Thinking Out Loud

No No No to Yeah Yeah Yeah

For about ten years we had to endure the word "LIKE" in every sentence uttered by anyone under twenty.

"LIKE" (which used mean "similar to" or "to have some affection for") is now a meaningly syllable interposed between otherwise (hopefully) meaningful information. For example:

"LIKE, we went to Arris' Pizza and saw these guys and they were LIKE really awesome, so we LIKE started taliking to them and we found out they were LIKE from Wardsville."

Some extra words to give immature minds a chance to catch up with what's coming out of their mouths.Not a completely bad thing. Annoying but not rude.

But there us new linguistic trend that not just a filler. It is preemptive and arrogant. Allow me to call out the phrase:

"Yeah-Yeah-Yeah."

Note there is no comma or pause between these three rounds. They are fired like the triple tap they teach in conceal and carry classes. Pull the trigger three times and assess the target.

This three word jab is used any time a young person thinks he or she knows exactly what you're going to say, and he's has analyzed it, researched it, and your attempt to speak the next sentence is cut off without debate because he knows more about the topic than you can ever know.

Young people are so used to interjecting this rude interruption that they think nothing of it. Some pretty sophisticated people have adopted the habit. Sorry, but I have concluded it is observable mostly in young females but not exlusively so. It trended from snobs on the east coast but it's now prevalent here in flyover country.

So just stop.

Use little restraint with your verbal arsenal

and overstuffed ego. 

 

 

Apostrophe Patrol Reactivated.

It's always fun to poke at large companies that presumably have scads of educated executives who would approve everything. I guess there could be an argument that they intended to reflect lots of little Caesers running around, hence no possessive. Methinks Brutus would not agree and would take a knife to the VP in charge of advertising.

 

 

 

We're back.

So, walking our only grandchild, Colby, a precious little dog, and I noticed I had grabbed three comfortable things to wear (old tennis shoes, old slacks with cuffs - and DARK socks) and decided it was time to bring back High Street Beat.

There will still be some local events/issues and -- my passion, Apostrophe Patrol, but also some Second Half of Life stuff. More on that later. One hint: only when you're well in to the Second Half can you wear dark socks and tennis shoes and not really care! Hope you enjoy. 

 

Parks & Rec @JCMO is unlike other city departments.

In the "chargeback" discussion (Parks and Rec compensating the JCMO General Fund for internal services like finances, legal and personnel) some are saying that Parks should be "treated the same" as other city departments. That quick response misses too many nuances. Even aside from what it means for kids.

Each fund/department has different economics and different purposes. Chargebacks for Parks was designed to chip in a little for administrative services and help with the general fund when parks received an independent revenue source via the dedicated sales tax. How much to charge is actually not very scientific, or at least no one should pretend so. It's more policy than math. It's like when we reduced the CIP level for parks from 20% to 10%. We tried to keep track of the goal --  to fund a great parks and recreation system endorsed by the voters -- while being fiscally responsible and broad minded about other needs. A couple of thoughts:

1. "Enterprise" Funds.   The sewer and parking funds are not good comparisons since those are bonded endeavors, with the rates being set by the economics of bonds sold to investors. The administrative load in those funds was factored in and deducted from the amount of net revenue available to pay back the bonds. Those numbers were included in the public offering and are pretty much set in stone since they were part of the rate design approved by voters. While the chargebacks will certainly have some effect on parking and sewer services, the effects are long term and hard to predict. Day to day service is not impacted. You will only know what the effect is when, decades later, you learn that you have money for only two lift stations instead of three; or maybe you have only $3.5 million in the parking reserve fund instead of $3.8 million. Most people could care less. The toilets flush and the parking lots get new asphalt. Life goes on. 

2. Other departments.  The fallacy of treating all departments the same becomes apparent if the comparisons are complete. Parks derives a large part of its budget from user fees. If we truly want to "treat all departments the same," we would have "toll streets" and the fire and police departments would charge for each service call. Public works and Public Safety are (with some limited exceptions) completely subsidized with no user contributions. Citizens pay for these services through community taxes and not through user fees.

3. Economic Development.  Refer to "Objective 6" of the most recent Economic Development Strategic Plan. Parks has a significant role in this thoughtful study. Money retained by Parks (and not seized through an increased chargeback) enhances Parks' capacity to implement these recommendations. Everybody talks about economic development but no one reads The Plan. Parks provides the infrastructure for the "regional sports tourism" that some now endorse. You cannot cut Parks' budget and at the same time talk about how important regional sports is for economic development. 

4. Conclusion.  Instead of the glib argument that parks should be "treated the same as all departments," the more appropriate analysis should be:

    a. Does the city council believe the current level of Parks and Rec services being made available to the public is appropriate, or should it be reduced?

    b. Does the city council believe that parks user fees are appropriate, or should they be increased?

    c. Since increasing the chargeback will necessarily cause either (a) services to decrease or (b) user fees to increase, or both, what is the appropriate chargeback amount, taking all factors into consideration? The available funds are finite. The dollars have to come from somewhere.

    d. What role does Parks play in economic development and are we ready to put money toward that effort?

    e. There is nothing wrong with using a different formula for parks since it is unique in so many respects. Parks is different from enterprise funds like parking and sewer; and different from general fund departments like public safety and public works. It has economic development potential. Exercise good judgment and stewardship. Refrain from easy formulas.

Does Retail = "Economic Development"?

Faced with challenges of succeeding at traditional economic development (aka bringing manufacturing to town) some leaders have pivoted to retail expansion is an acceptable Plan B. They should pause.

For decades we have rejected requests for abatements and subsidies for retail because in a finite market, a new retailer simply takes away market share from other retailers who have done business and paid taxes without a government handout. 

There are nuances. We've done TTDs (Transportation Development Districts) for Kohl's and the East End Walmart because the sales taxes paid for critical infrastructure. Note how Sam's is now coming not based on incentives but because the guys in Bentonville did their homework and think they can make money without a handout.

"Economic Development" in our town has become such an overused term that it lacks much meaning. We should not water down the old phrase more to embrace a new Olive Garden -- although I like their salads.

We have to look no farther than the Strategic Plan created by the Chamber with help from TIP Strategies and lots of community input. It's been ignored because of the failure of the Transformation sales tax. The tax failed but the analysis is still right on. The question now is now to proceed. 

And retail is not a valid substitute for real job growth.

Speaker will discuss Recent Challenges to Religious Liberties

UMC Law School professor Josh Hawley will be the guest speaker at a Lunch and Learn at noon on Monday. Hawley was part of the legal team representing Hobby Lobby recently at the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision could be announced any day. Hobby Lobby argued that some mandates within Obamacare are unconstituional under the First Amendment.

The presentation will be at the Cathoilc Chancery 2207 West Main (just behind St. Joseph's Cathedral).

Call me at 573-690-1915 to reserve a seat and a sandwich. 

 

Openings for Bavaria JCMO Partner City Trip in September

Due to unexpected health issues for some folks who were planning on the trip, we have four openings for our Partner City trip to Munich and Muenchberg in September. Here are some highlights, but contact [email protected] or call 635-3995.

• Depart JCMO Sunday September 14 / Return September 23 
• Three days in an around Munich: Train to Salzburg; castles at Neuschwanstein & Linderhof
• Day in Nuremburg on the way to Muenchberg
• Three days in Partner City and surrounding venues helping them celebrate their 650th birthday & the annual Stadtfest. Official welcome by Mayor Zuber and all our German friends. (This is our third visit.) Nice hotel in the middle of town.City tours. Local bands and vendors. All very nice.
• Catch "the real Oktoberfest" in Munich before heading home.

You'll see Germany as a partner - friend and not as a tourist. We have 26 in the group and we'd like to have two more couples or four singles to fill out the roster.  Peggy and I have been on both previous trips and we can guarantee a wonderful week.

Alteburgermeister ("Old Mayor") John Landwehr

 

 

Jerky Maker is a real . . . Jerk.

Remember candy cigarettes? Not sure whether the government told them to knock it off, or whether they eventually felt some heat from the public. Here's a new twist.

I like to make jerky, so this is personal. Jack Link's also makes jerky -- in larger quantities. And it's pretty good, as far as mass produced stuff goes. Well, the dipshits at Jack Link's found a way to promote their shredded beef jerky by usuing containers that are very similar to chewing tobacco. In fact, they call it "Jerky Chew."

 

It's pretty clear that smokeless tobacco leads to cancer and addiction. 25% of young users start by the 6th grade. Here's one study by the University of Minnessota. Everytime I see a teenager proudly supporting the telltale circle on his rear jean pocket I wonder about his situation forty years from now.

So the board of directors at Jack Link's took a nice, relatively healthy product that's efficiently produced and affordable, and merge their marketing strategy with . . . .  a product that kills people.

What jerks!

Apostrophe Patrol 2014: The glass is 2/3 full

Calling stores "shoppes" is a little haughty, but hats off to the Lake Ozark developers who added our little friend after "Eagles" at the right spot, noting that more than one eagle may land there. Really?

Same for Kohl's. Both understand how to be correct and also stylish. Menards?  Well, they should get their act together. The company was founded in 1959 by John Menard. Therefore, an apostrophe please.

But they are from Wisconsin, after all. 

 

 

Public Trust: A Precious Commodity

This week the Missouri Municipal League issued its own list of (just three) "Top Challenges Missouri Cities Face in 2014."   The choices all involve revenue or the lack thereof: deteriorating infrastructure, the Internet sales loophole and unfunded mandates.

The national version of this list, also announced recently by the National League of Cities, has additional,  more social, concerns like "the shrinking middle class" and "the need for affordable housing."

But the one "concern" on the national list that did not make the state list is perhaps the the most critical: 

"Lack of Public Trust."

Locally, in Jefferson City and Cole County, this phenomenon is an anchor that keeps us from making progress on a number of fronts: school improvements (both buildings and policies), transportation and infrastructure investments, and even the downtown conference center approved five years ago by voters. It's not helpful to attribute this mood to any particular group of persistently negative thinkers or any national or local media source. Nor can you cite any of our mostly volunteer leaders for making it more prevelant. Some  of it has be taken in stride. America was founded on a healthy mistrust of government! 

But it's time that we expect both citizens and leaders to talk often, openly and calmly about issues and viewpoints -- instead of just throwing stones or constantly ducking them.