Safer, better, more efficient; Lubbock ISD’s “Every Child, Every School” measure comes at a great time for the district
Good times. Unpredictably but often, the car I drove late in my college career would fail me (usually in some isolated, scary place and in extreme heat or cold) needing some kind various repair that ranged in cost from $ to $$$.
The car I drove in my late college years had reached a point of diminishing returns, and I can’t say it was altogether safe to be getting stranded in various places like I was a couple of times, before the days when I could afford a cell phone (heck, I’ll reveal my age and admit it was even before cell phones were common!)
Looking back, it would have made a lot more sense, from a safety and a bottom line standpoint, to make a $300 car payment on something more dependable and in better repair than what I now look back and figure was an average of around $400 in repairs monthly when two years’ worth of repairs varying in size are now taken into account.
I hope to never have to know as much about (or spend as much $ on) the engine of a Dodge Charger as I did back then.
So why didn’t I trade the old clunker for something more safe and dependable with car payments that would still be cheaper and more predictable than repair bills? Easy; I was in college and had only a part time job, no credit and was already in debt with college loans. The interest rates available to someone like me wouldn’t have been very low, and waiting to resolve this until better days just made more sense. However, waiting forever to resolve the situation wasn’t sustainable, and I knew it even then.
But, Lubbock ISD is in a much better position financially today than I was back then, and waiting doesn’t make any sense nor is it sustainable for a school district with needed maintenance, safety issues, significant capital improvements challenges at some schools and the very real need to remain competitive. This is especially true when you take into account LISD’s very little current debt compared with other districts and a Moody’s rating in the top 21 districts in Texas (resulting in one of the lowest interest rates available).
The very fact that the potential new $198 debt can be serviced without a tax increase points clearly to the time being right to address these needs and investments (LISD already has the lowest tax rate in Lubbock County among larger school districts). Following my own “character-building” experiences I cited above, it would be the equivalent of my having been in a situation where I could have kept my income level where it was from my part time job and taken on a car payment at a very low interest rate and scarcely felt the impact on my ability to meet my other expenses. That would have been a “no-brainer.” (Back then in my youth, I think we used to say, “Duh!”)
Honestly, if that had been my situation, would it still have made sense to continue to deal with maintenance challenges and costs? Clearly, no.
But dealing with maintenance and safety challenges isn’t all Lubbock ISD is looking to address; this investment will actually allow for operational cost savings of $2.5 million annually (this is a good business strategy); technology upgrades that will be smartly financed separately and for a shorter period than other capital investments; and, existing investments Lubbock ISD taxpayers have made until today will be protected by making other improvements that keep the district competitive. More information on these investments can be found at voteforlisd.com .
I only wish I’d had similar things going for me back when I learned I could push my car off the street all by myself. Yeah, Good Times.
Attempting to Single Out Business in Stifling Free Speech (or When It’s So Egregious, I Just Can’t Think of a Witty Headline)
Once upon a time, an emperor and his aides were duped by swindlers into believing they had woven beautiful fabric and sewn it into a suit of clothes from thin air for which the emperor was willing to pay handsomely.
The emperor proudly donned the nonexistent clothing and paraded through the city, accompanied by his yes-men aides, all of whom were too intimidated, insecure, or unquestioning to doubt the existence of the emperor’s new suit of clothes.
But, a child finally cried out, “The emperor has no clothes!” (“Besides”, the child silently thought, “unions and their high-labor-cost demands long ago drove most weaving and clothing manufacturing offshore.”)
And, as the emperor and his aides began to see that the crowd was listening to the child, a new law was introduced to prevent shouts of exclamation during parade processions.
However, the law would apply only to those who questioned the existence of the emperor’s clothing or the judgment of his aides. Those who wished to shout praise and admiration for the nonexistent clothing were carved out of the new law, which was titled the “Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act,” H.R. 5175.
Otherwise known as the DISCLOSE Act, introduced by Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen and the immediate past chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Senator Chuck Schumer, the legislation presents a conundrum of which is the more egregious thing of these two:
- that it endangers the right of free speech as enumerated in the Constitution by flying in the face of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling in which the Court struck down a blanket government prohibition on corporate political speech and actually expands the very law the Court found unconstitutional; or,
- that it specifically and methodically targets businesses and corporations by carving out labor unions and—in a development just today—huge, well-established groups with whom deals have reportedly been cut like the National Rifle Association (which points to just how far bill’s sponsors will go in the name of stifling the political voice of business).
The DISCLOSE Act, is dangerous to associations, chambers of commerce, and businesses because, if enacted into law, this legislation:
- Places onerous restrictions on corporate free speech and their representative associations while ignoring organized labor’s immense political influence
- Threatens to stifle trade associations’ First Amendment freedoms that give voice to their members views in the legislative and political process
- Upends Congress’ longstanding tradition of treating corporations and unions in parallel fashion, with similar burdens on each
- Is alarmingly blatant preferential treatment of unions and is unnecessary since unions already possess considerable political clout – Unions and their PACs claim to have spent $450 million in the 2008 presidential race; two unions have already vowed to spend more than $100 million to “protect the incumbency” in the 2010 midterms
But at least we can blog about the bill and its sponsors…can’t we? It’s a free country, right? Well, for now, at least. Brad Peck with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce writes in his ChamberPost blog that “This bill is so loosely crafted that it’s an absolute train wreck that not only threatens free speech in America, but could indirectly impact the current free exercise of speech bloggers enjoy.”
Senator Schumer has commented directly on the targeted nature of the DISCLOSE Act,
saying the bill: “will make [corporations] think twice” before attempting to influence election outcomes, and that this “deterrent effect should not be underestimated.”
The legislation, H.R. 5175, could be considered in the House as early as THIS Thursday. Then, it would be sent back to the Senate, where a cloture vote would be taken to determine whether it will be debated by the full Senate. View Congress’ summary of the bill here.
What can you do? Start by clicking here to contact Congress now to urge them to reject this legislation.
And for now, it’s legal to shout that the “emperor has no clothes.”
PS: If anyone chooses to buy him some real clothes, please do so at a Lubbock Chamber member retailer).
Short of a foot-race or washer-pitching match, we do our best to let voters compare candidates
Although the Chamber does take policy positions on issues of importance to the membership and the business community, we don’t endorse individual candidates. But, since having the privilege of becoming a part of the Chamber team in 2004, I’ve had a great time getting to know candidates and helping our members get to know candidates who have thrown their hat in the ring for a number of races at all levels of government by bringing our members the candidates’ views on issues. We’ve done this in a variety of ways, depending on time and resources, both of the Chamber and those with whom we partner on various efforts.
These efforts haven’t included comparing candidates’ foot-race or washer-pitching skills (to-date, hmmm), but depending on the scheduling and planning capacities of the Chamber and our partners, it has included Chamber meet-and-greet events, candidate questionnaires, and–as time and resources allow–award-winning candidate forums or debates, one of which ended up as a national broadcast on C-SPAN in 2004. We and our broadcast partners, usually local television stations or Lubbock ISD, put much behind-the-scenes time, energy and organization into these forums, and this was recognized last year by the U.S. Chamber when our efforts at producing these forums was cited as a “Best Practice” for Chambers by the organization. (In fact, few people know to this day that the Chamber had fewer than 4 hours’ notice back in 2004 that the District 19 Congressional Debate would be nationally broadcast. But, more than 6 months of planning, preparation and fine-tuning by the many folks involved paid off, and without scarcely a blink, we went national with the flip of a switch!)
But, enough reminiscing…here are our latest efforts to bring you the views of the candidates for the contested City Council races and the Mayoral race for the City of Lubbock in the May 2010 election coming up on May 4. (Early voting starts Monday, April 26!)
CONTESTED CITY COUNCIL RACES:
District 1 – CLICK HERE to see the recent candidate forum for City Council District 1 hosted by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and KCBD NewsChannel 11.
District 5 – CLICK HERE to see the recent candidate forum for City Council District 5 hosted by the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and KCBD NewsChannel 11.
Tune in Sunday, Apr 25, 6 to 8 p.m., to catch rebroadcasts of the District 5 (6 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and District 1 (7 p.m. to 8 p.m.) forums on KCBD’s “THIS” station, which can be accessed over the air at channel 11.2 or on Suddenlink Channel 127.
MAYORAL RACE:
Below are responses to questions we submitted to Mayoral Candidates Cody Smart, Richard Quade, Rogert Settler and Tom Martin.
(Listed in Ballot Order)
1. What role can the Mayor and the City Council have in rebalancing Lubbock‘s growth pattern to include development in other parts of town besides the southwest?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: For many years, the mantra was “Move Southwest”, leading to an exodus of the population in that direction, and the abandonment of the Downtown Business District. The result has been urban decay, with many vacant buildings and residences. A common-sense program of tax incentives, grants and loans should be implemented to insure that all areas of Lubbock share in the life of the community. Every city needs a vital city core. This has been neglected for too long in Lubbock, and attention is long overdue.
MARTIN: The Mayor and Council will appoint a Redistricting Committee to recommend an acceptable plan to the Council.
2. What do you see as the most pressing issue for small businesses in Lubbock, and what would you as Mayor do to help resolve this?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: Taxation and user fees, specifically water and sewer usage fees, have greatly affected small businesses. In the harsh economic climate, mere survival is the goal for some small businesses. Current businesses should be encouraged, and new business should be recruited. In no circumstance should existing businesses be removed as part of a grandiose “Master Plan”.
MARTIN: The Mayor takes the lead in keeping property taxes as low as possible.
3. Potential changes to the City Charter are now being discussed by a Citizens Committee. What changes to the City Charter would you like to see passed by voters and why?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: 1) Expansion of the City Council from six seats to eight, plus the Mayor.
Such an expansion would allow for Council Districts which are more geographically compact, with proper communities of interest, and protected diversity…..specifically, if the current system remains in place, the Black community shall, in all likelihood, lose its representation on the Council within a few years because of demographic trends. An eight member system would preserve this representation, while providing communities of interest in other Districts…..for example, the Northwest District would be more compact, and not diluted with Central Lubbock neighborhoods, and the Overton, Heart of Lubbock and O’Neill Terrace neighborhoods could be included with Tech Terrace, a more appropriate community of interest. 2. The LP&L Board, and the City Secretary, should be elective offices. 3) Regular meetings of the City Council should be mandated by Charter to occur at night, to promote citizen involvement and feedback.
MARTIN: The voters should have the opportunity to limit future transfers from Lubbock Power and Light to the general fund, so that excess earnings continue to be rebated to the customers of LP&L.
4. What specific attributes or skills do you believe differentiate you from your opponents in this race, and why are they important?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: I have 40 years of experience in the political and business arenas of the community. Having attended countless City meetings and functions, I have a wide range and depth of experience which would serve me well in the office of Mayor.
I believe that the Mayor should be a visionary and inspirational leader, with the ability to create a vital partnership between the private and public sectors, while maintaining employee morale within the City structure. I have many years of experience in Federal and Tribal Courts as an American Indian Traditional Attorney. Over the decades, I have founded and helped establish many organizations, including a number of neighborhood associations. This richness of experience which I possess would make a difference in my ability to serve as Mayor.
MARTIN: My forty years in municipal government, six of which are on the City Council, give me the greatest experience in this race.
5. There are many road and street projects now under construction in Lubbock. What specific transportation or streets project do you believe should be the next top priority if and when funds become available, and why?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: Streets: 1. Top priority: paving the unpaved streets in North, Central and East Lubbock, something which should have been done long ago. 2. 34th Street, from the Interstate to Slide Road, should also be a top priority. Other projects, like the proposed Outer Loop and streets which serve new developments, should be postponed until the City revenue situation improves…..everything cannot be done at once. Transportation: 1. Preliminary plans for light high-speed rail should be put in place for the distant future, as Federal funds might become available. 2. The current bus system needs to be scrupulously reviewed, and large, empty buses should be phased out, and replaced with smaller, more efficient vehicles. Ridership surveys, which should be easy to conduct, would reveal which routes should be affected.3. Green initiatives should be established whenever possible, not only in the transportation area but in all phases of City Government.
MARTIN: Continuing the rebuilding of our older thoroughfares and continuing to extend our major streets in developing areas would give us the best street system in Texas.
6. Besides our challenges with water that are now being addressed by city leaders, please name one specific issue or factor that today is keeping Lubbock from realizing its full potential and what could the City Council do to help resolve it?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: Cronyism and Corruption in the day-to-day conduct of City affairs, with a lack of accountability and transparency, has held the City back in many ways. Too often, projects are presented to the public as a “done deal” without any realistic public input. This must stop if Lubbock is to ever achieve its full potential. Everyone should have a equal chance, without favoritism or prejudgment. A great City is always defined by the richness of its diversity and free expression. Government should reflect this diversity and creativeness.
MARTIN: We must continue to develop the Ports-To-Plains highway and rail system to allow Lubbock to grow as a regional distribution center. Lubbock has led this effort for 12 years and this must continue.
7. Back in 2003, LP&L was near financial collapse. Since then, the municipal utility is thriving. What specific measures should be put in place to ensure the continued financial health of LP&L?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: 1. A Charter provision should be put in place which would disallow the “raiding” or transfer of LP&L surpluses to the General Fund. This would guarantee financial stability for LP&L. 2. The LP&L Board should be elected rather than appointed….this would promote accountability and transparency in a City-owned company. 3. The proposed buyout of XCel Energy should be voided, and a healthy competition maintained for electric services. Government-owned monopolies are not the answer…..the current competition serves the public well, and should not be undermined for the narrow purpose of promoting a specific kind of “Downtown Renovation”. The needs of the people must always be paramount over the needs and wants of special interest groups, particularly developers.
MARTIN: See question number 3.
8. Please discuss your knowledge of the various roles that Visit Lubbock, the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce play in Lubbock’s economic well-being.
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: These institutions play a significant role in promoting Lubbock as an entity, and creating jobs in the private sector. A vibrant private-public sector partnership is crucial in the life of the City.
MARTIN: All three organizations work in harmony to expand business opportunities for existing businesses, and attract new businesses to Lubbock.
9. Up until 1995, the Lubbock community came together at least once each decade for almost 50 years to strategically plan the city’s development. However, Lubbock hasn’t conducted this effort since 1995. Do you believe Lubbock should once again undertake this effort, and why or why not?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: This coming together was an integral factor in the consensus building which took place politically in those times. The polarization and fragmentation we experience today in City politics could be significantly impacted by such meetings, which would strengthen the political process and allow citizen involvement. These efforts should be re-established at the earliest possible time.
MARTIN: Since 1995, the city does a much better job of planning in all areas of the city’s growth. Each area of the city government continues to keep it’s portion of the strategic plan updated.
10. What is your opinion of the efforts to redevelop downtown Lubbock and what are your personal preferences for changes to downtown?
SMART: Did not respond.
QUADE: Submitted hand-written responses rather than type-written as required. A hard-copy may be read at the Chamber 1301 Broadway, Ste. 101, during regular business hours.
SETTLER: The proposed “Downtown Renovation” plans led by a “Master Redeveloper”, the McDougal Companies, is financially infeasible in the current economic climate.
Taxpayer monies, some in the form of water fees, should not be used for such purposes. As Mayor, I would lead an effort to replace the “Master Developer” with City staff members, who would be directed to formulate an effective partnership between the private and public sector, and approach “Downtown Renovation” on a piecemeal basis, as funds were available. Existing businesses should not be removed, as some proposals formulated by consultants have advocated, and only the worst buildings should be removed. Hard economic times mandate a conservative, pragmatic approach rather than grandiose visions which might prove exorbitantly expensive. Since the Downtown area is composed of many public and non-profit facilities, the opportunity for meaningful renovation is limited. “Basics, not Boondoggles” should be our guiding principle.
MARTIN: The efforts have just begun within the past year. The elimination of duplicate electric lines will make these efforts more cost effective. As the economy recovers, private capital will start coming into the downtown area.
BEEP-BEEP! Has the new health care law got small businesses chasing a tax break that could suddenly send them off a cliff?
I’m sure it’s evident that I spent way too much time watching Saturday morning cartoons because a cartoon coyote futilely chasing a smug but quick cartoon roadrunner was what I immediately envisioned when I read this U.S. Chamber blog about the new law and the tax breaks that are supposed to be so beneficial for small businesses but may not indeed be.
What many small businesses don’t yet know is that the tax break, if the small business can even qualify for it, will end abruptly with no transition after 2014. Here’s a quick excerpt from that blog which discusses an interview with the U.S. Chamber’s James Gelfand.
The Wall Street Journal: What will the bill mean for the smallest of small businesses?
Mr. Gelfand: Only businesses with fewer than 25 employees that have an average annual salary between $25,000 and $50,000 will receive a tax credit starting this year. So we’ve already ruled out most of the country’s small businesses because they are not eligible. And for those that are eligible, many won’t want to use this credit. Two years after the exchange is enacted in 2014, the credits disappear. There’s no transition, they just go off a cliff and so suddenly a business is having to pay twice as much as they paid the year before in health insurance.
So in addition to going off a cliff suddenly, the small business tax credits may indeed be one of those faux tunnel entrances that the aforementioned smug cartoon roadrunner used to paint on the side of a mountain only to have the eager coyote slam right into it.
The Lubbock Chamber will continue to try to determine and communicate to our members exactly how the new health care law will affect them directly. Information is unfolding daily. For instance, just this morning, the Associated Press reported that the new plan could raise premiums for young people as much as 17% to subsidize rates for older or higher risk individuals.
We hope to bring small businesses in Lubbock more information as soon as it becomes clear. And that means communicating it with the imagery of Saturday morning cartoons if necessary.
Hey! Don’t knock cartoons. A Schoolhouse Rock episode I recall about Bill trying to get through Capitol Hill failed to mention “Deem and Pass,” and came to mind frequently in recent weeks. (I also know from Schoolhouse Rock that it’s okay to begin a sentence with an interjection like I just did, but that it’s probably wrong to begin a sentence with a conjunction since that’s not its function.)
What do you think? Will the new health care law help your small business? Take our poll and comment below!
Don’t believe everything you hear…just ask us!
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. Wm. Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II, Act IV, Scene 7
The Lubbock Chamber’s legislative advocacy efforts are some of the most important functions we do for our members. From time to time, those efforts can be heard (even misinterpreted) around town and even over the airwaves. Either through ignorance, error or oversight, myths or misstatements, our positions and actions might actually not be considered positive by everybody. Imagine that, taking up for business and representing our members could actually be considered contrary to someone’s opinion. It happens.
Chamber members, if you hear something that you’re wondering about, you, as a member, are welcome to come straight to the source!
Please don’t hesitate to contact us next time you hear something that makes you wonder. We’re only a phone call (806.761.7000) or an email (info@lubbockbiz.org) away!
“Norma has great potential but talks too much in class.”
“Norma works and plays well with others.”
“Norma is very creative, but her handwriting is sloppy and could use improvement.”
Oh, yes. I remember it well.
Remember what it was like to get graded and to have to bring those grades home and be held accountable? Of course, I still contend the above items for which I was held accountable were entirely subjective (really, how much talking is too much talking?)
But there were other areas that weren’t subjective, such as the grids usually on the opposite side loaded with A grades (and some B grades, and always a C in algebra—always). Those were based upon opportunities for evaluation that were pretty rigid and uniform, leaving me with little defense on why I continued to make C’s in Algebra when held to an equal standard as my classmates who were making A’s.
So, what’s wrong with a little objective evaluation and accountability done in an organized fashion?
Many people think raising money, making speeches and playing politics is an elected official’s job. Not true. Elected officials have one primary responsibility: to vote on issues. And every day across this great nation, citizens and organizations made up of citizens compare those votes to their own positions and views on issues.
Chambers of Commerce exist to further the business interests of their members and advocate policies that are in the best interests of those members. Our state chamber of commerce keeps a vote record for our state elected officials, and our national chamber of commerce keeps a vote record for our federal elected officials. Our chamber, like many local chambers across the U.S., therefore, has a responsibility to hold local elected officials accountable to our business community by comparing their votes with our positions on issues. Those positions on issues are determined not by a single person or a brick and mortar entity called a Chamber, but by regular, everyday businesspersons themselves who comprise and lead the entity that’s called a Chamber.
After at least a year of planning and discussion, in June of 2008, the Chamber launched a Vote Record Scorecard for the City Council. Council members were notified, and rather than randomly beginning this in a mid-stream, disorganized fashion, this was done at a definite starting point with the seating of a new City Council.
Publishing a vote record on elected officials is one of the most important tools an advocacy organization can offer for its members, and any citizen or group of citizens whether formally or informally assembled is free to do this. A chamber’s vote record scorecard is the only public link between our Chamber’s positions on proposed policies and how our elected officials voted on those policies.
So highly regarded is this practice, that it is cited as a “best practice” by chamber leaders throughout the nation and at the top of the industry. The Lubbock Chamber is a 3-time winner of the statewide Government Affairs Program of the Year award and is one of an elite group of just 59 top-rated, five-star-accredited chambers of commerce is the nation. It did not reach this status by shirking our responsibility to our members. It reached this status by taking solid, strong pro-active positions on issues facing our community.
At times, what the Chamber and an elected official consider to be a pro-business vote may not necessarily be a popular vote with many people. The vote record scorecard is a way to thank and recognize elected officials when they make the hard choices that are in the best interest of the economy.
Last year, our local elected officials voted with the positions of the Chamber between 83 and 100 percent of the time as can be seen in our published scorecard at LubbockBusinessVotes.com. We are fortunate in Lubbock to be led at the current time by elected officials who score that well. But that may not always be the case, and it is today and will be tomorrow our duty and privilege to remind elected officials that no community can prosper without a successful business environment.
The way to ensure this is through unifying our business community around our highest priorities and then working with elected officials to enact the required changes. When we agree, our Score Card serves to thank and recognize those officials. When we don’t agree, then—yes—it’s our duty to hold those elected officials accountable just as it is the duty of any voting citizen in the U.S.
No elected official is above being held accountable by citizens or the associations and organizations our constitution gives them the freedom in which to assemble. The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce intends to continue to be at the forefront of that effort.
(Wow….this may be the longest blog I’ve ever written, so since I’m obviously not at a shortage for words, maybe Mrs. Curtis in 1st Grade had a point about “talks too much.”)
(Hint: A velocipede may be the only relevant item of the three that are mentioned in the 92-year-old Lubbock City Charter.)
Answer: They may all undergo the scrutiny of a city charter review commission if the Lubbock City Council passes a resolution to do so next week.
By the way, it’s okay…I had to look it up too. A velocipede, according to Wikepedia, is not a multi-legged flying insect as I first guessed, but is “an umbrella term for any human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels. The most common type of velocipede today is the bicycle.”
Lubbock’s city charter gives the City of Lubbock authority to prohibit or restrain the use of velocipedes on city sidewalks and streets. (The same section also lists “the rolling of hoops” on sidewalks and streets as subject to city regulation.)
The charter also allows the city to prohibit or regulate “the driving of herds of horses, mules, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats and all herds of domestic animals along or upon the streets, avenues, alleys, parks or public grounds of said City.” (If only this also applied to people in burnt orange t-shirts who call themselves “Longhorns”).
Is specific language regulating "the rolling of hoops" in Lubbock's City Charter still relevant? That's not all that could be addressed by a proposed charter review commission.
And, finally, the charter also gives the Mayor and City Council the power to hire, fire and set compensation for the City Manager, City Secretary, City Attorney and City Treasurer.
Lubbock hasn’t had a City Treasurer for many years, and the duties are handled by the City Manager today.
Lubbock City Councilman John Leonard has placed an item on the agenda that the Council will address at its Wednesday, December 16 meeting. The resolution calls for the Mayor to appoint a commission of five citizens who would review the city charter and recommend changes that could be on a May 2010 ballot for voters to consider. In order to make the May 2010 ballot, the City Council would need to approve the proposed changes and set the ballot by early March 2010.
But there is much more that could and perhaps should be addressed other than herds of livestock and the rolling of hoops. Here are some items that other cities have considered when updating charters and that have been mentioned with regard to ours:
- Pay for elected officials: By charter, City Council members currently are paid $300/year, and the Mayor is paid $900/year. Should this increase, and if so, by how much?
- Terms of office: City Council members serve four year terms and the Mayor serves in two year terms. Should this be changed or the Mayor’s term extended to four years like the City Council?
- Form of government: Currently, Lubbock has a “Council-Manager” form of government. This is much like the board of directors of an organization or company who supervise the main executive but are not involved in day-to-day management or hiring and firing of staff other than those listed earlier in the blog. Other cities use this form of government as well, but still others have “Mayor-Council” forms of government, where the city elected officials would essentially manage the city and oversee day to day operations and staff. What form of government should Lubbock have, or should it be left unchanged?
There are many questions and items to consider, and assuming the resolution next week passes, there is much work to be done in a short time frame if it is to appear on a May ballot. This will be a mighty responsibility and a good deal of work for the five citizens who will be appointed to the Commission. Who do you believe these individuals should be, or what should their backgrounds and knowledge base look like?
We would love to see your input! Now, it’s a lovely Friday afternoon, and I may try to go be a rebel and roll a hoop down the sidewalk…
There’s no place like home. (Back in the real world, and kissing the ground…for now.)
In a few days, the Chamber will sadly say farewell to Shelby Shaw, a Kansas native who has served as the Chamber’s VP-Communications for the past 3 years. She is leaving Lubbock to return to Kansas due to her husband’s new career opportunity there, and since I’ve teased her, particularly during tornado season, about her Kansas roots, it’s almost impossible to keep from wondering if she’ll be clicking the heels of her red shoes together three times as she departs while chanting, “There’s no place like home!”
And while Kansas and Lubbock do differ only slightly from one another, the economic and political climates of Lubbock and Kansas—heck, for that matter, even the Land of Oz and Kansas—have much more in common with one another than do the business and political climates of Texas and California. At least for now….
I just returned from a few days in San Francisco at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Conference with a refreshed perspective and renewed sense of gratitude for Texas. It’s incredible how a few days in California, especially San Francisco and the Bay Area, can cause those of us who keep track of public policy to really notice how different it is for businesses and entrepreneurs operating in California compared to Texas.
Here’s just a TINY anecdotal example from last week: A wall plaque posted at the hotel where the conference was held caught our eye after we made our way through 60 or so anti-economic freedom types protesting the U.S. Chamber gathering. The sign just outside the hotel’s front entrance warned of dire consequences one might risk from the materials, chemicals and substances used in the hotel, such as reproductive or endocrine problems among others. Really? Is such a warning really necessary for a four-diamond hotel that is considered the Grand Old Dame of Bay Area hotels? And, after having heard the real challenges the California business community faces in trying to expand or add jobs there, the tiny hotel sign was just the tip of the iceberg (which I’m sure the protester in the polar bear suit from last week would point out is melting, much like the Wicked Witch of the West melted in Oz).
It was an airplane, not ruby slippers, that allowed our return to the Texas business climate from California a few days ago, but it could take an act of Congress (or 2 or 3 or 4) to send all of the U.S. to a California-like business climate and leave us all lamenting, "There's no place like home..."
Back in the office this week, fresh in from California, I was feeling rather relieved and almost smug in all my Texan-business-climate-glory. But then, almost as if on cue, a U.S. Chamber Tweet yesterday linked to this blog , and reminded me that soon we could ALL be California, if those who are pushing major anti-business pieces of legislation succeed in their mission. (Which of these bills is potentially the worst for business? Vote in our weekly poll!)
Here are a couple of telling quotes from Ryan Streeter’s blog:
“…the Obama administration is behaving as though California were its model for growth. Increasing unfunded liabilities, proposing $1 trillion in new healthcare spending, responding to the economic crisis with new regulatory agencies but balking on the core causes of the problem—all of this and more betrays a sinister psychology of policy making.
Like California, the Obama team and their congressional allies seem to think that entrepreneurs and business leaders will simply sit there and take it, doing their “civic duty” by paying new direct and indirect taxes, and complying like obsequious puppies with new regulatory requirements. California provides pretty good evidence that this type of “civic duty” wears thin.”
I just hope I don’t find myself in some Land of Oz some day where everyone is dependent on the Great and Powerful Oz—I mean, Federal Government—for everything, and where economic freedom is nonexistent.
Really? Offense that a Chamber Advocates on Burning Issues that Target Small Businesses? Really?
I didn’t know whether to be amused or offended. (Wow…is this where I finally get to use the word “bemused” in something I write for public consumption?)
This week the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce sent an email to its members inviting and encouraging them to thank Rep. Randy Neugebauer for voting no on the health care bill that recently passed the U.S. House. The Lubbock Chamber has been very vocal and public with its opposition of the bill.
Within the first 2 minutes of sending the email, 50 members participated, and the numbers continued to swell as the day progressed.
Of course, some quietly ignored the alert, and one or two sent a polite note indicating they would not be participating since they had personally supported the bill. Those are not the reactions that surprise and somewhat astound me.
No—the handful of responses that left me scratching my head this week were mostly from folks who exclaimed they “couldn’t BELIEVE that the Chamber would take a stance on a political issue!” Or, “How COULD the Chamber get involved in the health care debate?”
Really?
It’s not a new phenomenon by any means, but I’ve never had a place to blog about it before, and now I do. Oh, to have been blogging last Fall when someone who disagreed with a major issue initiative of ours commented, “Why’s the Chamber involved in this stuff anyway? Y’all are just a special interest group!”
Meetings with elected officials such as this one with Sen. John Cornyn earlier this year aren't just photo opportunities. They are a necessary Chamber function so that we may express our members' concerns and positions to lawmakers.
Did he expect us to be offended? Because, I wasn’t. I was flattered, even. As a 501c(6) organization that operates entirely on membership dues and voluntary contributions, of course we are looking out for the interests of our members who are comprised of Lubbock area businesses/economic interests, and chambers of commerce are generally encouraged—even expected—to engage in public policy on behalf of members as a “best practice” and a requirement for accreditation. The Lubbock Chamber prides itself on having met and exceeded these measures for best practices and accreditation.
If an issue could directly impact our members’ ability to grow their business and create jobs, then you can be sure we will do our best to monitor, be involved in and advocate on an issue. Business owners—especially small business owners—are usually too busy running their businesses to keep track of issues and policies that could hamper their ability to expand or even survive. We are here to listen to their concerns, make them aware of potential policy changes, gather their views on issues and look out for their interests through advocacy and public policy work, and we will continue to do so to the greatest extent of our abilities.
REALLY.
The $530 Million Per Page (and the $2.2 Million Per Word) Health Care Bill Versus the $3.69 Per Sq. Ft. Tile
I have spent more time reviewing, debating and yes—even compromising—when choosing floor tile than the House might be allowed to spend debating the two health care reform bills that will be sent to the House Floor for debate and a vote on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
Here’s how it’s shaping up:
There are two separate bills that House Speaker Pelosi is bringing to the House Floor. Speaker Pelosi had signaled early this week that she preferred a debate with few opportunities to add amendments and strictly limited in time.
The first bill H.R. 3962.
- This bill is over 400,000 words long and over 1990 pages. With a bottom line of $1.055 trillion, that brings each page to $530 million and each word to around $2.2 million dollars in spending.
- The bill creates a health insurance exchange that would require all health insurance plans to be approved by an unelected board and creates a public option to be offered through the exchange. Additionally, it includes billions in taxes and Medicare cuts to try and pay for its overall cost which is currently estimated by the Congressional Budget Office at $1.055 trillion.
- The following are links to analysis and summary of the bill:
- Majority party’s summary of the bill: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/111/hcare/DETAILEDSUMMARY.pdf
- Ways and Means Republican cost analysis of the bill: http://republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152403
- House Republicans analysis of the bill: http://www.gop.gov/news
The second bill is H.R. 3961
This bill is the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) payment fix bill that has been split from the major health care bill to separate the costs. The bill is scored at roughly $245 billion over ten years. This bill is separate solely to make health care reform appear cheaper, like asking for the salad dressing “on the side” to appear health conscious and then eating all of it with your salad anyway.
When the two bills are added together the total cost is right at $1.3 trillion. Trillion…with a “T” (like “tile”) and this is legislation that would affect a sector that represents almost 1/5th of the U.S. economy. Tile is an important thing to take careful consideration of, given its permanent nature (anyone who has ever tried to remove floor tile understands this). And compromise is important since one might never hear the end of a bad choice.
Shouldn’t the U.S. House of Representatives be allowed time on the House Floor to debate and amend this costly, important legislation?
