Some day there will be an African American…

Pictures of Pierre Caliste Landry Alexander Twilight Joseph Rainey Hiram Rhodes Revels Lawrence Douglas Wilder Colin Powell Thurgood Marshall Eric Holder Lloyd J. Austin Kamala Harris Barack Obama Robert L. Johnson

The myth of African American Upward Immobility

Introduction

This brief post demonstrates, by example, that African Americans have attained the highest level in both government and industry. It is an argument against the slander of “White Privilege” and shows that the only true barriers faced by African Americans for success is a lack of vision, ambition, will and fortitude.

Some day, there will be an African American mayor in the USA.¹

Some day there will be an African American member of a state legislature.²

Some day there will be an African American member of Congress in the USA.³

Some day there will be an African American US Senator.⁴

Some day there will be an African American state governor.⁵

Some day there will be an African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the USA.⁶

Some day there will be an African American member of the Supreme Court in the USA.⁷

Some day there will be an African American Attorney General in the USA.⁸

Some day there will be an African American Secretary of Defense in the USA.⁹

Some day there will be an African American Secretary of State in the USA.¹⁰

Some day there will be an African American Vice President of the USA.¹¹

Some day there will be an African American President of the USA.¹²

Some day there will be an African American billionaire in the USA.¹³

In fact, there already has been all of these…

¹The first African American mayor of a town in the United States was Pierre Caliste Landry, who became the mayor of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, in 1868. Landry, born into slavery in 1841, was emancipated after the Civil War and went on to become a significant political figure during the Reconstruction era. His election as mayor marked a historic moment in U.S. history, as he became the first African American to hold such an office in any town or city in the country.

Economic Circumstances: Poor (Born into slavery)

Household: Single parent (raised by his mother after his father was sold to another plantation)

²The first African American to serve in a state legislature in the United States was Alexander Twilight. He was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1836. Twilight was a minister and educator, and he is recognized as the first African American to serve in a state legislature.

Economic Circumstances: Poor to middle class (Worked from a young age to support his education)

Household: Two-parent household until the death of his father, after which his mother struggled to support the family.

³The first African American member of the lower house of Congress (the U.S. House of Representatives) was Joseph Rainey. He was elected as a Republican to represent South Carolina’s 1st congressional district and served from 1870 to 1879.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (Born into slavery, but his father, who was a barber, was able to purchase freedom for the family)

Household: Two-parent household

⁴The first African American to serve as a U.S. Senator was Hiram Rhodes Revels. He was elected in 1870 during the Reconstruction era to represent the state of Mississippi.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (Born free to free parents, his father was a Baptist preacher)

Household: Two-parent household

⁵The first African American state governor in the United States was Lawrence Douglas Wilder. He was elected as the governor of Virginia and served from 1990 to 1994.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (Born to a working-class family; his parents were both hard-working and instilled the value of education)

Household: Two-parent household

⁶The first African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the USA was General Colin Powell. He served as Chairman from October 1, 1989, to September 30, 1993.

Economic Circumstances: Working class to lower middle class (Born to Jamaican immigrants in Harlem, New York, who worked in low-paying jobs)

Household: Two-parent household

⁷The first African American member of the U.S. Supreme Court was Thurgood Marshall. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and served on the Supreme Court from 1967 to 1991.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (His father worked as a railroad porter and his mother was a teacher)

Household: Two-parent household

⁸The first African American Attorney General of the United States was Eric Holder. He served as Attorney General from 2009 to 2015.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (Born to a Barbadian father who was a real estate broker and a New Jersey-born mother who was a teacher)

Household: Two-parent household

⁹The first African American to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Defense is Lloyd J. Austin III.

Economic Circumstances: Working class (Raised in a modest household; his father worked as a postal worker)

Household: Two-parent household

¹⁰The first African American to serve as Secretary of State in the United States was Colin Powell.

¹¹The first African American Vice President of the United States is Kamala Harris. She was inaugurated on January 20, 2021.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (Her mother was a scientist and her father was an economist)

Household: Initially two-parent, later single parent (Her parents divorced when she was seven)

¹²The first African American President of the United States was Barack Obama.

Economic Circumstances: Middle class (His mother was a student and his father was a government economist)

Household: Single parent (Raised mostly by his mother and grandparents after his parents separated)

¹³The first African American billionaire in the USA was Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television.

Economic Circumstances: Working class to middle class (One of ten children, his father was a farmer and his mother was a schoolteacher)

Household: Two-parent household

Some Conclusions

The only real barrier for African Americans to be successful in the United States is a lack of vision, focus, ambition and hard work. In virtually every case listed these leaders rose from either extreme poverty or, at best the lower middle class. Further, in most instances, they were raised in two-parent households.

#AfricanAmerican #Congress #Senator #President #VicePresident #Mayor #Governor #Billionaire

July 25, 2024July 28, 2024

A Case for Public School Vouchers

Seal of the United States Department of Education with a red X on it

Public Schools Cater to Exceptional Students

Generally speaking, public schools have morphed from being institutions that serve the many, to institutions that serve the few. On the one extreme by law, and on the other extreme by choice, public schools now cater, primarily, to exceptional students.

By law, schools must expend considerable resources for exceptional students with physical, emotional or mental issues. This is not a bad thing, but it is a real thing. These exceptional students require expensive services that impact school budgets significantly.

On the other side of the spectrum, schools spend considerable amounts of their budgets on gifted exceptional students. This manifests itself in college preparatory classes that typically have smaller class sizes. The benefit for schools in providing these classes is that it encourages wealthy families to move into the school district, increasing housing costs and therefore increasing property taxes which therefore increase the schools’ coffers. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a real thing.

OK, so what’s the problem?

The end result of public schools focusing on exceptional students is twofold. First, those that are not exceptional on either end of the spectrum tend to get left out. There are fewer after school programs (sports, etc.) and fewer elective course offerings such as shop, music, etc. Non-exceptional students graduating from public schools now do not receive the varied education they received just a few decades ago.

Further, as wealthy families move in and drive housing prices up, middle and lower income families get pushed out. The end result for them is having to send their children to less desirable school districts. And in these school districts, even those students gifted academically suffer as there aren’t college prep classes and the overall academic standards tend to be lower.

So what is the alternative?

Most states mandate children be in school and receiving an education until the age of 16. This mandate is inarguably a good thing. However, nowhere is there a mandate that the education be provided by a publicly funded institution. And as Hamlet said in his soliloquy, “”Aye, there’s the rub.”

The vast majority of Americans do not have the financial resources to send their children to private schools. And for those children that do not fall on either end of the “exceptional spectrum,” for the most part they are relegated to what is at best a mediocre education. They are set up to fail in life and are at a significant disadvantage to those that have received an appropriate education.

This is why school vouchers make sense. With money available, a free market would create schools to service a more varied student body. They would specialize and provide a better education more appropriate for individuals rather than more the generic masses. Further, over time, and probably not much time, competition would create much better schools. Essentially everyone, with the possible exception of teachers’ unions, would benefit. And, in fact, many teachers in unions would like be incented to leave and teach in specialized schools which would be more rewarding to them, and where they would provide a better education for their students.

But hey, where’s the money for all of this?

As it turns out the money is already there. The real issue is on how the money is allocated. Let’s start with the Department of Education.

US Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education was established by the Department of Education Organization Act, signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. The department officially began operations on May 4, 1980. The primary aim was to ensure access to education and to improve the quality of education across the nation. It was created to consolidate several federal education programs and to provide a cabinet-level voice for education. It is estimated that approximately $2.1 trillion has been allocated to it since its inception.

Many individuals advocate for the elimination of the Department of Education for several reasons. Critics argue that the federal oversight of education infringes on states’ rights and local control, leading to a one-size-fits-all approach that does not account for regional differences and needs. They believe that local and state governments are better suited to address the specific educational requirements of their communities. Additionally, some opponents view the department as an example of federal overreach and bureaucratic inefficiency, citing its significant budget with perceived limited impact on improving educational outcomes. They propose that eliminating the Department of Education would reduce federal spending and bureaucracy, and potentially lead to more innovative and effective educational policies tailored to local needs.

The current annual budget for the U.S. Department of Education for fiscal year 2024 is $67.4 billion. As of the most recent data, approximately 50.7 million students are enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools (kindergarten through grade 12) in the United States. This figure includes students attending traditional public schools and public charter schools. Therefore, the current the Department of Education is ~ $1,329 per student.

Now let’s look at educational funding by state.

Spending Per Student By State

The average amount spent per pupil for all 50 states is $12,798. The median per pupil for all states is $11,455. At $24,875 per student, New York spends the most and at $7,440, Idaho spends the least. New York is ranked as 14th in academic achievement. Idaho is ranked 32nd.

Adding the average spent per pupil by the Department of Education ($1,329) to the average spent per pupil by all states ($12,798) equals, on average, for each US public student is $14,127. This is on peer with what Illinois spends per student, $14,685. Illinois is ranked 18th overall in terms of academic achievement.

But aren’t private schools ridiculously expensive?

Private School Tuition

The average annual tuition for private schools in the United States in 2024 is approximately $12,832. This average can vary significantly depending on the type of school and the state. For example, private elementary school tuition averages around $11,915 per year, while private high school tuition averages about $16,408 per year.

The cost can also differ widely by state. Connecticut has the highest average tuition at about $29,433 per year, whereas South Dakota has the lowest at approximately $4,212 per year.

Additionally, the cost structure can differ between religious and nonsectarian schools. For instance, Catholic schools often have lower tuition rates, with elementary school tuition averaging $4,840 per year and secondary schools about $11,240 per year. Nonsectarian schools tend to have higher tuition rates, averaging $25,700 annually.

Drum roll, please…

So, as it turns out, there is plenty of money available for each and every child in the United States to receive a high-quality education, more suitably tailored to their needs than that provided by a generalized public school education. There are really only two issues: 1) how the money is allocated, and; 2) how do parents disassemble powerful teacher’s unions that are impeding this reallocation.

It really comes down to choosing whether you want a centralized, bureaucratic agency dictating how education dollars are spent, or if you want more localized and personalized control. Voting certainly has consequences.

Following are some tables of raw data. If you found this essay useful, please share it.

The Raw Data

Spending Per Student by State

State	Avg $ Spend/Student
Alabama	9,870
Alaska	17,480
Arizona	8,275
Arkansas	9,915
California	13,650
Colorado	10,475
Connecticut	20,445
Delaware	15,235
Florida	9,605
Georgia	10,955
Hawaii	15,415
Idaho	7,440
Illinois	14,685
Indiana	10,785
Iowa	10,990
Kansas	10,930
Kentucky	10,725
Louisiana	11,035
Maine	15,700
Maryland	15,755
Massachusetts	20,740
Michigan	11,405
Minnesota	13,995
Mississippi	9,180
Missouri	10,260
Montana	11,975
Nebraska	11,435
Nevada	11,675
New Hampshire	9,395
New Jersey	19,600
New Mexico	9,940
New York	24,875
North Carolina	9,755
North Dakota	13,105
Ohio	11,945
Oklahoma	11,025
Oregon	11,475
Pennsylvania	17,045
Rhode Island	17,400
South Carolina	11,885
South Dakota	10,375
Tennessee	11,620
Texas	10,890
Utah	9,875
Vermont	8,155
Virginia	22,045
Washington	11,890
West Virginia	13,465
Wisconsin	10,775
Wyoming	13,315
Average	12,798
Median	11,455

Spending Per Student by State Ranked Lowest to Highest

State	Spending per Student
Idaho	7,440
Vermont	8,155
Arizona	8,275
Mississippi	9,180
New Hampshire	9,395
Florida	9,605
North Carolina	9,755
Alabama	9,870
Utah	9,875
Arkansas	9,915
New Mexico	9,940
Missouri	10,260
South Dakota	10,375
Colorado	10,475
Kentucky	10,725
Wisconsin	10,775
Indiana	10,785
Texas	10,890
Kansas	10,930
Georgia	10,955
Iowa	10,990
Oklahoma	11,025
Louisiana	11,035
Michigan	11,405
Nebraska	11,435
Oregon	11,475
Tennessee	11,620
Nevada	11,675
South Carolina	11,885
Washington	11,890
Ohio	11,945
Montana	11,975
North Dakota	13,105
Wyoming	13,315
West Virginia	13,465
California	13,650
Minnesota	13,995
Illinois	14,685
Delaware	15,235
Hawaii	15,415
Maine	15,700
Maryland	15,755
Pennsylvania	17,045
Rhode Island	17,400
Alaska	17,480
New Jersey	19,600
Connecticut	20,445
Massachusetts	20,740
Virginia	22,045
New York	24,875

Academic Ranking Per State

Rank	State
1	Massachusetts
2	Connecticut
3	New Jersey
4	Virginia
5	New Hampshire
6	Maryland
7	Delaware
8	Nebraska
9	Wisconsin
10	Vermont
11	Maine
12	Minnesota
13	Pennsylvania
14	New York
15	Iowa
16	Colorado
17	South Dakota
18	Illinois
19	Ohio
20	Rhode Island
21	North Dakota
22	Indiana
23	Oregon
24	North Dakota
25	Missouri
26	Montana
27	Kansas
28	Michigan
29	Kentucky
30	Georgia
31	Arkansas
32	Idaho
33	West Virginia
34	Alaska
35	Hawaii
36	Utah
37	Texas
38	Mississippi
39	California
40	Tennessee
41	Florida
42	North Carolina
43	Oklahoma
44	South Carolina
45	Alabama
46	New Mexico
47	Nevada
48	Louisiana
49	Arizona
50	West Virginia

July 25, 2024July 25, 2024

Rename public schools for Medal of Honor recipients

Picture of the Congressional Medal of Honor

The recent incident in Washington D.C., where pro-Hamas protesters burned the American flag and raised the Palestinian flag, has left me deeply disturbed and worried. I am appalled by their actions and troubled by the apparent lack of awareness among American youth.

While ignorance isn’t easily fixed, I believe that instilling a sense of gratitude for being American from a young age is crucial. One way to achieve this could be by renaming public elementary schools in honor of those who have sacrificed for our country, particularly those awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration in the United States, is awarded to armed forces members who have shown exceptional valor and bravery. This award has been given across numerous conflicts, including the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and more recent engagements like the War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In these schools, plaques should prominently display the reasons for the recipient’s award, and, where possible, a bust of the recipient should be included. Before graduating, every student should know the complete story of their school’s namesake.

According to 2021 data, there are 67,408 public elementary schools in the United States. Ideally, schools should be renamed after Medal of Honor recipients who grew up nearby, making the honor more personal and significant for the local community.

The U.S. Department of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $90 billion. Since its inception in 1979, the Department has received around $3.15 trillion. Given the perceived inefficiency of this spending, I propose reallocating a portion of the Department’s budget to fund the renaming of schools. This initiative would not only honor our heroes but also foster a deeper appreciation of our nation’s values among the youth.

#Education #Patriotism #MedalOfHonor

May 13, 2022May 13, 2022

In Austin and renting? Read this.

Photo of downtown San Antonio from San Antonio Current

The Hypothesis

To begin, I posit two items: 1) If you’re living in Austin and in hi-tech, you’re younger than me, and; 2) you are likely a lot smarter than me… Having established that you are likely younger and smarter than me, let me also establish that as an end result of being older, there’s a good chance I’m wiser than you. And the purpose of this missive is for me to share some of that wisdom with you.

The Situation

If you live in Austin and are renting your home, you are making someone else wealthy and making yourself poorer. In Austin, average rent is $2,245/month. And with a median price for a home in Austin $624K, even if you want to buy, chances are you’ve been priced out of the market. What’s more, every month it is getting worse.

The Alternative

For about the same you are now paying for rent – at your loss and someone else’s gain – you could be building equity in your own home, enjoying significant tax benefits – which effectively lower your monthly payments – and looking out for the long term. Generally speaking, over the long term, housing is among the best, safest and most predictable investments one may make. And this has been true for over 150 years.

Right now, today, for what you’re paying in rent, you could be paying off a 30-year loan on a $415K home. And that number includes the amount towards principal, interest, tax and insurance (PITI.)

The scenario depicted assumes a 20% down payment and assumptions about tax and insurance. And depending upon the loan you seek, the down payment can be as little as 5%, 3.5% and even 0%.

US veterans are eligible for 0% down loans. And even if you are not a veteran, you may qualify for a 0% down loan from the USDA, yes the Agricultural Department! In addition, The State of Texas has numerous programs for first-time homebuyers and Texas veterans. And I have partners that can help you determine what you qualify for. Allow me to introduce you to them.

But Where?

San Antonio, TX is now among the country’s top 10 moving destinations, ahead of even Austin and Dallas. And, at only about a 90-minute drive to Austin (heck, it can take two hours to drive from San Jose to San Francisco) San Antonio is near enough to commute to the office a couple of days a week, while being far enough away to avoid the high housing costs and rampant homelessness. And New Braunfels, roughly halfway between the two cities, is served by two international airports and is a truly wonderful place to live.

And while the median cost of a home in Austin is $624K, at $305K, the median cost of a home in San Antonio is less than half. The average cost of of a home in San Antonio at $351K is a little more than half that price. What this means is that you can get an equivalent home for roughly half the price.

What’s more, because of its vibrant downtown, pedestrian-friendly streets and concentration of tech and healthcare jobs, San Antonio is now rated as one of the best cities to buy a home. This is even more so for those who either have children or are planning to.

Stop Procrastinating

Because of increasing interest rates and rapidly rising rental and home prices, each month you delay will make it more difficult and more expensive to buy a home. Stop procrastinating! From now on, every time you write your rent check imagine your landlord getting richer and you getting poorer.

Be in charge of your finances. Be independent. Be an adult. Be a homeowner.

Time For Action

Okay, so you’re younger and smarter than me. And now you have my wisdom; it’s time to do something with your smarts and wisdom. Think about the configuration of the ideal home you’d like to have and the minimal home you’d like to have. Think about “must-haves” and “have-to-haves.” Think about the type of neighborhood you’d prefer, urban, suburban, rural and anything in between. Then reach out to me.

We’ll discuss what you’re looking for and, if you’d like, we can then spend a day or two touring neighborhoods and homes to help narrow down what truly suits you. Additionally, I’ll introduce you to loan officers that can help you determine your budget.

After 30+ years in hi-tech I’m semi-retired and doing this because I like doing it. Therefore, there is zero pressure, only coaching and advice. You have absolutely nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain by us having a conversation.

Help Someone to Help Themself

If you know anyone that might benefit from this essay, please share it. Visit my website: CopaceticTeam.com for a lot of good information about the San Antonio area. NOTE: To get to the “good stuff” you need to register but I promise I won’t SPAM. It is to prevent others from stealing the info I put a lot of time collecting.

Why I Moved to Boerne, TX

Bill@MissionRealtyGroup.com | 408.827.8484

August 27, 2022August 27, 2022

Why I left Los Gatos, California

and moved to Boerne, Texas

And here are some of the many reasons we left.

Learn more about Boerne, TX here.

March 1, 2022March 1, 2022

Why I moved to San Antonio

The Decision to Move

After moving to Silicon Valley from Boston 30 years prior, on February 22, 2021, my wife and I decided to sell our house and leave the once-great state of California. Originally, our plan was to leave in 2025 when both sons were through high school. We’d had it with all of the nonsense (crime, tax, living costs, intolerance-masked-as-wokeness, etc.,) but the covid restrictions and the poor experiences our sons had with the schools put us over the top. We signed with a listing agent and began the process.

We spent the next 90 days or so doing some remodeling. The goal was to maximize the price and minimize the time on market. We listed the house on May 6th and accepted an offer, well over listing price, on May 10. While the remodeling was underway, we took a family trip to San Antonio on April 5th to scout out the area and narrow down neighborhoods we’d seriously consider. More on the San Antonio decision later…

Our California house closed on June 11th and as part of the selling agreement we kept occupancy until July 12. On June 9th my wife and I took another trip to San Antonio and made an offer on a house, which was accepted on June 12th in Boerne, TX. Boerne is in Hill Country about 30 minutes north of San Antonio. We closed and moved into our new Boerne home on July 16th, 72 days after listing our old house and 145 days from making the decision to move.

The moment we (accidently) drove through downtown Boerne we fell in love with it. As we finished seeing the very last house we were going to see for the trip, the home we ultimately bought popped up as “just listed.” We were about 40 – 50 miles away. We immediately jumped in our car and drove over. There were already people inside viewing it and several other groups in line to go in. We made an offer they couldn’t refuse and they accepted it the next day.

Why Texas? Why San Antonio? Why Hill Country?

If not for the schools, taxes, high cost of living, lack of freedoms and politics, we would ideally have relocated to California’s central coast near Paso Robles. Ideally we wanted to be in a place that was warm and on the ocean, and was near a relatively large city. This narrowed our choices to North and South Carolina, Florida and Texas. We also considered Tennessee.

Texas

But after living with earthquakes, wildfires, mudslides, etc., the better half ruled out hurricane-prone areas. This essentially eliminated all but Tennessee and Texas. There was some appeal for Tennessee, but we felt the cultural adjustment (shock?) might be too much. We therefore began our search in Texas in earnest.

We now had to narrow our search even further. Ten years ago Austin would have definitely been in contention. However, its politics are now so similar to the San Francisco Bay area, that it’s become San Francisco’s sister city. We didn’t want to relocate to the same place…

Dallas was ruled out because its terrain is somewhat featureless. Houston was ruled out for its crime and humidity. We considered Corpus Christi, but it is too subject to natural disasters. San Antonio, with easy access to the coast, but far enough away to avoid hurricanes, is where we focused our search efforts.

San Antonio

San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas behind Houston. It is the seventh largest city in the US, larger than San Jose, CA, which comes in as tenth largest in the US. Founded in the early 1700’s, San Antonio has a lot of history and culture. And while its population is large, it’s more like a big town, or series of towns, than a huge impersonal city, while still having a vibrant downtown and excellent universities.

Hill Country

In California we lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains about halfway between San Jose in Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz on the coast. So we were akin to terrain, trees and privacy.

We therefore chose to focus our search in the Texas Hill Country just north of San Antonio. It has easy access to a large city, friendly downtowns, terrain, milder temperatures and less humidity. There was plenty to choose from as you can see from the map below. Circled in red is where we focused our search. Anywhere just north of San Antonio between Boerne and San Marcos would have worked.

Many now are abandoning Austin and moving westward towards San Antonio to escape the rising crime, rising homelessness, rising costs and silly politics. New Braunfels, between Austin and San Antonio is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. And with easy access to two international airports, one can get virtually anywhere in the world. We spent a lot of time looking there.

Acclimation

Before meeting each other, both my wife and I had made significant changes in relocation in terms of distance and culture. As such, we anticipated a period where this wouldn’t feel like home for a while. No kidding, really, there was zero adjustment. We felt at home immediately.

I can’t say that this will be true for everyone, but for us there was no adjustment period. And as a bonus, each morning we are welcomed to the new day with spectacular sunrises, as you can see above. Texans aren’t “smiley face” nice, but genuinely warm and friendly. We often begin conversations with them by apologizing for moving from California and promising that we didn’t bring California with us.

Culture and Bias

I don’t know why, but Texas gets a bad rap for bias and prejudice. And while I’m sure it exists here like everywhere else, I have yet to see even a hint of it. I’ve seen mixed couples of every ethnic/color (stereo) type and nobody bats an eye. Male/male, female/female: same thing. What I’ve noticed about Texans is that they are very tolerant of almost everything with the notable exception of one – they do not like and do not accept others imposing their opinions or values on them. It is quite refreshing.

Essentially, everyone is welcome here.

I Bought the Company

Ever see one of those ads where the CEO says, “I liked it so much I bought the company?” Well, I did, sort of. I like living here so much that I walked away from my 30+ years in hi-tech and got my real estate license. I genuinely want others to find the contentment I and my family have found here.

If you want to learn more about the thought processes that got us here, or things to consider in making the move, please reach out. I’d be happy to share my experiences and help you anyway I can. Just reach out to me.

Bill@ReloToTX.com

February 4, 2021February 4, 2021

62 of 75 Largest US Cities in Financial Ruin

Pic of US dollar bill in flames representing the fiscal insolvency of 62 of the The total cumulative budgetary shortfall for the 62 cities of the 75 largest US Cities

Introduction

Each year Truth in Accounting (TIA) researches and publishes a report on the fiscal health of the 75 largest US cities. This writing is a summary of data presented in a report published by TIA on January 26, 2021: “Financial State of the Cities 2021.”

In addition to the data provided by the TIA report, included is information about the party affiliations of each city’s mayor, and city population data. It is critical to note that the data provided by TIA is pre-coronavirus.

Summary: Financial Soundness of 75 Largest US Cities

Of the 75 cities researched, only 13 of them operated in the black. Of these, 7 were led by democrat mayors and 6 by republican mayors. The total cumulative budgetary shortfall for the 62 cities operating in the red is $354,797, 120,000. This figure is nearly identical to the amount democrats are proposing to add to the Covid relief bill in the form of state bailouts.

There are more than 3 times as many democrat mayors than republicans in the group. However, democrats accounted for almost 30 times the amount of debt. Republicans have a legitimate argument that the state bailout proposal is more political than a means to helping taxpayers recover from the effects of the pandemic. I will leave it to the reader to draw his/her own conclusions.

Local Politics and Fiscal (mis) Management

The party affiliations of the 75 city mayors were 53 democrat, 16 republican and 6 independent. While there are more than 3 times as many democrat mayors than republicans in the group, democrats accounted for almost 30 times the amount of debt than republican led cities.

Party Affiliation	# of Mayors	Cumulative Deficit	Population Represented	% of US
Democrat	53	($337,302,760,000)	44,497,668	13.4%
Republican	16	($11,358,600,000)	5,382,717	1.62%
Independent	6	($6,135,760,000)	3,533,181	1.06%

City deficits by party affiliation with the populations affected and percentage of the total US population.

20 Cities, 9 States, Billions of Debt

There is a complete list of all of the data at the end of this essay. In terms of the fiscal health of the 75 largest US cities, 20 cities in 9 states accounted for 75% of the budget shortfalls of the 75 cities in the study. 17 of these cities are led by democrat mayors, 2 by independents and 1 by a republican. These cities are in states typically considered ‘blue.’

The vast majority of these cities have large, extremely wealthy populations. As mentioned in a previous writing, it is disingenuous for democrats to argue they are the “working man’s party” as, with the exception of three, all have democrat mayors. All are led by democrat governors with the exceptions of Maryland and Massachusetts.

State	Shortfall	Population Affected	% of US
CA	$19,896,500,000	10,303,142	3.10%
HI	$3,500,000,000	341,302	0.10%
IL	$36,400,000,000	2,670,406	0.80%
MA	$3,100,000,000	695,506	0.21%
MD	$3,800,000,000	575,584	0.17%
MN	$343,700,000	749,380	0.23%
NY	$194,400,000,000	8,622,357	2.60%
OR	$4,400,000,000	662,549	0.20%
WA	$926,700,000	776,555	0.23%
TOTAL	$266,766,900,000	25,396,781	7.65%

20 cities in nine ‘blue’ states, with a combined population that represents less than 8% of the total US population, had budget shortfalls of almost a quarter of a trillion dollars in 2020.

Hold Your City Leadership Accountable

I knew that many US cities were in financial dire straits. I was shocked, however, by the extent and pervasiveness of the problem. Regardless your personal political affiliation, it is imperative that you take action to hold mayors and city councils accountable. While the voting booth is one course of action, publicly questioning them at public council meetings is more immediate and likely more effective.

Politics is local and your local politicians are spending and wasting your tax dollars foolishly.

Fiscal Health of the 75 Largest US cities, Ranked

For the purposes of this exercise, TIA did the ranking based upon each city’s budget surplus (or shortfall) and divided it by the number of taxpayers funding the budgets. In what I believe was an attempt to remain politically neutral, TIA did not include any mention of the political affiliation of the mayors; this was added by me. I also added population data to demonstrate the personal and social impact of the surpluses and deficits.

Rank	City	Surplus / Taxpayer	Total Surplus	Mayor	Population
1	Irvine, CA	$4,100	$610,900,000	DEM	298,739
2	Washington, D.C	$3,400	$920,400,000	DEM	714,153
3	Lincoln, NE	$3,400	$317,100,000	DEM	293,446
4	Stockton, CA	$3,000	$299,800,000	REP	314,835
5	Charlotte, NC	$3,000	$765,600,000	DEM	912,096
6	Aurora, CO	$2,400	$326,500,000	REP	388,723
7	Fresno, CA	$2,300	$390,300,000	REP	537,100
8	Raleigh, NC	$2,200	$308,200,000	DEM	483,579
9	Plano, TX	$1,400	$164,000,000	REP	285,537
10	Tampa, FL	$400	$173,400,000	DEM	404,636
11	Oklahoma City, OK	$100	$61,200,000	REP	669,347
12	Wichita, KS	$100	$15,900,000	DEM	391,352
13	Tulsa, OK	$17	$1,800,000	REP	402,742
14	Long Beach, CA	($100)	($20,200,000)	DEM	456,154
15	Minneapolis, MN	($200)	($22,100,000)	DEM	439,012
16	Arlington, TX	($700)	($23,300,000)	REP	400,316
17	Colorado Springs, CO	($1,000)	($125,900,000)	REP	489,529
18	Greensboro, NC	($1,100)	($87,800,000)	DEM	301,094
19	Corpus Christi, TX	($1,100)	($101,700,000)	IND	327,144
20	Chula Vista, FL	($1,300)	($98,400,000)	DEM	281,838
21	Orlando, FL	($1,400)	($118,400,000)	DEM	290,520
22	Bakersfield, CA	($1,400)	($170,100,000)	DEM	389,007
23	Fort Wayne, IN	($1,600)	($134,100,000)	DEM	276,286
24	Henderson, NV	($1,700)	($178,800,000)	DEM	341,531
25	Las Vegas, NV	($1,800)	($37,960,000)	IND	667,501
26	Atlanta, GA	($1,900)	($262,400,000)	DEM	524,067
27	Saint Paul, MN	($2,900)	($321,600,000)	DEM	310,368
28	Riverside, CA	($3,100)	($330,700,000)	IND	334,772
29	Louisville, KY	($3,200)	($537,300,000)	DEM	615,924
30	Toledo, OH	($3,200)	($285,700,000)	DEM	268,609
31	Columbus, OH	($3,300)	($982,700,000)	DEM	913,921
32	Cleveland, OH	($3,400)	($427,400,000)	DEM	376,599
33	Seattle, WA	($3,400)	($926,700,000)	DEM	776,555
34	San Antonio, TX	($3,500)	($1,500,000,000)	IND	1,579,504
35	Sacramento, CA	($3,700)	($607,500,000)	DEM	525,398
36	Virginia Beach, VA	($3,900)	($574,900,000)	REP	450,224
37	Indianapolis, IN	($3,900)	($1,100,000,000)	DEM	887,232
38	Los Angeles, CA	($4,000)	($5,100,000,000)	DEM	4,085,014
39	Memphis, TN	($4,300)	($810,000,000)	DEM	651,011
40	San Diego, CA	($4,700)	($2,100,000,000)	DEM	1,469,490
41	Mesa, AZ	($4,900)	($717,200,000)	REP	538,146
42	El Paso, TX	($5,200)	($994,600,000)	DEM	685,434
43	Santa Ana, CA	($5,400)	($571,900,000)	DEM	333,130
44	Albuquerque, NM	($5,600)	($850,700,000)	DEM	562,281
45	Denver, CO	($5,800)	($1,500,000,000)	DEM	749,103
46	Detroit, MI	($6,100)	($1,300,000,000)	DEM	664,139
47	Anaheim, CA	($6,200)	($696,100,000)	REP	349,699
48	Anchorage, AK	($6,400)	($665,400,000)	IND	282,958
49	Phoenix, AZ	($6,500)	($3,100,000,000)	DEM	1,743,469
50	Omaha, NE	($7,500)	($1,200,000,000)	REP	479,978
51	Austin, TX	($7,600)	($2,100,000,000)	DEM	1,011,790
52	Tucson, AZ	($8,400)	($1,300,000,000)	DEM	554,503
53	Lexington, KY	($9,200)	($821,200,000)	REP	324,604
54	Fort Worth, TX	($9,400)	($2,400,000,000)	REP	942,323
55	Jacksonville, FL	($10,100)	($2,800,000,000)	REP	929,647
56	San Jose, CA	($10,300)	($3,400,000,000)	DEM	1,036,242
57	Kansas City, MO	($11,300)	($1,700,000,000)	DEM	501,957
58	Houston, TX	($11,600)	($7,500,000,000)	DEM	2,378,146
59	Boston, MA	($12,000)	($3,100,000,000)	DEM	695,506
60	Milwaukee, WI	($13,500)	($2,800,000,000)	DEM	587,721
61	Dallas, TX	($13,500)	($5,100,000,000)	DEM	1,400,337
62	Miami, FL	($14,200)	($2,000,000,000)	REP	478,251
63	St. Louis, MO	($14,600)	($1,300,000,000)	DEM	294,890
64	Cincinnati, OH	($15,200)	($1,500,000,000)	DEM	307,266
65	Pittsburgh, PA	($16,000)	($1,600,000,000)	DEM	299,718
66	San Francisco, CA	($16,300)	($4,600,000,000)	DEM	883,255
67	Oakland, CA	($17,000)	($2,300,000,000)	DEM	440,981
68	Baltimore, MD	($18,000)	($3,800,000,000)	DEM	575,584
69	New Orleans, LA	($20,000)	($2,000,000,000)	DEM	388,424
70	Portland, OR	($20,400)	($4,400,000,000)	DEM	662,549
71	Nashville, TN	($22,000)	($4,300,000,000)	DEM	678,448
72	Philadelphia, PA	($25,700)	($13,600,000,000)	DEM	1,590,402
73	Honolulu, HI	($29,600)	($3,500,000,000)	IND	341,302
74	Chicago, IL	($41,100)	($36,400,000,000)	DEM	2,670,406
75	New York City, NY	($68,200)	($194,400,000,000)	DEM	8,622,357

75 Largest US cities ranked by fiscal responsibility.

If you found this enlightening or useful, please share it with your family, friends and colleagues.

January 29, 2021January 29, 2021

California Ranked

Picture of San Francisco homeless encampment

Following is a list, with links to sources of data, of how California compares to the other 49 states. The quality of life has gone down the toilet and the cost of living has gone up since special interest groups, progressives, liberals and democrats took control of the state.

Please share this list.

November 17, 2020November 17, 2020

Fast-Track Nationwide Concealed Carry

Two considerations:

Bearing arms is a right given by nature and protected by the Constitution.
A license to drive an automobile is a privilege granted by each of the individual states and territories.

Introduction

Regardless in which US state or territory it was issued, each US state recognizes each other state’s license to operate motor vehicles. However, in terms of recognizing other states’ licenses to carry concealed weapons, this is simply not the case. In many instances this lack of recognition entraps law-abiding citizens and unwittingly places them in jeopardy of being felons.

States with no reciprocity

California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and the District of Columbia will not honor concealed carry permits issued by any other state. And further, each of these states tend be very stingy in the number of permits they issue.

Law abiding citizens with either a concealed carry permit or from a “Constitutional carry” state places him/herself in jeopardy of being arrested and charged with a felony merely for transiting from one state through another.

States with full reciprocity

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Virginia will honor concealed carry permits issued by any other state. Those in possession of concealed carry permits from these states may travel within of through any of the others without fear of any ethically unjustifiable arrest or indictment.

States with partial reciprocity

Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming each honor their own specific group of permits issued by other states. In essence, within these jurisdictions it is, essentially, “caveat emptor” as permitted carriers must understand often confusing and sometimes contradictory laws permitting concealed carry.

The numbers

8 states and territories with zero reciprocity
19 states with full reciprocity
18 states with limited reciprocity

In essence, eight states, one on the west coast and seven on the northeast coast, are limiting the natural given rights that are protected and guaranteed under the United States Constitution.

An easy way to correct the injustice

The 19 states that recognize concealed carry permits from all other states should stop recognizing driver licenses issued by states that do not recognize concealed carry permits issued by them. Drivers from non-reciprocity states should not be permitted to operate motor vehicles in reciprocity states.

There are no God-given rights to operate a motor vehicle. There is, however, a God-given right to self defense be it from individuals or a tyrannical government. It is time to coerce, through legal and ethical means, those who trample on the rights of US citizens to conform to the protections guaranteed by the Constitution.

It’s past time for politicians to protect the Constitution and represent the best interests of their constituents.

March 24, 2020March 24, 2020

California’s Bullet Train to Nowhere Follies

Old fashioned steam locomotive going off a cliff

DISCLOSURE: I naively voted FOR the 2008 ballot authorizing California to issue $10B in bonds to construct a high speed railway, the “Bullet Train,” connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles at a proposed total cost of $33B and a promised completion date was 2028.

An Exercise in Political Folly

If Sacramento politicians focused upon actual need rather than federal dollars, the “bullet train” would have had a much greater chance of success. These federal dollars were tied to California achieving specific milestones in terms of track completion. So, rather than beginning where there were immediate critical needs (i.e. connecting costly, dense urban areas with outlying, affordable communities) the decision was made to begin by connecting two smaller cities in California’s Central Valley. The naive and typical political thinking was that this would enable the easy and quick construction of many miles of track and ensure a continuing flow of federal money.

Twelve years later the estimated total budget for completion is over $98.5B and constantly growing. If and when the first section between two small cities is completed, the lack of need and the high cost overruns will guarantee that it will operate at a loss. And yet California politicians, all of them democrats, insist taxpayers keep funding it.

Assuming there was a genuine need for high speed rail connecting San Francisco with Los Angeles the cost overruns will prevent it from being price competitive with the frequent and inexpensive flight options available. There was a much greater chance of success if politicans in charge started construction at the beginning, rather than the end.

I envisioned five phases to the project. The first two, which could have been done in tandem, would have connected San Francisco and Los Angeles outlying suburban areas where many are now forced to live because of housing costs. This would have served a definite need while also satisfying California’s Green initiatives. In others words it would have gotten cars off the road.

The five phases I envisioned follow. As I’m neither a transportation nor construction engineer, ignore the specifics. It is the general concept that draws the difference between sensible and political thinking.

Phase I: San Jose to Stockton via Tracy

Google map image depicting proposed bullet train route between San Jose and Stockton — The Bay area’s high housing costs force many to commute from the Central Valley. Many drive over 150 miles per day.

In 2018, The San Jose Mercury news published an article highlighting Stockton, CA as the nation’s leader in terms of 90-minute+ daily commutes. There was sufficient demand for high speed rail connecting the Central Valley to San Jose even prior to Google’s significant investments in San Jose real estate and the subsequent plans to create a massive transit hub. While the Diablo Range adds complexity, there’s been talk of building a highway across it for decades. This was an incredible opportunity lost by shortsighted politicians.

Phase II: Los Angeles to San Bernardino

Google map image depicting proposed bullet train route between Los Angeles and San Bernardino — Similar to the SF-Bay area, Los Angeles employees are forced to commute significant miles as an end result of high housing costs.

Even worse than San Francisco Bay-area traffic is the nightmare commuters face on a daily basis in Los Angeles. Exasperating the situation in Los Angeles is its large geographic area. In terms of geography, Los Angeles is 10 times larger than San Francisco. The Los Angeles metropolitan and outlying areas have screamed for many decades for traffic relief. Once again, however, politicians ignored their constituents and wasted taxpayer money. And there is no end in sight for this wasteful spending.

Phase III: Stockton to Sacramento

Google map image depicting proposed bullet train route between Stockton and Sacramento — A natural extension of the line between San Jose and Stockton would be one connecting the state’s capitol.

A logical northern termination point would be an extension of the Stockton terminus to Sacramento. Sacramento is the seat of state government and has the 6th largest population in the state. While initially only providing high speed rail to Silicon Valley, it will ultimately connect it to virtually every other large population center in California except Palm Desert and San Diego. And these two areas are naturals for extensions upon successful completion of the pertinent and useful sections.

Phase IV: San Bernardino to Bakersfield

Google map image depicting proposed bullet train route between Bakersfield and San Bernardino — Whether a line is run from Los Angeles to San Bernardino or Bakersfield instead, a wiser decision would have been beginning in densely populated areas rather than connecting areas not densely populated.

Combined, the San Bernardino / Riverside metropolitan area has a population similar to Fresno, CA. Linking these two areas would accomplish three laudable goals: 1) it would open up the Central Valley to greater commerce; 2) it would help mitigate some of the housing costs and traffic issues in San Bernardino metro area, and; 3) it would serve as the logical southern terminus for what should have been the final phase of the effort: connecting northern and southern ends of the Central Valley.

Phase V: Bakersfield to Stockton via Fresno

Google map image depicting proposed bullet train route between Bakersfield and Stockton — The logical last phase of the effort would connect two densely populated regions: Northern California to Southern California.

And thus we come to what should have been the final phase of the effort. At first glance this appears to be easy. Heck, look at all the flat land. And as the population density is low, there aren’t as many people to argue against it, just some pesky farmers that merely supply the country with food…

The decision by California politicians to begin at the end guarantees the perpetuation of an expensive, useless boondoggle.

In Conclusion

Rather than admit defeat and stop throwing bad money after bad, California politicians refuse to terminate this ill-conceived and poorly executed initiative. The end result will be a very expensive railroad that nobody will be able to afford going to no place anybody wants to go.