CITIZENS AGAINST THE TAXPAYER-OWNED HOTEL

P.O. Box 227196

Dallas, Texas 75222
(214) 890-0952

The Honorable Tom Leppert

Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street – Room 5EN
Dallas, TX 75201

March 4, 2009

Dear Mayor Leppert,

It appears there is confusion regarding the nature of our organization and its intent – allow me to
clarify. Citizens Against the Taxpayer-Owned Hotel is a coalition of concerned local citizens formed
in response to the City’s ill-conceived, $550,000,000 convention center hotel. More than 60,000
residents signed a petition requesting the right to vote on the project and several thousand more
contacted us directly asking how they can help ensure this financial folly does not proceed.
Furthermore, more than one hundred individuals reached into their wallets during a severe recession
which has forced an entire nation to eliminate non-essentials, and offered money to guarantee our
organization could communicate our message of fiscal responsibility and ensure a yes vote on
proposition 1.

I am the spokesperson for Citizens Against the Taxpayer-Owned Hotel. Having been in the hotel
business for 25 years, I speak several times each week to community associations discussing
financial risks of constructing and operating a hotel. Our organization is committed to running an
issue-based campaign. We endeavor to enlighten Dallas residents to the risks associated with the
hotel and allow them to cast the final judgment on May 9th. It has become apparent you do not intend
to run such a campaign. You aspire to run a negative, personality-centric campaign where you cast a
“Park Cities Billionaire” as the villain and distract from the true topic with cries of “selfishness.”

Your campaign of negative personal attacks is as disrespectful as your ongoing effort to deny
taxpayers an up or down vote on the hotel, by rushing – too often behind closed doors – the project
through in an attempt to break ground before May 9th. It was you who stated on September 24,
“Dallas taxpayers will ultimately be responsible for the debt.” Why then are Dallas taxpayers being
denied their voice on the hotel? If it is Dallas taxpayers who will ultimately cover the substantial and
ongoing financial losses from the hotel, are they not entitled to an honest presentation of the risks?

Allow today to be an opportunity to transform your crusade into a positive, educational, issue-
oriented operation. Furthermore, we politely ask you to refrain from attacking any more of the local
citizens who demonstrated true altruism on behalf of their neighbors and financially supported
Citizens Against the Taxpayer-Owned Hotel. Contributions, both large and small, are not an
invitation to be slandered – not in a democracy.

Political Advertisement paid for by the Citizens Against The Taxpayer-Owned Hotel PAC
P.O. Box 227196, Dallas, Texas 75222 • Vance C. Miller, Treasurer
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I have been informed by several organizations that you have refused to debate me. After initially
declining, you have now agreed to a debate with me at the Stemmons Corridor Business
Association’s April meeting. I look forward to that debate and any other requested by concerned
citizens and curious civic organizations.

Warmest regards,
Anne Raymond
Director
Citizens Against the Taxpayer-Owned Hotel

cc: Dallas City Council Members