State Government | elpasospeak

Self declared citizen

November 9, 2016

The mailer if got the other day got me to wondering what the voter registration process is.

I found out that you need to fill out and sign this form:

Note that the application does not even ask where you were born or when you were naturalized.

We deserve better

Brutus

2 Comments | State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Voter I.D.

November 6, 2016

Texas is now allowing more ways to identify yourself (or yourself as someone else) at the polling place.

We got this flyer in the mail the other day:

So if you know someone that is not going to vote just show up with something from their mailbox.

We deserve better

Brutus

5 Comments | State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

County judge and the Times editorial board

November 3, 2016

A concerned reader sent this in:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/11/02/editorial-el-paso-threaten-small-towns/93143142/

Is there any doubt that Veronica Escobar is running the editorial board of the El Paso Times?

Hers is the uninhibited ego who tried to pull this coup d’etat at the MPO. Fortunately, our city leadership and Vince Perez had the wisdom to see that her ploy was unacceptable and disenfranchised 80% of the county’s residents … oh, and let’s not forget … a violation of state law.

Noe and Acosta were giving the Judge and the small towns a simple message, “If you want to play with the rules, we can too.” Their response was Politics 101. As a city resident, I would be disappointed if they didn’t take this position.

The Times comes back and covers for Escobar. Have no doubt … Judge Escobar is in constant contact with Bob Moore. Positions like this one are a reflection of Moore’s unwavering allegiance to the Judge.

Gannett Co., Inc. (GCI), if you are reading this, please note … businesses threatened by emerging technologies do not survive when they are co-opted by B-caliber politicians.

Brutus, we deserve better.

3 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Times, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD bonds–state mandates

November 2, 2016

This came in from Dan Wever:

*************************************

Why does the EPISD want to go to the K-8 grade format for elementary schools?

I will tell you!

When asked this question one must first understand why they changed from their K-6 elementary, 7th, 8th, and 9th Junior High Schools and 10th, 11th, and 12th grade High Schools programs.

Well the big ol bad State came along and said that the classrooms in K-4th grade would be limited to 22 students to 1 teacher. It had been proven that smaller class sizes in the early grades improved everything that was measurable in education all over the United States.

The EPISD at this time had a K-6 grade elementary and a Junior High setup of 7th 8th and 9th grades and then High School 10th, 11th and 12th. Well, the State edict of 22-1 student to teacher ratio, meant that there were not enough classrooms in the elementary schools. So what happened over a couple of years was the 6th grades were moved out of the elementary schools and joined with the Junior High 7th and 8th grades and the 9th grade went back to the High Schools. This is how the EPISD ended up with the setup we have today.

So what is the answer to the original question? Well have you heard of the District of Innovation mantel that the EPISD has elected to wear? Yep, you guessed it the district is no longer bound by the State 22-1 rule. Of course they say they will try to keep it the same ratio but looking at other school district’s explanation of why the killing of the 22-1 rule will not be so bad.

“Proposed: While we believe that in certain circumstances small class size plays a positive role in the classroom, in many cases master teachers, who are highly trained in student engagement strategies, are equally effective with larger class size environments. Often it is not the number of students but the classroom environment that influences student learning outcomes. We will attempt to keep all the core K-4 classrooms to a 22:1 ratio. However, in the event the class size exceeds this ratio, the superintendent will report to the Board of Trustees. b. A TEA waiver will not be necessary when a K-4 classroom exceeds the 22:1 ratio. c. This will give our district the flexibility without having the bureaucracy of waivers within TEA.”

Here is another:

“Why is the district seeking local control over the class size ratio? Local control over the class size ratio will enable the district to minimize disruption at the beginning of the year due to class size. Furthermore, the district will also eliminate time utilized to complete and submit annual waivers on class size ratios, thus increasing the time spent on campus related operations.”

These two examples show what is planned for their districts and the same will be in line for ours because that is the way money can be saved by crowding more little kids into smaller classrooms with a total disregard for the real educational studies that tell them this is bad or not as good as the smaller class size. But then again this bond issue is not about the students or they would not be wanting to turn over 4000 children away from their neighborhood schools to accomplish their K-8 goal at a cost of over $185,000,000.

8 Comments | El Paso Independent School District, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

County Commissioner playing by the rules

November 1, 2016

Our local Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board (MPO) recently voted to change its membership.

The move was spearheaded by our state senator and one of our state representatives working in conjunction with the smaller municipalities and the county (e.g. other than the city of El Paso).

The cabal wanted to neuter the city of El Paso’s power on the board by changing the membership so that the city of El Paso would only have one voting member of the board instead of the eight it currently has.

Put simply they want our money.

Not legal

The MPO was created under 23 USC (United States Code) 450.310.

Section 450.310 (j) reads:

(j) Redesignation of an MPO (in accordance with the provisions of this section) is required whenever the existing MPO proposes to make:

(1) A substantial change in the proportion of voting members on the existing MPO representing the largest incorporated city, other units of general purpose local government served by the MPO, and the State(s);

That is certainly what the cabal is trying to do.

The problem is that 450.310 (h) defines how the redesignation can be authorized:

(h) An existing MPO may be redesignated only by agreement between the Governor and units of general purpose local government that together represent at least 75 percent of the existing metropolitan planning area population (including the largest incorporated city, based on population, as named by the Bureau of the Census).

Without the city of El Paso’s vote they cannot achieve the 75 percent representation required to redesignate the MPO. Subsection h also requires the approval of the city of El Paso because it is the area’s largest incorporated city.

County commissioner

Of particular interest is that County Commissioner Vincent Perez voted against the redesignation–in fact voting against the County Judge. He told the Times that the board’s actions do not comply with federal regulations.

He also indicated that he was “particularly disappointed” with the board’s legal counsel (a county employee) and that the lawyer should be “evaluated and possibly fired”.

Thank you Commissioner Perez for standing up for the rule of law.

We deserve better

Brutus

1 Comment | City government, County Government, Federal Government, State Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

elpasospeak

Self declared citizen

Voter I.D.

County judge and the Times editorial board

EPISD bonds–state mandates

County Commissioner playing by the rules

Not legal

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elpasospeak

Self declared citizen

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Voter I.D.

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County judge and the Times editorial board

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EPISD bonds–state mandates

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County Commissioner playing by the rules

Not legal

County commissioner

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