Eric LaMay

Hello fellow readers,

I found this article as a sign of the steps that this wonderful city I call home is making strides to become more diverse and inclusive.

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By MIKE LEE (Fort Worth Star Telegram)

mikelee@star-telegram.com

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FORT WORTH - The City Council voted 6-3 late Tuesday to expand its anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people, capping a marathon debate over a series of gay-rights proposals that were forwarded after a controversial inspection of a gay bar.

A majority of council members spoke in favor of the proposal when it was introduced last week.

The inspection at the Rainbow Lounge in June left a man injured and sparked protests in the city.

Fort Worth officials appointed a task force to recommend ways to mend fences with the gay community shortly afterward.

The vote dealt only with one facet of the proposals: expanding the city's anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people. The ordinance already prevented discrimination based on race, sex, religion or sexual orientation.

A lot of the debate, though, centered on broader proposals, some of which the council has already tacitly approved. City staffers will be trained on dealing with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and the Police Department has appointed a liaison to the community.

Other recommendations will require further study, including offering domestic-partner benefits and expanding the city health insurance plan to cover gender reassignment procedures, including sex changes.

Packed chambers

More than 200 people packed the council chambers, lining the walls and spilling into overflow rooms.

"We believe, as you do, that we should respect each other," said Jon Nelson of Fairness Fort Worth. "The foundation of these recommendations isn't preferential treatment, it's equal treatment."

Three transgender people - two transsexual women and a cross-dressing man - were among those who spoke in favor of the ordinance.

"Being a transgender person has nothing to do with a person's ability to do their job," Victoria Van Fleet said.

Conservative protesters saw the proposals as violating traditional morals. "Is it our city's responsibility to take taxpayer money and promote a lifestyle based on sexual preference or gender identity?" asked Richard Clough, a Republican activist.

Ron Armstrong stood on top of his Bible in front of City Hall to symbolize that he was "standing on the word of God."

"The law says clearly no man is supposed to lie with a man the way he lies with a woman," he said.

The city's Human Relations Commission was already working on transgender issues before the Rainbow Lounge incident. About 10 transgender people have complained about discrimination over the last few years, but it wasn't clear if the anti-discrimination ordinance protected them, city Human Relations Director Vanessa Boling said.

The commission took testimony from people who were threatened or ridiculed because they were transgender, or who had problems finding jobs and housing, said the Rev. Estrus Tucker, chairman of the commission.

"It wasn't about choice, it's who they are," Tucker said. "When you listen to some of the stories, people wouldn't choose to go through it."

The bar inspection

The Rainbow Lounge had only been open a few weeks when police and agents from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission arrested five people on suspicion of public intoxication there. One man was seriously injured. Patrons questioned why the bar was targeted and said police used excessive force.

After internal investigations, the alcohol commission fired two agents. Police suspended three officers for one to three days.

About 20 members of Dallas-based Queer LiberAction protested outside City Hall before Tuesday's meeting, saying that the punishment was too light.

"We are not a criminal class, we are law-abiding, tax-paying citizens," protest leader Rick Vanderslice said.

Counterprotesters held signs condemning gay people.

At one point, the two sides went toe to toe, and even sang competing hymns: We Shall Overcome from the gay activists and Amazing Grace from the counterprotesters.

Mike Lee, 817-390-7539

Recently I was ask by a friend & Title Rep, what I did my first year in Real Estate to get business. After being a Realtor since 2004 not a lot for me has changed regarding education. Of course I am always "tweaking" and looking for new avenues for self education, however the staples have stayed the same.

Read Everything you can get your hands on:

• The Texas Realtor Magazine is still one of the greatest sources of information. What I don't find there, it at the very least sparks my mind to look for more in other places.
• I sign up for every possible Real Estate site that I can that send me "Auto" information with a lot of searching. I "time block" once a month to search online for new ones. It is then on auto pilot and I don't have to do much.
• Gary Kellers "Millionaire Agent", "The Shift" books are a must read. Not once, but again and again.
• For a "balance" I read motivational books or get audio Cd's that help me keep my mind right. A few of my favorites are "Become A Better You" by Joel Olstean, "The 360 Leader" by John Maxwell, "Life Is A Series Of Presentations" by Tony Jeary, "How To Disagree Without Being Disagreeable" by Suzette Haden Elgin, PH. D, "The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership" by John Maxwell and "The Secret".
• Information from your local boards website.
• Solicit vendors like "Mortgage Lenders", "Home Warranty Companies", "Title Companies" and others.

Take action:

• I use my MLS to scrub expired and canceled listings EVERY DAY PERIOD.
• I love going and Knocking on doors of Expired and Canceled listings.
• Some cold calling, but not really my thing. Don't get me wrong; I am pretty good at it and I know that it works, but it just is not my thing.
• Once a week I pull MLS areas that I want to work in and the ones with the most sales activity and drive those neighborhoods to improve my knowledge and Knock on FSBO doors.
• Put all seller & buyer prospects in my database and start drip campaigns.

These are a few of the things that I do and have for a long time and it works for me. I love to hear ideas from other agents and then tweak it to make it my own.

Happy Prospecting.

Hello Friends,

Early voting ends today and regular voting will be on Novemeber 3rd.

Constitutional amendments

Proposition 1 - Allowing cities and counties the ability to issue bonds to buy buffer property/open space around military facilities:

Proposition 2 - Requiring property tax appraisals for residence homesteads to be based solely on their homestead value:

Proposition 3 - Allowing state enforcement of uniform property appraisal standards:

Proposition 4 - Establishing the national research university fund and transferring the balance of the higher education fund to the national research university fund:

Proposition 5 - Allowing consolidated boards of equalization for appraisal districts:

Proposition 6 - Renewing Veterans Land Board bond authority for land and mortgage loans:

Proposition 7: Allowing members of the Texas State Guard to hold civil office.

Proposition 8 - Authorizing the state to contribute resources to veterans' hospitals:

Proposition 9 - Protecting the right of the public, individually and collectively, to access and use the public beaches bordering the seaward shore of the Gulf of Mexico:

Proposition 10 - Allowing board members of emergency services districts to serve four-year terms:

Proposition 11- Restricting use of eminent domain to taking property for public purposes:

Fort Worth

Reauthorizing the half-cent sales tax for Fort Worth Crime Control and Prevention District:

Arlington school district

$197.5 million in bonds:

www.StarStateHomes.com

Here are some great coupons for savings for things to do in Fort Worth.

In today's hard financial times we all need and are looking for ways to save money. After dealing with trying to reduce my home phone service for a while I tried my cell phone carries VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). It was awful. For months I tried to work with them and never could get satisfaction and they still charged $29 per month.

Now I am not a big subscriber to infomercials but after being so frustrated I thought "what the heck", If it this thing did work, I wouldn't be any worse off than I was before. So I purchased the Magic Jack at my local Radio Shack which at that time was the only place to purchase other than on the TV or online. Now you can purchase at Walmart, Best Buy Ect.

I plugged it into my computer, a screen came up I registered it go my phone number and BAM........... It works like a dream! I was stunned!

At about $30 PER YEAR you can call as much as you like across the country and Canada. If you are a traveler, you can take it anywhere you go and plug it in to any computer with DSL service and when anyone calls your home number it rings there! Imagine living in Texas, going to California and anyone that calls you, they think you still in Texas.

In addition there are plans in the very near future for you to be able to port your existing phone number to this device. Of course I didn't care because I rarely answer my home phone, I only use it to make outbound calls.

Just wanted to pass along my personal experience on this wonderful device.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL REAL ESTATE IN THE TARRANT COUNTY AREA OF TEXAS, I WOULD LOVE THE OPPURTUNITY TO HELP.

JUST CONTACT ME AT:

817-808-8827 OR eric@starstatehomes.com