It's Not Just About Kids

The Albuquerque Public School District campaigned  for an additional $616 MILLION dollars for school projects including facilities. They convinced 70% of the voters to Celebrate Kids, by voting yes on this bond measure. And they won.

That's right, according to APS it's all about kids.Well, it isn't all about kids. It's also about taxpayers, and common sense economics, to say nothing of the other "projects" that will be funded through these millions that have absolutely NOTHING to do with school facilities.

Sure, the voters will see "face lifts" on school facilities throughout the county, but while those "face lifts" are being done, other of the bond monies will be used for miscellaneous, unidentified, unpublicized, unapproved, unspecified "projects". The bond measure was worded in such a way that the district pretty much has carte blanch in how they use these funds over and above the "master planned" facility improvements itemized and publicized so carefully for voters.

It's also possible that some of these funds will land on the bargaining table and be used to compensate teachers and staff. Not a good thing to do since the money from this bond is not guaranteed for perpetuity, and a raise in salary pretty much is. Where's the district going to get funding for projects and salaries in the future? Another bond measure? You bet they are.

I don't mean to suggest that APS was purposely deceptive, they were simply purposely strategic in their campaigning. They said what you wanted to hear. They included the information you asked about. And they were conveniently quiet, or circumspect, or very general in their comments about anything beyond the "face lifts" to your neighborhood schools. They told you what you wanted to hear, what you NEEDED to hear to vote "yes" and give them $616M.

Don't worry, you will like what you SEE, it's what you won't see that worries me. What else will our money be used for that isn't so visible to the taxpayer eye? I would venture a guess that it most certainly will not be used only for school facilities, or even only for kids. Collective bargaining, administrative perks, and other non-kid related "projects" come to mind.

Kids are important, but so are the taxpayers of Bernalillo County who already pay 25% higher property taxes than the top 10 cities in New Mexico.

And when 63% of Bernalillo county construction is school related, but we don't even graduate 63% of our kids...we need to pay close attention to where and how that $616 million dollars is spent. It's our money, you know...although we have now voted to give it to APS, without too many strings attached.

I guess the bottom line is this. Would you give a large monetary gift to your own child without knowing exactly where all that money is going? Would you give a large monetary gift to your own child to make exterior improvements on their home, when they don't have food or a healthy environment inside? I mean, nothing could be more about kids then giving money to your own kid. But that doesn't mean you would do it, does it?

Probably not. But you voted to give a HUGE amount of money to APS. So unless amazing changes happen in the teaching styles, available curriculum, and classroom environment (stemming from teacher personality and discipline, not new paint) our kids still may not graduate, but they will be more comfortable while failing.

Wonderful.

That's just not common sense at all. And in the end, it's not about kids either. It's about money.

Congratulations to APS on running a fabulous campaign.

Common Sense is Nonpartisan

For the first time in decades, Albuquerque has elected a fiscal conservative, a Republican and a tall guy as Mayor. In an  impressive win, Mayor Elect R.J. Barry will take over the reins on December 1st, 2009.

In a city of liberal thinkers and an abundance of Obamanos! bumper stickers still flying by on the freeway, it's good to know that reality is still paramount in the minds of the voters.

As Mayor Elect Barry has said, we can expect a common sense leadership from him - and "common sense is nonpartisan.".

Well said, and an election well-deserved and much needed.

"The Holy Pinata of Pork Spending...

...stuffed with so much pork it's almost antiSemitic." This is a quote from Jonah Goldberg's luncheon talk earlier today at our New Mexico Turn Around conference in reference to the stimulus funds.

And if you think that is great...you will have to check out the podcast of this event on the Rio Grande Foundation website. Make SURE to listen to Jonah's talk - it was the highlight of the conference (so far)!

You can find more about Jonah Goldberg just Google him...he's syndicated with the LA Times, he just published Liberal Fascism, and he is hysterically informative.

Now to find a BIG stick for that pinata.....

Freedom Fighters Just Want to Have Fu-un!

Join us!

Happy Hour @ Independence Grill

No Host Bar, $1 off regular drink prices

Thursday, September 17th, 5 - 7 PM

6910 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, (505) 837-2874

Suggested Discussion: Ever Vigilant for the Cause of Liberty

Many thanks to our partners in Liberty -

Independence Grill and DW Turner!

Join the 9 club today!

We launched the 9 club today, on 09/09/09. Check it out!

Lights of Liberty

"Let your light shine"...most of us are familiar with this biblical phrase, but do we live it? Some do.

This past week the Rio Grande Foundation held the first annual "Lights of Liberty" luncheon in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The guest speaker was David Boaz, Executive Vice President of the CATO Institute. Let me simply say that David's light is shining.

The sell-out crowd of 170 liberty-minded attendees listened intently through David's 30 minute "Liberty in Crisis" presentation.

The speech was inspiring, thought provoking and real. David doesn't mince words or dance around critical topics. Although politically correct in the appropriate use of the term, his casual lack of concern for unnecessary political correctness - that which goes against the grain of today's liberal-fueled quasi-conventional wisdom - makes him the perfect example of it - of political correctness. He speaks the truth, he says what needs to be said and he says it well.

One of my favorite pieces so far (I am still reading) by David Boaz appeared in the Wall Street Journal in May 2009 and is titled "Our Collectivist Candidates". His message is timely and timeless; he ends with a statement loosely related to my area of expertise - philanthropy. I will share the final two paragraphs in this blog, but please click on the link to read his entire article.

"But hypocrisy is not the biggest issue. The real issue is that Messrs. Obama and McCain are telling us Americans that our normal lives are not good enough, that pursuing our own happiness is "self-indulgence," that building a business is "chasing after our money culture," that working to provide a better life for our families is a "narrow concern."

They're wrong. Every human life counts. Your life counts. You have a right to live it as you choose, to follow your bliss. You have a right to seek satisfaction in accomplishment. And if you chase after the almighty dollar, you just might find that you are led, as if by an invisible hand, to do things that improve the lives of others."

And he is right; in my experience as a fundraiser, people who have achieved success want (maybe even need) to share with others, and in an interesting example of "what goes around comes around", they are often rewarded for their philanthropic generosity with continued and increased success. It's one of those eternal principles, and yet some would deny that right to personal success and accomplishment. Shame on them; maybe they should be hiding under a bushel.

Keep on shining, David. And may the light of liberty shine on too.

Reduced Fat

I need to lighten up, this blog was supposed to be the lighter side of politics and there I go talking about things that aren't all that light.

In this day and age it's hard to not get a little heavy with the commentary when discussing economic policy that costs taxpayers billions of dollars, transparency in government, inequitable legislation and other timely and critical issues in the world of politics.

However, I will do my best to do better, to be lighter, to not chew the fat on every issue that comes to mind.

So, here goes, let me start with this bumper sticker, found on the back of a Toyota Tundra in Albuquerque, NM earlier today: I'll keep my guns, freedom and money, you can keep "The Change".

Light, but to the point.