The Sunset Advisory Commission met in Austin this past week to talk about the beleaguered Texas Department of Transportation.
S-T transportation guru Gordon Dickson was there and so was Republican state Sen. Kim Brimer of Fort Worth, periodically chewing on his trademark cigar throughout the meeting. Brimer will lose his place on the Sunset Board next month after Democrat Wendy Davis takes over his seat in the state Senate.
At Tuesday's meeting, as the board discussed replacing the five Transportation commissioners with a single transportation czar, lawmakers debated who would be qualified to be czar. After someone suggested that people who were recently members of the Texas Legislature should be barred from the job, state Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, offered a hypothetical.
“What if the governor wants to appoint Brimer?” asked Estes, tapping his outgoing colleague on the shoulder.
Brimer, who was seen by some as a transportation wonk in the State Senate, had been silent most of the day.
“You’d be a damn fool to take this job," Brimer said.
-Gordon Dickson and Aman Batheja
Isn't it Craig Estes in Wichita Falls.
Posted by: Ben | December 20, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Gee - that's the second job he's turned down in less than 30 days ...
Posted by: Fred Harper | December 21, 2008 at 12:11 PM
It is a sure bet that Governor "do nothing" will straighten out the DOT, so what option do we have to get rural roads in Tx.?
Posted by: esther womack | December 22, 2008 at 10:05 AM
What a Scrooge! Makes me wish I had NOT voted for him. He needs to get a real job where he really does work.
Posted by: Mike and Diann Higgins | December 22, 2008 at 10:05 AM
He wasn't turning down the job, he was stating his qualifications....
Posted by: austinboy | December 24, 2008 at 04:50 PM
He turned down that job, he was rejected in the other job he had. Just goes to show when you show your dislike for certain people with certain recreational hobbies, that it can bite you in the ... He also whined every day of the campaign about his opponent rather than try to beat her outright. I guess whining turns off voter too, interesting. Perhaps a Burger King in his area is hiring.
Posted by: Todd | December 28, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Estes needs to not worry about Brimer, instead Sen Estes should start working for his district. A good place to start would be to vote for appropriate transportation funding.
Posted by: concerned | December 28, 2008 at 03:13 PM