I just attended an interesting local board meeting where every local problem, and they are legion, was touched upon or hinted at in an indirect manner. How the Library Board came to be the nexus of that, I am not exactly sure, but here is my best guess:

In Central Valley towns everywhere, including Porterville, social problems abound. No need to get into the specifics of why, but John Steinbeck wrote about it in Grapes of Wrath so they are well known to the American public. The problems shown there have not been solved, not a one of them. Oh some of them are not quite as bad as they used to be, but some are worse.

So it seems that in order to fight the Ghost of Tom Joad, in a pique of blaming current crime levels for all the ills of the City, a few years back before I arrived, the town voted to tax itself with a local sales tax of .75 percent in a ballot measure known as Measure H.

Measure H doles out the money 85% to police and safety for new toys to “reduce crime”. The other 15% is supposed to go to the library for vaguely defined “literacy programs” because it is believed that doing so will also reduce crime.

All well and good I suppose, but there is a catch. The cops want that 15% and the locals are inclined to give it to them, or at least make the Library beg continually to justify every single dollar, although cops and fire departments have no such pressure to justify their large piece of the pie.

How does that happen? There is a committee, called an oversight committee, that once a year reports to City Council its opinion as to whether the Measure H funds (the Library part of it in practice) were spent “wisely” during the preceding year.

This past year there was a large controversy, because for the first time the Committee told the Council that the funds had not been spent wisely.

So the Council is leaning on the Library to justify its very existence by creating a “business plan” in order to justify the part of the budget that would come from the 15%. That request was made about 3 or 4 months ago.

Tonight the Library board met to accept and recommend the “Plan” that Library staff created to Council on Wednesday. Problem is, the Plan is not really a Business Plan. Both I and another member of the public, actually, a member of the Oversight Committee, were present to gently inform the Board they were headed for another disaster.

But the Board barely understood. It is not persuasive enough to toss out programs and assert they cause crime to go down in Porterville. Some sort of evidence is needed. There are at least some descriptive statistics available, but all the Plan has are aggregate statistics with 5 and 6 significant figures. Really? You know how many “visits” there were in a year to 1 part in a million? How much next year’s budget will be to nearly 1 part in a million in advance? That’s pretty creative!

Meantime, if there is no breakdown of even that by month or of program usage by demographic, let alone any outcomes from the programs, then there is no hope at all of correlating them with the statistics the police department has, or other demographic information that City Hall has. Let alone running a regression of some sort that might identify the relative contributions of each program to an outcome, which would be really helpful for identifying how to spend the 15%.

Or even better, to evaluate the contribution of all programs in Library Services, Police, Fire and Safety Services, in order to see what is the best way to dole out the funds, if in fact anything serves to reduce crime in those areas at all (an iffy proposition in my mind off the top of my head).

But real data would mean hard choices – maybe we could eliminate the tax, or refigger it in a new ballot measure. Maybe the library would get more, and could be run more entrepreneurially. And maybe, just maybe, this could extend to actual measurements of data, with actual hypotheses that can be studied, with actual aims of curing some of the social ills that ad hoc approaches have not solved since long before John Steinbeck and Dorty Lange brought them to the attention of the broad American public. Not by Wednesday, when the report will be made to the Council, but maybe soon.

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

In the last of hundreds of bill actions taken before midnight Sunday, Schwarzenegger approved the two bills by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.

The governor last year vetoed the measure declaring May 22 a state day of recognition for Milk, suggesting that the former San Francisco supervisor be honored locally. But he subsequently named him to the California Hall of Fame.

Leno’s SB 54, meanwhile, requires California to recognize marriages performed in other states where same sex marriage is legal.

In a signing message, Schwarzenegger said California will not recognize the couples as married but will “provide the same legal protections that would otherwise be available to couples that enter into civil unions or domestic partnerships out-of-state. In short, this measure honors the will of the People in enacting Proposition 8 while providing important protections to those unions legally entered into in other states.”

via Schwarzenegger signs gay rights bills – Latest News – sacbee.com.

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

This weekend is the National Equality March  in Washington, DC - in support of the right of everyone to have equal protection under the laws. All relevant laws, particularly those laws related to marriage, military service, and health care are targeted.

Organized in a scant few months, and bringing the promise of more to come, this March has its roots right here in rural Tulare County, California and Porterville in particular.(...)
Hit the link for more: Porterville Council’s Hate Vote Sparks a National Movement

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

“I have been in Jewish cemeteries,” Eliasberg continued. “There is never a cross on a tombstone of a Jew.”

From: Sharp debate at high court over cross on US land – Yahoo! News.

This case mirrors a  current situation in Porterville,  one of many that our City has managed to generate in attempts to skirt the First Amendment’s Establishment clause.

Here in Murray Park, we have a Christian Cross, where Easter Sunrise Services are annually helped on City-owned and run parkland.

If only our City could devote as much energy to innovative thoughts and solutions to real civic issues, such as:

1. Poor use of information technology (IT) by City Hall
2. Abysmal education rate
3. The lack of a strategy for marketing Porterville as part of an economic development plan
4. The lack of a sense of place and purpose in the new General Plan

Perhaps if we are all lucky, the Supreme Court will rule sensibly in this case and it will serve as a wakeup call to City leaders to find what makes Porterville best and competitive and to nurture that instead of the anti-First Amendment, anti-science, anti-equality hate they focus on so much.

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Earlier today I was looking for the Porterville City General Plan. It is difficult to find on the City’s own web site. Thanks to the City Officials who helped me find this important document, which cover’s the City’s vision of itself looking out to 2030.

Here is the Porterville General Plan update (64.3 mb pdf, be patient), and hopefully this will now be searchable in google so everyone so inclined can review and comment on this.

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Porterville General Plan

Continues to drain city resources and reputation

Former Mayor and current Councilmember Cameron Hamilton is scheduled to introduce a resolution asking the Council to condemn same sex marriage, this time using Mark Leno’s Senate Bill 54 as a hook, at the next Porterville City Council Meeting on August 4, 2009. The meeting will take place at 7PM at City Hall on Main Street in Porterville, deep in California’s Central Valley. Local Civil Rights advocates and leaders will be available for press comments both before and after the meeting.

Unlike last September’s resolution in support of Prop 8 introduced by Councilmember Brian Ward which passed unanimously with minimal public notice, Hamilton’s new attempt is happening in full view of Civil Rights advocates from Porterville and across the state. The local advocates have been present at every public meeting for months educating City Council and Portervillians on how Council’s September Resolution hurts individuals and places the ability of the City to do its ordinary business at risk.

At the July 21, 2009 City Council meeting Hamilton asked for permission to introduce a resolution regarding Senate Bill 54. SB 54, introduced by Mark Leno (D-SF) would allow same-sex couples who were married legally in another state but who are now in California all the rights rights that California grants married couples except the right to call themselves married. This is squarely in line with Prop 8 supporting campaign materials and rank and file comments that the issue is not the rights granted to the couples but rather the name “marriage”.

During the very heated discussion at the most recent Council meeting on July 21, new Mayor Pete McCracken, and Councilmen Pedro Martinez and Felipe Martinez echoed the advocate’s arguments that they have heard many times: that Council is not the place to discuss State and Federal level matters and that damages the City’s economic development efforts. Hamilton persisted, McCracken demanded a call to order to avoid what multiple accounts have described as Councilmen nearly coming to blows.

A vote on whether Hamilton would be allowed to introduce a resolution was evenly split, with McCracken and Felipe Martinez opposed, Hamilton and Ward in favor, and Pedro Martinez abstaining. This change from September’s previous unanimous vote sets the stage for a dramatic discussion and vote at the next meeting on August 4th.

“Councilmember Hamilton and Vice Mayor Ward continue to damage the ability of Porterville’s City Government to do its job in these difficult times by bringing personal and religious concerns before Council,” said Barry Caplan, Porterville Civil Rights advocate.

“Council’s prior actions and resolutions have led to the split of Californians into 3 arbitrary classes where there should only be one:
1 – People who are free to marry those who they love
2 – People who are not free to marry those who they love
3 – People who are currently married but should they become single again through death and divorce will not be allowed to marry the person they love again

“It is well past time for Cameron Hamilton to stop wasting Porterville City time, resources, and its valuable reputation for his own and Ward’s personal crusade.”

“SB 54 does not create any new law or change the law,” said Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, who helped draft the legislation. “It simply clarifies the rights of married same-sex couples in the aftermath of Prop 8, which is essential to prevent needless cost, confusion and anxiety on the part of same-sex couples and third parties dealing with those couples.”

“Because Prop. 8 created such a confusing, unequal situation for legally married same-sex couples, it is critical that California enact this legislation so that these couples are treated fairly and businesses and others have guidance as to what the law requires,” said Equality California (EQCA) Executive Director Geoff Kors. “All legally married couples deserve to be treated respectfully. Therefore, we urge the Porterville City Council to oppose this counter-productive resolution.”

ABOUT PORTERVILLE, CA: Porterville is a town of approximately 50,000 deep in the heart of the Central Valley of California, located midway between Fresno and Bakersfield in rural Tulare County. The primary industries are citrus growing and providing mental health services for developmentally delayed individuals on behalf of the State of California.

During the 2008 campaign for Prop 8, Porterville’s City Council voted unanimously in a Resolution to urge its citizens to vote to remove existing Civil Rights from some Californians. It was the only Council in California to vote in favor of supporting Prop 8. Porterville citizens responded to the Council’s call, voting over 75% in favor of the measure. Advocates for Civil Rights have been active and present at every public meeting since the California Supreme Court ruled Prop 8 as a valid Amendment, and at most meetings prior to that dating back to September 2008. The advocates work to shine a light on the actions and effects of the Resolution on Porterville’s entire population.

Porterville’s next City Council meeting takes place Tuesday August 4th, 7PM at City Hall, 291 North Main Street in Porterville. Final Agendas are generally available the Friday afternoon before the meeting, and are available from Luisa Herrera, Deputy City Clerk. Ms. Herrera is available at Tel: (559) 782-7464, Fax: (559) 715-4010, and
email: lherrera@ci.porterville.ca.us

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Emotions ran high at the Porterville City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Gay marriage supporters spoke out, chastising members for publicly supporting Proposition 8 earlier this year. This comes just one week after the Supreme Court upheld the proposition.

Nearly a dozen supporters of gay marriage were at the council meeting to ask members to apologize for a resolution the city adopted earlier this year, supporting Proposition 8.

Gay marriage supporters claim the city looks at Proposition 8 from a religious standpoint. The city’s motto is “In God We Trust”.

Gay marriage supporters say Porterville was the only city in the state to adopt a resolution in support of Proposition 8. They say the resolution divides the community.

Not Councilman McCracken’s weaselly language and body language. Oh yeah, he is a man of the people that one, he didn’t want to vote for the hateful resolution, but he looked around to see which way the wind was blowing, he sucked it up and voted with the crowd just to go along.

Pete, you are waaaay to old to be subject to peer pressure like that! You seem to know what is right from wrong, grow a pair and act like it! This is not “The Wizard of Oz” and you are not playing the Lion in a school play! You are actively voting to, and professing your pride in, working to take rights away from real people in your community.

And your spin is not going to fly by unnoticed either. You might claim that you voted the way the people wanted you to vote, statistically speaking, but the Resolution itself is not something binding upon the people, reflecting its voice.

In fact,  what it says after a seemingly endless series of “Whereas”s is that it reflects the voice of the Council in urging the People to act in a certain way, not that the Council is acting on behalf of a mandate from the People as you claim now.

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

A grassroots campaign to overturn Proposition 8 kicked off Tuesday before the Porterville City Council.

A dozen speakers took turns addressing council members on topics ranging from the council’s resolution last year in support of the ballot measure, the potential psychological effects of banning same-sex marriage, and the real-life ramifications of fighting for a right others possess.

The theme, however, was consistent.

“We have no intention of leaving,” Jaime Garza said.

Garza, of Porterville, was one of those who entered a same-sex marriage last summer after the state supreme court ruled in May 2008 that barring same-sex unions was unconstitutional. She’s still legally married after last week’s state supreme court ruling upholding the validity of Proposition 8, but also ruling that marriages in effect before the proposition’s passage remain valid.

LATimes.com: Residents say city’s support for Proposition 8 hurting them

Porterville, a small Central Valley town, was the only city in California to formally endorse Proposition 8, the measure that banned gay marriage in California.

But now, some residents want the City Council to reverse course, arguing the endorsement has inflamed tension in Porterville.

The mayor isn’t backing down, and it’s possible Porterville will take a stand if gay marriage supporters place a measure on the ballot attempting to repeal.

the time of my life (blog): Porterville California Battles Prop 8

The tiny town of Porterville, California, is suddenly, almost overnight, ground zero in the fight to overturn Proposition 8, as citizens appeared en masse Tuesday night to confront and challenge elected officials over their endorsement of the ban on gay marriage. Porterville’s city council passed a resolution supported Prop 8, and that has angered those who elected the members mightily, including resident Jamie Garza, one of the eighteen-thousand Californian’s who married last year, who told of the both emotional and physical abuse she and her wife have had to endure while defending their right to be wedded, and resident Barry Caplan who argued before Council Tuesday night that Proposition 8 has effectively created a three-tiered class of citizens and has divided the town.

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

I introduced the speakers that were to come, and framed the issue: That City Council has voted, and urged its constituents to vote to divide our State’s population into 3 (!) classes where there ought be only 1:

1. People who are free to marry the person they love
2. People who are never free to marry the person they love
3. People who are married to the person they love now, but should they become single again by death or divorce, will never be free to marry a new person they fall in love with again.

Please watch the video, and review the other media coverage of our fight here in Porterville. Shine a light on what has happened in our remote, but not really all that small, town. Let California and the world know via your blog, by your facebook and myspace pages, prepare to twitter as new actions take place, and above all, join us here in Porterville – we will welcome you after your long drive, don’t worry about that – and get your own Council members and County Supervisors on record, up or down, on this critical Civil Rights matter ASAP.

Fresno, CA (KFSN) — The fight over same sex marriage came to the steps of Porterville City Hall.

Put this blog in your news reader!

© barry for Porterville Nerd, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: abc 30, Gene Haagenson