The toughest campaign decision I've had to make...

...was whether to endorse either runoff candidate. As you active blog readers know, I felt personally attacked by both candidates (Joel with the URL fiasco, and Juan with the false claims on his "Trinity Trees" mailer). So, the bad taste left in my mouth by both these campaigns left me, on a personal level, with a bad taste in my mouth.

However, in these final days before the runoff election, I'm reminded that this campaign isn't about me and my personal feelings; it's about improving District 9, and I think my supporters deserve to hear from me about who I think will do the best job.

I've had a chance to meet with both candidates to discuss their plans for the city, and their positions on what I consider to be the most important issues facing us today. I've also taken into consideration the manner in which their campaigns have been run, as I believe now more than ever, Fort Worth needs positive leadership. Since the URL dust-up, Joel has changed the tone of his campaign. He has stayed positive and started talking about real issues. Juan's campaign has continued with negative tactics.

So, dear friends, I'm announcing today that I will cast my vote for Joel Burns on December 18.

Again, this was not an easy decision; both candidates have actively sought my support, and both have their merits. However, I feel that Joel will be a more effective leader at city hall. It's also important to note that Juan already has an elected position with the Fort Worth ISD, a district that still very much needs his progressive leadership.

I can tell you that I would not have endorsed Joel Burns if he had not given me good answers about his position on urban gas drilling. This is the most pressing issue facing our district, and we need someone in office who can advocate changes to the current system.

Admittedly, Joel took the issue up late, but his position is strong; Joel has a very practical plan to not only protect our citizens from the dangers of gas drilling, but also to place more power in choosing drilling sites in the hands of the citizens, rather than the drilling companies themselves. Joel also has good proposals about pipeline safety, and about the handling of the tremendous amount of wastewater that gas wells are producing.

The second most pressing issue we face is the transportation crunch. As you all know, I'm a proponent of light rail, and Joel Burns is the only one of the two remaining candidates who truly understands the need for more rail transit, and for more sustainable urban planning in general.

Joel and I still have some minor disagreements on less pressing issues, like tax abatements for wealthy developers and huge corporations. However, I feel that of our remaining two choices, he is the best guy for the job.

Please vote; early voting starts Monday, and runoff election day is December 18. Even if you didn't vote on Nov. 6, you can vote in the runoff; no excuses!