Bum's Bluff

Sure to break Grumps' heart...

If a tree falls in a dense forest and no one is around, does it make a sound? We may never know...

posted by Walton @ 6:25 AM 2 comments

When a laundry list becomes a compromise

I was sceptical when I first heard about the proposed tax rebate/economic stimulus package that the Bush Administration and House leaders have hammered out. I still recall the "tax rebate" we received in Bush's first term -- not so much a rebate as it was an involuntary advance payment that would be deducted from your final refund (or added to your liability).

This seems different. The funding is not based on future tax revenues (which would indicate another advance refund schem), but rather is from increased federal borrowing. While growing the national debt has its own issues, at least this package seems to be what is advertised.

The fact that Bush negotiators have been able to quickly reach this deal with Speaker Pelosi (D) and Minority Leader Boehner (R) is an accomplishment in itself. Both sides dropped major provisions that could easily have been deal breakers. For Dems it was dropping proposals to increase food stamp reimbursements and extend Unemployment Insurance beyond 26 weeks. For the GOP side, it was allowing workers who don't earn enough to owe taxes to still receive the rebate. Both sides had to move a long way to reach the middle.

The litmus test is that neither side appears overly happy with the final package -- a sure sign that a decent compromise has been reached. Interestly though, it is the two leading Democratic Presidential hopefuls that seem the most critical of the plan. I thought Clinton was the great deal broker and Obama was the great bipartisan compromiser?

posted by Walton @ 5:58 AM 0 comments

The grieving process...

It continues through today. I noticed we have some serious Frozen Tundra Tears out there!

It was a great run for the Packers. I am especially happy that Favre had such a great season and proved all the nay-sayers wrong.

Time to shift focus a bit and lift our spirits. Anyone happen to notice the Badgers Big Ten record recently?

posted by Walton @ 7:19 AM 2 comments

Wanna see something

Really Scary??

I'm shivering and it isn't just the temperature!

posted by Walton @ 7:03 AM 0 comments

Just a bit higher than the change in Cost of Living....

I noticed that last night the Council had a first reading of an ordinance that would raise their per diem for meetings from $45 to $50 per meeting. That's an 11% raise. Now I don't know when the last increase was, but I do know that it is now more than double what it was when I had a chair at the old frisbee table in City Hall.

At 4 meetings/month, that is $200/month - no longer the insignificant drop in the bucket it used to be. Don't misunderstand me, I know the alders put in long hours both in and out of meetings. The per diem amounted to about $1 an hour when I was on Council ($20/meeting for a 20/week commitment). I know that the money doesn't come close to paying for the value of their time.

However, I always viewed the position as a citizen volunteer role. I remember being surprised when Bob P. handed me my first check as I had never considered the thought of getting paid for being an alder. With that in mind, I also voted against attempts to increase the stipend feeling that a price really couldn't be placed on the service unless alders became paid at an employment rate (as they do in Madison and other large cities).

Add to that the Mayor's "salary" increasing 15% from $325/month to $375.

Does it cost the taxpayers much? Not really -- eight alders x 4 meetings/month x $50 = $19,200 per year. That's about a 0.25 FTE for government work.

But the principle of the matter does cost us. Are we shifting to a "professional" City Council and Mayor? I would hope not. A primary reason that Evansville decided to have a City Administrator was to relieve the Council and Mayor of the time consuming and technical duties that a growing city requires.

I will be watching with great interest to see how Council members and the Mayor vote on this issue. Second reading and presumably a vote will be at the February meeting.

I'm also curious if it was budgeted for. There was a time I could look at the budget on the City's website, but alas those days seem gone.

posted by Walton @ 2:24 PM 8 comments

Much Ado About Nothing?

So the much maligned and misunderstood Referendum Ordinance died due to lack of a second. I'm guessing that if you could bottle the energy that was spent agonizing over it and the conspiracy theories that accompanied it, we could power a few homes for a year.

I honestly don't know how I feel about Lake Leota's future and I can understand both sides. I certainly appreciate the fears that any action taken to restore the lake will be costly and that citizens need information and input - preferable in an referendum. But the combining of this poorly constructed ordinance and the Lake issue into some odd grassy knoll wannabe gave me quite a chuckle. Didn't make us look reel smart though...

posted by Walton @ 2:05 PM 0 comments

Another One Bites the Dust...

Just because it became old news doesn't mean the Tom DeLay/Jack Abramoff fallout is over. Yet another Congressman is leaving the scene. The investigation by the Justice Department continues, but that makes five...

posted by Walton @ 6:21 AM 0 comments

Want fries with that?

So I guess it's no longer appropriate to think of Starbucks as the Walmart of coffee houses since there is a new neighbor on the block.

One McLatte, hold the pickles, to go!

posted by Walton @ 6:34 AM 0 comments

Oh There's Nothing Half-Way...

about the Iowa way to treat you, if we treat you, which we may not do at all...

So the pundits were wrong and the young "disinterested" voters made a showing. What a gratifying statement that is.

I have been wondering for the last several months whether Obama's inroads to college campuses and appeal to younger adults would have any real impact come Caucus Day. My son, who attends school in Iowa, described the buzz on campus - not only with Obama, but with the whole Caucus mystique. I had never seen him engaged in the political process before (unless you count him standing in the election booth with me many years ago). But I retained my scepticism leftover from Howard Dean's run at the younger folks -- yeah, they'll work the phone banks and hand out flyers but will they really show up when there might be a party to go to at Kapa Sigma Mu?

Time to put my scepticism aside, though not out of reach. Maybe it's time I took a little closer and more serious look at this young inexperienced man from Illinois and stop dismissing him as a flash in the pan Kennedy want-to-be.

posted by Walton @ 7:03 AM 0 comments

My annual Christmas Greeting from Peggy...

With great trepidation, I recently opened my personalized annual form letter from Peggy Ross. I must say I was pleasantly surprised to see that the two taxes that I feel I actually have some familiarity and input on (City of Evansville and Evansville School District) had remained pretty much the same as the previous year. Thank you to the City and District representatives and leaders for holding the line.

I won't kid myself for the coming years though. With the stagnation in the housing market, taxes will undoubtedly rise even with conservative budgeting. Such is the dilemna of local government revenues.

My one complaint -- it sure would be nice to see the City Budget added to the City Budget Page.

posted by Walton @ 7:20 AM 0 comments