City Council Teamwork: Caraway, Leppert bridging north-south divide

October 26, 2007 - Dallas Morning News Editorial

When city leaders got serious about shutting down drug houses in southern Dallas, Mayor Tom Leppert and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway led the way. The two men showed up on Charles Stewart's front porch, telling the perplexed property owner that he needed to clean up what police described as a drug-infested, overcrowded, illegal boarding house.

When a bulldozer finally leveled the American Inn Motel, a well-known haven for prostitutes and drug dealers, Mr. Leppert and Mr. Caraway had front-row seats. And when Mr. Caraway launched his anti-sagging efforts, the mayor backed the "pull up your pants" push.

The mayor from Dallas' north side and the council member from the south have found plenty to agree on in recent weeks, as they have teamed up on several high-profile initiatives.

And while a north-south alliance should not be a rarity at City Hall, few such partnerships have been evident in recent years. Former Mayor Laura Miller was unpopular in many southern Dallas neighborhoods, and she struggled to forge close working relationships with council members from those areas.

To his credit, Mr. Leppert has shown he's intent on bridging the divide by working closely with Mr. Caraway and other southern-sector leaders. And Mr. Caraway has gotten off to a fast start in his freshman term, taking an aggressive approach to cleaning up neighborhoods and seeking the mayor's support.

Mr. Caraway, who lost a couple of council races before winning election in May, has not always been perceived as a unifying force. But he pledged this year to bring a mature perspective to the job. And Mr. Caraway generally has made good on that promise – even though his yelling match with political activist Roy Williams at Wednesday's council meeting could be viewed as a minor setback.

Other city leaders also share in the credit for the good work, but Mr. Leppert and Mr. Caraway have been the most vocal and visible advocates for Dallas' struggling neighborhoods.

They have a strong vision for elevating areas that have gotten short shrift in the past. And that's good for the entire city.

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