Reality bites for College of Liberal Arts student

A student at the University of Texas wrote for the Daily Texan today about a job fair that recently took place for the College of Liberal Arts. She laments that the fair was less than worthy of the talent that was to take advantage of it, that some employers want "unpaid interns" and that some of the companies were more anxious to hire retail managers, a job the author states she would have been qualified for as a high school dropout. Perhaps, but I think she misses the point a bit. The job fair was mediocre because most of the job market is mediocre, especially for liberal arts graduates (doubt me?  Check out this study from Georgetown University). You chose to major in something that is the butt of jokes for a reason - remember the old punchline about psychology majors, setting themselves up for a career repeating "do you want fries with that?" at the drive-thru?

I'm not trying to make this woman's commitment to her education out to be anything less than commendable, but I am concerned about her sense of entitlement.  It isn't her fault - I think liberal arts majors are often sold a bill of goods.  I don't recall any promise of lucrative employment in the brochures at my university, but there is a general idea out there that merely having a diploma is supposed to land you a corner office in a high-rise and a salary generous enough to allow you Manolo Blahniks once a month or so.  And it has to be worse for students at flagship universities like the University of Texas, who are given the idea from day one that just having "University of Texas" on your sheepskin is going to give you a leg up in the job market.

The author and I don't agree about the worth of a college education, though she has a point about the networking opportunities that university attendance affords (except for "avid sports fans" - I'm still unclear how that prepares one for the real world).  Most 18-year-olds aren't truly prepared for the world at large, this is true, but four years spent in college simply delays their decision-making.  I don't believe college hones that skill any better than four years spent in the actual job market or four years spent in apprenticeship for a career.  18 is immature, but how much more immature is 22 that believes attending lectures on minority studies and writing essays on the lesser poets of 16th century England somehow "prepare" you for lucrative private sector jobs?

The College of Liberal Arts job fair, as described in the Daily Texan op-ed, sounds just like the realities of the job market itself.  Unpaid interns are in demand, because then a company doesn't have to shell out for expensive Obamacare-hampered health insurance.  Finance majors are in demand, because our economy is becoming more complex and riddled with problems, and companies want employees who can learn to navigate those waters.

The University of Texas (and I would say, society at large) is at fault here, for giving students the idea that liberal arts degrees are easily worth the same as science degrees, and also for charging those students enough to put a real fear into them that they won't be able to pay back what they owe with what jobs are then available to them.  It is a sad state of affairs that we've come to, not just that the return on investment for college students can be so low, but that expectations have been raised so high to begin with.

Prop. 3 would extend the student loan crisis

When I voted on Monday, I voted "no" on Proposition 3, the Texas constitutional amendment designed to increase the amount of money available for guaranteed student loans in the state of Texas.  This was a no-brainer for me, even as the child in my womb kicked to remind me that in about 19 years, he or she will be considering options for higher education.  It was an easy vote to cast because I know my child will be better off if student loans never enter the equation.

Click here to read more.

Presentations this week on Travis County Bond Proposals

If you plan to hold off voting because you'd like to get more information on the Travis County Bond Proposals, you'll have a chance this Thursday evening in Pflugerville or in Wells Branch.

PCT 1 – Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 6:30pm - Pflugerville Justice Center at 1611 Pfenning Ln
Commissioner Ron Davis of Travis County will be speaking and meeting residence of Pflugerville and discussing the role of the County Commissioner, emergency services, health and human services and veterans service, justice and public safety, planning and budget, transportation and natural resources.

CANCELLED - PCT 2 – Thursday, October 27 at 7pm, at the WB Community Center located at 2106 Klattenhoff Dr. (78728).
The Wells Branch Neighborhood Association is hosting a meeting regarding the upcoming Travis County Bond Proposal on Thursday, October 27 at 7pm, at the WB Community Center located at 2106 Klattenhoff Dr. (78728). Steve Manilla, county executive, will make a presentation about the proposal and Travis County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt will be on hand to answer any questions.

More information can be found online here: http://www.co.travis.tx.us/citizens_bond_committee/

Last Monday, the Travis County Republican Party Local Issues Committee recommended a "Yes" vote on Proposition 1, and a "No" vote on Proposition 2.

City of Pflugerville offers 11 charter amendment propositions

All of these are important, but I'd like to particularly point out Proposition 6 about the Texas Open Meetings Act. It is VITAL that local government be as transparent as possible, and the Pflugerville City Council needs to be accountable. I personally recommend a 'yes' vote on Prop. 6 for the City of Pflugerville.

PROP. 1, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 3.15 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 3.15(d). Effective date. Shall the City Charter be amended to require that no ordinance imposing a penalty, fine or forfeiture shall become effective until the caption of the ordinance summarizing the purpose of the ordinance and penalty for violation has been published on the city’s official website or other electronic media that is readily available to the public in lieu of publishing one time in the city’s official newspaper?

PROP. 2, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 4.05 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 4.05(d).Personnel Appeal Board. Shall the City Charter be amended so that only commissioned peace officers that are regular, full time employees or regular, part-time employees of the City (excluding all other City employees, contract employees and any other commissioned peace officers that do not report to the Police Chief) may appeal suspensions, demotions or terminations to the Personnel Appeal Board

PROP. 3, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 5.01 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 5.01(c). Registered voters list. Shall the City Charter be amended so that a list of voters registered in the city shall be made available to the public by the Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector and the Williamson County Elections Administrator in lieu of the City Secretary?

PROP. 4, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 5.04 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 5.04. Canvassing. Shall the Charter be amended to eliminate the requirement that the returns of any municipal election shall be delivered from the Election Judges to the City Secretary and the Mayor not later than twelve hours after the polls are closed?

PROP. 5, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 7.06 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 7.06(c). Publication of proposed or referred ordinance. Shall the Charter be amended to require that a copy of any proposed or referred ordinance be published on the city’s official website or other electronic media that is readily available to the public in lieu of publishing one time in the city’s official newspaper and requiring that the caption of the proposed or referred ordinance be posted at City Hall at least fifteen days preceding the election?

PROP. 6, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 8.07 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 8.07(d). Texas Open Meetings Act. Shall the Charter be amended to require that the City conduct all its meetings in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act?

PROP. 7, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 9.03 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS: Sec. 9.03(a). Annual Budget. Content. Shall the Charter be amended to require that except in the event
of an emergency under Section 9.04(b), the adopted budget must include an unencumbered general fund balance that is at least sufficient to cover three months of the city’s budgeted general fund operation and maintenance expense?

PROP. 8, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 9.03 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 9.03(c). Public notice and hearing. Shall the Charter be amended to require that council post a summary of the proposed budget and a notice stating the times and places where copies of the message and budget are available for inspection by the public and the time and place for a public hearing on the budget in City Hall and publish the same on the city’s official website or other electronic media that is readily available to the public in lieu of publishing one time in the city’s official newspaper?

PROP. 9, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 9.04 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 9.04(b). Amendments After Adoption. Emergency appropriations. Shall the Charter be amended to allow the City Council to suspend the three-month general fund operating reserve requirement in the event of an emergency by resolution and requiring the resolution to reference the emergency and provide a process and timeline for rebuilding the reserve?

PROP. 10, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 10.03 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 10.03. Enacting Franchise Ordinances. Shall the Charter be amended to require that an ordinance granting, renewing, extending, or amending a public utility franchise be published on the city’s official website or other electronic media that is readily available to the public in lieu of publishing one time in the city’s official newspaper?

PROP. 11, CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE
AMENDING SECTION 11.02 OF THE CHARTER AS FOLLOWS:
Sec. 11.02. Official Newspaper. Shall the Charter be amended to replace the Official Newspaper with an Official Notice requiring that ordinances, notices and other matters required to be published by this charter, city ordinances, or State constitution or laws shall be published on the city’s official website or other electronic media that is readily available to the public in lieu of publishing one time in the city’s official newspaper?

Lots of elections in small areas - early voting for them all starts MONDAY!

I started compiling a list to send out to friends, and wow, I got overwhelmed.  Here I was bopping along thinking there weren't very many local ballot propositions.  Travis County and Williamson County definitely have their share.  Hopefully I won't miss much in this post.  I'm including ballot language where available, and recommendation links where available.  The City of Round Rock and City of Pflugerville will get their own posts since there are 10 propositions coming from RR and 11 from Pflugerville, and these may affect voters in both counties..

For those of you in Travis County, the sample ballots will illuminate for you which of these affect you according to your voting precinct.

Lake Travis ISD - Bond
Proposition 1 - The issuance of $158,455,000 of Lake Travis Independent School District School Building Bonds for the purpose of constructing, renovating, designing, acquiring, and equipping school facilities, the purchase of the necessary sites for school facilities, and the purchase of new school buses, and the levying of a tax in payment thereof
(The Travis County Republican Party Local Issues Committee is recommending a "NO" vote on this bond.  A group of concerned parents in Lakeway, under the auspices of "Academic Excellence in Lake Travis," along with other groups, held a press conference today in Lakeway opposing the bond.  There is a ton of great information on this bond package at this link.)

Lago Vista ISD - Bond
Proposition 1 - The issuance of bonds in the amount of $29,600,000 for the construction, acquisition, renovation, and equipment of school facilities, and the levying of a tax in payment thereof.

Lago Vista ISD - Board of Trustees
The following unopposed candidate is declared elected:
PLACE 7, LAGO VISTA ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Stacy Eleuterius

Hutto ISD - Tax Rate Ratification
Proposition 1 - Approving the Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $1.10 per $100 valuation in Hutto Independent School District for the current year, a rate that is $ .06 higher per $100 valuation than the school district rollback tax rate.

Travis County Emergency Services District No. 1 - Annexation
Proposition 1 - Adding a tract of land located in the vicinity of RM 1431 and Trails End Road to Travis County Emergency Services District No. 1.

Proposition 2 - The tract of land located in the vicinity of RM 1431 and Trails End Road assuming its proportionate share of the outstanding debts and taxes of the Travis County Emergency Services District No. 1, if it is added to the district.

Williamson County Emergency Services Dist. No. 1 (Jollyville) - Sales and Use Tax
Proposition 1 - The adoption of a local sales and use tax in Williamson County Emergency Services District No. 1 at the rate of one percent (1%)

Williamson County Water, Sewer, Irrigation and Drainage Dist. No. 3 - Bond
Proposition 1 - The issuance of $9,805,000 Bonds for System Facilities and the levy of
taxes in payment of the Bonds.  (affects part of Precinct 200 in Travis County as well)

Williamson County Emergency Services Dist. No. 11 - Creation
Proposition 1 - Creating the Williamson County Emergency Services District No. 11 and the imposition of an ad valorem tax of no more than Ten Cents per One Hundred Dollar valuation.

Williamson County Emergency Services Dist. No. 12 - Creation
Proposition 1 - Creating the Williamson County Emergency Services District No. 12 and the imposition of an ad valorem tax of no more than Ten Cents per One Hundred Dollar valuation.

Williamson Liberty Hill MUD - Tax Rate Ratification and Bonds
Proposition 1 - An operation and maintenance tax not to exceed one dollar ($1.00) per one hundred dollars ($100) valuation of taxable property

Proposition 2 - The issuance of $74,185,000 bonds for system facilities and the levy of taxes in payment of the bonds

Proposition 3 - The issuance of $4,880,000 bonds for park and recreational facilities and the levy of taxes in payment of the bonds.

Proposition 4 - The issuance of $5,635,000 bonds for roads and levying the tax in payment thereof.

Highlands at Mayfield Ranch MUD - Bonds
Proposition 1 - The issuance of $42,280,000 bonds for water, wastewater and drainage system facilities and the levy of taxes in payment of the bonds

Proposition 2 - The issuance of $7,420,000 bonds for park and recreational facilities and the levy of taxes in payment of the bonds

Northwoods Road District No. 1 - Bond
Proposition 1 - The issuance by the Northwoods Road District No. 1 $12,000,000 bonds for roads and levying the tax in payment thereof.

Problematic Prop 4 raises spectre of TLOTA

It sounds so harmless, doesn’t it – giving counties the authority to create reinvestment zones where there is currently blight. That’s the gist of one Texas constitutional amendment, Proposition 4, on the November 8 ballot. This amendment is a bigger concern than it might first appear, and to determine why that is, a little time-travel is necessary.

Back in 2009, I wrote pretty extensively about what was popularly known as the Texas Local Option Transportation Act (TLOTA). This was an effort by Rep. Vicki Truitt and Sen. John Carona to give specific counties the ability to create new taxes and fees specifically to pay for transportation infrastructure projects – most notably, light-rail. Some governmental entities put off decisions to raise sales taxes to pay for transportation projects, expecting that the Legislature would give them other avenues for taxation. Universities got in the lobbying mix, as did other taxpayer-funded entities, and a rally was even held on the Capitol steps (the first one to actively ask for tax hikes – two years before Occupy, can you imagine?). Despite the best efforts of gleeful tax-and-spenders, TLOTA did not manifest into existence.

Fast forward to 2011. This time around, TLOTA supporters got more creative, going around the Transportation committees altogether and instead straight to Ways & Means with a statutory and constitutional change to grant counties authority to create transportation reinvestment zones. There was an effort to stop this on the floor in the House, though on third reading the opposition dried up, and HJR 63 got enough support to go to the voters.

Click here to read the rest.

Texas Constitutional Amendment Propositions 2011

EDITED TO ADD INFO 10/28.  It's that time again!  Early voting begins October 24 for the Texas Constitutional Amendment election (and, depending on where you live, there will be other things on the ballot).  Unlike 2009, I've opted not to do a series of posts on the propositions, though I've posted my thoughts on a few and linked to those below.

In the meantime, I want to point you to some resources for the proposed amendments that you might find useful. I will build on this list as I find things.  I've been using the ones below for my own research and decision-making thus far.

Texas Legislative Council Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments

2011 Texas Constitutional Amendments Summaries, Pros/Cons (used for local presentations)

Liberty Institute's Voter Guide (no recommendations, just summaries and pro/con)

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (summaries and recommendations)

Burnt Orange Report, Senator Kirk Watson (recommendations)

American Federation of Teachers - Texas and AFL-CIO Texas (recommendations)

Texas Eagle Forum (analyses and recommendations)

Grassroots Texans (compilation of recommendations from around the state)

Travis County Republican Party (recommendations)

Paul Burka, Texas Monthly Magazine (recommendations)

Austin Chronicle (recommendations)

Proposition 2
Pro: Infrastructure Texas
Con: TPPF's Talmadge Heflin; Michael Quinn Sullivan, "Building Permanent Debt"

Proposition 3
Pro: Dallas Morning News editorial
Con: Dustin Matocha, "Perpetuating the Problem of Higher Education Costs"; Michele Samuelson, "Amendment Prop. 3 would extend student loan crisis"

Proposition 4
Con: Michele Samuelson, "Problematic Prop. 4 smells familiar, in a bad way"; Dustin Matocha, "Proposition 4 will lead to less property protection"

Proposition 5:
Pro:  Report by KUT, via Texas Tribune


Proposition 6:
Pro:  Dallas Morning News editorial
Con: Donna Garner on Voices Empower; Texas AFT: "Does Proposition 6 mean more money for education?"
Neutral: Katharine Haenschen, "More Information on Statewide Proposition 6"

Proposition 7:
Con: Nathan Ofe, "Proposition 7 puts the cart before the horse"

Proposition 8:
Pro: Texans for Prop 8

Girl Scout badges get with the times

This is pretty cool:.  The Mary Sue reports that the Girl Scouts are revamping portions of their badge program at all age levels, for the first time in about 25 years.  Some of the classics will, of course, be retained (such as Cook, Athlete, and Naturalist), others will undergo requirement changes (such as Fitness, Fashion, and Make-Up), and there are brand new opportunities, under headings like "Financial Literacy" (with badges like Money Manager, Budgeting, Financing My Future, and Good Credit, as well as marketing-related badges tied to cookie sales).  There are things like Digital Movie Maker, Website Designer, Computer Expert, and bunches of new things under Science and Technology.

I can't tell you how excited I am to learn about this.  While there are certainly still some drawbacks (a "Science of Happiness" badge?  Huh??), the options for girls involved in the program just got blown wide open.  When I was doing a "Computer" interest project (what the badges were called for Cadettes and Seniors), and this was in about 1993, a lot of typing and basic word processing got me the badge without blinking an eye.  I have yet to see what "Computer Expert" will require, but it certainly sounds more well-rounded.

The Girl Scout website provides a sample of what the National Proficiency Badges program looks like.  There are several sections and each includes related badges for each age group that build on each other.

It probably won't come as any great surprise to learn that I was a Girl Scout, and a very dedicated one at that.  While I don't always agree with the political leanings of the GSUSA or some of the local programming that takes place, I do believe that Girl Scouts is a positive force for young women in our country and around the world.  I absolutely believe in giving girls a venue to develop skill sets that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to build, and as the Girl Scouts are getting ready to celebrate 100 years of success in doing just that, you can see why I think they remain the best organization to do so.

Austin City Council actively disenfranchising voters

So, the Austin City Council is holding fast to their ludicrous opposition to holding council elections in November 2012.  Meanwhile, the other holdout, Austin ISD, voted unanimously to move board trustee elections to November 2012, and so has the Austin Community College district.  That leaves the city to foot a $1.2 million bill (a estimated total that assumes no $500,000 runoff will be necessary).

Let's get this straight.  Certain members of a certain establishment in Austin politics, given a public face by councilmembers Bill Spelman, Sheryl Cole, Kathie Tovo, and Laura Morrison, want to continue to disenfranchise thousands of Austin voters in an effort to maintain the status quo, and they want to do so at the expense of those same voters.  Every general election in Austin will take place in November 2012, except for the election for Austin city councilmembers.  The city even plans to have referenda on the November ballot, so their reasoning seems pretty weak: it is framed consistently as being that voters aren't smart enough to grasp all the issues on the long general election ballot in November and must therefore be coerced to the polls in May.

It has been pointed out that if the May election for city council remains in place, Austinites will be facing one of the most hectic and brutal election seasons in the state.  Example (courtest BOR; not including the timelines for mail-in ballots):

February 21 - March 2, 2012: Early Voting, partisan primary election

March 6, 2012: Election Day, partisan primary, plus precinct conventions

April 30-May 8, 2012: Early Voting, Austin municipal election

May 12, 2012: Election Day, Austin municipal election

May 14-May 18, 2012: Early Voting, partisan run-off election, if needed

May 22, 2012: Election Day, Partisan run-off election, if needed

June 4-June 12, 2012: Early Voting, Austin municipal run-off election, if needed (estimate)

June 16, 2012: Election Day, Austin municipal run-off election, if needed (estimate)

Now, about 250 Austin activists, the vast majority of whom dwell on the center-left side of the political spectrum, have signed a letter directed to the Austin City Council about this issue.  There's a Facebook page for Support Fair Elections in Austin.  These are great ways to show where you stand, and I definitely encourage you to "like" the Facebook page for updates on this issue.  It is not just the left in Austin that is affected by this.  It is not just minorities who are disenfranchised in May elections.  It needs to be clarified, loudly, that a good number of those who don't turn out to vote in May elections in the city of Austin live out in the "fringes" - particularly the north and northwestern portions that have been recently annexed, or that are simply outside of the "zone" whence the Austin establishment comes.  Did you know that a good portion of Avery Ranch, for example, is technically inside the city of Austin, and a good number of those people either have no idea they can vote in Austin city council elections, much less have an idea of when those elections take place?

It is absolutely imperative that pressure be brought to bear on the councilmembers who believe they are above voters' scrutiny, who think that you and I are too stymied by a long ballot to do our research.  Who believe, in essence, that voters are stupid.  And there is the matter of $1.2 million in tax dollars that the city will have to spend - your money, remember - to pay for their arrogance.  Email the council TODAY.  Make your voice heard.

Latest school finance battle opens; where is the right? | Empower Texans

Latest school finance battle opens; where is the right? | Empower Texans:

I wrote this earlier for Empower Texans - you'll want to check it out, if you have any interest at all in the huge battle brewing over Texas school finance.

'via Blog this'

SD 25 primary officially develops

Confirming weeks of rumor and speculation, Donna Campbell has announced her candidacy for State Senate in District 25.  This is the seat currently held by Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio).  Ramparts360 has the full scoop.

Central Texans may recall Dr. Campbell from the 2010 election cycle; she was the Republican candidate who challenged Congressman Lloyd Doggett and gave him the biggest run for his money that he'd faced since the district was redrawn.  Campbell's name recognition in the area is high and this Senate race will be one of the "sleeper" races to watch come March 6 for sure.