While waiting at an intersection, a commuter train came rumbling past. Having just read where the first week surpassed expectations because of free fares, I was interested to see how many “happy, paper-reading, non-stressed” commuters would be on the train.
Another article in the DMN discussed how poorly DART has predicted ridership on their trains. In every instance they had to revise the numbers downward. In other words, what they guessed proved to be overly optimistic. It also said every station had ridership less than when the stations first opened.
Of course, our great predictor of future behavior must be much smarter than DART’s.
On the northbound train at about 3pm on a Tuesday the entire train was EMPTY. At first I thought “those jokesters are all lying down in those comfy seats taking naps so no one could see them”. Then realized if they did that they would miss the scenery and the joy of watching cars meander down the highway.
Here’s a thought, rather than telling us how many people ride the train, tell us the percentage of seats actually sat in. In other words, give us a cheek-to-seat ratio.
Having 3,000 people ride the train in a week sounds pretty good. Until we learn that there were another 20,000 empty seats which is about 13% - not so good. Also, the number of full-fare riders would be telling also. Having deep discounted tickets is fine for a movie, but not when it is the taxpayer’s money.
For some reason lyrics in a song by the Kingston Trio comes to mind - "When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?"
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Thank you Mr. Obama
Finally, a reason I can be thankful Mr. Obama is our non-resident president. Thanks to him I will be eligible for Medicaid beginning in 2014. In the “we have to pass it to see what’s in it” healthcare bill there is a provision that anyone who makes less than $64,000, is drawing Social Security and not eligible for Medicare will be eligible for Medicaid.
That means I can start Social Security early at 62 and have free healthcare. Of course, that means I don’t need health insurance at work so my employees may not be happy. Also, to make sure I make less than $64,000 I may have to let a couple of them go (I’ll call it “retirement incentive”) so we are less productive. I will probably have to use a CPA instead of TurboTax to make sure I have all the credits and deductions available to keep my income low.
However, since it doesn’t happen until 2014 that means if a Tea Party activist Republican is elected President and those mean-spirited cut taxes and don’t spend conservatives get control of Congress they may take it away. Can you imagine a hard-working, middle class, early retiree not having free healthcare like all the poor, lower class, single moms with a bunch of kids? Or the drug addicts who have kidney failure?
They would be forced to take away something I’ve worked all my life to attain – being a burden to my children and grandchildren.
What’s a conservative to do?
That means I can start Social Security early at 62 and have free healthcare. Of course, that means I don’t need health insurance at work so my employees may not be happy. Also, to make sure I make less than $64,000 I may have to let a couple of them go (I’ll call it “retirement incentive”) so we are less productive. I will probably have to use a CPA instead of TurboTax to make sure I have all the credits and deductions available to keep my income low.
However, since it doesn’t happen until 2014 that means if a Tea Party activist Republican is elected President and those mean-spirited cut taxes and don’t spend conservatives get control of Congress they may take it away. Can you imagine a hard-working, middle class, early retiree not having free healthcare like all the poor, lower class, single moms with a bunch of kids? Or the drug addicts who have kidney failure?
They would be forced to take away something I’ve worked all my life to attain – being a burden to my children and grandchildren.
What’s a conservative to do?
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Give Me Pen and Paper Anytime
A recent editorial (July 7, The Shame of Texas) derided the State School Board for making technology courses elective and not mandatory. I believe the concern was misdirected. Rather than condemning the State Board, I want ask who approved a “Complex” for anything. What is the difference between “dean” and “principal”? How many hundreds of thousands of dollars were sucked out of the Language Arts department to pay for this boondoggle?
Needing a part time employee I received over a hundred resumes from UNT undergraduates. That means they already passed the “rigorous” high school exit exams and were in college. Every resume was send by email and composed using word processing software. Therefore, they knew how to use “technology”.
However, many could not form a complete sentence much less a complete thought. The idea of sentence structure was completely missing. More than one had the word “I” written “i”. Telephone interviews revealed a lack of proper language skills. What good is the use of technology if they don’t know the basics of our language?
I have interviewed many people over the years and not a single time did I ask about computer skills. If you do not have command of the English language and cannot communicate the written word you need not apply.
Take all those computers and throw them out. Pen and paper are less expensive and can teach a young person more than a computer program ever will. I have never taken a computer course or even typing. My computing skills are above average because I did it the old-fashioned way – on my own.
Needing a part time employee I received over a hundred resumes from UNT undergraduates. That means they already passed the “rigorous” high school exit exams and were in college. Every resume was send by email and composed using word processing software. Therefore, they knew how to use “technology”.
However, many could not form a complete sentence much less a complete thought. The idea of sentence structure was completely missing. More than one had the word “I” written “i”. Telephone interviews revealed a lack of proper language skills. What good is the use of technology if they don’t know the basics of our language?
I have interviewed many people over the years and not a single time did I ask about computer skills. If you do not have command of the English language and cannot communicate the written word you need not apply.
Take all those computers and throw them out. Pen and paper are less expensive and can teach a young person more than a computer program ever will. I have never taken a computer course or even typing. My computing skills are above average because I did it the old-fashioned way – on my own.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Trains, Buses and Black Holes
They call it mass transit. As in mass transit of our money to the massive black hole called government. We are seeing a disaster in the making. I am referring to the Denton County Transit Authority (DCTA) and the financial mess they are making. In May we were told the County had too much money sitting around so they loaned it to DART.
DART has since told us they were going to have massive layoffs and may have to reconsider when and if they pursue toy trains. In their May/June newsletter DCTA has a piece titled “Ridership Continues to Rise, Despite Industry Trends”. Now we read the county sure wishes more stops were added but no one else can afford to raise the tax rate that is already maxed out.
Anytime a tax must be used to fund a program, failure is close behind. Why do we continue to allow programs be built with no hope of paying for itself? Look at the entities that rely on tax dollars today. Every one of them is crying for more money because their revenue source, taxes, is down. The only thing left is to raise fees and fares that reduce usage that means more money lost. The cycle continues the all too familiar course.
Since 2007, DCTA average annual cost is more than $10 million. Although they say 2 million people ride DCTA, they really mean someone steps on the bus 2 million times. Of those more than 30% are UNT students. Something doesn’t make sense.
DART has since told us they were going to have massive layoffs and may have to reconsider when and if they pursue toy trains. In their May/June newsletter DCTA has a piece titled “Ridership Continues to Rise, Despite Industry Trends”. Now we read the county sure wishes more stops were added but no one else can afford to raise the tax rate that is already maxed out.
Anytime a tax must be used to fund a program, failure is close behind. Why do we continue to allow programs be built with no hope of paying for itself? Look at the entities that rely on tax dollars today. Every one of them is crying for more money because their revenue source, taxes, is down. The only thing left is to raise fees and fares that reduce usage that means more money lost. The cycle continues the all too familiar course.
Since 2007, DCTA average annual cost is more than $10 million. Although they say 2 million people ride DCTA, they really mean someone steps on the bus 2 million times. Of those more than 30% are UNT students. Something doesn’t make sense.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Statistical Myths
Have you ever wondered who comes up with all the silly statistics governments come up with to justify a tax? Like the one in New York where the governor needs more money so he wants to tax soft drinks. "Who else should pay the $58 million it takes to care for the obese?" he asks.
How does anyone know exactly how much it takes to "care" for anyone? Beyond that, however, think of it this way. Let's assume that mythical $58 million is correct. Where does that $58 million go? Does it evaporate into thin air? It probably goes to doctors, nurses, hospitals, clinics, drug companies, drug stores, and caregivers.
What would happen to all those people if this money were to go away? But this is only half the story - actually 1/7 of the story. The "velocity of money" is estimated to be 7. That means for every dollar someone earns it is spent 7 times.
One dollar is paid to a doctor. He buys $1 of food. That 1$ is paid to the store that pays $1 to an employee who then pays his rent. The rent money goes to the landlord who buys $1 of plumbing supplies, etc., etc.,etc. - you get the point.
So when a politician says "we need to pay for __________ with this increase in taxes" - don't believe them.
How does anyone know exactly how much it takes to "care" for anyone? Beyond that, however, think of it this way. Let's assume that mythical $58 million is correct. Where does that $58 million go? Does it evaporate into thin air? It probably goes to doctors, nurses, hospitals, clinics, drug companies, drug stores, and caregivers.
What would happen to all those people if this money were to go away? But this is only half the story - actually 1/7 of the story. The "velocity of money" is estimated to be 7. That means for every dollar someone earns it is spent 7 times.
One dollar is paid to a doctor. He buys $1 of food. That 1$ is paid to the store that pays $1 to an employee who then pays his rent. The rent money goes to the landlord who buys $1 of plumbing supplies, etc., etc.,etc. - you get the point.
So when a politician says "we need to pay for __________ with this increase in taxes" - don't believe them.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Schools and budgets
While our School Board is looking for ways to reduce the budget, here is some useful information. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has done research in the area of school spending. Here are some interesting results.
Texas spends an average of $11,000 per child per year for education which is double the 1999 average. The average class size is 23 students. Therefore, each classroom represents $255,000 of the budget. Since the average teacher makes $47,300 per year, that leaves more than $207,000 per classroom to spend.
Since 1999 average enrollment has grown 15% while teaching positions increased 19%. That is understandable and reasonable. However, there was an increase of 22% in non-teaching positions. In fact, there are 321,092 teachers and 313,850 non-teachers on the payrolls in Texas.
Do we really need an almost 1:1 ratio of teacher to non-teacher? A non-teacher could be a janitor or an Assistant Deputy Director to the Superintendent. Maybe they need to do what corporate America does and look to cut non-essential staff first. How many Assistant Superintendents does one school district need? How about putting all those administrators back in the classroom at teacher’s salaries for a year? Or maybe requiring all administrators, including Dr. Braswell, to fill substitute teacher needs for a minimum of two weeks per year at substitute pay.
Of course, they will always make the easier decision to change bus schedules, reduce activities, change curriculum, reduce books, turn off lights, etc. All of which directly affects the students who can’t vote.
Texas spends an average of $11,000 per child per year for education which is double the 1999 average. The average class size is 23 students. Therefore, each classroom represents $255,000 of the budget. Since the average teacher makes $47,300 per year, that leaves more than $207,000 per classroom to spend.
Since 1999 average enrollment has grown 15% while teaching positions increased 19%. That is understandable and reasonable. However, there was an increase of 22% in non-teaching positions. In fact, there are 321,092 teachers and 313,850 non-teachers on the payrolls in Texas.
Do we really need an almost 1:1 ratio of teacher to non-teacher? A non-teacher could be a janitor or an Assistant Deputy Director to the Superintendent. Maybe they need to do what corporate America does and look to cut non-essential staff first. How many Assistant Superintendents does one school district need? How about putting all those administrators back in the classroom at teacher’s salaries for a year? Or maybe requiring all administrators, including Dr. Braswell, to fill substitute teacher needs for a minimum of two weeks per year at substitute pay.
Of course, they will always make the easier decision to change bus schedules, reduce activities, change curriculum, reduce books, turn off lights, etc. All of which directly affects the students who can’t vote.
Friday, May 14, 2010
AttentionTwo Wheelers
While all the two wheelers are out there asking for bigger lanes and special bike paths how about doing a few things first for us?
Like obeying traffic laws. Today I witnessed one biker run two red lights and turned right on red without stopping at a third. You are required to follow all traffic laws yet I have never seen a two wheeler pulled over for running a red light.
Or how about using the sidewalks that we have already paid for. The aforementioned biker was riding on Lillian Miller in morning traffic with an empty sidewalk 20 feet away.
Streets, roads, and highways were all paid for, designed, built, and maintained for motorized vehicles. Not a single bicycle has been taxed for the purpose of maintaining our streets. My car is taxed every time I fill up. Every time I pay for the registration sticker and every time I get it inspected some of the money goes into the mythical highway trust fund (another topic for another blog).
Or you could start by obeying the common courtesy of pedaling a bicycle. You know like, single file in the direction of traffic. In case you haven't figure it out a 2,000 lb car will win every encounter against a 5 oz titanium bike. Riding down Ryan Rd or Canyon Creek may be scenic and pleasant but when you are riding two or three abreast you are secretly making a death wish.
If you want unobstructed, straight, flat, maintained places to ride, try the shoulder on I-35. Or maybe park your two wheeler in front of your 50 inch plasma with the back wheel up and ride in your living room.
Like obeying traffic laws. Today I witnessed one biker run two red lights and turned right on red without stopping at a third. You are required to follow all traffic laws yet I have never seen a two wheeler pulled over for running a red light.
Or how about using the sidewalks that we have already paid for. The aforementioned biker was riding on Lillian Miller in morning traffic with an empty sidewalk 20 feet away.
Streets, roads, and highways were all paid for, designed, built, and maintained for motorized vehicles. Not a single bicycle has been taxed for the purpose of maintaining our streets. My car is taxed every time I fill up. Every time I pay for the registration sticker and every time I get it inspected some of the money goes into the mythical highway trust fund (another topic for another blog).
Or you could start by obeying the common courtesy of pedaling a bicycle. You know like, single file in the direction of traffic. In case you haven't figure it out a 2,000 lb car will win every encounter against a 5 oz titanium bike. Riding down Ryan Rd or Canyon Creek may be scenic and pleasant but when you are riding two or three abreast you are secretly making a death wish.
If you want unobstructed, straight, flat, maintained places to ride, try the shoulder on I-35. Or maybe park your two wheeler in front of your 50 inch plasma with the back wheel up and ride in your living room.
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