local Market), came through with $3,200.

So, the Dallas Can! kids will get to visit Washington and, perhaps, if they look fast enough, see tax dollars hard at work.

• REGARDING THE XFL – If you can't say anything nice. ... On the other hand (bear with me on this pronunciation gag), will the blowhard XFL call its title game the "Hyperbole?"

Larry Powell can be reached at 214-977-8487; P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265, fax 214-977-8319 or at .

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