Millions for a jailhouse, but not one cent for bus stops?

I don't really agree with the Tea Party movement or with Ordinance 555, but I do see the point of those who are souring on Government. Sometimes our own Council's priorities leave me perplexed.

You would think that with GRT money rolling in since LANL has been privatized, we could at least afford to build real bus stops or paved platforms along the outlying routes. Instead, bus patrons routinely have been left standing in the mud all winter and spring, often balancing on non-horizontal mud surfaces (since an obscure County ordinance seems to have prohibited more logical bus stop locations) while these patrons are trying their off-level best to make the Atomic City Transit a success.

Meanwhile, we are building a jailhouse second to none on the best real estate in Downtown BombTown and an allegedly expansive Municipal Building. The message seems pretty clear: if you want a roof over your head, you are better off running for Council or getting arrested. Last thing you want to do is be waiting for the bus.

We need to get the little things right, too. Not just the big ticket items.

Dispense with Ordinance 555

Fran Berting has written a very good essay in the Monitor explaining how Ordinance 555 might not be a particularly good idea from the standpoint of managing large projects. I suggest it as required reading for anyone having an interest in this issue.

I particularly agree with Fran's admonition: "...think a minute about what you are asking for..." as this proposed change in County governance may well make many large projects unmanageable in terms of real world issues that are involved with any major public expense. Not to mention, how many citizens are willing to put in the time needed to get on top of these public works projects at an early state.

Go read Fran's essay.

Happy May Day, you mutts!

Some of us still remember when our answer to the Marxists was the union movement. Been a while, hasn't it? Well, here is a tip of the beer stein to all the UAW brothers and sisters who helped put a decent roof over my head, paid the taxes that kept our schools the best, and who build some pretty damn good cars, too. Now if they only built some pretty damn good bicycles...

(p.s. Not to forget, here is a tip of the mortarboard to my former UHPA colleagues at the Univ. of Hawaii from a former UHPA Board member)