Council Recap: Budget Workshop

The Richardson City Council held two days of meetings to hear City Manager Don Magner present his recommendations for the 2024-2025 City budget. Highlights taken from the City's own slides:

• Property tax rate reduction of $.01877 to $0.542180
• Senior Tax Exemption increase of $15,000 to $145,000
• 3.95% increase in Streets, Alleys, Facilities and Parks Maintenance Programs
• 3.95% increase in the Economic Development Fund to $2,076,659; an increase in Economic Development Department funding of $78,434 to $1,280,818 (does not include the marketing position reassigned to the Communications Department)
• $1.9M for Home Improvement Incentive Program tax rebates
• $3.84 million in funding for pay-as-you-go capital replacements and $1.56 million for the IT replacement fund
• 3.0% merit-based market pay plan adjustment for all employees
• An increase the minimum starting salary for full-time and permanent part-time positions to $19.45
• Continued investment in public safety via 5.0% public safety steps, capital equipment replacement, mental health programs, expanded community programming, etc.
• Funding for Richardson Replants, ADA Transition Plan, Housing Needs Assessment, Citizen (CARES/CPA/CFA) and Neighborhood Association Programs, Network/Counseling Place support, Culturally Diverse Programming and Events
• 3.0% water and sewer rate increase
• $2.00 (+tax) per month rate increase to the residential solid waste rate
• $1.00 per month increase to the residential drainage fee to $5.25 per month
• Commercial drainage fee increase from $0.119 per 100 square feet of impervious area to $0.147 per 100 square feet
• Annual Arts Grants funding increased to $375,000
• Several fee adjustments to better position Sherrill Park to cover operational costs, equipment needs and fund a capital maintenance reserve
• Implementation of Phase 2 & 3 of Sherrill Park Master Plan via $6.0 million Certificates of Obligation

Random Thoughts: AI-Generated News

2024-06-01: Today's example of irony: A news story about elections in India from a news source that uses a fountain pen for a logo and a motto of "Dare to Write" ends with this disclaimer: "This is AI generated news with no Human interference."
greatandhra.com/politics/india...

2024-06-01: MaryAnne Doty's comment: "Maybe it's time for Tree the Town to help replace all the mature trees we lost in Richardson this week."

The Problem with RISD's School Closures

"Don't tax you.
Don't tax me.
Tax that fellow behind the tree."

— Louisiana Senator Russell B. Long

In local school politics, that political adage might be:

Don't close your school.
Don't close my own.
Close that school way across town.

With votes Thursday evening, March 21, 2024, the Richardson ISD officially moved to close four elementary schools all over town. In December, I called school closures the "third rail of local school politics. Touch it and you die." I knew that no matter how long RISD dragged out the community discussions, the community would never reach agreement on which schools to close. So just two months later in February, when I first heard of Project RightSize, I said, "Bold. Quick. Decisive. Well done." Now, a month later it's official. And I was wrong (again).

Richardson Cares More about Celebrating History than Preserving It

Four years ago, I wrote a blog post ("The Ice House Goeth") giving the history of a little, neglected, unused commercial building on Richardson's Main Street in old downtown. I didn't stop at the history. I also advocated for the City of Richardson to do something to preserve this little bit of its history. I didn't hear from the City at the time. I still haven't, but this week the City of Richardson's Facebook page dedicated to posting history for the City's sesquicentennial celebration lifted my blog post without attribution. They included the history I had researched, but left out all of my advocacy for the City to preserve that history. I conclude the City is interested in celebrating its history, at least every 150 years, but is less interested in preserving the history they extol.

Green Shoots for "Tree the Town"

Amir Omar, former city council member and force behind "Tree the Town", hosted a small event Saturday designed to bring together interested individuals to update them on a new tree-planting initiative and brainstorm ways to involve the community.

For a profile of Amir Omar and "Tree the Town", see the recent feature article by Lauren Decker in Richardson Living magazine, "T3: New Life With Deep Roots". For some of the history, see the archives of "The Wheel". Going forward, follow what the new initiative is up to and hopefully get involved yourself by following the Facebook page "Tree the Town".

After the jump, more about "Tree the Town."

How Richardson Can Combat Climate Change

Just a reminder that while we're bringing our country to its knees over a border wall with Mexico, the atmosphere and oceans continue to warm, threatening pretty much everything. But instead of wringing our hands over Washington's abdication of responsibility to do something about this existential threat, we can and ought to look closer to home for at least partial or incremental solutions. The Washington Post recently published an op-ed with ideas, the first of which is aimed right at the City of Richardson.

POTD: Cowes, Australia

From 2018 03 15 Melbourne

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Cowes, Victoria, located on Phillip Island in southern Australia. It's a seaside town, similar to seaside towns the world over, popular as a summer getaway for residents of Melbourne, two hours away by car. The tree, which is my favorite thing in the photo, is a Golden Cypress, aka Monterey Cypress, a native of California, but introduced to Australia in the 1800s. At least I think that's what it is. I'm no botanist.

Idle Thoughts: Cognitive Dissonance

Idle thoughts from December, 2017:

• Dec 2 2017: Cognitive dissonance is being at Dickens on the Strand listening to youth band with 15 bagpipes playing Camptown Races.
• Dec 2 2017: Pete Sessions is pleased with a massive tax hike on the middle class to pay for a massive tax cut for the 1%. I look forward to voting him out in 2018.
• Dec 2 2017: RT @NumbersMuncher: "From a year ago, but point remains: Ted Cruz propped up Trump during the primaries because he desperately wanted Trump's supporters. Ted Cruz is the worst."
  Ted Cruz is the worst...and not just for his cynical support for Trump in the early 2016 primaries.
• Dec 2 2017: RT @TASBGR: "Behind Oklahoma, Texas Has Made Deepest Cuts To State Education Funding In Past Decade."
  Don't let Villalba or Button or even Koop claim to support education without complaining about this to high heaven.

After the jump, more idle thoughts.

OTBR: South Mountain Creamery

Latitude: N 39° 27.918
Longitude: W 077° 36.498

A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

India's 50 Million New Trees

Trees are a valuable tool in the fight against climate change. It's the ultimate in carbon-capture technology — but all natural, and without the licensing fees.

On July 11th, volunteers in India took this old-school climate-fighting tool to a whole new level by planting a record number of trees in a single day, beating Pakistan’s previous record of planting 847,275 trees in 2013.

It took 800,000 volunteers to plant just under 50 million tree saplings along India's roads, rail lines, and on public lands. This is all a part of India's commitment to reforest 12 percent of its land — a commitment made at the Paris climate talks last year.

Source: Grist.

What does this have to do with Richardson, you might be thinking.

Who Cares About Urban Trees?

That's the question asked by The Atlantic Cities. The story focuses on a small effort, tree identification classes in Brooklyn, that tries to foster urban tree stewardship. The story lists all the reasons why we should care about urban trees. Everything from cleaner air, cooler temperatures, even decreases in stress and depression in people surrounded by trees. I used to think that we in Richardson knew all that.

OTBR: A Swanky RV Resort in Arizona

Latitude: N 32° 40.134
Longitude: W 114° 31.938

A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

OTBR: Trail of the Tough in Estonia

Latitude: N 58° 28.584
Longitude: E 022° 12.060

A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

Tree the (rest of the) Town

Remember "Tree the Town"? You know, the program with a goal "to plant 50,000 trees in Richardson during the next 10 years on private and public property." What's up with that?

Richardson Comes Off My "On Notice" Board

Source: H/T Stephen Colbert.

Richardson no longer has a place on my "On Notice" board. This is what triggered my change of heart:

This evening, the Richardson City Council authorized a purchase/sale agreement and an economic development agreement clearing the way for acquisition of nearly 60 acres of land from Galatyn Properties Ltd. consisting of members of the Margaret Hunt Hill family. Acquisition of the four parcels, which adjoin the existing Spring Creek Nature Area, will enable the City to more than double the nature area’s current size.

Source: City of Richardson.

Well done, Richardson. One hundred years from now, this acquisition will be looked back upon as the most significant action taken by Richardson in the early 21st century. That's just how valuable this large piece of heavily-wooded, undeveloped land in the middle of a growing urban area will be. With this move, Richardson comes down off my "On Notice" board.

After the jump, a look back at my love affair with the Spring Creek Nature Area.

OTBR: A Farm on Galveston Bay

Latitude: N 29° 29.724
Longitude: W 094° 57.708

A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

Repeat Tweets: Being 27 and Not a Real Person Yet

Repeat tweets from July, 2014:

• Jul 6 2014: Frances Ha (2012): Young dancer in NY struggles with career, rent, friends. Compelling look at being 27 and "not a real person yet." B+
  
• Jul 8 2014: The Time That Remains (2009): Palestinian family's life from 1948-present. Visually lush. Story is absurd, surreal, numbing all at once. C+
  
• Jul 10 2014: Nebraska (2013): Aging, confused father travels with hapless son to Nebraska to claim $1 million prize. Poignant. Small town black humor. A-
  

After the jump, more repeat tweets.

OTBR: A Field of Snapdragons in California

Latitude: N 34° 39.288
Longitude: W 120° 26.160

A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously last month that are "off the blue roads".

Election Wrap: Promises, Promises

Now that Richardson's mayoral election is over, there are a few loose ends to tie up.

The most important loose end is a need to document the promises Laura Maczka made in her campaign for mayor. Here are the promises made at just one candidate forum, the one held on April 2, 2013, at RISD's MST Magnet School, sponsored by the Highland Terrace NA.

Selection of Mayor pro tem: Maczka promised to support the selection of the next mayor pro tem in open session, versus the prior practice of doing this in closed, executive session. (This promise has already been fulfilled ... kind of. The council did not use executive session to privately deliberate their choice for Mayor Pro Tem. But they didn't deliberate in public, either. There was one nomination, no discussion and a quick unanimous vote.)

City Charter Review: Laura Maczka promised to support a full city charter review in the next term.

Changes to council agendas: Maczka promised to add a regular agenda item at the end of each council meeting for the council to discuss and propose future agenda items.

Zero-based budgeting: Maczka expressed support for the idea of zero-based budgeting and a top-to-bottom departmental financial review. Maczka fudged her answer enough to give herself wriggle room later as to exactly what that means.

Less trash collection: Maczka gave trash collection as an example of an expense in the city budget that she would look at to save money. She says Richardson residents enjoy four separate collections on a weekly basis: two for trash, one for recyclables, one for bulky items. She promised to look at this, perhaps reducing the number of collections or adding a fee for some collections.

Less tree planting: Maczka gave the cost of watering the trees planted as part of the "Tree the Town" program as an example of an expense in the city budget that might not be the best use of Richardson tax money.

Change pensions to 401k: Maczka expressed a willingness to look at the possibility of converting the defined benefit pension system for city employees to a defined contribution 401k-type system. She did not promise to make the change, only to look at it. Maczka promised that any changes would apply only to future employees, not current employees.

Crackdown on speeding: Maczka promised to crack down on speeding on Grove Rd. "Absolutely," Maczka said. Lucky you if you live on Grove Rd., or not so lucky, depending on your driving habits.

What Maczka will *not* do:

Narcotics squad: Maczka opposed fund and staffing a narcotics squad within the Richardson Police Department.

RISD Natatorium: Maczka opposed partnering with the RISD in sharing facilities like natatoria. In a different forum, she expressed interest in a public/private partnership to provide such facilities.

Mayoral Forums: Stay To The Bitter End

There was another Richardson mayoral forum on Thursday, April 18, 2013. This one was at Mohawk Elementary. The forum was sponsored by the JJ Pearce & Reservation HOA and the Greenwood Hills NA.

They were both impressive. Either one will be good for the city.

Those were the first words spoken by a stranger sitting in front of me after the forum. I used to think so, too, but my confidence in both candidates is beginning to flag. The forum started on an upbeat note. The candidates were asked to "say something nice about your opponent." The forum ended with closing statements that reflected none of the good cheer displayed at the start. It's hard to say exactly how the candidates ended up where they did, as they agreed more often than they disagreed in between. Much is going on under the surface. Stress levels are rising. Chinks are beginning to appear in the armor of both candidates.

After the jump, the play by play.