Best wishes for a happy Easter! I'll be back blogging next Tuesday, April 6. Enjoy this special time with friends and family.
As the nation's recession grinds on, local government continues to suffer. The City of Fresno and Fresno's public transit system, FAX, is no exception. Changes will certainly include higher fares and, possibly, some reduction in service.
FAX is heavily utilized in Fresno by the poorest of the poor. Public transportation is not a choice for those making up the 17 million passenger trips each year. These are people that have to get to work, school, appointments or to visit friends by using the bus because they don't have an automobile. I am one of the few FAX riders that choose to use public transportation to go to work instead of using an automobile (my bike also travels with me on the front of the bus). I can pay increased fees and jockey my schedule around in such a way to accommodate reduced bus service. Most bus riders can't. FAX changes will make their thin wallets thinner and their daily lives more complicated.
As a former council member that took an active interest in public transportation and as a daily bus rider, I was appointed by Mayor Swearengin (additional members were appointed by council members) to the Transit Rates and Services Committee. The committee's role is to review transit rates and services and make recommendations to the mayor and council.
The task is daunting since FAX is an enterprise department of the City of Fresno and cannot use the city's general fund (tax dollars) for operations. The department has a $45 million operating budget and $37 million capital budget. Revenues come from the State of California, a Federal transportation grant, passenger fares and the Measure C Fresno County Transportation fund. Challenges facing the committee, FAX staff and elected officials include the recession's economic impact, rising fuel prices, an aging transit workforce, inadequate facilities and mandated clean air requirements.
As painful as it is to the riders, FAX needs a fare increase. The current $1.00 base cash fare has been in place for eight years. Compared with other California cities--both large and small-- Fresno's base fare is by far the lowest. It needs to be increased this year and then again every two years until it is in line with the middle tier of California cities. Additional moderate upward adjustments need to be made with the monthly pass, senior pass, and the handy Ride program for disabled persons.
One of the most difficult decisions will has to be made deals with bus frequencies, how often one has to wait until the next bus arrives. One of the most appreciated FAX improvements over the past few years has been to move the frequency schedule up to 15 minutes on many of the most heavily traveled routes. My Route 30, for example, was upgraded to 15 minute headways, and what a difference it made! More choices for departures and arrivals and less crowded buses. However, the committee has to consider all options, and the Frequent 15's are no exception.
I commend the elected officials and FAX staff for appointing interested citizens that care about their public transportation system to this advisory committee. While the committee is advisory only and doesn't have the final say on FAX fares or service--the responsibility of staff, council and mayor-- citizens should know that their interests are being represented and the process is transparent.
Mayor Swearengin will provide her proposed 2010-2011 budget, to include FAX, to council members on May 1st. You are encouraged to attend and/or speak at the council's public hearing on the public transportation portion of the budget which is currently scheduled for May 10th. Additional information is available at www.fresno.gov/agenda, the City Clerk's office or FAX.
Coming Soon...
1. What was Ruthie Quinto's Role in Granite Park?
2. Full-time elected Fresno City Council Members?
3. California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
In December I wrote that I would be designating areas of Fresno worthy of either a Rose or Thorn Award. This is my second designation, and I want to thank blog readers for their nominations. You are encouraged to e-mail me (abriancalhoun@gmail.com) any time with your nominations.
My current designations follow.
Rose Awards - New City of Fresno Parks
Figarden Loop Park As a candidate for City Council in 1999-2001, many of the residents of the Figarden Loop area of Northwest Fresno made a strong case for a neighborhood park with an emphasis on baseball facilities. In 2007 the first phase of the park, four smaller youth baseball fields behind Figarden Elementary School, was opened to the public. And in January this year, the final phase of the park complex--a competition size baseball field for older youth and adults, playground equipment for children, soccer field, walking path, bar-b-que facilities, and warm weather splash park--was dedicated. As in the movie Field of Dreams, "Build it and They Will Come." Thank you residents and City of Fresno staff for the Figarden Loop Park which is truly worthy of a Rose Award for excellence.
Todd Beamer ParkCouncil member Jerry Duncan was elected, like me, at the beginning of the 21st Century. Both of us experienced the horrific 9/11 while on the council. Even though recently termed out (like me) after eight years, Jerry's effort to build a neighborhood park in Northeast Fresno became a reality only a few weeks ago. Dedicated to the brave passenger, Todd Beamer, who shouted "Let's roll!" as he and others forced the 9/11 hijackers of United Flight 93 to drive the plane into the Pennsylvania ground saving countless others from a certain death, this park adds to the more than 70 parks serving City of Fresno residents. Again, thank you residents and City of Fresno Staff for this park which is also worthy of a Rose Award for excellence.
Thorn Award - Abandoned Craycroft Home 
Frank J. Craycroft Home
The Frank J. Craycroft House, located on the west side of Palm Avenue a little north of Sierra, is falling into ruins. It's a shame that another piece of Fresno's past, built in 1927 and listed as City and County of Fresno Historical Site #82, is being ignored. It wasn't supposed to be this way. As the former council member for the area, I worked to find a buyer for the home in 2005. A community group volunteered hours of work to clean it up after having been seriously vandalized. An upbeat press conference was held. And then nothing. Sadly, a Thorn Award to the former buyer, the City and County of Fresno and anyone else that has forgotten this home and its historical significance to Fresno.
Coming Soon...
1. Fresno's FAX bus system is facing financial challenges.
2. Full-time elected Fresno City Council Members?
3. California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Bill McEwen in a recent Fresno Bee column says, "Maybe you can't beat City Hall and other government agencies. But, as a grand jury member, you can embarrass, educate and whip them into shape." Mr. McEwen then goes on to praise the grand jury for beating up on City Hall, particularly the city council, for backing Granite Park and the Fresno Met which eventually defaulted on their debt. Mr. McEwen encourages the public to volunteer for the grand jury so they can "know who and what are responsible for the financial troubles, conflicts of interests and terrible decisions made by local boards and officials throughout the county."
How smug. How self-righteous. Just think of the perfect world we would live in if we just threw out the elected misfits and left the policy decisions to Mr. McEwen and the grand jury. If I remember correctly, Mr. McEwen's newspaper, the Fresno Bee, editorialized about the need for the council members to financially back the Met's loan. I don't remember Mr. McEwen or anyone else making the case that the council's financial backing was wrong or foolish. In fact, I seem to remember that City Hall was encouraged to "stand behind" efforts to improve Fresno's culture and recreational facilities.
After closely evaluating proposals and conducting numerous public hearings for both Granite Park and The Met, the council made, I believe, prudent decisions on their viability. In hindsight, years later and after the largest recession since the 1930's depression, the projects, unfortunately, failed.
Ah ha says Mr. McEwen and the grand jury. Now we can beat up those stupid, venal elected officials. The grand jury can sit in its comfortable conference room high up in the County Building and issue damning reports about what well-meaning city staff and elected officials were trying to do for their city. The dirty little secret is that the grand jury has to do something to justify its existence. If the council had voted down the projects--particularly the Met--I am sure that the grand jury would have lambasted the council for not providing financial assistance and, therefore, allowing a "downtown cultural icon" to be left half finished and to eventually close.
With a few exceptions, grand juries are anachronisms. They have outlived their usefulness, but they exist and, therefore, have to be fed. Any one with a gripe can complain to them. The gripes become public reports and when issued become gleeful fodder for the media, to include Mr. McEwen.
I often wonder why people choose to run for office when they so often end up in the cross-hairs of pundits like Mr. McEwen or the grand jury. I will bet, however, that these folks can't wait for the next election.
Coming Soon...
1. Fresno's FAX bus system is facing financial challenges.
2. Full-time elected Fresno City Council Members?
3. California Citizens Redictricting Commission.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
I have long been a strong proponent for consolidating the BNSF and Union Pacific railroads through Fresno on to the Union Pacific tracks on the west side of the city. Doing so would significantly reduce the danger from rail cars leaving the tracks and spilling into neighborhoods, automotive delays at the BNSF railroad crossings, and the noise of hundreds of trains lumbering through on the BNSF tracks. The fairly isolated Union Pacific track system would significantly reduce or possibly even eliminate these issues arising from two separate railroads in the heart of the city.
A local group, Fresno Area Rail Consolidation (FARC), came into being following the derailment of BNSF freight cars in 1999. Outstanding leadership was provided by the late John Ferdinandi. As a newly elected council member in 2001, I was pleased to work closely with John and the rail consolidation group. We established strong ties with City Hall, to include then-Mayor Alan Autry. John and his citizens group set up regular meetings with Cal Trans-Rail and other state officials to make the case for rail consolidation in Fresno.
Money was raised to hire a firm to do a study of the rail requirements for a consolidated rail system by expanding the Union Pacific's tracks and right-of-way. The study also determined the costs associated with consolidation, which were substantial. Finally, I assisted John and others to make sure that the voter-approved Measure C Transportation measure included some financing for railroad consolidation.
All of this work for consolidation was an uphill climb. I believed, however, that we had a 50/50 chance of making it happen. Then in 2003 the unexpected happened: John Ferdinandi tragically died from cancer. What happened following John's death was a textbook example of the power of gifted leaders. After years of dedicated effort by others from the rail consolidation group--particularly Tom Bailey and Dennis Manning--rail consolidation efforts recently folded. Also, when I was termed-out from my council member position in 2009, I could no longer help the rail consolidation group with all-important city hall leverage.
I feel a great loss, a loss for the promise of rail consolidation and a loss for John Ferdinandi and the numerous Fresno citizens that worked so hard to make it happen. I am doubtful that rail consolidation will ever come to Fresno. The will and the money are gone. The dream is gone and Fresno is poorer as a result.
Coming Soon...
1. Fresno's FAX bus system is facing financial challenges.
2. Full-time elected Fresno City Council Members?
3. California Citizens Redictricting Commission.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
As a Fresno City College instructor responsible for the first two years of professional preparation for credentialed k-12 teachers, I have been very proud to have many former students now employed as teachers. It makes me believe that higher education is a significant force for good in preparing students for self-knowledge and for gainful employment. Recently, however, I have felt some misgivings about what we are preparing students for.
It is no surprise that the current financial recession has been very painful for many workers. Employee layoffs have been an all-too-common occurrence for the past two years. Those laid off workers have been desperately seeking new jobs, sometimes any job. And even though we have probably hit the bottom and are slowly recovering from the recession, we know that the personal employment pain for millions will continue for at least another two years.
As a college instructor, I am seeing this employment nosedive from a somewhat different perspective. As an example, I can point to a recent Program Review session where FCC instructors from across many disciplines regularly meet to analyze their academic programs for curriculum relevance and workforce need. The California Department of Labor employment need requirements for the Valley were downright depressing. Those eager students in our classes are, in many occupations, heading for the no-jobs cliff. It's not that there are not employment opportunities, because there are. The shocking truth is, however, how few openings there will be for the next few years. Even in my field--preparing teachers for an increasing number of k-12 students needing teachers to prepare them for an ever-competitive world economy--few openings will be available for the next few years.
You might ask, do I continue to work with my colleagues on our Program Reviews when we know that we are preparing a lot of students for a very bleak employment environment? Yes, I do because I am optimistic about America and the resiliency of Americans and the American economy. It is difficult to look at a room full of students hoping to be teachers and have to tell them that the employment market is awful. I also tell them, however, that I am old enough to have been through three previous recessions and that what goes down will eventually also come up.
I sincerely hope that I am not being a Pollyanna, foolish about an economic rebound and with it employment opportunities for this young generation. The last thing I want is to have this generation of students left with bitter memories of what could have been if not for the reckless behavior of the greedy and uncaring few that brought on this recession.
Coming Soon...
1. Fresno's FAX bus system is facing financial challenges.
2. A sad farewell to railroad consolidation.
3. Full-time elected officials? Comments are welcome.
Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
I felt pretty good a little over a year ago when I left the Fresno City Council due to term limits. The previous eight years had had its ups and downs, but all-in-all the city was being turned over to a new mayor and council with many improvements and with a budget in the black, to include a 17 million dollar reserve. Little did I know then that the mayor and council today would be struggling with a recently announced $27 million dollar deficit after already tightening its belt to the point where some layoffs were necessary.
I fully understand the difficult choices facing city staff as well as city officials. Downsizing is never pleasant. I can assure you, dear reader, that officials have their appointment books filled with petitioners--from union representatives to contractors to constituents--pleading for their special interests.
The city will get past the budget challenges of this year. Put into perspective, Fresno's hole isn't as deep as some of our sister cities. While recently in Sacramento, for example, I read about the tale of woe facing their city government: a deficit of $58 million dollars. Here is a city with a slightly smaller population than Fresno that has to work through a deficit twice as large.
Let's look at a few more. San Francisco (operates as both city and county) has a looming deficit of $522 million, San Jose (almost twice the size of Fresno) has a $116 million deficit. And the grand daddy of them all, Los Angeles, is looking into a gargantuan deficit hole of $640 million dollars.
So, what will Fresno do? As always, it will do the traditionally tried and true: cut programs and personnel for a short-term fix and pray for the economic recovery (which is slowly taking place). Unfortunately, city officials have not and will not use the financial storm to seek long-term systemic change in the fabric of local government.
They will not suggest to the Board of Supervisors that they jointly appoint a respected citizen commission to review and make recommendations for consolidation and/or reorganization of city and county operations. If the City were to do that and if the supervisors balk, as they always do, the City will not establish the commission on their own. They will gnash their teeth and complain to whomever will listen about impending reduced city services, but they will not in a public meeting discuss the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the 19th Century local government mechanism that is supposed to serve citizens in the 21st Century.
The mayor and council could, if they really wanted to be transformational leaders for the history books, make a fundamental difference in local governance instead of simply making budget cuts. Based on my experience as both a member of that body and as an observer, however, I would not suggest, dear reader, that you hold your breath.
Coming Soon...
1. College students, program reviews and jobs.
2. Fresno's FAX bus system is facing financial challenges.
3. A sad farewell to railroad consolidation.
4. Full-time elected officials?
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
I would like to commend Fresno Unified Superintendent Hansen and his board of education for their willingness to increase the number of district-run magnet schools and for proposing the start of a "modified charter" school. These efforts to promote school "choice" for parents and students always entail a certain amount of risk, but they also provide alternative models of education that have great potential of success.
Magnet schools have been around for some time and are seldom controversial. They are schools staffed by Fresno Unified administrators and teachers that have a special "theme." Unlike typical "neighborhood schools," magnet schools are open on a lottery basis (student enrollment must always reflect the racial make-up of the community) to students from across the district. Staffing is very selective. Administrators and teachers must apply to work at these schools, and they are carefully screened to select the very best. While each magnet school has an academic "theme," each must still meet all the California standards required of all schools.
In the early 1980's in Wisconsin, my son and daughter attended The Fine Arts School, one of the first magnet schools in the nation. The school was located in a former school that had been closed because it was in a very poor part of the city. It was spruced up and reopened to a waiting list of students. (Prior to a lottery being established, my experience with each of my children was to set-up my chaise lounge the night before so I could be early enough in the registration process to secure an available opening.)
In addition to the magnet schools, Superintendent Hansen is also proposing to open a modified "charter" school. This is considerably more controversial because while the school would be overseen by the Fresno Unified School Board, it would not have to be staffed with Fresno Unified administrators or teachers. It could, in essence, be "contracted out" to an education management organization that would be responsible for all staffing and day-to-day operations. This proposal is not, obviously, supported by the local teacher union.
I would encourage all parties, to include the teachers, to give the proposed charter school a fair trial. My guess is that most of the teachers would be hired from the ranks of Fresno Unified. It makes sense to hire them since the school district has a large pool of excellent teachers that would love to teach in a different setting and under a somewhat different operation. After all, the teaching-learning process should not be static, but instead, one that constantly is evolving to be better.
Not every parent and child wants to be in a "non-traditional" school, but for some, "school choice" provides a pathway out of a traditional school that is not the best learning environment. Years ago, my wife, son and daughter were willing to try something different with The Fine Arts School. It turned out to be an excellent decision. There is no reason why Fresno Unified shouldn't be providing parents and children in the 21st Century with choice in public education.
Coming Soon...
1. And you think Fresno has budget challenges...try the City of Sacramento!
2. College students, program reviews and jobs.
3. Fresno's FAX bus system is facing financial challenges.
4. A sad farewell to railroad consolidation.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
I believe the recent discussion about the appropriateness of invocations at Fresno City Council meetings is timely and worth having. While I am not a constitutional scholar, there are legitimate issues that are raised when an elected body that sets public policy involving raising and spending tax dollars begins a public meeting by invoking religion, particularly if it is primarily Christianity.
First of all, let's be clear about invocations. There is no requirement for beginning a public meeting with a religious invocation. The practice varies from locality to locality and by state to state. Locally, it is my understanding that the Fresno County Board of Supervisors and the Clovis City Council, for example, refrain from the practice of invocations. On the other hand, many localities do.
What makes the invocation dicey on a constitutional level is when the invocation is always tied to one primary religion, in this case Christianity. This narrow approach of favoring one religion over others could and probably would be considered a constitutional violation of the principle of separation of church and state. An invocation practice, on the other hand, that broadens the participation to all religious groups and/or practices would probably, but not assuredly, meet constitutional muster.
The practice of the Fresno City Council is to rotate among council members the responsibility for inviting individuals to give the invocation as the first action of the weekly council meetings. When it was "my turn" during the eight years I served as a council member, I tried to select representatives of non-Christian religions and sects, secular not-for-profit leaders, readings from spiritual and non-spiritual books, and even musical performances from area artists. To be perfectly honest, I was troubled by the council's practice of primarily selecting Christian denominations to give the invocation.
Rather than criticize those who might question the current invocation practice, I would encourage Mayor Swearengin and the council to take this opportunity to redefine what an invocation should be. The essential question should be is how the elected representatives of Fresno can best WELCOME everyone--regardless of race, creed, religion, age or sex--to participate in the governance process of meeting the essential needs of a great city. And if it is deemed necessary and appropriate to call on a higher presence, let those representatives of a higher presence include all the world's religions.
Coming Soon...
1. And you think Fresno has budget challenges...try the City of Sacramento!
2. College students, program reviews and jobs.
3. "Choice" for parents and students in our local schools.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com
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