Dan Hastings: A very good man from Laredo

Dan Hastings passed away late Friday.  I knew Dan as both a business associate and a friend.

Dan represented Laredo in a positive light at all times.  He was always upbeat and ready to take on the next challenge.

He will be missed by those that knew him.

Those that did not know him will also miss him in that they have lost a champion of Laredo.

The School Is Cheating: A result of teaching to the test.

We now have an incident where a local principle has been put on leave because of actions that could lead to a cheating scandal.  At this point, with so few details, it is kind of hard to determine what happened exactly, so I will not assume anything other than a group of kids has to retake a portion of the Stars test.

As I have said many times, teaching to a test, any test, is not teaching.  And these types of incidents just prove what I and many others have been saying for years.

If you teach the subject matter, you will then be able to measure the performance of the teacher, the students, and the methodology of the how the school district implements and guides teachers in executing their curriculum. There is no excuse of "well the forms we were using to teach to the test were not comprehensive,"etc.etc.....

I know that the high stakes placed on the test results are partially to blame, but testing is a way of life, and those are high stakes when it comes to livelihoods.  If the schools (school boards and administrators) were honest, our local kids would find out a couple of weeks in advance that on such and such a day there will be a state test.  There would be no pep rallies, not marching bands, just come in one day, pick up your pencil and show the world what you have learned up to this point.  

You cannot get good feedback on your process if all you are concerned with is how will I beat the test.  You should have your process designed so that the product you create is exactly what the customer (student) needs to succeed, not just create a product so it will pass some specific test during production.

So, Mr. Chief Administrator, Mr./Mrs. School Board Member, Mr./Mrs. Teacher, please quit teaching to the test, and remove the emphasis on the state test, and reapply those emphasis and efforts on teaching the subject matter.  The test will take care of itself.

The Debate on Immigration Reform: It really is about numbers, very little else.

Every nation on this planet has the right to establish it's own rules and laws pertaining to immigration.  Every nation has the right to decide who enters, when they enter, how long they can stay, and what they can do while being in the host country.  Every nation has the legal right to determine how many may become citizens, and pick and choose who they want to be citizens.  This is called sovereignty.

The debate in the United States over immigration is labeled as "Immigration Reform."  I say that is a false statement, as very few of the myriad of immigration regulations are expected to be changed.  What is going to be changed is the number of people allowed to enter and the number that are allowed to become citizens.

A note here:  The United States, like every other nation ALLOWS entry, and ALLOWS non-nationals to become citizens.  No one, let me repeat, NO ONE, has a right to enter our country and expect citizenship just because they crossed a border.  As in every nation in the world, they must meet our requirements and follow our process.  If they do not, they are subject to penalty of the law.

The current debate is really nothing more than about the number of persons we wish to allow entry to our country every year and become naturalize (with the exception, and it is a big exception I grant you, on what to do with the millions of persons here illegally.)

The United States of America leads every nation in the world in the number of people it accepts as new citizens of the country.  Over 1 million people each year are allowed into the United States and can become citizens.  The United States of America provides more services and aide to those new citizens than any other country in the world.  The process of becoming a citizen is called naturalization.

Here are the naturalization statistics since 2001:

Data 

Total Naturalized Citizens: Fiscal Years 2001-2012
2012	676,396	2006	702,663
2011	691,616	2005	600,366
2010	619,075	2004	536,176
2009	741,982	2003	456,063
2008	1,050,399	2002	589,727
2007	659,233	2001	613,161

All that being said, the question is what is the new number going to be?  How many more do we allow to become citizens?

Once that is decided upon, then we can fix the issues like the kids who were brought here illegally by their parents and have no way to become citizens.  And once we know how many people we are going to allow to be naturalized, we can decide how many of the current estimated 11 million or so people living here illegally we will allow to become citizens.

The big question will still remain though, and that is how to fairly treat those who follow our process to become naturalized citizens and those who have willfully violated that policy and want to become naturalized citizens.

My position is pretty simple really, increase the number we allow to become naturalized citizens to a fixed percentage of current US citizen population.  Like, .003% would be about 1 million people annually could become US naturalized citizens.  No more.  And for those living here illegally, we can make a decision, allow the 11 million to become naturalized citizens, and stop immigration for 11 years, or allow a certain percentage to of those here already to bump a percentage of those we allow to be naturalized.

We already have work visas, all it needs is enforcement.  Employers should share in that enforcement.

But one thing that really needs to happen once the new laws are implemented, is that we need to deport those who violate our border, or over stay their visas immediately.   Or all of this is for nothing, no matter what changes are made to the immigration laws.

HEB and Pastransa Produce: The case of the underpaid workers.

In today's Laredo Morning Times there is a front page article about some contract workers (I will get back to the word contract worker in a bit) who claim they were not being paid a fair wage.

These people worked for a company called Pastranas Produce (website).  They are located in Brownsville and Matamoros, Tam.

Being a regular HEB customer, I see these people all the time in the produce section trimming cactus for consumption.

According to the article, a group of the employees of the Pastransa Produce company have filed a lawsuit against their company, and HEB, who had hired Pastranas Produce to set up in HEB stores and sell cactus.  The lawsuit claims both HEB and Pastransa paid less than minimum wage and no overtime to the employees.  The article further defines the employees as "Mostly female, and immigrant workers."

Now I am pretty sure I understand the female worker definition, but the immigrant worker part has me wondering.  Does immigrant mean just that, an immigrant who is now a US citizen?  Or does it mean an immigrant who is working here with a legal visa?  Or does it mean an immigrant who is "unauthorized" to be and work in the United States.  With all the political correctness going on now, who knows.

So, I will assume it is the first or second of my definitions.

My question, which I will ask my lawyer friends this morning at Starbucks, is:  Does HEB have a legal liability for having a subcontractor (Pastransa Produce) who is not meeting their minimum wage, and overtime pay requirements.

I hope the answer is no.  How can a person/company be expected to monitor the payroll of every subcontractor they hire?  This seems a stretch to me.  But common sense is not the law.

But, if the answer is yes, then, look out those of you who hire local firms to do any kind of work for you. You may be subject to lawsuit if the employer is not paying minimum wage or overtime.

Oh by the way, you Fortune 500 companies who hire local warehouses to do work for you, whose parent company is in Mexico, and whose payroll is paid from Mexico, you may want to watch this case closely.



What say you?

 

The Public Safety and Second Amendment Protection Rights Act: Or, as I call it: Expanded Background Checks for Gun Purchases

It looks like the has been a agreement by some republicans and some democrats on legislation to expand background checks on gun purchases.

It still is not real clear how far the expansion goes, and how it will work.  But if it does the following, I believe it will pass the Senate, and maybe, again maybe the House.  If the bill requires purchasers of firearms at "organized gun shows" to produce a background check from a registered firearms dealer who is set up at the gun show, that would work for me.  I am sure there will be a price paid for that service unless you purchase from a registered firearms dealer at a gun show, in which the background checks are done for free.

If background checks are expanded to a individual seller, not at a gun show, having to conduct a background check on a buyer not related to them, then that may be an expansion that will not be supported.

And the big sticking point to any expansion of background checks will be the record keeping provisions.  No, repeat no, gun owner in his/her right mind wants any level of government to have record of the guns a person owns.  It is not the governments business how many guns I own or what kind they are.  If they suspect I have violated the law, they can follow proper criminal investigative technique and obtain valid search warrants as provided for in the United States Constitution.

For those that say the record keeping is a good idea, just look at what happened in my old home state of Missouri.  (Read full story here)

The Missouri Highway Patrol had an employee provide a complete list of those persons with a concealed weapons permit issued by the state, to the United States Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General.  The SSA wanted to run the list of concealed weapons permittees against a list of those who are listed as having a mental disorder or disability.

Do you see the problems here?

• Government list, which all one has to do is look at the famed "no fly list," are permanent and almost impossible to refute, even if they are proven to be inaccurate.  
• Government list have a habit of becoming "public list."  As a gun owner, I don't want my name published in a newspaper or the internet.  (I know, as a blogger, and a gun owner, I have given up that privilege, but I did it of my own free will)
• By making these types of list available, you put families in danger, both those who are on the list as owning guns, and those not on the list who do not own guns.
• As a burglar looking for guns, a list is perfect.
• As a rapist, a list of those owning guns tells me where to avoid, and makes those not on the list much more appealing.

Anyway, I can't make a judgement on the act just yet.  Still too many unanswered questions.

School Vouchers: My Rules on Legislators

This is a scene re-created in the Independence Kansas Museum.  A town with
a population of 17,000 or so has a museum ten times the size of anything
Laredo wishes to call a museum.  A story for another day.

Now that school vouchers have made their way to the debate squads in Austin, I would like to add a couple of notes of my own to the debate, and who should be allowed to debate.

1.  I am somewhat for vouchers, but not taking the total cost of educating a student and giving it to vouchers.  I still believe in public education and that it can be the best method of teaching any student.  I am for parents having a choice in putting their kids in a private school and giving them some of "their" tax dollars to supplement the cost of doing so.  Every parent should have the ability to assure their kids get the K-12 education required to compete both in college and the real working world.  No one should have to suffer poor schools.

2.  Any legislator who sends his or her children to private school should be voided from voting against vouchers.  Either they vote for vouchers, or they not vote at all.  Hypocrisy should not be allowed.  Just because they can afford to send their kids to private schools does not mean they should condemn others children to poor performing schools.

     In fact, these legislators who live in districts with poor performing schools should not be allowed to send their kids to private school.  They should suffer and do what they can to make their districts accountable.  

     PS, just bringing "more resources"  (lege speak for money) to a district would not give the legislator permission to send his/her kids to a private school.  Money does not equate to a good education in the K-12 systems.  

I am really curious to see what Laredoan's think of their legislators who send "their" kids to private school, yet will not allow poor kids the same opportunity.  What say you?

Quick Hits: Some local, some national

News that makes you cringe in disbelief.

One:  The economic numbers that were posted last week were at best pathetic.  We cannot continue to add less jobs than our population growth.  And we sure cannot say as a nation that having 1/3rd of the country on food stamps is a great economic indicator.  So, to my Democrat friends, quit sugar coating the economy, it is not well.

PS I, the stock market is now a more global market measure than a US measure.

PS II, sequester had nothing to do with the economic news last week.  To say so is foolish.

Two:  Congratulations, a few hours early, to the new Laredo Chief of Police Ray Garner.

Three:  Affordable Care Act;  as the President's one time preacher once said:  "The chickens are coming home to roost."  Enough said.

Four:  The Laredo Chamber of Commerce (LCC) is sending a resolution to Washington legislators requesting the look at sequestration and it's impact on the flow of commerce at the Port of Laredo.  I hope they included a section asking why the President and his Cabinet are cutting essential services instead of cutting waste, which there is plenty of.  But, I doubt that will even be mentioned.

Five:(This will be a full blog later this week, but here is a teaser)  Drugs in Schools, a headline in the Sunday April 7th Laredo Morning Times.  There was a list posted on the types of drugs being abused by our school kids.  What was missing though was the list of drugs being abused by our school districts and parents who want  a narcotic induced modification to their kids behavior, when nothing more than good parenting and a little discipline at school might suffice.

New Texas Budget To Be Approved, Soon: Hope we quit wasting highway dollars on maraca's.

Texas is the only state I have ever lived in that painted highway overpasses and made fancy concrete walls to hold back dirt.

Of course Texas has some great roads compared to a lot of other states.  But, the Texas Department of Transportation is always telling stories of woe that end by saying we are billions of dollars short of what we need to keep pace with growth.

I don't think we really needed these maraca's at the
83 hwy and 359 hwy intersection.

City Halts Bids: Good job City Council and Mr. City Manager

As reported by Mikaela Rodriquez in today's Laredo Morning Times, the city manager, with city councils approval, has halted the bids for the Zacate Creek cleanup.

On Monday night at the city council meeting, Jerome Rosales of JR Landscaping claimed that the bidding process for the Zacate Creek cleanup project had been corrupted, and that he felt the bid was wrongly awarded to another firm.

City manager Carlos Villareal made the following comments:
“This formula that we have — and I’m sorry to say it’s under my watch — I need to take a look at this process again,” City Manager Carlos Villarreal said Monday when he recommended City Council table the item, referring to the point system used to award contracts. (From the Laredo Morning Times)

And when you read the article, you will see that the city has done it's job in looking into this complaint.

Now, all we await is the determination as to what will happen to the committee who was swayed into making the original bid recommendation in the first place.

Again, fast and open reaction to a complaint.  The way it should be, ALWAYS.

Reporting Ethics Violations: Not difficult to do, right?

This morning while on the Jay StJohn radio show, he discussed a man who said he had been a victim of bid-rigging, or at a minimum, of an unethical act by Laredo city staff.  This man said he was the low bidder, and was not awarded a bid because those city staffers reviewing the bid decided he was ineligible because he "leased" his landscaping equipment.  In other words they changed the specifications of the bid after the bids had been submitted in a effort to change the outcome of the bid.  An ethics violation if ever there was one.

I suggested that as a first step this gentleman might take is to present a complaint to the shiny, new, never been used (that I am aware of) Ethics Commission put in place by city council last year. 

But, lo and behold, the things you have to do to even file a complaint might scare off most folks.  Below is a screen shot of the instructions on how to file an ethics complaint taken from the City of Laredo's website.

If you read this, you notice the very first thing you are told in bold red letters is that you better be sure your complaint is not a "FRIVOLOUS ETHICS COMPLAINT."  If you do file a frivolous complaint you will be subject to lawsuits, fines, criminal prosecution, stoning, electrocution, and no Christmas presents for a year.....OK, I added the last three, but you get the point.   Kind of threatening, right?

What we have here folks, is OUR (well the city council appointed) Ethics Commission, that is to be the communities watchdog in preventing unethical behavior by our elected officials and the public employees we hire at the city,  is doing everything they can to scare the citizens into not filing an ethics complaint.


How dare anyone at the city threaten a citizen into not complaining about an ethics violation, be it an actual violation or a perceived violation?  This is wrong on so many levels that it is just hard to comprehend the thinking of those that wrote this ordinance.

That the city would act in this manner is wrong.  Filing an ethics complaint should not be that burdensome or have such serious consequences for filing a complaint not found valid by the Ethics Commission.

Remember this mayor, city council, and employees of the City of Laredo, YOU WORK FOR US.
We pay the salaries, we allow you to write ordinances.  We will not allow you to create a government that will not let the people file complaints.

How to Fix Our Schools: Lower Standards?

Before you teachers get all excited and in a huff, know this.  I am not for state testing where the results determine how much money goes to a school district.  However, I am for state testing, that is challenging and measures how a student body is doing academically compared to others.

I come from a manufacturing and logistics background, so I have a very good understanding of quality control and the metrics used to measure them.  What,  you say students are not like manufactured goods? Of course they are not, but the ideas of testing and measuring the results are the same as used in a manufacturing process.

When a student takes a test, a score on that test is recorded.  That score is an accurate metric only if the test is a fair and accurate test of the knowledge that student has been exposed to and expected to learn.  For example:

• The widget should come to me meeting the requirements I have given my vendor.  
• I can then measure the quality of a widget only on those things that I have altered anywhere along the production line.    
• I can measure each at step in the process, or pick points in the process that are critical and measure there.  
• I can use any number of quality control measurements depending on the product being built.
• I then analyze the measurements/metric and determine if my process, machinery, and personnel are working properly in building my product..  
• The same can be done for students.

As an example, let's say we are building an electric motor shaft.

1. First, our vendor of the steel rod must assure that they have met our standards.  Sound familiar.  
2. When we cut the steel rod to length, that is measured to tolerances in .0001 range.  
3. When ring groves are cut, they are measured in the .0001 range for location and depth.   
4. Any deviation from my tolerances that I discover during testing must be addressed in the process, machinery, or the personnel manufacturing the product.

If I am having problems with the process, machinery, or personnel my inspections will tell me.  If I fail to fix either the process, the machinery, or the personnel, I will be making bad shafts that fail to meet my customers requirements.  If I decide to alter the test I use so my shafts pass, but still do not meet the requirements of my customer, I have done nothing, and am wasting valuable resources (money, materials, and personnel) in that the product is not sale-able.

In the manufacturing process there is no "teaching to the test."  You set up your process, machinery, and train your personnel to assure that when the product is tested, no matter when, or what the test consist of (as long as it is a fair measure of the process you have implemented) that it will pass.  In school teachers should teach the subject and be more concerned with the student and the process used to teach them than when or where the test will take place.  And if the teacher is assured the test is a fair and accurate measurement of the subject, they should have no issues with testing.  There is never,. repeat never, a reason to teach to the test.  There is never, repeat never, the need to have school assemblies to motivate a child to take a test.  Do you think there are daily company "assemblies" where the workforce is supposedly motivated to do their jobs?  The motivation to succeed is a daily part of the process.   Every day in the workforce is a test of knowledge.  Schools should operate under the same philosophy.

Whenever someone says we need to lower academic standards, and that is what the state is proposing to do, we will be sending kids up to a college, or job, where the minimum requirements to enter are not met.   These Texas students will be forced to compete against those outside the state, who have had to accomplish more in high school because they we forced to meet higher standards that their state/country required for completion of high school.  Lowering standards does not work.  It is the quickest path to failure.

And those that will suffer the most under lowered standards are the minorities and poor students according to LaRaza, and other groups involved with the issue.  They understand that lowering standards will only produce lower quality students.

So, we should ask:

1.  Who is calling for lower standards and why?
2.  Who does not want to measure a students progress and why?

Answer those questions and you will be disturbed.

Outstanding Letter to the Editor on Sequestration

In a letter to the editor printed on Sunday, March 31st, Nelson Balido, APR, President of the Border Trade Alliance, wrote that the U.S. Government, including the Department of Homeland security should use the sequester cuts to do a top down  evaluation of it's entire operation and take actions to reduce redundancies and increase efficiency.

Mr. Balido, you are asking an awful lot, first, because it makes sense, and second, it would require the federal government do exactly the opposite of how our legislators expect them to operate.  Mr. Balido, don't you know that those two words you chose to describe government operation (redundancy and inefficiency  are the life blood of government.  Especially the federal government.  You see, many of us have been asking that federal spending can be reduced dramatically by doing what you suggest, adopting practices from the private sector to "lean" down an operation.

But, by "leaning" down an operation, you would be asking a federal bureaucrat to "cut" employees, reduce un-needed capital (drones, tanks, etc...) and improve processes to be quick and cheap.  This goes against everything the union dominated government believes.  It goes against what our legislators have voted for.  

Example, the U.S. Postal Service is broke and outspends it revenue by billions of dollars.  The U.S. Postmaster has suggested that we end Saturday mail service for regular mail, not expedited deliveries.  This would save those billions of dollars so the post office would be solvent.  But NO, the United States Congress, both parties, said we cannot do that, it would be against the wishes of the people.  What people? Who really needs USPS mail service on Saturday?  Federal checks are deposited electronically.  So why would anyone need regular mail service on Saturday?  The truth is they don't, but the postal union is powerful and hence, we still have Saturday mail delivery.

Mr Balido, I agree with you whole heatedly,  but unfortunately our government does not.  I wish we could force these folks into efficiency.  But until we get rid of the public sector unions, get rid of the multi-term politician who believes an efficient government is one that spends money that we don't have, and we get rid of the  local and state politicians that believe we must bribe politicians above them in the money chain in order to get needed funding for state and local uses, we are doomed to a government that will whine every time anyone talks of cutting a penny from their budgets.

So, expect the same ol response to your letter Mr. Balido expect nothing, except the whine,  about spending cuts from the federal government.

President Obama Says We Have Forgotten Newton

Yesterday, President Obama, surrounded by gun violence victims, said the American public seems to have forgotten about the massacre of innocent school children at Newton, Ct. last December. I guess he based this conclusion on the fact that the poll numbers for supporting the democrats gun control legislation is waning.

Well Mr. President, as usual, you have no idea what the American people are really thinking.  No one has forgotten about the terrible shooting in Newton.  No one.  What has changed, is that after the tragedy, and after you and your party decided to use the Newton shootings to sell your gun control policies, is that the American people now see that what you propose will NOT stop the madman shooter.   And the American people see that the laws your party is proposing are infringements on the U.S. Constitution.   No policy will ever stop a truly determined madman from killing people.  History has proven that and studies by your own party have stated that.

In the San Antonio Express News today, and it's mirror news paper, the Laredo Morning Times, there appears an article (Read full article) about the details of the Newton shooting and it's perpetrator Adam Lanza.  The article goes into some detail on what was found at the Lanza home.  This partial list comes from the list returned to the court on the executed search warrant.  (When ever a search warrant is executed, a list of property removed from the site must be presented to the court and the defendant)

On this list, includes the finding of 1,400 rounds of ammunition, assorted rifles and shotguns, three large samurai swords, eight knives, a bayonet, and a "powerful" rifle scope.  Since this list was placed in paragraph 2 of  a 35 paragraph article I assume the writers wanted to make these items the topic of the discovery.

Now, one of my biggest arguments in the entire gun control debate is that those who know noting about shooting or firearms are those that are put front and center in the debate by the media.  For instance, in the next paragraph of the article there is this quote from Newton Action Alliance (gun control group) leader Po Murray. "It's shocking that they had that much ammunition and firepower in their home, and that someone was legally able to purchase that amount."

This is the statement of a person who has no clue what today's American gun owner is about.  I don't own a lot of guns, but I have several, pistols, shotguns, and rifles   (Note: they are not accessible to thieves, so don't get any ideas you local burglars.)  So, I took an inventory of ammunition in the Wade arsenal, that is what gun grabbers call a persons ammo stash, and I found this:

1,700 rounds of handgun ammunition  some the dreaded hollow point, well in fact most of it, the dreaded hollow point.  And 100 rounds of shotgun ammunition.  None of the shotgun ammo is hollow point, in case you "experts" would like to know.  I also found that I have about 20 or so knives, I quit counting at 8, and I know there are a lot more scattered throughout the house.  And I am thankful to report that I have no samurai swords.

And if you read the whole article you will find that unlike Lanza, I own no X-boxes, no video games, and no copy of the book, "Train Your Brain to be Happy."  

Anyway, this post is all over the place, but the bottom line is this Mr. President.  We have not forgotten Newton.  What has happened is that people who are truly sympathetic to the survivors are finding out that you and your party are using these people for political purposes and to advance an agenda that is not what the American people truly believe.

Nanny Mayor Bloomberg quote: ""there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom."

Our favorite nanny, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was quoted as saying, "there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom."

Now this is one of the most bizarre statements I have heard from a politician in a long time.  In a nation where "the people" are deemed to have the power, not the government, what gives him the right to think that he, or any other elected or hired public figure has the authority to "infringe on our freedoms" without due process of law?

It is this mindset that seems to be driving a lot of politicians these days, and no I am not only talking about democrats.  Both parties are infected with those that think they, and their supporters, are above the law of the land, the United States Constitution.

We, the American people, need to stop these folks like Bloomberg, for they are truly dangerous and present a threat to America.  Again, not a republican or democrat issue.

Where have politicians obtained the idea that they know what is best for the people, and that no matter what means they use, their ideas must be embraced and that they should never be questioned?  Just because you win an election does not mean you have supreme powers over the people.  You, as an elected official are put in place TO REPRESENT US, NOT RULE US.

I am going to use the example of the last trip to Austin by our city leaders, not to pick on Laredo politicians, because they are only doing what every other major political body representing cities in the country do when it comes to lobbying for state and federal money,

Since when did it become necessary for a city, you name it, to have to travel to a state capitol, and "bribe" members of the legislature into providing state funding for needed projects?  Since when did paying for food and drinks for state, and federal politicians become a necessity to assure that needed legislation is passed?  I know, well, state A does it, and city B does it, and if we do not do it, we will be left out in the cold.

Are our state and federal legislators now left to pick and choose which legislation they will vote for, and which funding they will authorize, be based on the quality of the booze and food at a "reception held in their honor"?  (Note the word honor really does not apply to those politicians who demand gifts to do their jobs)  I hope we have not fallen that far as a nation.

So, to our politicians,both state and federal, do us all a favor, and tell the cities they no longer have to throw parties for you to get you to approve funding and legislation.  Tell them you will pass the legislation and approve the funding based on the merit of the bill.  You know, like you promised when you took your oath of office.

PS:  Nanny Bloomberg, you really need to read the U.S. Constitution.

Laredo Civic Center Sale: LISD Has Lots of Cash

It looks like Laredo Independent School District (LISD) will move forward at tonight's board meeting and vote to approve the purchase of the Laredo Civic Center from the city.

I guess having $16 million in cash laying around in an "unassigned fund balance" comes in handy when you need to buy a building.

Just so you know, my complaint here is not that LISD is talking of buying the Civic Center.  I have not seen the plans of what LISD will do with the buildings and property.  I will reserve the comments on that when I know what they are going to do with the property.

My issue here, is that LISD and our other school district would have these massive fund balances on hand, beyond what they need to cover emergency expenses.  Folks, these fund balances are nothing more than a school district overtaxing it's residents.  Let me repeat this.  The school districts are "overtaxing" you and therefore have these massive fund balances.  Normally, a school district would have to float a bond issue to build a new auditorium or school.  But with a huge fund balance, the voter gets no say in the project, except through it's elected school board members, who are responsible for approving the high taxes in the first place.

So, like the President and his whine over sequestration, we should hold both of our school districts accountable when it comes to wanting to raise taxes for anything, be it for the general operating fund or a bond issue to build new schools.  (PS, UISD is studying whether to float a $300 million plus bond issue right now.)

We, including all media outlets and bloggers need to ask the school districts:  How much of this new revenue increase will be going to "fund balance rat-hole" that you can spend at anytime without our voter approval?

THEY'RE BAAAAAAAACCCKK: UISD Looking at $300 Million Plus Bond Issue

For those of us that were around in 2007, we remember the "voters soundly defeated" (quote from Laredo Morning Times article about 2007 bond issue), a $400 million bond issue that was proposed by the United Independent School District (UISD.)

Six years later, UISD is beginning the process of presenting another bond issue, this time for an amount over $300 million.  The district has hired Raymond Turco & Associates, to conduct a survey of district employees and residents to see if they will accept a new bond request in that amount.

If you were around, and remember the last bond issue, I believe there was talk of building a new "auditorium" for graduation ceremonies and the like (but we have the LEA for that) and a large indoor swimming pool along with a list of new schools to be built.  The voters overwhelmingly defeated the bond.

On a personal note, I remember UISD pulling out all the big guns for that bond issue.  They flooded the airwaves, newspapers and other media in attempt to get the public to pass it.  However, with a bad economy, and what many saw as wasteful spending in the bond, the people said no.

It looks like the district is scaling back on the size of the bond they "may" propose, to not include an new auditorium.  If the district can validate the new schools, I mean really validate them, then they deserve to be built.  However, with enrollment growth declining, the citizenry really needs to take a hard look at the bond issue.

It will be interesting to see the results of this survey.  UISD, be prepared to make the results public.

Oh, and remember, the school district and it's employees may not "lobby" for the bond to pass.  They may only provide information on what the bond issue will encompass.  Nothing more.

Starving Staffers: Another sequester repercussion!!

A burger plate at TKO San Bernardo, eat your
heart out DC staffers..........

U.S. Congresswoman, Debbie Wassermann Schultz (D Fla), says sequester has priced her and other congress folks staffers out of a meal at the nations capitol.

The Washington Times reports (full story)

Automatic federal cuts are bringing staffers to the brink of starvation, suggested Debbie Wassermann Schultz, at a recent House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.

Restaurants on the House side of Congress are increasing in cost so much that aides are being “priced out” of a good meal, she said.

The story goes on to report that staffers can buy an 8 ounce bowl of bean soup for $2 at their cafeteria.  And that a serving of stuffed chicken, asparagus and mashed potatoes sells for about $7.  Now folks, I don't know about you, but if I am making $60,000 to over $100,000 per year, I would hope I could afford a meal that probably cost about $10 to $15 with drink and tip.  

Does the term "cry baby" come to mind?  Or how about "spoiled brat."  Yeah, I am going with spoiled brat to describe these folks.  

The reality is they have no idea what the American public has gone through with higher prices at the grocery store, more than doubled gas prices, electric and water bills going up.  And here this Congresswoman is, whining about a slight increase in the cost of food for her staffers.  Well Debbie, how about you give your staffers a raise.  You know to say $100 per hour.  You have no problem telling us what our minimum wage should be, so do us a favor, and increase your staffers to $100 per hour and let us know if that impacts your budget.

I digress...sorry.  But I do have a solution to the problem.  My new program:

HELP FEED A HUNGRY STAFFER

(A plan to save Congress and the US Postal Service)

 

In order to help these folks eat, and we want them to eat because we want them to be able to write more laws that intrude into our lives,  I am proposing the following:

A.  Save all of your leftovers, including regular meals, dessert, and alcoholic beverages.  

B.  Box these leftovers up.

C.  Head to your local post office and address them to US Congresswoman Debbie Wassermann Schultz at the capitol.  Send them regular mail, it should only take 3 or 4 days to reach the capitol from South Texas.

The "Help Feed a Hungry Staffer" program will not only feed our starving congressional staffers, but it will help the United States Postal Service become solvent.  

I had sauerkraut and hot sausages last night for dinner, they are boxed and ready to go.  

Enjoy, and please stay healthy my dear staffers.

More Targeted Sequester Pain

You know how our D.C. politicians are always talking about "targeted" cuts, or "targeted" tax increases, well the president and his cabinet have taken targeting a step further in that they now create "targeted pain."

The FAA has now announced that they will pull air traffic controllers from some small airports, including a few in Texas.  And that the FAA will also furlough some air traffic controllers.  Now that is my friends is "targeted pain" that will be sure to make local newspapers and create a sense of impending doom upon the newspaper reading public.  "Oh my God, somebody is going to get killed landing at an airport without air traffic controllers," will be the battle cry of the media.  And if someone does die in a plane crash at one of these airports, no matter what the cause, you will see the main stream media blaming sequester.

But, let's take a look at the real story.  The FAA budget for FY 2013 is a little over $15 billion.  In that $15 billion are the following lines:

Facilities and Equipment:         $2.9 billion
Research and Development     $ .2 billion
Grants                                    $ 2.4 billion
Total of money not used for air traffic controllers or staff saleries:  $5.5 billion

Now, if they really, really wanted to, the FAA could slash that 2% from one of these line items and no one would notice.  Of course that is the point:  NO ONE WOULD NOTICE.

Mr. President, you should be impeached if a plane crashes at one of these airports and it is blamed on the lack of air traffic controllers YOUR cabinet laid off, or furloughed.

Citizenship Fairness: From the SA Express News

I saw this is the San Antonio Express News this morning.  Probably one of the best letters to the editor  I have seen explaining why those in this country illegally should not be moved to the front of the line in becoming citizen of the United States.

A path, yes, but they must wait in line just like everyone else.  How hard is that to understand?

Citizenship fairness

Re: “Citizenship must be a part of the deal on immigration,” Another View, Sunday:

Your recent editorial trivializes the issue by ignoring two basic American values — the rule of law and equal opportunity.

The most symbolic American commitment to immigration is the Statue of Liberty; “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

It is freedom that is the basis of America's invitation. But the foundation of freedom is the rule of law, and the invitation is based on a number of immigration requirements grounded in law.

To grant citizenship every decade or so to those who have broken the law by entering the country illegally, undermines the foundation of that very freedom.

It is that freedom for which millions are waiting and waiting until they can immigrate according to law. To grant citizenship to those who have broken those immigration laws in essence denies equal opportunity to those waiting to come here legally.

The task of trying to deal with the status of millions of immigrants who have broken the law to come to America is a complex and difficult task for lawmakers who take the ideals of liberty, rule of law and equal opportunity seriously.

Editorials such as yours make that task even more difficult and confusing.

Charles Malesky

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/article/Your-Turn-March-23-2013-4377230.php#ixzz2OMYi6rai

A Morning With Tx. State Representative Richard Raymond

Today, I was on the Jay St John radio show (99.3 FM) along with our Texas State Representative Richard Raymond.

We had an interesting converstation about the current legislative session and what would most likely be the outcome of a couple of issues.

1.  School finance, it looks like there will be some money released from the "Rainy Day Fund" to the tune of $2 billion for the next two years, and an additional $500 million for the remainder of this year.

I will go along with the need for an increase as we have increased the headcount of students, but I still think we have problems, and they are not money problems in the school system.

As a side note, I told Richard that some Texas prisons are going to use cell phone blocking devices to eliminate the use of cell phones by convicts.  Not that I am comparing our kids to convicts, but I told Richard that it would be a good idea to allow schools to choose whether they might like to implement this technology.  For you parents out there, you can still call the office to get your kid on the phone in an emergency, and the blockers can be turned off and on from a central location, or locations in case of an emergency, or at the end of the school day to allow for parent to kid communications.

By blocking the cell phones, you would eliminate a HUGE distraction in school.  We need the focus from our students, and teachers.  Parents, don't whine about this....we went to school for years without cell phones and texting and survived.

We also talked about term limits, and the state wide office term limits looks like it may make the Texas ballots for a constitutional amendment.  When I asked about term limits for the representatives and senators, Richard said it was unlikely that would pass the house and senate.  I say, let our senator know we want term limits, and then copy Richard.

Anyway, Jay should start having more guest on his show, so tune in, and follow him on his Facebook page, under Laredo Citizens for Good Government.