How good is your local school? Don't expect to find out from the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) accountability ratings, due out this week. You know, the ratings that say your kids' school is "Exemplary" or "Recognized" or "Acceptable." Why not? Thomas Ratliff, a member of the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE), explains why ... after the jump.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Elections Have Consequences
The mayor won the election. Elections have consequences. A revealing exchange of emails was published this weekend on David Chenoweth's blog that shows how this old rule is playing out in Richardson and how some don't like it.
The first email is a personal email from Richardson's new mayor Bob Townsend to City Plan Commission member Jim Henderson. The mayor informed Henderson that he will not be supporting him for reappointment to the Plan Commission. The mayor gives no reason. The short email reads like a courtesy email intended to ensure that Henderson learns of the decision directly from the mayor himself.
The second email is the response by Henderson, in which he suggests that the mayor's decision is politically motivated.
Then a former candidate for city council, Bill Denton, comments. The mayor is accused of acting in "your vendictive [sic] ways when someone crosses you."
After the jump, the emails.
The first email is a personal email from Richardson's new mayor Bob Townsend to City Plan Commission member Jim Henderson. The mayor informed Henderson that he will not be supporting him for reappointment to the Plan Commission. The mayor gives no reason. The short email reads like a courtesy email intended to ensure that Henderson learns of the decision directly from the mayor himself.
The second email is the response by Henderson, in which he suggests that the mayor's decision is politically motivated.
Then a former candidate for city council, Bill Denton, comments. The mayor is accused of acting in "your vendictive [sic] ways when someone crosses you."
After the jump, the emails.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Highlights from Richardson's Budget Retreat
The Richardson City Council held back-to-back budget review meetings Tuesday and Wednesday at a "retreat" at the Richardson Woman's Club. City Manager Bill Keffler presented a proposed budget for 2011-2012. The introductory handout for the retreat claims that the city's budget development process conforms to a variety of guidance features including "City Council Goals." But the City Council is still in the process of setting their 2011-2013 goals. So, I'm not sure how the City Council provided inputs on the general goals for the budget -- e.g., overall revenues and expenditures and tax rate, what areas to increase or decrease, etc.
Anyway, after the jump, the highlights of this year's proposed budget.
Anyway, after the jump, the highlights of this year's proposed budget.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Lake Mendota from the Union Terrace
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| From 2011 0707 Madison |
Is there a better place to be on a late afternoon in summer than in Madison, sitting on the Memorial Union Terrace of the University of Wisconsin? Is there a better setting at any university in the land? I admit I'm biased, but there isn't for me. These photos make my case.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Richardson Taxes in Context
It looks like one of my wishes for the 2011-2012 budget will come true. No increase in property tax rates is proposed.
After the jump, an excerpt from documents used in the Richardson City Council budget retreat July 19-20. The first table shows total property tax rates for comparison cities in north Texas. The second table shows Richardson's property tax rates from 1997 to the 2011-2012 budget.
After the jump, an excerpt from documents used in the Richardson City Council budget retreat July 19-20. The first table shows total property tax rates for comparison cities in north Texas. The second table shows Richardson's property tax rates from 1997 to the 2011-2012 budget.
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