Clear Skies Common Sense

Understanding Dogs Better to Help us and Them

JSR — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:14:46 GMT

We love dogs and think we know them.

We could know them better based on my reading of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs, See, Smell and Know by Alexandra Horowitz. Her book is full of information about the history, anatomy and mind of dogs.

My dog Haley reads me like a book. Karen’s been trying for fifty years, but Haley’s more accurate, probably from lower expectations.

Nevertheless, we should learn more about dogs so we can reciprocate. In fact we’d do well to learn their tricks so we can do the same for other people in our world.

One trick is to accept dogs as dogs, not as people. Horowitz says dogs adapted to humans by shedding ancestral wolf traits. Dogs look people in the eye, wolves avoid eye contact. Wolves live alone or in constantly shifting packs, dogs adapt to a subservient role in a family. Horowitz says we make our dogs unique. “Dogs interpret the world through acting on it, by seeing others act, by being shown, and by acting with us into being a good member of the family.“

The anatomy of dogs gives them different views of the world and us than we have. Dogs lead with their noses to within millimeters of any object. They push and pull scents into labyrinths of their nostrils, onto to special organs and out unseen slits. They sniff our legs to identify us. We leave trails of scents. They smell our fear, our diseases and our meals. Horowitz says, “To dogs, we are our scent.”

We should enrich their lives with scents, but we frequently squelch their interest. After I ate at a restaurant, I spontaneously gave my ten-inch-shoulder-height mongrel a treat. No, not a doggie bag, I ate all my beef pasta. I did better. I stuck my face in front of her nose. She jumped and wagged and smelled and licked my mouth and nose in a joyous welcome. I needed another napkin to wipe off her slobber. I couldn’t survive that every time, but if not, I’ll feel guilty.

They spread their smells to socialize. Haley greets dogs in tail-wagging formalities that stretch from noses to genitals. They’re hesitantly, mutually sharing but most of us seem embarrassed by what appear to be lewd intrusions, so we tug them apart before they’re done. Haley’s nose-to-path trot discovers which animals trotted by and how long ago, but we yank her away to finish our joint walk. Some owners hold a dog’s head so high they can’t investigate smells. Horowitz allows her dog periodic walks directed solely by her dog’s nasal fascinations. I’m afraid golfers would hit us with golf balls.

Dogs constantly watch us, even when we watch TV. Their mind receives more images per minute than ours do, meaning they see TV projections as we see freezes in reception. Haley’s eye sockets are filled by large, black pupils. She sees moving images twice as brightly as I can. They snatch Frisbees out of the air. They notice twitches, face movements and breathing patterns we don’t see. They anticipate our moods before we cover them up. They learn to recognize oncoming migraines or heart attacks.

The book is full of traits we underestimate and underappreciate in our dedicated, dependent canine lovers. Consequently they know us better than we know them, and that is decidedly to our benefit. They’re relentlessly watching us, adapting, testing, expecting a certain leash on life’s essentials, reveling in thoughtful gifts we make available and serving us with profound assistance if they're trained.

Observing more about their traits gives us a boundless invitation to get more joy more out of our relationships with them.

And learning to enrich relationships with dogs we love leads us to appreciate how much more difficult it is to improve relationships with other people.

We could better serve each other and enrich our own lives by better observing and gifting our own dogs.

Government is the Problem is a Popular Myth

JSR — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:38:17 GMT

“Government is the problem,” is a popular myth. Government is inevitably part of the solution. More evidence comes from Washington and Iowa private political parties as they serve their valid causes for the public good. Political partiers have a good time, but there is a morning after.

Federal judges have ruled Republican, Democrat, Libertarian and other political parties are private clubs. They’re free to develop their own activities with minimal federal interference. One activity to choose candidates and debate issues is a caucus. Caucuses recruit delegates to county, district and statewide caucuses. On C-Span I watched one seemingly surprised Iowan under thirty become a delegate for Ron Paul because nobody else volunteered. Where will that lead him?

Another political party role is committee precinct officer (CPO) at the local level. They run caucuses. Like caucuses, CPOs serve the public good with voter registration drives. They recruit candidates. They escort candidates. They inform others about elections. They raise money by providing cookies and information at highway rest stops.

Libertarian ideology says if these private party actions don’t harm anyone else and serve the public good, why should government interfere? Yes, but…

First, the caucus system does disadvantage others. In Washington’s 2008 primary election, 1.4 million people voted in the primary and 100,000 attended caucuses. Iowans brag their caucus system is crucial because no candidate has won the presidency without finishing at least third in Iowa. However, Iowa’s meager caucus turnout enabled Ron Paul to finish third by winning less than one percent of Iowa’s registered voters. Voters in those two states speak loud and clear: “We’d rather vote with ballots in our homes than go to caucuses.”

Iowa’s infinitesimal caucus turnout gives immense leverage for wealthy special interests to sway national elections. With half of caucus goers undecided the week before they met, negative media blitzes drove Gingrich’s forecasted victory into fourth place oblivion. Super-PACs, financed by donors most of whom were withholding their names, spent two-thirds of the $12.5 million advertising in Iowa to influence caucus-goers. And complicated party rules almost guarantee the percentage of delegates sent to the national convention will not match the caucus percentage they earned. In an Urbandale precinct, Romney won a third of the votes and half the county delegates.

The special advantages of early primaries have spawned a seemingly endless national campaign. New Hampshire state law requires its primary to be the first in the nation. Iowans hold caucuses ahead of New Hampshire’s primary election because caucuses are not a presidential primary. Washington could hold its caucuses before Christmas. Meanwhile needed legislation languishes. I recommend a national law limiting presidential primaries until Congress gets its work done.

Electing CPOs in private political parties has created a second problem in Washington. Recruiting CPOs is difficult so parties convinced the legislature in 1907 to place CPO elections on public ballots. Currently Washington spends extra money for different ballots listing CPO races in each precinct. A federal judge ruled publicly funded CPO elections are unconstitutional because our top two-party primary system allows non-party members to contaminate the vote. Two Democrats could be nominated for a Douglas County Republican CPO position, if there were two Democrats in the precinct. Washington’s Secretary of State plans to eliminate public PCO elections. It’s a good governmental solution, saving taxpayer money.

Not so fast. Democrats, Republicans and believe it or not, Libertarians, filed suit to continue the extra cost for the public good. They’re also lobbying legislators to pass election rules that would meet constitutional requirements. The parties clearly believe in good government, or at least when it subsidizes them.

The point of these stories of well-intentioned private political party machinations is that government inevitably petitioned to become part of the solution. We’d like to believe we can live in liberty without affecting others, but dynamic special interests almost always cause wider impacts. Good government is at best a clunky solution continuously cobbled together by concerned citizens. Nevertheless, government must be part of the solution.

How Can a Blackout be a Gift?

JSR — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:30:53 GMT

Instead of inspiration hitting me so I could write about the frazzled last year and inspire us for the New Year, a blackout hit me atop Saddle Rock. My blackout is a gift because I missed warning signs and made mistakes, and writing with smiles may make it easier to succeed in 2012.

Karen, family and I hiked up Saddle Rock after Christmas. Hiking was a triumph after a year dedicated to halting the decline of my heart failure and beginning healing with medications, supplements, a sleep apnea machine and mostly tennis. Saddle Rock was a deserving landmark since its dedication last year as a public treasure was one of the community’s best accomplishments.

However my blackout was a setback, and my mistakes remind me to be more tolerant of mistakes like default on Event Center debt. I like to make light of my blackout by claiming the giddy success of standing on Saddle Rock made me lightheaded, but that’s inaccurate. I felt dizzy almost immediately. I reached out to Karen, too late. My eyes rolled back and I tipped backward onto the ground. Karen unsuccessfully reached for me while incorrectly assuming I was dying. It’s comforting to know she was reaching. But she’s getting used to it like most Americans our age who feel we’re unsuccessfully reaching for the slowly vanishing security in Social Security, Medicare, and retirement plans.

My blackout converted to confusion amid sounds of sirens as our daughter told 911 my pulse was forty. We met Don, my age or older, impressively still on his feet and offering a prayer. We joined hands while the EMT vehicle clawed to the top. I felt a new stillness in my heart as Don prayed, although my pulse may have been picking up speed.

Stillness inside helped me through short-lived chaos outside. In the oncoming drizzle our emergency vehicle slipped down the slope like values in my 401(K). The slippage unleashed Karen’s acrophobia in her front-seat view and elevated her to the driver’s primary concern. In ER I recovered with a saline-water IV and egg salad sandwich insisting I could go home. The ER physician insisted I stay because of my heart conditions. This time Karen successfully grabbed my cheeks, placed her nose on my nose and confided, “I don’t want you at home.” She should grab the cheeks of political leaders to say, “I don’t want you home until you finish your work.”

Doctors and nurses hospitalized me for two days. A heart monitor and test results focused on the probable cause: medications, dehydration, over-exertion and standing too quickly interacted with the body’s normal response to slow down the heart after exercise, called a vasovagal response. Blood temporarily drained from my brain. Doctors changed my medications and prescribed a heart monitor for three weeks.

The experience unnerved me, but family reminded me it was a gift. They’re right. One night the hospital’s monitor recorded my pulse at 160 just after I wheeled my saline-water IV stand into the bathroom just in time. I thought the shortness of breath was from holding my breath to squeeze my bladder as I often do. It’s difficult to admit I missed those warnings. Federal leaders and investors may feel just as chagrined years from now about ignoring the Standard and Poors downgrade of the US debt.

I made other mistakes. I didn’t drink enough water on the way up because my water bottle was buried in the bottom of my backpack and Karen was gaining ground on me. Besides the top was always getting closer. I’m more forgiving of Congress regularly thinking it can muddle along as each election gets closer.

My blackout gave me better prescriptions and deeper experiences to rein in my enthusiasm. Join me to treat 2011 as a blackout and recommit to the better prescriptions we need to make a more successful 2012.

How to Keep New Year’s Resolutions with Russell’s Rules

JSR — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:57:48 GMT

My success with New Year’s resolutions feels flawless now that I’ve discovered my here-to-fore secret technique. Since then every resolution I’ve made, I’ve kept. Suspecting people under our clear skies generally don’t feel as successful, I offer my secrets and provide examples you may want to adopt.

First, and perhaps my most important rules: If I don’t feel a need to make a resolution, I don’t make one. I make resolutions about half the time. The other half the time it occurs to me well into the month of January that I’m without a resolution. Having gone that long, it’s clear I can survive the year without one, and resolve to do so. You could say my resolution to have no resolution is a resolution, and I’ll accept your interpretation, meaning I make resolutions every year and always succeed. I’m fine with either interpretation.

My resolutions are attitudinal, rather than specific, netted down to one or two words. For example one year my resolution was ‘balance.’ Balance means avoiding wild swings of commitment plunging me into late nights and early mornings against my will, tossing and turning at night about fewer floundering projects, or being overwhelmed by long to-do lists that interfere with my family, business or service interests.

I’ve succeeded by creating an unavoidable reminder, such as inserting balance as my computer screensaver, or ‘I am A-OK” on my cell phone. I thought about balance frequently, perhaps daily, but I wasn’t at my computer every day so I can’t be sure. Nevertheless resolutions infuse my attitude throughout the year. I’m pleased to come across quotes aligning me with the biblical word such as, “A just balance and the scales are the Lord’s,” and with long standing philosophical wisdom such as “I’m OK, You’re OK.” At year’s end I’ve congratulated myself on my deep commitment to those attitudes that improved my outlook on life.

Some of you may question whether proof of my success exists in tangible, measurable indicators. True, well-intentioned people resolve to lose weight by marking down a number from a scale at the beginning of the year to compare with a target at the end of the year. Count me not among those self-tormented souls. They spend money to buy work-out equipment they later sell at a loss, become members in athletic clubs they gradually avoid, or purchase packets of recommended meals, all the while growing increasingly anxious as they hurtle towards an inaccessible self-imposed weight at the New Year, rendering them unable to enjoy the Christmas season with the beneficence of neighbors bringing irresistible delectables, such as Karen’s acclaimed fudge.

Besides, how would you recommend I measure balance? Isn’t it evidentiary data I’m more balanced if I feel more balanced? Isn’t the fact that balance is a present theme in my life after all these years sufficient proof that my resolution was even more successful than I realized before resolving to write this article? Does not such evidence warrant more faith than a comparison between two numbers gathered on particular days at particular times from a weight scale that is notorious for wobbling out of alignment, or from a new scale purchased to replace the one accused of obviously overweighting as some resolutionists I’ve known have done?

Without fear and with enthusiasm I’ve chosen my new resolution and resolved to share it with you. Part of my fearlessness is my able ally, our 14-pound canine comet Haley, who should help me every day when she zooms into my lap after returning from outside. Even more satisfying should be watching my resolution spread across the faces of people around me throughout the year. Haley wags her tail harder when she sees one. My resolution is smile.

Try my system this year. Imagine the fun you’ll have thinking about an attitude of a successful resolution in your happy new year and next year’s Christmas celebrations. The thought of you joining Haley, Karen and me in such a celebration makes me smile.

A Gift for My Family and Yours: Stories of Healing

JSR — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:34:29 GMT

The back cover of Stories of Healing: A Family Doctor’s Journal by East Wenatchee resident Robert A Anderson, MD, (retired) has two influential recommendations. One is from Christiane Northrup, MD, Ob/Gyn, who called it “a fantastic book written by one of the finest holistic doctors I’ve ever known.” She knows books: she authored three New York Times Bestsellers including The Wisdom of Menopause. Bernard Siegel, MD, author of 12 best sellers beginning with Love, Medicine and Miracles, wrote, “This book needs to be read by everyone.”

Anderson’s book is a memoir of patients selected from his 40-year family practice in Edmonds who transformed his original physician’s perspective after graduating from Washington’s medical school. He converted from believing he was solely a medical expert with “an opportunity and duty to treat and educate my patients” [to] “realize that my patients were simultaneously teaching me. I believe the energy of all avenues to recovery, cure and healing involves the potential for self-healing from within.”

The stories begin with medical protocol and end with patient success. He describes symptoms, tests and reports from specialists. After prescribed medications were either unsatisfactory, or where other treatments could be tried simultaneously, he confers with patients about optional approaches they could choose. Those options were based on research he’d reviewed and treatments he found effective for himself or patients. Examples include, zinc-based cream for warts, self-imaging to relieve anxiety and daily dosages of magnesium to prevent and treat heart failure.

Stories of heart care riveted my attention because of my cardiomyopathy. The congestive heart failure of 65-year-old Audrey (names are fictitious) deteriorated to 11 percent efficiency from a normal 60 percent over five years while she was on 14 medications. She needed to catch her breath every five stair-steps. Anderson states, “Her downhill course allowed me to be comfortable in sketching out some ‘why-not’ options which I knew would not interfere with any of the treatments her cardiologist had recommended.” The story list vitamins, enzymes and minerals he suggested she try and references his book published by McGraw-Hill in 2001, Clinician’s Guide to Holistic Medicine. Nine years later her heart efficiency maintained an above-normal 75 percent and her cardiologist eliminated all medications save one.

The first forty stories have self-healing themes. Patients chose to different lifestyles and nutritional intake to help heal themselves. They collaborated with Anderson to reduce his ideal recommendations to actions they could maintain. He found they healed better than if they ignored his recommendations and got no benefits. They also worked to recognize whether their particular illness occurred at a particular time. And Anderson explains how each case taught him another lesson.

The Mysterium section contains incredulous experiences tangentally related to self-healing. A hospital-assigned pediatrician arrived to give inpatient care to Anderson’s newborn granddaughter. The pediatrician mysteriously returned to ask her parent’s permission to diagnose meningitis, which led to quick treatments that avoided brain damage. After two follow-up visits with her parents, the pediatrician disappeared. Archived records of the pediatrician’s inpatient care are missing.

Anderson told me he included the Mysterium stories for two reasons. He believes we should pay more attention to anomalies because they’ve catapulted medical advancements throughout history, such as the discovery of penicillin. He also said, “Weird things happen and I’m more accepting and honoring of patients’ experiences, particularly when one happens to a ‘non-zany’ nurse in my office,” referring to her dream in the last story of the book.

Anderson wrote this book for patients following three research books for physicians. He said, “Stories are important for people.”

They’ve inspired me and may inspire others. I’m giving them to my children for Christmas.

How Have We Declared War for the Last Seventy Years?

JSR — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:30:16 GMT

December 8, 2011 was the seventieth anniversary of the last declaration of war issued by Congress and signed by the President. The historic picture of Roosevelt signing Congress’s declaration was my childhood image of the U.S. resolutely united in a war against evil.

On the anniversary I read a website by news junkie Maureen Holland identifying eighty “US Military Interventions and Wars Since 1941.” I was unable to find a consistent process, let alone rationale. Commander-In-Chief Obama deployed forces for a regime change in Libya with no clear opposition party. Monday on C-Span presidential candidates Huntsman and Gingrich said Iran is our most important threat because of its nuclear capabilities and we must commit to a regime change. We’ve done regime changes to install Iran’s Shah, Iraq’s Hussein, Afghanistan’s Karzai and Panama’s Noriega.

How have we decided to go to war since WWII? I’m not focusing on what is a just war, just worrying about how we decide.

Engaging military forces are authorized by our Constitution, our UN Treaty and the War Powers Act.

Our Constitution authorizes Congress to declare war, but doesn’t explain how. Congress has enumerated authority, “to raise and support armies and provide and maintain a navy.” Our constitution also states, “The president shall be commander in chief of the army and navy of the United States … when called into the actual service of the United States.”

Our Constitution authorizes both branches, independently -- at least according leaders in each branch.

After WWII Congress authorized two wars in Lebanon, Vietnam (after troops had been there for four years), both recent Iraq wars and Afghanistan.

In 1945 the Senate ratified the United Nations Charter empowering the UN Security Council to establish peacekeeping operations, international sanctions and military action through UNSC resolutions. Prior to Congressional approval, our Commanders-In-Chief have committed forces under UNSC resolutions in Korea, Bosnia, a Liberian war, Haiti, and most recently Libya, although Congress eventually funded them.

Congress passed The War Powers Act over President Nixon’s veto in 1973 to limit presidential war powers after the Vietnam War. The WPA’s purpose is “insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances.”

‘Imminent hositilities’is a euphemism for our soldiers likely dying in combat. Contrast that wording with “Operation Killer,” the first offensive against the Chinese in Korea by General Matthew Ridgway, who was assigned command to revive the demoralized Eighth Army and UN Forces. Warned by his PR people the term was too bloodthirsty, he ignored them and later wrote, “I am by nature opposed to any effort to ‘sell’ war to people as only mildly unpleasant business that requires little in the way of blood.” If we’re going to decide on war, let’s not sell it.

The WPA requires a president who has already deployed significant troops of to inform Congress within 48 hours and restricts engagement to 60 days plus 30 days for a withdrawal, unless Congress authorizes a longer period or declares war. The example referenced was Kennedy’s increase of US Vietnam military advisers from 700 to 16,000.

A report on the WPA after thirty years indicates Congressional leaders invoked the act after Vietnam evacuations, the Iranian rescue, El Salvador military advising, Honduran military exercises, Nicaragua military training, Lebanon multi-national forces, Grenada riot control, Libyan bombing runs in 1986, Panama regime change, Haiti regime change and armed conflict, Kosovo, and most recently Libya.

The report concluded, “Every President since the enactment of the WPA has taken the position that it is an unconstitutional infringement on the President’s authority as Commander-In-Chief.” Obama ignored the reporting requirement in Libya because he concluded military involvement wasn’t significant. Members in Congressional sessions that haven’t had a majority to enforce the WPA have filed lawsuits to enforce it, but courts have insisted Congress must enforce it first.

The War Powers Act has added new reports and discussions without resolving final authority.

But we’ve been involved in numerous military interventions not covered by these authorizations. One example: from 1976-1992 the CIA assisted South African armed rebels from Angola while Nelson Mandela was overthrowing his government with non-violence.

Eisenhower declined one intervention on the advice of Ridgway who had become Army Chief of Staff. Eisenhower was under pressure to send troops to rescue French forces trapped by Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu in French Indochina. Ridgway’s powerful memo predicting the deaths and destruction of American forces convinced Eisenhower to avoid a wasteful intervention.

I worry commanding war solutions gives the false appearance of quick solutions and endangers too many lives, particularly as we face a future with increasing threats of nuclear powers in Iran and Pakistan. And I don’t see a consistent process, or a deep commitment, to reach a “collective judgment of both Congress and the President” to use armed forces with a realistic understanding of the costs.

We should strengthen collective judgments before we approve war, and perhaps avoid it more often.

The Wenatchee Arena Bill Has Died in the Senate

JSR — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:34:15 GMT

Below is the statement by Sen. Linda Evans Parlette concernin the Public Facilities District Bill. It has failed to pass the Senate. I'm disappointed by very pleased Sen Parlette and Reps. Amstrong and Condotta made the effort and got as far as they did. It was a long shot but well worth the effort to avoid what I believe we now have to endure. Jim Russell

Parlette statement on Public Facilities District bill

Yesterday the state Senate sent House Bill 2145, the measure that would have paid bondholders affected by the Greater Wenatchee Public Facilities District default, to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Because the measure lacked enough support to be voted out of the committee, it is not expected to receive further consideration.

Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, issued this statement regarding the status of the bill.

“This issue was a very important one, both on the local level and for our state, which was working diligently to avoid a municipal default. The state Treasurer requested the bill for that very reason – in fact, the default may have already affected borrowing rates for several local entities across Washington. In all likelihood, its impact will continue to grow.

“We knew from the start that it would be an uphill battle to pass this bill, due to the complexity of the issue and the short time frame we were working under. In the end, it simply did not have enough votes to pass.

“With all the work that went into this bill, I would be remiss if I did not thank the Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee for his willingness to hold a hearing on the initial bill, as well as all of the members of the Senate for their time and consideration of this difficult issue. While the bill did not pass, I believe that there is value in the discussions it created.”

The Amended Arena Bill Gives Wenatchee a Chance.

JSR — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:10:38 GMT

The House passed the Arena Bill Monday by a vote of 56-33, but with an amendment that split the district representatives. The amendment eliminates the ability of councils and jurisdictions to impose a sale and use tax of 0.2 percent without voter approval. Rep. Condotta voted in favor because House Speaker Chopp said the bill wouldn’t pass without the amendment. I believe it deserves passage.

Rep. Armstrong told the Wenatchee World he voted no because the amendment “takes away the tools for the nine municipalities to correct the problem and leaves in the onerous part of the bill that allows the state to come back in January 2013 and start withholding sales tax revenues to get paid back.”

John Sattergast, from Armstrong’s office said Armstrong believed if any of the jurisdictions voted no, it could put the payback in jeopardy.

In fact the amendment gives Wenatchee and each municipality the ability to raise taxes individually after passage by the voters, contrary to the original interlocal agreement. The bill reads as follows from page 7, line 26 – 30 as amended: “The legislative authority of either the anchor jurisdiction [Wenatchee] or a related jurisdiction [the other 8 municipalities] of a distressed public facilities district as defined in section three of this act may submit an authorizing proposition to the voters and, if the proposition is approved by a majority of persons voting, impose such a sales and use tax."

That language should authorize Wenatchee to put a 0.2 sales tax increase on the ballot for Wenatchee voter approval. It’s my belief Wenatchee will make the commitments to cover the great majority if not all of the debt as specified in the bill. They’d work to gain voter approval, raise their debt limit and seek other options to step up to their commitments. Without passage, Wenatchee’s general obligation bond rating may sink even lower than its slippage to the current rating Treasurery official Wolfgang Opitz calls, “One level about junk grade.” However a voter-approved sales tax would several months longer than a tax imposed by the City council and is not a guaranteed passage.

Can the PFD, attorneys and bond counsels keep the owners of the debt patient to wait for legislative passage? The best argument in favor is bondholders have a chance for full payment within days. That’s a significant reason to be patient since they’re also drawing daily interest. The alternative is filing lawsuits for dubious expectations of full value over a much longer time.

Sen. Parlette emailed me that she is working to get passage of the amended House Bill by getting enough support to bring it to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Sen. Murray, Chair of Senate Ways and Means has misgivings about and refused a second hearing, although he graciously allowed a hearing on the original bill.

It seems to me there is some optimism for passage if she can contact the needed votes at a hectic time in the emergency session. The amended bill meets Republican objection that sales and use taxes could be increased without voter approval. The bondholders would get paid as soon as the bill is passed this week because the debt is currently in default. And the Treasurery department assures the state legislators the debt would be repaid beginning in 2013 regardless of the local actions.

However the 2013 paybacks would divert taxes that state Democrats fear would hurt government services for low-income citizens. The task is to convince doubting Democrats that the bill gives Wenatchee the ability to cover the debt at less cost than default with its guaranteed lawsuits. Leaders I’ve talked with believe Wenatchee has the capacity to pay the debt if given the next year to succeed. Specifically Douglas County provided me a copy of its estimates that convince them Wenatchee could cover the payments required on either a 20- or 25-year bond.

Parlette should find growing support for the bill. Cities and other municipalities with public facilities districts may face higher costs. Opitz said last week’s $10 million dollar bond for the Three Rivers Convention Center sold at a higher interest rate than anticipated because of the Arena bill publicity, costing Kennewick an extra $200,000 over the life of the contract. Thad Duvall, Douglas County Auditor sits on the council that assists small municipalities in issuing pooled bonds based on the state’s bond ratings. If the state’s rating slips, they’ll all pay more interest. The Seattle Times editorial staff endorsed the bill. Groups such as the Washington State Labor Council and school districts are stepping in to support it because they fear the state’s bond rating may force them to pay extra money that could be used to support jobs in the state.

All told, it’s a worthwhile bill that should provide Wenatchee with the tools to bring the bond anticipation notes out of default for the state’s benefit overall.

House Ways and Means Approves Arena Revised Bill

JSR — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:17:21 GMT

The House Ways and Means Committee just passed the revised Arena Bill that includes the fact that the debt is now in default. Rueven Carlyle spoke in support of it and voted for passage. It now goes the House floor for a vote on passage. Speaker Chopp told TV-W this morning he is favor of the bill and expects to have a vote on it within a day or two.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee is next.

Can We All Stand Up or Stand By as Good Neighbors on the Arena Debt?

JSR — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:58:07 GMT

As I write this blog our legislature is probably not going to pass legislation authorizing the Treasurery to pay the Arena’s $42 million Bond Anticipation Notes on December 1 – but it should. Assuming it is resurrected and passed, Wenatchee City leadership would be needed and must be supported by neighboring municipalities and us as citizens.

After December 1 the nine municipalities would owe the state $42 million with interest accumulating at a fiscally painful rate 2.4 times higher than municipalities pay for similar bonds. They must act before December 31, 2012 or all would start paying for a ten-year note at high interest rates.

The bill gives each municipality the power to pass a sales tax increase of up to 0.2 percent for up to 25 years by a majority council or citizen vote. They can use that power to lower payments with longer terms and lower interest.

Wenatchee must act first. The Council’s most prudent and neighborly financial action would be passing an additional 0.2 sales tax at the first possible meeting.

Next the City must explore ways to shoulder all the debt, such as increasing bond capacity, issuing more bonds and allocating money from budget restructuring. Unlike past efforts, this self-imposed discipline needs to be highly transparent for citizens and neighboring municipalities.

Wenatchee’s first step was recommended to me by Dale Snyder, Chairman of Douglas County Commissioners. He told me, “The bill is a good thing. It allows Wenatchee to come up with a plan to pay off the debt. It’s their debt. And default is not a good thing.”

Rep. MIke Armstrong told representatives that mayors and council members expressed acceptance of the most recent draft. The bill has the support of the Association of Washington Municipalities.

Even so, some voices incredibly demand a lawsuit against the legislation, which the Treasurery and Attorney General are ready to defend. Testimony made it clear municipalities are extensions of the state and when local agreements damage state finances and innocent state municipalities, the state can and should intervene.

Local municipalities should welcome this bill and commit to get new bonding as soon as possible. Under a shortfall of revenues to pay the debt, every municipality would pay a per capita assessment on the note. Snyder said Douglas would face approximately $200,000 annually. A voluntary longer-term note with lower interest rates would be much cheaper.

The frustration facing Snyder’s commissioners is they believe the county experiences no value from Arena events because it has no hotel or restaurant sales tax receipts. And they fear a sales tax increase could harm Douglas County car sales, a significant revenue source. Snyder told me, “The County will employ everything in its power to force Wenatchee to step up to a plan. And it will employ everything in its power to avoid a county vote on a sales tax.”

East Wenatchee Mayor Steve Lacy also publicly supported the bill to give Wenatchee’s new leadership time to work on plans. East Wenatchee receives one percent of its revenue from hotel/motel taxes, but twenty-four percent of its revenues from sales and use taxes in the Wenatchee Mall and automobile dealerships. At the Council meeting on November 22, Lacy appeared to anticipate negotiating with Wenatchee to assure a plan is worked out so East Wenatchee can avoid an estimated $900,000 annual obligation.

Wenatchee must overcome the fear that it will delay action and thereby force other municipalities to shoulder an unfair burden because they’d avoid the penalizing note.

Wenatchee must convince every jurisdiction it has given an honest, open effort to do everything in its power to pay the debt with the new tools available in the bill and still provide adequate services. If so, and City revenue falls short, the bill’s incentives enable municipalities and their citizens to act as good neighbors on a united or selective basis to arrange payments in equitable amounts over twenty to twenty-five years at a much lower rate.

Legislature and Wenatchee, step up as good neighbors. Eight municipalities and citizens, stand by and step up as good neighbors if needed.

Reduce Deficit with Either Modified Simpson-Bowles or In God We Trust

JSR — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:27:02 GMT

After watching the testimony before the Deficit Reduction Committee I went from stuck in despair to hoping for repair. I now have faith in two plans: The “In God We Trust” plan, or “The modified Simpson-Bowles Commission Plan.” Here’s why.

The committee appeared from behind closed doors to hear testimony on November 1 from Sen. Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, co-chairs of the Simpson-Bowles Commission, and Pete Domenici and Dr. Alice Rivlin, co-chairs of the Domenici-Rivlin Task Force. Both deficit reduction plans have languished despite Deficit Committee co-chairs admitting both plans provided an impressive body of work over the last two years.

The two sets of speakers agreed the plans are similar and capable of resolving the deficit crisis with a bold goal of $3.9 trillion. All four lectured committee members they would fail the American people unless their final agreement curtailed spending and increased revenue.

That’s when the ‘In God We Trust plan’ arrived within me. Our silver dollars have “In God We Trust” inscribed on them. If no agreement is reached by Saturday November 12, the committee would agreed to trust God to choose the right plan. After assigning plans to different sides of the coin, each co-chair would flip a silver dollar until both coins matched. Full faith in our motto would compel relieved members to unanimously support the chosen one and our primarily God-loving people to accept it.

In the midst of committee members’s despair-inducing questions to support their pet perspectives, Simpson recommended Bowles be given a chance at the end of questioning to explain how the committee could succeed. After the questions mercifully ended deficit Co-Chair Jeb Hensarling gave him the opportunity. Committee members scribbled notes as Bowles talked.

Bowles articulated boldness in a plan to cut deficits by $3.9 trillion over ten years with the $1.3 trillion cuts in discretionary spending agreed to in the enabling legislation and another $2.6 trillion from a unanimous committee. His numbers begin with public proposals on the competing positions and suggest compromises. If you love numbers they’re below and trust me Bowles crafted beautiful creatures. If you avoid numbers, skip merrily to the penultimate paragraph while whistling about the spirit of compromise.

The two sides have proposed $250-450 billion more cuts in discretionary spending, so Bowles assumed they could compromise on $300 billion. They’ve proposed $500-750 billion in cuts to health care and if they increased eligibility requirements they could reach $600 billion. They’ve proposed $250-400 billion in cuts on mandatory programs, so they could compromise on $300 billion. Interest savings would equal $400 billion. They’ve agreed to alter the CPI index calculations on benefits and pensions to save $200 billion. Those promising compromises total $1.8 trillion. Adding $1.3 trillion equals $3.1 trillion. Notice that’s $800 billion short.

Bowles said that brings everyone to the revenue side. He trusts tax-restructuring recommendations in the two plans, but political reality led him to accept a verbal commitment from House Speaker Boehner who said tax-restructuring to increase revenue by $800 billion is possible. Bowles suggested Democrats could accept it if were made slightly more progressive. Spending cuts of $3.1 trillion plus revenue increases of $800 billion equals $3.9 trillion dollars.

Bowles reminded the committee members they have the power in section 404 of the enabling legislation to instruct authorizing committees to produce entitlement and tax reform in streamlined processes. All four speakers charged them to seize their power.

Bowles said, “I think that would create a lot of excitement with people in the country and go a long ways to build people’s confidence that we can stand up to our problems.”

God gains confidence when we stand united to overcome problems. So I’ve shelved my despair and hope for repair in favor of Bowles’s modified Simpson-Bowles plan and pushed the In God We Trust plan to a fallback position. Come to think of it, the modified Simpson-Bowles plan is an In God We Trust plan.

Stories of Occupiers Against HFC Finance Who Found Answers

JSR — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:50:19 GMT

These stories are about homeowners in Washington’s Whatcom County who occupied courtrooms and picket lines in 2002. They protested predatory lending by Wall Street’s largest independent finance company, HFC Finance. HFC was forced to pay $486 million dollars nationwide in 2003 and over $50 million to Whatcom homeowners in 2004. Today’s protests stem from similar pain, which they’ve shared with me through personal interviews and court documents. They are inspirational and prophetic.

The lead plaintiffs were Jeanie and Joe Luna. Jeanie was the full-charge office manager/bookkeeper of the Blaine, Washington newspaper. After reading HFC advertisements and letters promising lower interest, they consolidated all their debt into a bi-weekly loan to get a 6.99 percent interest rate. When Jeanie saw her first statements she began complaining about being charged too much interest. HFC’s branch manager told her to keep making payments and she’d get the 6.99 percent rate, which made no sense to Jeanie. Finally her credit union told her she had a 12 percent interest rate and debt so loaded by fees she couldn’t refinance. Jeanie was stunned. She told HFC, “You lied to me.”

Jeanie wronged is a relentless force. After a year’s search she explained their financial trap to Wenatchee attorney Bob Parlette. He told her, “I’m going to take your case. I know somebody said to you 6.99 percent, because nobody [like you] would be so stupid unless she was lied to. But we need proof.”

She produced their HFC document promising 6.99 percent.

Brenda and Carl Bennett refinanced with HFC seeking lower payments, but a representative convinced them they’d save more money with a lower rate on a bi-weekly loan. Brenda kept her account current but payments were crushing their finances and marriage. Desperate, she met a lawyer who arranged a meeting with Jeanie. After much prayer about the impact on their children, they agreed to sue HFC on condition they wouldn’t participate in publicity.

A month later, Elsie and Neil Nelson signed up. They refinanced with HFC after the branch manager had called to promise lower interest rates, but their accountant discovered they’d paid much higher interest than the year before. He sent them to mortgage broker Debra Cook who found irregularities in their files. Cook recommended they file a complaint with Washington’s Department of Financial Industries, which already had dozens of complaints statewide. I asked Elsie why they signed with HFC. She quietly said, “We had a loan with HFC, they were everywhere, and we trusted the people we talked to.”

Parlette filed a class action lawsuit and recommended Jeanie call the Bellingham Herald. Reporter John Stark said he dismissed her story at first but, “She pestered me until I called Parlette.” The Lunas’ story appeared the first Sunday in April. Monday his email was lit up with stories from people relieved to know they weren’t alone. Two weeks later he published several more stories and later covered their picket line outside the HFC office. His continuing coverage triggered articles in Forbes and financial magazines.

The $50 million Whatcom County award went to over 200 plaintiffs. I visited five of them last weekend. The Lunas had already refinanced and won small credits on their former loan. They retired and in June returned from an overseas mission. The Nelsons saved thousands of dollars in interest when their rate was lowered retroactively and recently took a dream vacation to San Francisco. Brenda and Carl sold their house in a short sale and divorced. Brenda said the children are fine and expects to get her teaching degree in 2012. She said, “Jeanie and Joe were so brave, they kept me going.”

These plaintiffs identify with the Wall Street occupiers. Jeanie said she hoped we’d get a president with more business experience. I said, “I think Congress has the long term responsibility.”

Joe said, “It’s not doing its job.”

Jeanie said, “Then it’s up to the people occupying Wall Street.”

Listen to her. She represents this nation’s mighty force that knows when something is wrong and endures until justice prevails.

Steve Lacy for Mayor of East Wenatchee

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:20:16 GMT

For the first time in 13 years, East Wenatchee has a mayoral race between Mayor Steve Lacy and council member Dave Bremmer. Once you’ve decided who has the most attractive signs and most signs implanted in yards, what else do you need?

Well, you could decide who has the best record to govern 11,870 residents and an $8 million budget. With no city manager, our position requires major administrative leadership to advise council members on policy. The mayor has no vote, except to break a tie in non-financial issues. For those responsibilities our mayor receives $51,360 plus $8,259 in health and disability benefits, while council members receive $6,600 and no benefits.

Lacy has been mayor for 13 years while serving as a private attorney. I asked both candidates to describe their most significant accomplishments. Lacy emailed me four. First was “preventing the loss of the Wenatchee Valley Mall, … obtaining council funding … and negotiating agreements with mall owners to create new road structure to facilitate the mall’s expansion and satellite commercial development.” He established the city’s theme of ‘Home of Miss Veedol’ and supported the creation of our Japanese Garden, Wings and Wheels Festival and sister city relationship with Misawa, Japan. He negotiated “a pre-annexation agreement with Douglas County … that tripled the population and urban development area.” Finally he secured council funding to hire a professional attorney, city engineer and financial director.

Bremmer has been council member for 9 years while owning and managing his general construction company since 1996. He listed his accomplishments in one sentence. “My most significant accomplishments have been keeping taxes low and helping to eliminate waste in the form of Sprint Boat Racing.” He opposed sprint boat racing which Lacy supported until the council ended it in September after losing $120,000.

In the ten years I’ve been a citizen, the city has managed growth and tourism and is financially strong with realistic plans. Five others residents more knowledgeable than I confirmed both candidates’ records.

Now you can decide on accomplishments, and despite Thunder Swamp, Lacy’s are significantly stronger.

You should also consider their skills for managing the major issue facing East Wenatchee. Both agree it’s deterioration of internal roads coinciding with deterioration of state and local funding for major roads. For residential streets, the city engineer has projected $361,000 annually.

Bremmer emailed, “My background as an engineer and my experience as an excavation and road-building contractor make me uniquely qualified to lead in this area.” He proposes getting the funds by “going back to volunteer events staff like we had three years ago, not replacing a retiring officer (the city has 40 percent more police per capita than Wenatchee), and a restructuring of the street department.”

Lacy emailed, “It … will take … good negotiating … skills to make sure East Wenatchee competes effectively for funds. Because of my track record of success in this area to date, I’m best suited to meet this challenge for our citizens.”

Bremmer’s plan may be flawed. My understanding is events funded by voluntary hotel tax revenue to promote tourism. The council voted to bring staff in-house after the attorney general’s office recommended tighter control instead of contracting outside. Diverting tourist dollars to residential streets may not be possible.

Now you can choose between Lacy’s negotiating skills and financing experience or Bremmer’s engineering and road-building experience. Lacy’s appear more valuable.

What else is important? Other issues face the council including Town Toyota Center debt and Apple Capital Loop Trail. I think the Loop Trail needs more mayoral support and action and I’ve heard him make statements about working with other leaders to get support for the Loop Trail I couldn’t verify.

Still, Lacy’s email emphasizes “the relationships I’ve established with leaders in neighboring jurisdictions, … as well as department heads are a valuable asset to city residents.”

The value of Lacy’s relations is challenged. Bremmer wants to “be more open and accountable and create an atmosphere within City government where citizens are truly involved and neighborhoods come together to effect change for the common good.” My source concerned about civility said she’s been intimidated by Lacy and has seen his ability to be brusque with others. She’s voting for Bremmer after he convinced her he could improve civility from the mayor’s office.

I think civility and openness could be improved, and Bremmer might be more open to citizen involvement. But for me and most of my sources, he hasn’t displayed that ability to harmonize the council.

Now you can consider more than signs and numbers of signs. Weighing the accomplishments, skills and civility, Lacy has my vote.

Whoa! Liquor Measure 1183 Deserves a No!

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:19:36 GMT

Measure 1183 officially “concerns liquor: beer, wine and spirits (hard liquor). This measure would close hard liquor stores and sell their assets; license private parties to sell and distribute spirits; set licenses fees based on sales; regulate licensees; and change regulation of wine distribution.”

Whoaaaaaaaaaa! This is full privatization via a Costco sponsored measure that organizes Washington wine and spirits sales to fit perfectly within its warehouse and distribution model. It also eliminates a legislative mandate to evaluate leasing the state’s distribution system even though two firms have submitted bids to do so. Every state that has privatized liquor sales has experienced increased per capita alcohol consumption. National health organizations warn against further privatization, let alone a big box business takeover that threatens smaller retailers and distributors. According the Seattle PI politics blog on September 26, support for the measure dropped in the past month to the point where less than half those polled supported it, although there is still a large percentage undecided. I was stunned by the measure’s impact and now urge its defeat.

This privatization offers lucrative benefits to interested parties and disadvantages others. The voter’s guide estimates spirit stores will expand from the current 328 to1428. Smaller grocery outlets believe larger outlets with liquor stores will have advantages.

It threatens the business survival of smaller distributors. It allows a retailer (Costco for example) to sell up to 24 liters of spirits for resale at a licensed retailer, such as a restaurant (Washington’s restaurant association helped sponsor it). Manufacturers may vary prices of wine and spirits to distributors (Costco could demand discounts). Distributors (Costco) could offer discounts to retailers. Retailers (Costco) could accept deliveries at warehouses and retail stores. Consequently the Washington Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association has contributed $500,000 to oppose it.

Many of these changes could be made without wiping out control of spirits through liquor stores. Costco has reached for it all. Of course you could argue they deserve it since they graciously backed the measure.

What’s the fiscal impact on governments? The measure’s fiscal impact assumes increased sales from accessibility through more stores. However retailers typically pass on higher fees, so prices are expected to rise and partially limit sales. Spirits retailers would pay license fees of 17 percent of gross spirits sales. Distributors would pay an annual fee plus ten percent of gross spirits sales for two years and five percent thereafter.

The fiscal analysis assumes sales increase five percent. Estimated revenue increases for the state and local governments are about $110 million each for the first biennium, a front-loading of benefits that appeals to voters. In succeeding bienniums it’s projected to raise about 10 percent more revenue for state and local revenues. It’s not worth it to me. In sum, if the measure offers governments more money, money that comes from you and me and increased per capital alcohol consumption.

In my opinion per capita alcohol consumption would rise more than the five percent forecast in the long term because four times as many stores could lower prices from the initial fees and volume discounts. And there is no limit on the number of retail licenses that could be issued.

The American Medical Association and the Center for Disease control say increased per capita consumption would occur and cause problems. The AMA website called Alcohol Policy, MD recommends public/private control of alcohol distribution systems.

The Center for Disease Control studied every available report of privatization nationally and internationally. Increased liquor consumption occurred every time. In Iowa spirits sales rose 9.5%, and wine sales all rose much higher in West Virginia, Idaho, Maine, Montana, and New Hampshire. The CDC concluded, “Based on its charge to identify effective disease and injury prevention measures, the task force recommends against the further privatization of alcohol sales in settings with current governmental control of retail sales, based on strong evidence that privatization results in increased per capita alcohol consumption, a well established proxy for excessive consumption.”

Bruce Beckett, Governmental Affairs Director of the Washington Restaurant Association supports the measure in part because of increased penalties and required employee training of retail store employees. Jim Cooper, president of Washington’s Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention disagrees. He doesn’t think increased penalties and the measure’s weak training requirements will restrict harmful distribution from sales clerks. He has proof. He told The Capital Reporter, “We have one of the highest compliance rates in the nation of not selling to minors. It’s about 98 percent. In non-control states, the numbers go down to 75 percent of so.”

Our state controlled liquor stores protect us. The AMA and Center for Disease Control says keep them. The meager long term revenue gain is not worth it. This measure overreaches. Vote no on 1183.

Ways We Can Improve Student Graduation Rates and Save Money?

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:18:59 GMT

Surveys of high school dropouts found that 81 percent of them believed high school would have been more relevant with real-world learning and connecting school with work. From the 1870s to the 2000s, the United States has fallen from the highest high school graduation rate to thirteenth and has the worst college dropout rate of industrialized countries.

Harvard’s Graduate School of Education wants to reverse that decline and recommends three different strategies in a report called Pathways to Prosperity, Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century.

The report aims to focus our attention on giving more students employable skills by their early twenties. It makes sense to me because I dimly recall retiring ten years ago as Dean of Business and Computer Technology at an Oregon Community College where faculty taught over a dozen professional technical programs and three university transfer programs.

First the authors support the common core standards adopted by Washington through the tenth grade that are broader than those aimed exclusively at the four-year college degrees. More paths to Career and Technical Education should be promoted earlier in middle and high schools.

My division taught business math. The Medical Assistant instructor was concerned because the math department had canceled a medical math course that was applied and not theoretical. New MA students were falling behind. We dropped one course and added medical math to teach such topics as converting dosages from ounces to milligrams.

That approach sounds unremarkable except another division wanted applied math but technical and math faculty refused to teach it. A consultant was brought in to resolve the conflict. I told her our method and she said her school did the same. The complaint persisted the ten years. As Dave Barry says, “I’m not making this up.”

Isn’t that what Washington is doing with only one high school path to math for graduation?

The report’s second recommendation is to entice more employers into supporting more pathways. All community college technical programs have employer advisory committees who set standards, design programs, advise young people, offer work-linked learning, job shadowing, and studying real industry problems.

Eastmont High School has fun programs for students and employers. Its Robotics Club competes in nationwide competitions under the mentorship of engineers. Woodworking students have a mentor who teaches students to make a longbow from a plank of wood. And students have seven units of electives in both EHS degrees and four-year college degrees--that’s 14 semesters of courses, giving students options to explore concepts and internships.

It’s not clear what pathways the 2011 Eastmont graduates are following. Thirty percent are attending four-year colleges and fifty percent attending community colleges. Based on national graduate rates, less than half of the four-year and community college students will graduate on time, many with misspent debts. Might such high failure rates be avoided with earlier and better guidance? Two students enrolled in apprenticeships, seven percent enrolled in technical skill based schools and five percent in the military, which offers excellent career advising and technical training.

The report’s final recommendation is social and political: commit once again to providing funding and incentives to give young Americans job skills before they finish schooling instead of waiting for them to draw unemployment benefits and qualify for training assistance. We’re pulling floundering students ashore without fixing the source.

Of course students must commit. A thirty-something student came to my office because she wasn’t getting the success in computer training she wanted. She’d run her own tavern and knew how to succeed, but now wanted a better job. I sat with her in a computer lab as she showed me how she approached her assignments. We jointly diagnosed that a self-paced program was better for her. Fortunately we had multiple ways for her to succeed because teachers, funding and program advisors made them available.

Let’s commit to help our elementary and high school teachers provide more pathways to prosperity much earlier than we are currently doing.

Mom, Aren’t these Seven Reasons Against a Balanced Budget Amendment Faulty?

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:18:12 GMT

Five Nobel-prize winning economists and two former members of the Council of Economic Advisors wrote a public letter saying, “Writing a requirement into the Constitution that the budget be balanced each year would represent very unsound policy.” They gave seven reasons why it was unsound. Those sounded impressive until I read what they wrote, but my undergraduate major is economics and my Ph.D. is business. I needed to ask someone with better qualifications and common sense.

Mom would qualify if she were living. She was a Phi Beta Kappa in economics at Carleton College. She understood our home budget and Dad’s business budget. She pierced faulty arguments. Here’s what I’d ask her.

One: “A balanced budget amendment would mandate perverse actions in the face of recessions.” “Mom, why can’t federal governments create reserves for recessions? States do. The Swiss have eight year’s experience with a balanced budget amendment that allows parliament to adapt to recessions over a three-year business cycle.”

Two: “Unlike many state constitutions, which permit borrowing to finance capital expenditures, the federal budget makes no distinction between capital and current outlays.” “Mom, isn’t that an absurd non sequitur? Our federal Constitution doesn’t prohibit capital budgets, so couldn’t and shouldn’t Congress use them to fund capital improvements? Wouldn’t it have prevented Congress from reducing capital improvements in favor of operating outlays since the 1950s, which costs us billions in productivity? Almost every other industrialized nation uses capital budgets.”

Three: “A balanced budget amendment would invite Congress to enact unfunded mandates, requiring states, localities, and private businesses to do what it cannot finance itself.” “Mom, shouldn’t we just make Congress behave? In 1994 protestors held “Stop the Mandate Madness” rallies on Capitol Hill and in 1995 the new Congress passed an Unfunded Mandates Responsibility Act that reduced, but didn’t eliminate, naughty unfunded mandates. Can’t we trust the fury of states to enforce that act since they balance their budgets?”

Four: “Balanced budget amendments …require super-majorities …[that] are recipes for gridlock.” Mom, can you believe this reason while Congress gridlocks itself over raising the debt limit? Wouldn’t a balanced budget amendment force Congress to annually act fiscally responsible?”

Five: “An overall spending cap, which is part of some proposed amendments, would further limit Congress’s ability to fight recessions, … increase high return investments paid for with additional revenue, [and] emergency spending.” “Mom, couldn’t Congress adopt a cap somewhere between zero and it’s current $1.7 trillion deficit? And couldn’t capital budgets permit high return investments paid for with additional revenues?”

Six: “A Constitutional amendment is not needed to balance the budget, [because] the budget … recorded surpluses and reduced debt for four consecutive years.” “Mom, can you believe they say this after Congress’ losing record since 1957 of 4-50? And isn’t it deceptive to label those four years surplus if operating deficits were covered by Social Security surpluses? In 2000 for example, Social Security revenue was $248 billion more than payouts while government operations ran an $18 billion deficit. The Treasury borrowed from Social Security to fund it’s operating deficit, identifying the loan as an ‘intra-governmental holding’ because the Social Security account is earning interest. But it’s debt and when added to existing public debt, increased the Treasury’s total debt. Mom, isn’t that admitting they have to pay it back?"

Seven: “It’s dangerous to try to balance the budget too quickly in today’s economy.” “Mom, Congress is attempting to balance a ten-year budget in a few days. Wouldn’t a constitutional amendment make members practice every year? You used to tell me practice makes perfect.”

I miss Mom at times like these.

A Proposal for an Arena Debt Deal for Wenatchee, District Officials and the State

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:11:21 GMT

First of all let’s admit two facts about the arena debt: we need a sales tax increase to avoid default but a .02 percent tax is dead on arrival without Wenatchee committing to put up any of its debt capacity. I wouldn’t recommend East Wenatchee or Douglas County support putting it on the ballot, and I certainly wouldn’t vote for it. It’s not fair to the citizens of the outlying districts.

But I would support a fair sales tax increase with three legs in an agreement between Wenatchee, PFD districts and the state.

1. Wenatchee pays a heavier share than anyone else;

2. Every district that owns the facility through the PFD shares part of the remainder by voting on a sales tax increase that the political leadership would place on the ballot and support;

3. The state chips in for the remainder of the debt to preserve bond ratings for the state and its municipalities.

How to do that? Most important of all is believe we have the leadership to do it. Here some suggestions on how to reach agreement:

Wenatchee: Pick up 40-50 percent of the existing debt in some way or another: a sales tax increase, part of the non-voter approved bond capacity, increased voter approved bond capacity if possible, whatever. Just commit to finding a way. Just start talking publicly about what is possible.

District elected officials: Make it clear under no circumstances will you even place a .02 percent sales tax increase on your ballot. However commit to finding an acceptable agreement with a lower sales tax rate that you would put on the ballot and support because it would cost your citizens less in the long run than a default and because Wenatchee is taking a much larger load than your district. Start talking about what you would need to agree to those conditions. Remember, you have another vested party in the state.

Treasury/State Officials: Understand that since a .02 percent sales tax is dead on arrival and Wenatchee and the districts need help in resolving this crisis, commit the state to find revenue to pay for the some of the debt because it will protect the bond ratings of the state and every other municipality in the state. Legislative leaders, you must look for a deal you would recommend to your other legislators and the district voters to pass in order to get the entire deal put together. It’s not enough to recommend putting a .02 sales tax increase on the ballot that will fail. What we need from you is a willingness to support a sales tax increase as the best deal for everybody in your districts and the state.

Remember, a sales tax increase would mean Wenatchee citizens would be paying that tax also in addition to their major commitment.

Who could broker such a deal? Perhaps a master arbitrator, a municipal bond broker, or some other person hired by the PFD to bring the parties together and save everybody money by avoiding default.

Researchers May Be Inadvertently Undercutting our Relationships with our Dogs

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:09:41 GMT

It’s tough to figure out what’s going on inside congressional members minds, let alone my wife’s mind, nor even mine at times, but for some reason I’m supremely confident I know what’s going on in my dog Haley’s mind. She loves me and says it every time she sees me. She gets excited for my morning exercise and convinces me to do it when I think skipping it. She wags her tail when we go for a walk. She slinks away before a car ride. She whines to go out when her friend Hankey, a Boston bulldog comes to play.

There are a few times I’m not sure what she’s thinking, but I usually figure it out. If she’s licking me she might want to go out or get petted. If she’s hovering around the kitchen table she could be hungry or she could be sociable. If she’s hiding under the living room table, it’s probably cooler under there. If she’s napping she’s safe. Basically, she’s trained me to do her bidding and keep me healthier.

But according to a recent Time Magazine article, new university based research centers are studying what’s going on inside a dog’s mind? Alexandra Horowitz from Barnard College, who wrote a new book, Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, says people think they know but few have tested those beliefs. I don't need it. I know.

Nevertheless, Duke University has opened a Canine Cognition Center and has invited pet owners to bring their dogs to have them tested. Harvard’s recently opened research lab already has 1,000 dogs lined up as subjects. Europe has centers. Researchers claim the purpose is to learn how to better train dogs for service work, police work and individualized dog care.

I suspect there are other reasons for opening centers. Government research funds are tightening and cognition experts have been the first to figure out dog owners could be suckered in to underwriting the entire cost of research animals. Pet owners buy them, feed them, house them, treat them, cart them back and forth and isolate them from being influenced by other dogs. Plus accompanying owners cut the cost of hiring lab assistants.

Conniving canine researchers also avoid the difficulty of getting approval for research proposals from animal rights review committees. Who could question fair treatment of animals at research centers when dog owners are present? Treatment at home is already overseen by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.

It’s our right, and unquestionably a universal practice, to suspect hidden agendas. One of the stated reasons is to study whether canine evolution could explain how humans evolved from being apes -- in other words, evolutionary research in disguise. Even worse, the tests are most likely being video recorded meaning both the dogs and the humans would be identified and recorded. Pet owners are giving away their rights to government funded research institutions while conducting themselves in even circumstances more revealing than driving under cameras on public intersections with traffic lights.

Institutions mining research data with our dogs may undermine our self-esteem. Researchers told the Time reporter, “Look, you may have intuitions about your dog that are valuable, but they may be wrong.” Even the lick Haley gives me may not be a kiss of love--it may be hunger. At a time when consumer confidence in our economy and politicians is threatened, researchers want to undercut our belief that our dogs worship us?

I suggest we immediately insist canine research projects include a review of human rights for pet owners. The public needs to know research won’t be used against them. We need to prevent covert governmental agencies from getting access to the data. Human subjects need permission to destroy evidence on the basis of their sole judgement either because it is detrimental to their dog’s psyche or their own. And finally, if any of the results indicate superior potential for their dog’s cognitive skills that could lead to financial rewards, both the pet owner and the dog should be guaranteed an equitable share of the profit.

We must stand by our dogs.

Save our Vision for the Apple Capital Loop Trail and Make it Safer

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:07:35 GMT

Those interested in the Apple Capital Loop Trail have opportunities to support future visions and make it safer by removing dangerous curves.

I was one of twelve volunteers who studied weekly for six months to develop a vision for the trail and present it to East Wenatchee City Council and Douglas County Commissioners. They are preparing a formal recommendations about the eastside shoreline to the Washington Department of Transportation regarding land use, development and stewardship.

The vision is a practical plan to preserve the trail amidst state requirements to surplus land surrounding the trail. The vision, called Our Shoreline’s Future, is available online at cdlandtrust.org/our-shorelines-future, but to my dismay is not available on either the city or county websites.

Co-Chairs Eliot Scull, retired physician, and Mike Scott, business owner and orchadist followed up on the report recently. County officials agreed the city would take the lead role on the report, so four of us met with the Mayor and Lori Barnett, the director and only employee in the planning department.

Both city mayoral candidates support acting on the vision. Mayoral candidate Dave Bremmer told me he supports its recommendations. Mayor Steve Lacy wants the planning department to make recommendation to council members for their approval.

Planning’s recommendation won’t happen until later this fall. Barnett said her department is focusing on plans to use federal funds for downtown renovation projects from Sixth street north.

She believes the planning commission should give full attention to trail recommendations at two monthly meetings beginning in November. That dovetails nicely with Douglas County’s requirement to update its Urban Growth Area Comprehensive Plan in March 2012. She envisions a City public hearing and possibly another one in conjunction with Douglas County for eastside neighbors.

Residents along the trail should be interested based on the current controversy surrounding proposed trail improvements by spring 2012. Eighty residents opposed and supported the plans at a recent public hearing.

The controversy surrounds plans to straighten out two curves and pave a narrow path for trail access near 32^nd street. The county initiated the curve straightening after receiving complaints about the safety of those curves. Doug Bramlette, county project engineer, explained to those at the hearing that the section no longer meets state and federal guidelines because it’s too steep, too sharply curved, too subject to flooding and totally blind at the northernmost curve. The only economically feasible plan would move the trail east to higher ground and preserve a gravel footpath for viewing and hiking.

Some mountain bikers don’t want to lose the curves. Adjacent residents oppose the plan because it would eliminate horse pasture and attract more users who already leave too much trash. They believe an acceptable and more economical plan would consist of warning signs, posted speed limits, speed bumps and a highly visible centerline. Some insist a straighter trail would increase bike speeds. Finally, they argue the plan was secretly planned. Todd Vibbert is quoted in the Wenatchee World as saying, “I think we’re a vocal minority because nobody knows about the project.”

Actually plenty of people support the project. Besides numerous supporters at the hearing, Bramlette has received letters of support from the Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council, Chamber of Commerce, Complete the Loop Coalition, Chelan PUD, Wenatchee Valley Velo Cycling Club, Wenatchee Outdoors.org, and Chelan-Douglas Land Trust.

My wife and I support it. One morning when I rode north around the blind corner a youngster surging ahead of his parents veered out of my lane and then veered right back behind me to pick up speed as he took a tight corner at the blind curve. That was foolish for his safety and my wife’s who was following me. Luckily they missed each other.

Comments are open on the curve straightening until September 30 at 884-7173 or email at dbramlette@co.douglas.wa.us.

So there you have two ways to support our trail: save our trail’s future and make it safer as soon as possble.

Focus, Focus, Focus Public Facilities District Board Members: Avoid Default

JSR — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:04:01 GMT

Sen. Linda Evans Parlette arranged for Treasurery officials to explain that the PFD should avoid default on Town Toyota Center debt on December 1. I attended the meeting, reviewed it on the Wenatchee World’s livestream, read articles and commented online. I examined the three interlocal agreements that created the events center, defined the relationship between the events center and the City of Wenatchee and amended the Contingency Loan Agreement between the city and the PFD for the current interest only payments.

Based on my weird compulsion to read those materials, and despite having erred in not making default my only focus, I’m making new recommendations.

Avoiding default is the PFD’s issue. It is not the City of Wenatchee’s issue. It’s the PFD’s debt. None of us in other districts can do anything. And I think avoiding default is the PFD’s highest priority. Nothing else deserves consideration right now.

The PFD must act immediately and it has one option. It must write a bond proposal to issue and pay off thirty-year bonds, get the proposal approved by bonding authorities and rating agencies, price the bonds and sell them by November 30. The Treasury representatives said 60 days is an extremely tight schedule. The good news is revenues appear to more than cover long-term debt payments with historically low interest rates.

Only one other possible option surfaced in discussions from George Buckner, East Wenatchee City Council member and former municipal bond manager and trader. He believes the PFD could persuade current bondholders to accept an extension of the deadline with current interest rates. An extension would give the PFD time to work out a comprehensive agreement. Buckner probably could persuade them -- if he could find them.

It seems implausible. Time is a serious problem. The PFD only last week hired an agent to identify and contact the current investors. Even if the agent finds the investors, some may demand that cash on December 1. Furthermore, the interest rates may be much higher two years from now. Contacting investors could raise fears of default and initiate sales, making new bonds harder to sell. The Treasury representatives did not endorse the idea. Forget it.

The PFD must focus on the only remaining option identified by Washington’s Treasury representatives. It was recommended by the State Auditor’s Office in its report to the PFD on November 15, 2010: “Applying all operating revenues of the District towards debt service on the bonds and requesting that the City of Wenatchee consider covering expenses. The option would relieve the City of the debt burden tied to the District and consequently not impair the City’s debt capacity.”

The PFD has a tough task. City leadership asked Chelan and Douglas County commissioners to use their debt capacity to cover the debt. After watching the city dither for three years, the commissioners slammed the door on the city request. Perhaps the sound of the slamming door will make it clear: the city has no other option.

Yet city leadership appears immobilized based on public comments. They want the State Attorney General’s opinion before proceeding. He may take a while since he’s focused on health care law.

The city is afraid it can’t forecast future costs. Try forecasting default costs.

The PFD must force the city to replace the existing interlocal agreement between the city and PFD effective December 1. It may take deep budget cuts in both Wenatchee and PFD budgets. They’ve got to cut or default. Don’t default.

The debt is the PFD’s problem, not the city’s. The PFD has to dictate to the city what is going to happen and do it now.

We should hope the PFD avoids default and provides a future where all the districts could work together, but those are subjects for future columns.