Conflict of Interest: Intertubin & City Center Projects

[dallashorn]

I may be reading into this a little too much but if you read the article about the Intertubin grocery announcement, the only councilmember that was currently against it was Rasansky. While I agree with his point that the selected grocer is not strong financially, I recently found out an interesting tidbit about the City Center project. Apparently most of the land has been tied up (this is the 350,000 sf project that was just announced with a 72K Kroger), however, the owner of the Dallas Can Academy building has held out. So, who do you think the owner is? You guessed it, Rasansky. Should he be involved in possibly blocking funding for a downtown proper grocer when he has become a key part to an opposing development. Just interested what others think.

[Columbus Civil]

Hmmm, interesting!

http://www.dallascad.org/AcctDetailCom.aspx?ID=00000106054000000

[JBB]

Someone involved in Dallas city government might be doing something ethically shady? Get out of town! No way, Jose! Say it ain't so!

[gc]

Isn't he a major landowner in the Industrial district as well?

I think I remember some questionable stuff over there as well.

[dallastophoenix]

i had no idea, dallashorn... i just forwarded that info. to Tim Rogers at D Magazine...

[Haretip]

I've been doing a lot of research and surveying in this neighborhood lately, and I think he has or had ties to several other parcels through his wife or in-laws or something, cause i have seen his name as trustee or as a percentage owner for other parcels.

[TexasStar]

Good catch, dallashorn!
Let's get an investigative reporter on this ASAP!

[barrycb]

Ain't that a bi**h?

[aceplace]

Folks,

I happen to live in Rasansky's district.

I'll leave it up to the group. Should I e-mail him with a question about the conflict and publish his reply here...

Or should I not?

What do you all think?

[dallastophoenix]

I think it's a good idea, aceplace. i'm curious 1) if he'll respond, and 2) how he might explain himself.

[MustangMonkey]

I don't see a conflict of interest, since the larger grocery will be built regardless of whether the interurban is built or not.

If one is somehow dependent upon the other, there may be a conflict.

[JaeTex]

I see the potential for the conflict, but I also am happy to see a city council member with a vested interest in the vitality and health of the central city. It's like he has stock options that only pay off if he makes the city better.

Maybe we should pursue that idea further, tie council members' pay to some index of property values in their district and downtown.

I know conflicts are a VERY serious issue and I view any corruption as a tax upon us honest folks, but this isn't as clear cut as the sheriff taking kickbacks.

[gc]

Yes.

[tamtagon]

Rather than connecting elected official payment to an index of property value, I would offer that a standard of living index would be more appropriate, despite the bueracrtic purgatory surrounding data collection. Many corporations link non-base salary financial compensation to customer satisfaction movement. Maybe the potential for internal corruption would be inhabitive; power is addictive.