Budget Time

Whew! It was quite a wild budget process the past few weeks. I thank all of you who took the time to call or write their Legislators. The good news is that the voices of parents were heard on this issue through Michigan PTA. The bad news is that although we were able to mitigate what could have been a $218 per student cut, we still will be cut $168 per student. In addition, if the sales tax revenues continue to come in at the lower rate than the budget originally estimated, we could be faced with additional cuts later in the year. (There is no reason to believe that sales tax revenues will improve-they have come in at least $40 million under budget every month this year!)

How does this affect your district? Click here for the total amount of cuts. Click here for a detailed analysis of the categories that were changed in the budget.

As to how it will affect your district directly-well your boards of education will soon be making decisions that will reconcile the current cuts with the cuts that they projected. If they projected a $200 cut, they have more money to spend as it currently stands (remember, this could change-and probably will as we move through the year). If they projected less than the current cut, they will have to make it up somehow.

Fifteen years ago (March 15, 1994 to be exact, my birthday, but I can’t say which), the citizens off Michigan made a radical decision to fund schools statewide through an increase in sales tax and other methods and reduced property taxes. This measure passed by a vote of 1,684,541 to 750,952 (69% to 31%, or slightly better than 2 to 1). Yes, the people had spoken, but what really did this mean? What it meant was that the state-and by that I mean the people of the state, with the elected officials working on their behalf, made a commitment to fund education. In the good years that immediately followed, to arise the money needed for schools was not an issue, money could be easily generated by big-ticket items in a good economy. But by the time we reached the early part of this decade, several factors worked against us, most notably the decline in auto sales.

However, the commitment remains.

We, the people, and our elected officials acting as our agents, must live up to that commitment to the children of this state! A $168 per student cut is outrageous! How can we possibly move forward with the people of this state failing to live up to their commitment? Keep asking this question. Keep your voices loud, and keep working on the relationships that you are developing with elected officials and let them know that this cut and further cuts are unacceptable.

But it’s only three percent!

Or so says Howell Public Schools Trustee Wendy Day. But what does three percent actually mean to you, your schools, and most importantly, your kids?

Schools are required to have kids in school 1,098 hours per school year. (With a 180-day school year, that’s about 6 hours and 6 minutes.) Let’s cut 3% of that. That’s 5 days of school, or a week of school. What kind of impact does that have on our students?

Special education did not escape budget cuts. The budget impasse prevented the state from dispersing federal funds to districts. Some very interesting information on how disproportional representation of racial and ethnic groups can be found here.

This past Monday I had the opportunity to address two PTA groups. First was the Detroit PTA Council (the representatives of the local PTA units in Detroit) and the Oakridge Elementary PTA in Royal Oak. The hot topic was of course the budget and the cuts to education, but while all of the first group and most of the second group understood the gravity of the situation, there was a group of parents that wanted to know if we would expand All-day Kindergarten to their school. When I explained that this was a very costly program (it literally doubles the cost and space requirements) and that the board would do what it could to maintain the existing program at the two schools where it is programmed, in my humble opinion, there was no way that the board (that would not include me after 12/31/09) could afford it, as they would be struggling to maintain the existing programs. (In addition, there is not enough space in their building.) The disconnect between these two items-budget cuts and expanded programs, disturbed me. How is it possible that so much misunderstanding can exist? Gerd Gigerenzer, in his book Calculated Risks and John Allen Paulos in his 1989 book, Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences, posits that there exists such a large incidence of innumeracy in the US today, that the impact on public policy is sufficient enough to cause poor decision to be made, risks are assessed poorly and the decision made by the electorate are led by poor conceptual knowledge of complex issues. Or these parents were just angry or apathetic-or both.

The lesson here, for me and other advocacy leaders, is that our work is nowhere near done. We need to get out there and make sure that our friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers are aware of what is happening, how it impact them, and that they need to care about it!

One person at this meeting told me that she really didn’t care about how we got here, just what the school board was going to do about it. Sad. Really sad.

So let’s get to work.

To help you advocate, I will be updating the Legislative Page (http://capwiz.com/npta2/mi/home/ )on a regular basis-please go there and check out the action alerts under the Issues and Legislation tab.

You can also follow me on facebook and twitter-these pages are updated often.

Kevin McLogan

https://twitter.com/bigkkm

http://www.facebook.com/kmclogan

(An abbreviated version of this article appears in Michigan PTA’s October Bulletin)

McLogan Endorses Beerer and Makarewicz for Royal Oak School Board

Recently, I announced that I would not be seeking a fourth term to the Royal Oak School Board. I have been proud to represent my hometown for the last twelve years, but for many reasons, this was a good time to move on. The boards I served with accomplished much, and now two new board trustees will have to confront the challenges of the future. It won’t be easy, so we need board members that have the experience and community connections to make a significant difference in the lives of our children and positively impact the Royal Oak community. I think that it is important that we elect people that have demonstrated a proven commitment to the community.
This is why I am proud to endorse Carrie Beerer and Arthur Makarewicz for Royal Oak School Board.
Carrie and Art both have worked hard to make their community a better place for many years. Carrie has worked with youth football and cheer teams, served on school committees, and held leadership positions in PTAs at Oakridge Elementary and Royal Oak Middle School. Art has served on several city committees, Oakland County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and worked with youth as a Score 4 Kids Board Trustee.
Serving on a school board is one of the most important ways that one can serve their community. School Board Trustees manage a much larger budget than their better-paid counterparts on the city commission, ($20 per meeting compared to $0 per meeting), and have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children.
The school board is no place to get started in one’s community service.
Their opponent seems like a very nice man, but he has not yet demonstrated a commitment to do the volunteer work that needs to be done that leads to being an elected official. I hope that he does. We need good people like him to lend their expertise to city committees, School committees, service clubs, youth sports, church groups, and other youth activities.
People from all over Michigan respect Royal Oak because the School Board has done what needs to be done for the future – to consolidating schools with a plan to improve them. The future is not with me and the 50+ crowd – it with our young families whose friends are now considering Royal Oak because of the improvements that we have made in our buildings. We need people with a proven commitment to our community like Carrie Beerer and Arthur Makarewicz and I hope you will join me in voting for them on November 3rd.

Kevin McLogan

Bad Behavior

These days you can’t pick up a newspaper, listen to the radio, watch television, surf the internet or update your facebook page without seeing people engaged in outrageous behavior in public, particularly in town hall meetings.

Now, I can understand that passions run deep, especially with the issues of the day, but really, is disrupting meetings, being loud and obnoxious, preventing others from speaking and invoking comparisons to long-dead dictators an effective way to get your message across?

I would argue strongly, NO! It makes you, your message, and the poor chump standing next to you look stupid. It makes you and your noise the message, not your position on the issue.

As advocates for this nation’s most important resource, our children, we need to be above reproach in the methods in which we conduct ourselves. As passionate as we can be, we must maintain an emotional impartiality when we speak and act in the advocacy for the issues.

Let me give you two quick pieces of advice to remember always:

1. When in doubt of how you are behaving, ask yourself; what would my mother say if she saw me acting like this?

2. Don’t make extreme comparisons. You aren’t as good as Rosa Parks and your opponents aren’t as bad as Hitler. Not even close. DON’T DO IT!

This article also appeared in the MI PTA Bulletin Legislative Article-August 2009

Breaking News from Royal Oak Schools

McLogan won't seek fourth term on School Board

Kevin McLogan announced today that he will not seek a fourth term on the Royal Oak Board of Education.

“Although I won't be serving on the Board, my work in education will not end,” said McLogan.

“The next generation of Michigan's leaders is being educated now. Making sure these students are ready to lead the state on a new path is everyone's responsibility.” McLogan said that public schools in Michigan will face a number of serious challenges over the next several years.

"I will be exploring options on a regional and state level to use my skills, passion, and knowledge to help lead an education revolution in the State of Michigan.”

McLogan began serving on the Board of Education in 1997. He worked with five Superintendents and fourteen board members. He earned certification through the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) and, over the years, represented Royal Oak Schools on the Michigan Association of School Boards, the Michigan PTSA and Oakland County School Boards Association where he currently serves as President. In addition, he has been an active member of other education-based organizations such as the Michigan Foundation for Public Education, the Council About Parochiaid, and All Kids in School.

McLogan took his advocacy to Lansing and to Washington DC, making frequent trips to speak to federal and state policy makers about a variety of important issues. McLogan said, "I believe that advocating for Royal Oak Schools and public education at every level is the job of School board members and I hope someone on the Board takes up that mantle.” McLogan trains advocates on PTAs and school boards across the state and has been a mentor to board members as one of the inaugural members of MASB’s Members Assisting Peers program.

McLogan served on the Royal Oak School Board during a critical time in the district's history. Faced with declining enrollment, aging infrastructure, Columbine, No Child Left Behind, state and federal mandates, uncertain funding and a student population that needs to be prepared the 21st century, the boards on which McLogan served did not shy away from the challenges. "Working with a talented staff, excellent board members and a dedicated community, the board made the difficult decision to consolidate the district to assure quality education for generations to come".

"The Boards I served on were fiscally conservative", said McLogan. "We cut 25 administrative positions since 1998; found $2 million in operating efficiencies every year, balanced our budgets, and was able to see a decline in the operating milage every year since Proposal A. Yet we never sacrifice academic excellence to save money. Royal Oak has always put academic excellence above all else.”

State Representative Marie Donigan, married to McLogan since 2003 says, "I've watched Kevin help the School District get to a place where academic excellence takes priority having put the district on a fiscally and physically stable path. I brag about Royal Oak schools in Lansing often and use our district up as an example of what good leadership can do when faced with difficult times.

Tom Moline, Superintendent of Royal Oak schools said, "I have enjoyed working with Kevin very much. His dedication to public education makes my job easier both in Royal Oak and on a statewide level. We share a passion for educating kids; Kevin's 12 year service is testament to that".

Chris Hartwig who began serving with Kevin in 1997 said she'll miss working with Kevin on the board. Hartwig, who will also not run for a fourth term on the board said, “Kevin is a stickler for detail and good policy. He kept us moving forward when we were being pulled in many different directions. I hope Kevin's skills can be put to work elsewhere for the betterment of Michigan's public schools."

(Kevin McLogan is the author of this blog)

my contribution to the confusion around us

my contribution to the confusion around us

Public policy concerns as they relate to the new Detroit Media Partnership plan

Surviving two days now without a real newspaper at my door.

Better than I thought.

I wrote this to a friend of mine at The Partnership (in a slightly different form) and I figure I better publish it on my own before it makes the rounds there (I may be too late).

What does publishing a newspaper for home delivery only three days a week and reducing the size of the other days in dealers and racks mean for public policy and the watch dog function of the press?

My position is that it suffers with the resultant reduction in resources to keep government in check.

Two concerns that are intertwined:

1. There really hasn’t been a model that shows a way for online publications of any kind to achieve the kind of revenue stream that is anywhere close to the revenue of print publications.
2. The staff reductions that would have to eventually be made because of the lack of revenue (and the resulting ROI reductions, or more accurately the inability for the Partnership to meet ROI expectations, even if there is an increase) would eventually reach beyond production and circulation and impact news-gathering and reporting personnel.

What is the principle of limitation of public information in a well-ordered society today? The principle is simply the people's need to know. And the need to know of a free people, in a free and open society, is in principle unlimited. Indeed, this is why, of course, a political censorship is regarded, as I have said, as imprudent and also unrightful, a violation of right. (http://woodstock.georgetown.edu/library/Murray/1964A.htm)

"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter."- Thomas Jefferson

I would argue the following:

1. If this plan were in place by the end of 2007, Kwame Kilpatrick would still be Mayor of Detroit
2. Other media (Television, radio and internet) do not have the resources, influence, or reputation of the traditional newspapers. Their influence on public policy, even though they may be more widely consumed, is incomplete and limited. This is due, in part, because these media rely heavily on newspapers for their news without apology!
3. The best outcome of the DNLP plan would be for there to be some miracle to occur and the newspapers would find a way to capture revenue on the internet that would be comparable to print. Barring that, (And this one might really piss you off, sorry) for the sake of public policy in this country, the best outcome would be for the plan to fail and fail miserably. Were this plan to succeed, many more newspapers would follow and the press issues that I have cited would multiply exponentially.

Mad rantings

I've seen some crazy letters in my day, but this was kind of disturbing.

This was sent out to several elected officials yesterday. Starts out with some wild claims and maintains the rage throughout.

I won't reveal his name (unless he attempts this nonsense again, then all bets are off), but he belongs to the Ann Coulter Fan group on Yahoo.

Go figure.

March 30, 2009

You have failed to protect Michigan's manufacturing jobs. You allowed the Muslim, Marxist terrorist to that calls himself President, to turn this country in to a communist state. Your only job is to advocate for and vocally protect Michigan jobs. Michigan bond and preferred stock holders of Michigan's corporations have been betrayed by you. You are a worthless stooge of the Marxist takeover of the American and Michigan economy by the terrorist that resides in the Whitehouse. I see no difference between the September 11, 2001 attacks on the American Homeland and the economic terrorism that you have supported by your failure to vehemently support and protect the Michigan manufacturing industry.

I will do everything possible legally possible to remove you from office. You should be in jail for backstabbing the people of Michigan who hired you to protect their economic and social interests. It is not fat cat Wall Street types whose retirement lives have been destroyed. Every­day, middle class people who worked hard to save for a comfortable retirement, invested in the Michigan the manufacturing industry, that provided for their livelihood, that have been be­trayed.

Your Marxist political agenda, that supports the destruction of the American economic system, has made you the enemy of all Michigan residents. Everyday I work with Michigan residents, from labor union members to middle management white collar employees and retirees, people who worked a lifetime, played by the rules, paid their taxes, saved for the education of their families, and had a social contract that their property and rights would be protected. They have been mortally wounded by your failure to do your job. You are a failure and an embarrassment to all Michigan residents. Your failure to do your job – to protect the economic interests of Michigan residents – requires you to resign from office.

You can put your head in the sand, deny everything I have written, but you can not fail to do your job and remain in office. Your failure to do your job proves that you are a Marxist eco­nomic terrorist with the intent to destroy the system that created the most successful economy in the history of mankind.

The legacy costs of the Michigan’s manufacturing industry – is the cost of creating every Americans’ economic success. Without the middle class created by Michigan’s manufacturing industry, the United States would be a third-world country. Every American owes a debt to Michigan’s manufacturing industry.

Like shooting fish in a barrel

This must have been a job that really made this journalist work hard.
No, not really.
Top ten embarrassing moments in Detroit politics this week wouldn't have been that difficult to put together.
And why would anyone shoot fish in a barrel? Wouldn't you put a hole in the barrel? Why not just scoop the fish out?

No, the really shocking thing about all of this is that the folks involved, unlike the observers are not embarrassed in the least.

Something has got to change.

Let there be music!

It never occurred to me that a good way to brighten up an otherwise dull meeting would be to break out in song.
I'll have to remember that at the next budget presentation.

New moon/full moon, the debate rages

Usually it's the full moon, not the new moon that brings out the craziness, but this week was a deluge of delusional!


And the nominees are:

Lead role in the demolition of a region:

Monica Conyers, Detroit City Council President
The Detroit City voted to cancel a deal that would create a board to manage Cobo Hall and went on a local talk show to tell why.Flashpoint March 1, 2009
(Her segment is the first one)

More background



Supporting role in the old guy without a plan, a clue or a nametag to tell him who he is:

Senator Jim Bunning (R-TN), former Detroit Tiger pitcher.
Now he is voting against the interests of the same folks that paid to see him. He recently had to cancel an autograph signing appearance in the Detroit area due to threats of protest.



Lead role in class warfare and a supporting role in hate:

Colorado State Sen. Dave Schultheis
Baby-hater.


Lead role in how to strangle a newspaper slowly, supporting role in demolition of a region:

Detroit Free Press Editor Paul Anger
A man with a plan.

The winner will be announced in some dive bar in the Cass Corridor Royal Oak and reported right here, so come back soon!

I hope this guy's wife loves him..

Schultheis: HIV testing for pregnant moms rewards ‘sexual promiscuity’

OK, can you think of anything more repellent than the idea that innocent babies, that had no part in the decision-making process of their conception, who live in these modern times during which we not only can determine if they are infected with a deadly disease, but can take definitive steps to prevent the transmission (in most, but not all) cases, should not be given any of these opportunities because their moms either had the disease or fucked a guy had relations with a gentleman that had the disease and were not tested for it.

Was mom acting irresponsibly? That's not entirely clear. We can't really overlay our value set over every situation and expect to have every circumstance make crystal-clear sense to us, we have to weigh every situation based on it's merits, but even in the worst-case scenario, where we can clearly establish a pattern of destructive behavior, why do we want to exact a life sentence of suffering on a baby/child/adolescent/adult?

Ask Sen. Dave Schultheis.
email dave
call Dave: (719) 532-0546

The death of Tuesday

There seems to be a plot to do away with Tuesday, or at least to make it less enjoyable.
First comes word that The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press will eliminate home delivery on Tuesdays (and Mondays and Wednesdays and Saturdays!). This after The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) had eliminated Monday and Tuesday editions entirely (they never had a Saturday edition).

Now we hear that the post office is considering going to five-day delivery and what day will they eliminate? Why Tuesday of course!

Well at least the Oakland Press carrier will still come to my house on Tuesday.
Or will she?

My favorite song is playing on Pandora

http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh189943923669751588

If you click on the link above you will get to my own personal radio station:
"My happy listen hard not distracted"

Features Of This Song:

mellow rock instrumentation
country influences
a subtle use of vocal harmony
acoustic rhythm piano
mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation
a vocal-centric aesthetic
major key tonality
an electric guitar solo
prominent organ
acoustic rhythm guitars
offensive lyrics

Any idea what song that it is?

If you care...

The cover photo is my driveway after a hailstorm.
Kinda late springish.
I can't wait, I am so tired of this nasty winter. It was butt-cold today! (I have no idea the origin of that phrase, but it seems to describe the situation perfectly.)

Greetings

Hi, I'm just starting out my new blog, and if you have stumbled across it, thank you and you must have a lot of time on your hands.
We have so much in common then.
Check back and I will blather on about stuff and probably will be profound 20% of the time but it will be random.
Or will it?