City of Grapevine screws taxpayers

The City of Grapevine officials should be awarded Hall of Shame recognition for going behind closed doors and hiring a former legislator and his lobby firm.

The City has been charged with violation of the Open Meetings Act and many taxpayers are angry not only at the tactics used to take the action, but that the City is using tax dollars to hire a lobbyist who has opposed taxpayer protections.

Fred Hill, hired by the City of Grapevine for $3,500 a month, was accused by an investigative reporter of forming his lobby firm and negotiating contracts before he told his constituents he would retire from his legislative seat. (See: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12343493/Fred-Hill-registration-for-Solutions-for-Local-Control-LLC and
http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/02/former-state-rep-fred-hill-now-lobbying-on-behalf-of-cities-counties/)

Taxpayer funded lobbying fuels the big-government growth machine. Most taxpayers are unaware that while they are working hard to earn a living, take care of their family, and pay their taxes, taxpayer-funded lobbyists are advocating higher taxes and more government spending.

The City of Grapevine has betrayed the taxpayers’ trust and flagrantly circumvented any opportunity for public scrutiny of their decision to use tax dollars to hire a city lobbyist.

But their action has not gone without criticism and challenge. The Grapevine City Council is being sued by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram because of secret discussions the council held before hiring the taxpayer-funded lobbyist Fred Hill. The council did so under the advice of none-other than that bastion of anti-taxpayer activities, the Texas Municipal League.

The Star-Telegram reported on the issue: "Grapevine creates 'office of city lobbyist' after suit on secret discussions"

Many taxpayers agree it is an affront to them for local governments to hire lobbyists, particularly if they are hired to oppose taxpayer protections.

Many Grapevine taxpayers are expressing outrage by the utter contempt the Grapevine City Council has shown their constituents.

First, it appears the Grapevine City Council doesn’t think the public should be included in discussions about or informed regarding the City’s decision to use tax dollars to hire a lobbyist, and second, they think paying a lobbyist with tax dollars to lobby AGAINST your best interests is a good idea.

AFP has been leading the fight against taxpayer-funded lobbying, and we want to send the Grapevine City Council a message that it's NOT okay to make decisions like this behind the backs of the taxpayers. It is even worse that they're paying a lobbyist using tax dollars, whose job will be to lobby against for higher taxes and fewer restrictions on city government.

We want to host a protest in front of Grapevine City Hall within the next couple of weeks, but we want to hear from you first -- Let's get creative! What is the best way to send the message that We the Taxpayers won't stand for this kind of activity?

Let me know by emailing me at cindy@afptx.org. Let's get organized and take action!

Americans for Prosperity has researched the growth in government spending and traced it back to antics like using tax dollars to hire lobbyists to increase earmarks and grow government. http://www.americansforprosperity.org/files/PolicyPaperTFL2008.pdf

Who are the members of the Grapevine City Council? Mike Lease, Place 3; Chris Coy, Place 5; Sharron Spencer, Place 2; Mayor William D. Tate; Roy Stewart, Place 6; Mayor Pro Tem C. Shane Wilbanks, Place 1, and Darlene Freed, Place 4.

Council members are elected at large for three-year terms.

Council meetings are held in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 200 South Main Street, on the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month at 7:30 pm.

The City has an official “suggestion box” where citizens can weigh in. Take advantage of it:

http://www.grapevinetexas.gov/Government/CityCouncilandBoards/CityCouncil/CityCouncilSuggestionBox.aspx

Stay tuned – we will keep the City of Grapevine and Fred Hill on our radar screen and in the blog.