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Sep 18, 2008 5:35 pm US/Central
Commission Rejects Cesar Chavez Name For Ross Ave.
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
A committee of the Dallas Planning and Zoning Commission has voted down a proposal to change the name of Ross Avenue to Cesar Chavez Avenue.
The City of Dallas Cesar Chavez Task Force subcommittee met Thursday. The meeting was very heated with protestors expressing their disappointment with the street renaming decision.
As a council member revealed the decision not to change the name, activists who packed the meeting began chanting "No! No! No!" They wore black shirts which read, "Vote Yes. Cesar Chavez Ave. Rename Ross."
After the meeting dejected and angry supporters held a news conference to voice their discontent with the Ross Avenue vote.
"I'm disappointed," said Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Elba Garcia. "I obviously was hoping the subcommittee would see that Dallas is a city that embraces diversity and we are ready to honor our heroes from all races, regardless of what color they are."
In June, the Dallas City Council committee overseeing the Trinity River Project said it would not support a citizen-endorsed name change for Industrial Boulevard.
The decision came after the majority of participants in a city-sponsored online/telephone poll selected changing the name of Industrial Boulevard to Cesar Chavez Boulevard. More than 10,000 people voted in the survey that was seen as a way to get North Texans excited about the Trinity River Project.
Thursday the City of Dallas Planning and Zoning Commission also voted against changing the name of Industrial Boulevard to Riverfront Boulevard.
Chavez, the late leader for migrant farm workers rights, has a United States commemorative postage stamp, and schools and avenues across the county bearing his name.
In August, the Chavez subcommittee voted to change the name of Ross Avenue to honor Cesar Chavez. That choice also met opposition from homeowners, the Dallas Bar Association, which calls the Belo Mansion its home and members from the Dallas Arts District.
"He's a Latino and I think it's about time the Dallas would have a street named by a Latino," said Walter Casas, owner of Walter Botanica Candle Shop, a business on Ross Ave.
One month ago today, a Dallas planning commissioner suggested renaming the North Dallas Tollway for Chavez. "While driving down the tollway it occurred to me, this doesn't have a specific name like the George Bush Tollway," Neil Emmons said. "What a great road that begins where Little Mexico once was and was essentially wiped out in 1965 when the tollway was built."
After the tollway suggestion officials with the North Texas Tollway Authority made it clear that to change the name not only would a majority of its board members have to approve it, but so would every city and county adjoined to the toll.
The decision on renaming Ross Avenue or any other street for Cesar Chavez is not final. The full Dallas City Council will make any final decisions.
The Cesar Chavez Task Force subcommittee will meet again next Thursday on the issue. Pro-Cesar Chavez protesters say they plan to be there.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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