Richardson's Budget - Black or Red?

It's August and that means it's time for Richardson budget roulette. Will the proposed city budget be balanced? You'd think that would be a simple question. Isn't the city required by law to have a balanced budget? Well, yes, but it all depends on the meaning of "balanced".

Last year when I looked at this question, I concluded that the city's 2016-2017 budget was indeed balanced and didn't require use of that sneaky asterisk ("plus reserved fund balance and other financing sources").

After the jump, reviewing that conclusion and looking ahead at 2017-2018.

The Big Sick (2017)

IMDB

The Big Sick (2017): Mixed-culture romcom. Tension between him, her and their families. Laughs, tears, and straight drama. Great acting. B+

POTD: Idle Oil Rigs

From 2017 01 29 Caribbean Cruise

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Galveston Channel in Texas, where oil drilling rigs stand idle due to the prolonged slump in oil and gas prices.

Every Number Tells a Story

It's almost back-to-school time. So let's look at the Richardson ISD by the numbers. Specifically, the numbers from SchoolDigger.com: "K-12 school performance data at your fingertips." RISD's overall numbers can tell any story you want.

"Steady as she goes": RISD consistently ranks in the top half of all school districts in Texas.

"Sound the alarm": RISD dropped from the 86th percentile in 2010 to the 56th percentile in 2015.

"Back on Course": RISD climbed from 56th percentile in 2015 to 72nd percentile in 2017.

So have at it. What's your story?

POTD: Ready to Cast Off

From 2017 01 29 Caribbean Cruise

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the cruise ship terminal in Galveston, Texas.

Dunkirk (2017)

IMDB

Dunkirk (2017): Lots of action. Nameless, interchangeable characters. Little dialog or historical context. But powerful climactic scene. B+

OTBR: A Deer Farm in Australia

Latitude: S 37° 20.592
Longitude: E 144° 22.386

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 last month I visited vicariously (not actually) that are "off the blue roads".

POTD: A Streetcar Named Riverfront

From 2016 12 15 Louisiana

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the riverfront in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Riverfront is not as poetic as Desire, but the Streetcar named Desire was converted to a bus line in 1948. Sigh.

The Girl on the Train (2016)

IMDB

The Girl on the Train (2016): Psychological mystery borrows heavily from Rear Window and Gaslight. Well-crafted if maybe too predictable. B-

Repeat Tweets: Watch the Uninsured Rate Drop

Repeat tweets from July, 2017:

• Jul 4 2017: RT @sparksjls: "Watch the uninsured rate drop across the country as the ACA went into effect." @sparksjls
Watch Texas stand out as a laggard in this animation.
• Jul 6 2017: RT @bonojl: "Poll: Most voters blame state for school money woes." mystatesman.com
I'll believe it when I see it at the polls in 2018.
• Jul 6 2017: RT @EricCeleste: "Well, now. This is super interesting." @EricCeleste
Good for DMN. Better late than never. A win for Jim Schutze.
• Jul 6 2017: RT @BraddJaffy: "In a span of 13 minutes, on foreign soil, Trump trashed the American free press, the U.S. intel community, and Obama."
  Trump's own apology tour??? But who is he apologizing to? Russia?
• Jul 6 2017: RT @GregAbbott_TX: "Join me in a statewide call to stand with law enforcement on July 7. Let's band together to #BackTheBlue."
  You didn't stand with Texas police chiefs who opposed SB4.

After the jump, more repeat tweets.