Highland Park Village's Future

What Does Future Hold For HP Village?

Highland Park Village managing partner Ray Washburne displays a town flag with former Mayor Bill Seay and former Mayor Pro Tem Gail Madden. The shopping center and the town have hired a planner to chart its future development. (File photo: Christina Barany)

There are more questions than answers about the future of Highland Park Village, especially in the wake of last week’s announcement that Tom Thumb will leave the shopping center within the next year.
Alex Krieger is a man trying to find the truth amid a slew of public rumors that have led to some animosity between ownership group HP Village Partners and adjacent residents over traffic, neighborhood integrity, and other issues related to the iconic shopping center.
Krieger is a Boston-based urban planning specialist who was in town on Monday to meet with the Highland Park Town Council and also with homeowners to solicit input about HPV from both sides. Because while it’s clear that something must be done, exactly what isn’t clear.
“There’s no such thing” as a secret “master plan” about the Village’s future development that has caused speculation, Krieger said. “There’s no specific agenda that we’ve heard.”

Krieger, who was hired jointly by the Village and the town, has met with several interested parties regarding future development in recent weeks, and he plans to hold several more meetings, including some for the general public, through the spring. Regarding the impending closure of Tom Thumb, he said the Village’s owners weren’t a factor.
“This is the decision of the grocery,” he said. “It was not the intention of the Village.”
Krieger said Tom Thumb officials reached an agreement with the Village several years ago to prevent a competitor from opening in the same location after the store closes. A grocery store could move into another Village location, but space is very limited.
“There’s no possibility for an immediate replacement, at least on that site,” Krieger said. “I imagine this will cause some skepticism among neighbors who are concerned about the loss of a supermarket.”
Another issue to be addressed is parking, Krieger said. He said the Village has always had only surface parking, but he said one option to alleviate congestion would be constructing an underground parking facility where Tom Thumb currently stands, then rebuilding a structure on top of it. He admits, however, that most options to add parking would be costly and disruptive to merchants.
“It seems like it would be a good thing to add parking, but it’s hard to know where to do that,” Krieger said. “The Village faces a bit of a dilemma. There’s no easy solution.”
Krieger said evolving retail dynamics, which have turned the Village into a hub for high-end specialty shops and boutiques in recent years, have caused the shopping center to transform several times during its eight decades. Village officials said public input is valuable as they develop a plan for the future, so it can be a source of pride for the community.
“I believe they are listening sincerely,” Mayor Joel Williams said. “I think a plan can be developed that can be well supported by the residents of Highland Park.”

Read more: What Does Future Hold For HP Village? « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/02/25/what-does-the-future-hold-for-highland-park-village/#ixzz2uMDCBfmH

Claire Underwood is From Highland Park

Robin Wright plays Claire Underwood on “House of Cards.” (Photo: Netflix)

At least two reporters who are further along than I am in Season 2 of Netflix’s House of Cards have reported that Claire Underwood, the female lead played by Robin Wright, hails from Highland Park.

Read more: Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/#ixzz2tuN56MM6

Prom Committee Seeks Underwriters

Jillian Owens, Carling Crawford, Allie Beth Cowan, and Grace Rury (Photo: Lindsay Thomas)

The Highland Park High School Prom Underwriting Committee recently met to kick off the underwriting campaign. More than 1,000 letters were assembled and mailed to all juniors and seniors. All funds raised will help with the prom, which is scheduled for April 12 and will hopefully go nothing like this. Underwriting co-chairs are Allie Beth Cowan, Ben Petty, Nick Ragland, and Grace Rury.

Read more: Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/#ixzz2tuMyIJ7V

SMU Basketball Ticket Craze

SMU Basketball Tickets Going Like Hotcakes

Photo: Lynda Piepgras

The hottest tickets in town these days are those for SMU men’s basketball. Whitney Babin and Jacqui Jacoby got in line at 2:30 this morning along with more than 100 other students, and they were able to secure seats for the March 5 game against Louisville, which will be the Mustangs’ last home game of the season. The next game at Moody Coliseum for SMU (20-6) will be Wednesday evening against Houston (12-13).

Read more: Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/#ixzz2thYUu9Fk

3722 Wycliff Avenue Dallas, TX

$395,000 | 3 Bedrooms | 3.1 Baths | 2 Car Garage
Matt Watson
MLS #12087272
Quality and style abound in this three-story brick and stone 2428 sqft townhome built by Minkoff Custom Homes. Updated in 2007 with high-end finish outs. 3 beds, 3.5 baths, separate dining room, crown molding, stainless steel appliances, granite and marble counters, stone gas fireplace, hardwood floors, jetted tub, two balconies, private back patio. Soaring Windows & majestic stairwell flood this home with natural light. No HOA dues. Must See!

Visit our Website to see more about this listing! 

Highland Park High School is Expanding

High School Principal: We Need More Land

Highland Park High School principal Walter Kelly navigates a crowd after a buzzer-beating win in the 2012 girls basketball playoffs. These days, Kelly is dealing with much bigger crowds. (Photo: Chris McGathey)

If you own land near Highland Park High School, Walter Kelly would love to take it off your hands.
Kelly, the HPHS principal, and Johnny Ringo, the Highland Park ISD athletic director, talked to the Board of Trustees last night about the problems they face at the high school due to the growing student population. For example, to fully satisfy the requests they have for parking from current students and faculty, they’d need 300 additional spaces right now. And that doesn’t take into account the additional growth that is expected.
Kelly and Ringo presented a list of options and a list of requests to the trustees, and both lists included buying land near the high school.
“It’s the most ideal [option] from my standpoint,” Kelly said. “But it’s the least ideal from a political standpoint, and probably from a financial one.”

Read more: Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/#ixzz2tEB7ZTbt

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Klyde Warren Park

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Klyde Warren Park

What:              Valentine’s Day in the Park: Klyde Warren Park will host its annual Valentine’s Day event with music, dancing, sweet treats and champagne on Friday, Feb. 14 from 6:30–10 p.m. Bring your dancing shoes, and come enjoy a love-filled evening with us!

Plans include:

§  7–9:30 p.m.: Mad Men Swing Band Performance

§  During this time, the Muse Family Performance Pavilion will be turned into a dance floor.

§  A dessert station will feature sweet treats from Savor, Klyde Warren Park’s restaurant. Beer, wine and champagne will also be available for purchase throughout the evening.

Stay for dinner and dine at Savor, or enjoy quick fare from Relish. Food will also be available for purchase at the many food trucks in the park.

Please visit www.KlydeWarrenPark.org for the most up-to-date information before heading out to the park.

Who:               Free and Open to the Public

When:             Friday, Feb. 14 from 6:30–10 p.m.

Where:            Klyde Warren Park

About Klyde Warren Park

Klyde Warren Park serves as a central gathering space for Dallas and its visitors to enjoy in the heart of the city. The 5.2-acre deck park, designed by the Office of James Burnett, creates an urban green space over the existing Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul Streets in Downtown Dallas. The park features free daily programs and activities, and includes a performance pavilion, restaurant, dog park, children's park, great lawn, shaded walking paths, water features, and an area for reading and games. Klyde Warren Park is privately operated and managed by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information on volunteering or donations, please visit www.KlydeWarrenPark.org or call 214-716-4500.

Beautiful Home in Upown Dallas

The Montane - 2848 Woodside, Unit 505, Dallas, TX 75204

Spacious, private home in the urban mix that is State-Thomas. Private elevator delivers you home. Gourmet kitchen is well-equipped with gas cooking, double ovens, stainless appliances & wine storage. Generously sized rooms flow for great entertaining. Fabulous downtown views from game room & bar. Oversized master bedroom has adjoining media~sitting room. Library is the ideal executive office with built-ins. Split bedrooms for added privacy. 

Call Weichert-Realtors Integrity at 214-584-6100 for more information on the property.

Lower Rates and Higher Home Prices Ahead

A weaker-than-expected December employment report sent interest rates lower, resulting in more home loan applications in early January.

Taking advantage of lower rates, homebuyers' applications increased by 12 percent, and current homeowners also completed 11 percent more refinance applications, both figures up from the prior season, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Home Prices Are Up, But Home Sales Are Down

In late January, data from the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property prices was released and showed a 13.7 percent year-over-year increase from November 2012 to November 2013 in home prices across 20 major cities.

Rising home prices, low mortgage rates and homebuyer demand are expected to drive the U.S. economy's gradual recovery this year. U.S. home builders' confidence stayed buoyant in January, according to the National Association of Home Builder's monthly sentiment index, which ended at 56, with fifty being the difference between positive and negative.

While prices are up in many places, sales of new U.S. homes dropped more than December's forecast, and cold weather across much of the nation was blamed for the poor homebuyer turnout.

New home purchases in December decreased 7 percent to a 414,000 annualized pace, lower than any estimates of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, Commerce Department figures showed. For all of 2013, demand jumped 16.4 percent from 2012 to 428,000 new homes sold.

For existing homes in the market, the National Association of Realtors reported that sales of previously owned homes climbed 1 percent in December, following a 4.3 percent drop in November. Overall, the housing industry ended 2013 on a high note, having its best year since 2008.

Industry Focuses on First-Timers 

The mortgage market remains tight, which could have a negative impact on new homes being purchased by first-time homeowners. First-timers, historically a major revenue stream for homebuilders, are still in need of home loans requiring little down payment. Thankfully, some great options, including FHA, still remain.

Prospective buyers should also be aware that U.S. central bankers began tapering Bond-buying stimulus efforts early this year. In late January the Fed announced it would continue tapering, with an end to the program forecast no later than December, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists. The timing of additional tapering could have a big impact on home loan rates this year and this is an important story to monitor.

All things considered, home loan rates remain attractive compared to historical rates. 

Closing arguments expected today in school finance lawsuit

Closing arguments are expected to be heard today in the lawsuit in which nearly two-thirds of Texas school districts, including HPISD, challenged the constitutionality of the state's school finance system.  The suit was filed in December of 2011, and the February 2013 decision found that the state is not fulfilling its constitutional duty to fund its public education. State District Judge John Dietz also said funds are being distributed unfairly, with lower-wealth districts at a disadvantage. The final ruling was withheld, however, pending the Legislature's 2013 regular session. The Legislature cut funding for public education by $5.4 billion in 2011. In 2013, the Legislature put $3.4 billion back into public education, and lawmakers approved changes to charter school policy, high school curriculum and graduation and testing requirements, all of which were covered in testimony during the original trial. After a June hearing on the matter, Dietz decided to reopen evidence in the case, which is expected to make its way to the Texas Supreme Court. We will keep you informed about the lawsuit's impact on HPISD. Click HERE to read Superintendent Dr. Dawson Orr's column on the February court decision.

HPHS wrestlers take regional title, head to state

The HPHS wrestling team captured the Region 3-4A team wrestling title Feb. 1 at the Berry Center in Cypress. Stephen Dieb, 145-pound champion, was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler. The following Scot wrestlers earned regional medals and qualified for the state tournament:  Matt Kroencke place fifth at 126 pounds Keegan Martin placed first at 132 pounds Stephen Dieb placed first at 145 pounds Jackson Stafford placed first at 152 pounds Connor Creek placed second at 160 pounds Christian Lorenzoni placed third at 182 pounds Michael Thornton placed first at 195 pounds Two wrestlers will be state alternates: Callan Murphy placed fifth at 138 pounds Grant Lake placed fifth at 170 pounds The state tournament will be held Feb. 14-15 at the Cullwell Events Center in Garland. Click HERE for more information.

HPHS seniors sign NCAA letters of intent for multiple sports

10 HPHS seniors were joined by more than 500 family members, friends and well wishers as they signed letters of intent to play college sports on National Signing Day Feb. 5, in the HPHS cafeteria.  The high school athletes signed to the following universities: Jordan Bethea, Trinity University, soccer Andrew Clyde, University of Richmond, football Dawson French, Trinity University, soccer Hunter Holman, Texas Tech University, tennis DK Manley, Southern Methodist University, soccer Rachel O'Neal, Missouri University of Science and Technology, soccer Natalie Rathjen, Princeton University, cross country/track Tony Richards, Southern Methodist University, football Sara Summers, Texas Tech University, soccer Abby Tisdale, Trinity University, soccer After the students signed their letters, their siblings, parents, grandparents and friends joined them on stage to take photographs and then enjoyed collegiate-themed baked good provided by the signers' parents. There were lots of hugs, smiles and heartfelt congratulations throughout the celebration.  "I'm so incredibly proud of these student athletes," HPISD Director of Athletics Johnny Ringo said. "As they sign their letters of intent to further their academic and athletic pursuits, it truly shows the hard work and determination these students and their families have put forth."

HPISD 2014 Football Schedule Set & District Realignment

Today is Realignment Day, and the University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced that Highland Park High School will move to District 10-6A.  

Beginning next school year, HPHS will compete with the following schools in basketball and football, along with many of our other sports and extracurricular competitions.

• Mesquite 
• Mesquite Horn
• North Mesquite 
• Richardson 
• Richardson Berkner 
• Richardson Lake Highlands
• Richardson Pearce

Every two years, the UIL uses student enrollment figures to determine school districts' classifications (1A -6A), then realigns districts to balance the number of teams and to minimize travel. Click HERE to view the entire 6A alignment. 

The 2014 Scot football schedule will be:

• Aug. 30 - Frisco Centennial @ Allen (Tom Landry Classic)
• Sept. 5 - Pulaski Academy (Home)
• Sept. 12 - Prosper (Home)
• Sept. 19 - open
• Sept. 26 - North Mesquite (Away)
• Oct. 3 - Pearce (Home)
• Oct. 10 - Mesquite Horn (Away)
• Oct. 17 - Lake Highlands (Home)
• Oct. 24 - Mesquite (Away)
• Oct. 31 - Berkner (Away)
• Nov. 7 - Richardson (Home)  

When the Athletic Department has set the remaining sports schedules, they will be posted HERE. 

Go Scots! 

New District Could be Favorable 

Brooks Burgin and the rest of the Scots will meet the Mesquite and Richardson schools next year in District 10-6A play.

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — It probably could have been better, and it certainly could have been worse. But at least Highland Park’s first foray into the state’s new 6A classification won’t take the Scots far from home.
The biennial UIL realignment on Monday put HP in District 10-6A for the next two school years along with Mesquite, Mesquite Horn, North Mesquite, Richardson, Richardson Berkner, Richardson Pearce, and Lake Highlands.
In football, only two of those seven opponents (Horn and North Mesquite) finished with a winning record last season, and just one (Horn) won a playoff game.
The district alignment seems favorable for the Scots on the surface. They won’t have to face teams such as Skyline, Jesuit, or those in Garland ISD. Plus, for those already looking ahead to the postseason, powerhouses Allen, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, and Denton Guyer all wound up in Region I, while HP is in Region II.

“I feel good about the people we’re in a district with,” said HP head coach Randy Allen. “The competition is going to be tougher week in and week out when you move up a classification.”
HPISD was elevated to 6A in December after turning in an unofficial snapshot figure of 2,106 students, which is six students above the 6A cutoff line of 2,100. That will make HP one of the smallest 6A schools in the state for the next two years.
It will be the first time HP has moved up in classification since taking a drop from 5A to 4A in the late 1980s. The school has been one of the largest 4A schools in the state for much of the past 25 years.
The new district should help to ease concerns about enrollment disparity for the Scots, who are generally grouped with smaller 6A schools. Only one of their new rivals (Mesquite) has more than 2,650 students.
“Based on the options of where we could have gone in terms of travel, I think it makes sense,” said HP athletic director Johnny Ringo. “For us, I think it’s the best of all worlds for all of our sports. There may be a little bit of a transition period, but I think we’ll be able to hit the ground running.”
Allen said that from a football perspective, learning the new district foes won’t dramatically impact the offseason routine for HP.
“We can focus on who we’re going to be playing. The toughest thing is not knowing who your competition is going to be,” Allen said. “It will help us settle down a little bit.”
Also on Monday, the Scots finalized their 2014 football schedule, which starts with Frisco Centennial (in the Tom Landry Classic at Allen) and includes nondistrict home games against Pulaski Academy of Little Rock, Ark., and Prosper.
Following a bye week, the 10-6A slate will feature three home games (Pearce, Lake Highlands, Richardson) and four road games (North Mesquite, Horn, Mesquite, Berkner). That means three trips to Mesquite next season, and none the following year, when the home and road games are reversed.
As for the nondistrict portion of the schedule, the Pulaski will visit HP in consecutive years, and the return game with Prosper will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in 2015.
The new district alignment also impacts other sports such as basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, golf, and track and field.
The new district does not apply to tennis, soccer, swimming, and wrestling, each of which is reclassified separately by the UIL because of the smaller number of participating schools. However, HP will still be 6A in those sports.

Read more: New District Could Be Favorable For Scots « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/02/03/new-district-could-be-favorable-for-scots/#ixzz2sIsa9U9x

Scots Schedule Team That Refuses to Punt

Highland Park ISD just released the Scots football team’s 2014 schedule, and it includes a home date with Pulaski Academy of Little Rock, Ark. This is the team that has received national press because its coach refuses to punt.

Date	Opponent
Aug.30	vs. Frisco Centennial (at Allen)
Sept. 5	PULASKI ACADEMY
Sept. 12	PROSPER
Sept. 26	at North Mesquite
Oct. 3	RICHARDSON PEARCE
Oct. 10	at Mesquite Horn
Oct. 17	LAKE HIGHLANDS
Oct. 24	at Mesquite
Oct. 31	at Richardson Berkner
Nov. 7	RICHARDSON

Not only do the Bruins never punt, they also try an onside kick on every kickoff.
I know where I’ll be on Sept. 5.

Read more: Scots Schedule Team That Refuses to Punt « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/02/03/scots-schedule-team-that-refuses-to-punt/#ixzz2sJ4j4Z11

Highland Park Village Will Go to the Dogs

You lucky dog.

Our friends at Highland Park Village will focus on man’s best friend on Saturday. That’s when the shopping center will host Found Dog Day for the second consecutive year. Plenty of pooches will be available for adoption. The really lucky ones will end up with owners like the one seen here.

Read more: Highland Park Village Will Go to the Dogs « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/01/31/highland-park-village-will-go-to-the-dogs/#ixzz2sJ4R3nby

Pat Green Put on Show for Chart Westcott

Country singer Pat Green performed for Texas House District 108 candidate Chart Westcott and his supporters last night at The Rustic, the Uptown restaurant of which Green is a co-owner. Green even brought Westcott up on stage and let him sing a few lines of “Wave on Wave.”

Fun fact: When Green released his first album, Dancehall Dreamer, Westcott was 10 years old.

Read more: Pat Green Put on Show For Chart Westcott « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/01/31/pat-green-put-on-show-for-westcott/#ixzz2sIy2UHHT

New York Sub Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Hanging above this New York Sub booth is the restaurant’s original schematic, which Ken Harkness drew on graph paper in advance of the eatery’s debut on Feb. 1, 1974. (Photo: Monica Lake)

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the February edition of Park Cities People.

Forty years in Dallas have done nothing to soften Ken Harkness’ accent, which was shaped by a childhood on Long Island and in New Jersey. Those East Coast locales are also where he acquired his hunger for hoagies.

So in 1973, while visiting his sister and brother-in-law in Big D, Harkness sought out a succulent sandwich. But things were much different back then. There wasn’t a Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s, or Quiznos on every corner.

“I went out to the only sub shop in Dallas at the time, and it was, uh, it was pretty horrific,” he said with a laugh. “It was like going back east and trying to get good barbecue 40 years ago or good Mexican food.”

That awful meal gave him a great idea. Harkness had recently earned an MBA from Rutgers, but he didn’t relish the idea of becoming an accountant. What if he went into business for himself?

He negotiated a year’s lease for an Asbury Street space near SMU that previously housed a clothing store called Union Jack. But his landlord didn’t know jack about subs, so Harkness made him one at his sister’s house. It took one bite to seal the deal.

“He said, ‘I think this’ll go,’” Harkness recalled. “It had a unique taste. Nobody was used to the separate oil and wine vinegar.”

New York Subway opened its doors on Feb. 1, 1974. (The name would be shortened 19 years later after a legal battle with the national Subway chain.) He opened a second location downtown in August 1974, followed by a third in Denton the following April. By July 1976, he owned the building on Asbury.

University Park attorney Jeff Piepgras worked at the original location in the early ’80s as an SMU student.

“Back in the day, that was the only game in town,” said Piepgras, who still eats there twice a week. “Now, that whole strip center, from 7-Eleven all the way up to Chick-fil-A, you have a lot of options. But you used to hate working lunch, because they’d be lining up out the door to get sandwiches. It was like that probably from 10:30 to 1:30, just a constant line of people.”

The most New York Sub shops Harkness ever had open at one time was eight. But he’s back down to just his original site these days. Expansion brought too many headaches.

Denton: Burned by thefts he was sure were “an inside job,” Harkness fired 18 employees en masse. He hired back only those who passed a lie-detector test.

College Station: When he demanded that a franchisee catch up on a year’s worth of late payments, the man grabbed him around the throat.

Norman, Okla.: Harkness granted a franchise to a couple who subsequently had marital problems. “It got to ‘whoever gets to the cash register first,’” he said.

Looking back with 20/20 hindsight, Harkness admits to micromanaging the other eateries because he cares so much about the brand.

“I wanted every one of them to be the same as this store,” he said from the corner booth he often uses as an office. “So if you closed your eyes and you took a bite out of a sandwich, you couldn’t tell which New York Sub you were in. And you can’t do it; you can’t. Nobody’s going to care about your business like you do. This is my baby.”

And now that baby is about to turn 40.

“I’m actually flabbergasted that I’ve lasted this long. If I had known that … you see this logo right here?” he asked, pointing to his New York Sub shirt. “I would have got this tattooed on my arm 40 years ago. But if I had done that, I probably would have been out of business in a year.”

A MENU OF STABILITY

We asked the foodies who read D Magazine‘s SideDish blog to help us figure out how many other Dallas restaurants have had one owner at the same location for at least 40 years. Here’s some of what we found out:

• Karl Kuby has owned Kuby’s Sausage House at 6601 Snider Plaza since 1961.
• Ed Lowe has owned Celebration Restaurant at 4503 W. Lovers Lane since 1971.
• The Dickey family – starting with Travis, followed by sons Roland and Travis Jr., and grandson Roland Jr. – has owned Dickey’s Barbecue Pit at 4610 N. Central Expressway since 1941.
• Four generations of the Campisi family have sold pizza at the former “Egyptian Lounge” at 5610 E. Mockingbird Lane since 1950.

Read more: New York Sub Celebrates 40th Anniversary « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/01/30/new-york-sub-celebrates-40th-anniversary/#ixzz2sIwAb8Yr

GOP Hopefuls Try to Differentiate Themselves

Court Alley, Morgan Meyer, and Chart Westcott mingle with members of the Park Cities Republican Women and their guests before Tuesday’s forum at the Museum of Biblical Art. (Photos: Kate Simone)

Republican voters in Texas House District 108 will have a hard time choosing a nominee based on policies. When asked to detail their views at a forum Tuesday night, candidates Court Alley, Morgan Meyer, and Chart Westcott repeatedly used the words “agree” and “echo.” Meyer even uttered the word “ditto” once.

“We’re certainly going to agree with each other, because we’re three Republicans sitting up here,” Westcott said during the event hosted by the Park Cities Republican Women club.

Because the candidates have so much in common politically, each tried to highlight what separates them personally. For example, Meyer twice said he’s “the only one who has skin in the game” regarding education. His two daughters attend Hyer Elementary School in University Park; Alley’s only child is still a toddler, and Westcott has no kids.

During the same discussion of education, Alley mentioned his status as a small-business owner when promoting merit pay for teachers: “If I paid my guys based on how long they sit in a room, I’d go out of business.” Alley owns Caruth Marketing, a firm he operates largely from his Devonshire house.

Westcott, who spoke last on the education topic, was the only candidate to bring up the “Robin Hood” financing system by name. “I’ll fight hard to get every dime I can from the state of Texas back into the Highland Park Independent School District,” he promised, only moments after the M Streets resident said, “I don’t live in the Park Cities. I know better than that. I can’t afford those taxes.”

People familiar with Westcott and his family may find such a statement curious. His last two campaign-finance reports have detailed $100,000 worth of contributions from his parents, Carl and Jimmy Westcott of Highland Park. Chart Westcott is a partner and general counsel of Commodore Partners, a private equity company that is a subsidiary of the family’s investment firm, Westcott LLC.

Westcott mentioned his father during his opening statement. He said Carl became a success despite a ninth-grade education, and Chart is running because “liberals are attacking the American dream.”

But Alley and Meyer both mentioned in their opening statements that they personally had to perform manual labor and take part-time jobs to put themselves through school. When discussing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants — something all three candidates oppose — Alley said, “That’s not fair to, frankly, people like me who had to pay our own way through college.”

Meyer tried to provide further contrast between himself and his rivals by citing his 15 years of experience as a commercial litigator for the Bracewell & Giuliani firm. “What I do currently is what I would do in Austin,” he said. “I am the only candidate who would not need on-the-job training.”

Westcott, who holds a law degree from SMU, made a similar claim after citing his service on the Texas Real Estate Commission and his experience lobbying for legislation such as Alicia’s Law, which targets sexual predators and child pornographers. “I’m the only candidate who has already done what this job requires, which is getting things done in Austin on behalf of Texans and the voters of District 108,” Westcott said.

The only distinct, but slight, difference in the candidates’ policies was on the subject of same-sex marriage. All three cited the voter-approved constitutional amendment in 2005 that said marriage in Texas could only be between one man and one woman.

“When the people of Texas have spoken, it’s our job to protect that vision,” said Meyer, who spoke first on that topic. But he also added that “government needs to stay out of it. I’m all about less government, and less intrusion into our personal lives.” The other two candidates did not go that far.

At least one member of the Park Cities Republican Women believes the GOP voters of District 108 can’t lose on March 4, no matter which candidate wins the primary.

“They need to run for different offices, because they’re all so good,” Mindy Stenger said after Tuesday’s forum. “Their talents are being wasted. We need all of them representing us in Austin.”

Read more: GOP Hopefuls Try to Differentiate Themselves « Park Cities People http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/01/29/gop-hopefuls-try-to-differentiate-themselves/#ixzz2sIvSPFc2