Dallas Police and Fire Groups Rekindle Hard Feelings for Former Mayor Laura Miller as She Runs for Council

Nearly a dozen years have passed since Laura Miller left City Hall, but time has not healed the emotional wounds of Dallas police and firefighters.Miller on Friday became police and fire associations’ top target in the May elections after her surprise announcement Friday that she will challenge incumbent City Council member Jennifer Staubach Gates.Gates was no golden child of the associations, who represent a significant chunk of the city government’s workforce. But their leaders say Miller burned them when she was mayor.In 2002, Miller won the associations’ support in her race for mayor. But after she took office, she faced down a $95-million budget shortfall, and pushed against big raises for public safety workers.Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata, who had about seven years on the police force at the time, said officers “all felt highly betrayed, especially because she had wooed us so much.”“For her to do that first thing in her tenure as mayor was a severe morale killer,” he said.  Continue reading...