Robust and complacent thinking

The robust economy of the 90s and early 2000s provided no incentive for efficiency and cost savings in the maintenance of our governmental entities. As things 'hummered' along the tax money rolled into the vaults as fast as it could be collected. Once in the vault it was used to create niche projects, programs, etc. rather than address the issues related to maintenance of what was already up and running.

Without any regard for the fact that one day things may not be as robust Texas schools and governmental entities felt comfortable with their customary ways and lacked motivation to think outside the box and demand more for less. The good times brought with them a less-than-disciplined and less-than-efficient approach to asset and financial management. It's like these folks thought the funds would always be in the vault and the vault would continue to fill.

The robust days of past are gone and no one knows for sure when and if they will return. Time for all these governmental entities and schools to learn from a key lesson of the Great Depression - do more with less. The individuals who pay the taxes to keep your doors open have had their world turned upside down, and now it is time for your world to experience the same. After all it is only fair since you only exist at the expense of taxpayers.

In a recent editorial in the local rag by One Man's Opinion it appears as if the writer feels he is receiving a good return on his tax dollars with regards to education spending. It is the writers right to have such an opinion; however, one would be willing to bet that One Man has been in the workforce for a while and he has not worked along side a high school ONLY graduate in some time. Then again perhaps he has been given an opportunity to work along side one of the exceptional and this could cloud one's opinion of the system as a whole.

Several polls have been published and it depends upon which you encounter; however, the one most striking at a dinner conversation the other night while in Seattle was regarding a poll that stated only 30% of high school graduates were college ready. Wished I had asked what organization was responsible for the poll for this writer has seen polls that show college readiness ranging from 40% to 60%. Most if not all know that polling is a manageable exercise to achieve whatever end result one may desire.

Before you buy off and take sides on the budget cut debates perhaps one should consider the complacent thinking theory. Individuals became complacent in their thinking with regards to their individual budgets when things were robust. The powers that be have informed us that this is one of the main reasons for our economic downfall. Individuals lived on credit and the bills came due and many could not pay. Stimulus funds equalled credit extended to schools and governmental entities and two years later the bills have come due.

Robust has a tendency to make one complacent - it is historical.