Meet Charles Lingerfelt

You haven't heard much from the local media about it, but local businessman Charles Lingerfelt (left) is running against Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. Many don't give a white Republican much hope in this race, but that hasn't stopped him from traveling the district in a search for votes. To learn more about the man and his fight against the corrupt political machine, click right here to read my new article for Yahoo News.

The 2012 Top Ten Most Powerful People in Dallas

Note: This column was originally published on Yahoo News.

In 2011, our ranking of the 10 most powerful people in Dallas stirred much debate. It seems everyone who read the list disagreed over who was on it and how they ranked. Of course, that makes doing another a no-brainer.

For 2012, changes were made in the criteria that determined who made the list. Last year, individuals were ranked on their ability to influence the daily lives of Dallas citizens. While this is still a major criteria, one's influence on the national and international perception of Dallas is also included. That means several new additions to the list.

First, we must note those who fell out of the top 10 from last year. That includes last year's No. 2, Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. Just days after making the list, his home and office were raided by the FBI as part of a corruption investigation. It severely limited his influence, as his supporters ran for political cover.

Former Dallas Observer writer Robert Wilonsky also drops off the list. He is now the editor of DallasNews.com and not as vocal and controversial. Dallas County Republican Party chairman Wade Emmert also drops off, after a subdued year locally for the GOP.

Here is the list:

The Most Powerful People in Dallas

My latest column for Yahoo counts down the ten most powerful people in Dallas (you can read it right here). While I expected disagreement, I didn't expect it to blow up the way it did. It seems most folks are upset at my inclusion of John Wiley Price at #2 on the list. The reasoning by some readers, as best I can tell, goes something like this: JWP is a racist, I don't like him, so he shouldn't be on the list.

Should I make excuses for who I put on the list? Normally I wouldn't, but I think it is important to realize that not liking someone does not diminish the realities of county politics. Anyone who knows me and has read my past work knows I am not a personal fan of Price, but I cannot deny that the senior member of the county commissioner's court has a lot of sway in this community. My original column went into more detail on Price, specifically his shortcomings, and how that negatively affects us all. It was edited for length, but even so, I think my point was clear.

If folks want to have a problem with my choice of Price at #2, I say complain all you want. I also suggest you sit in on a few county commissioner meetings (held at the School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza). You will soon see why I have him on the list, and you'll probably agree with me. Either way, I think we can all agree that being one of the most powerful people in Dallas doesn't make you a good person. It is one of the reasons why Dallas has the problems it does. Our leaders define our community, good or bad.     

Dallas County Commissioners are at it again

You DO get the government you deserve. After Dallas voters effectively put John Wiley Price and several of his good friends (including former neighbor Elba Garcia) in charge of Dallas County, decorum and transparency have gone out the window. The latest shenanigan involves Commissioner Price submitting a plan for new district boundaries for their positions. That would be fine, had anyone actually known this was going to happen. Instead, Price submitted the plan and it was voted in by the Democratic majority in a matter of minutes. No one got to see the plan beforehand or comment on it.

The action would have hardly made news had not Commissioner Maurine Dickey pitched a fit about it. The new plan changes the boundaries of her district enough to include Democratic neighborhoods, which would likely give Democrats an additional seat during the next election. Commissioner Mike Cantrell, a Republican who has sided with Price on many occasions, saw few changes to his district, leaving him safe for re-election.

When the Dallas Morning News reported on the issue, they seemed more concerned about Dickey's outburst (she claimed she would gladly go to jail just to have her objections heard), than by Price's backroom maneuvers. Of course, they missed the point: Dickey is not running for re-election, so she has no personal stake in changes to her district boundaries. Why, then, would she protest so much? Perhaps it is because Dickey is arguing about something much greater than personal political survival. She is holding her fellow commissioners to account. She wants their motives to see the light of day, and she wants us to take notice.

Price's changes, had he submitted them to the public and media in advance, would almost certainly have passed anyway. So why didn't he do that? Why not be more forthcoming? The answer is simple: Price is trying to avoid the citizen uprising that occurred when he railroaded Bruce Sherbet out as head of the elections department. He knows with his short temper, he is likely to have another "white people can go to hell" moment. Why stir up all that trouble when your fellow commissioners will help sneak changes in?

Commissioner Elba Garcia promised transparency at the Commissioner's Court when she took office. Now, the only things transparent are their lies: we all see through them.   

Dallas politics have become embarrassing

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price has made headlines again, but his antics are now getting national attention, as the rest of America is wondering how a major metropolitan city can have a racist loon holding a major political office. In case you missed it, Price told a group of people speaking at a recent commissioners meeting that since they were all white they could "all go to hell."

Local citizens are upset that Price railroaded the current county elections administrator (Bruce Sherbet) out of office for no real reason other than the fact that he refused to play along with Price's political games. There have been multiple charges over the years of voter fraud in south Dallas, mostly against Democrats loyal or in league with Price. Sherbet was well liked by Republicans and Democrats alike, and his departure is a blow to fair and honest elections in Dallas County.

Finally, it looks like our local media and political leaders are holding Price's feet to the fire. Citizens are planning to attend all future meetings to voice their displeasure with Price, and even his biggest supporters are falling silent. Unfortunately, Price remains popular among voters in the area of south Dallas he represents. Whether or not they will decide to make a positive change remains to be seen.

Of course, the Morning News had plenty of chances to call Price out for his actions before, but during the 2010 elections, they actively criticized County Commissioner Ken Mayfield, the only other commissioner to stand up to Price, for being too uncivil. They blamed him, not Price, for the constant fighting on the commissioner's court, and endorsed his opponent, Elba Garcia. Mayfield was voted out, and Garcia is now falling in line behind Price, not criticizing anything he has to say. Had the Morning News, the rest of the local media, and the voters held Price to a higher standard, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.