Good Morning Florida Keys

СВЕТИ ГЕОРГИ

Executive Summary: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s implementation, management and execution of the National Flood Insurance Program and the associated Pilot Inspection Program appear to be in direct conflict with specific laws, rules and regulations. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees exceeded their authority by issuing two extensions of the Pilot Inspection Program for flood insurance without agency specified approval. The employees have unilaterally modified requirements found in the Code of Federal Regulations, without agency approval or authority, and applied those modifications in the performance of their duties regarding floodplain management issues in Monroe County, Florida. The employees have mandated that a local government and its citizens be burdened with the responsibility, without funding, for administrative, permitting and enforcement of the Endangered Species Act – a federal responsibility. The employees have issued specific threats of retaliation if the local government did not comply with multiple mandates not authorized by Congress and not codified in US law. The same FEMA employees have also engaged in a long history of abusive behavior using threats and intimidation to coerce a local government and its citizens into compliance with a floodplain management policy that is punitive and inconsistent and presents the appearance of misconduct.

Alleged Wrongdoing

This complaint is in regards to improprieties associated with the FEMA, National Flood Insurance Program, Pilot Inspection Program as codified in 44 CFR 59.30, Subchapter B: Insurance and Hazard Mitigation, Part 59: General Provisions, Subpart C: Pilot Inspection Program.

Where did the activity take place?

How was the activity committed?

During meetings, via formal and informal correspondence including emails

Do you know why the person committed the alleged wrongdoing?

No

Who else has knowledge of the alleged wrongdoing?

William Craig Fugate, FEMA Director, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, various Monroe County elected officials, employees and affected citizens, local newspaper reporters

Allegation I – Violation of Executive Order 13132

On April 14, 2011, Mr. Brad Loar, FEMA Region IV Office, Mitigation Director, sent the Mayor of Monroe County, Florida, a letter that stated Monroe County, Florida “must implement and enforce” specific aspects of the Endangered Species Act. This new and unfunded requirement mandates that Monroe County perform administrative, permitting and enforcement responsibilities in support of the Endangered Species Act at a cost to Monroe County that could approach $64,000,000 with an estimated annual cost of $400,000. In a letter dated December 2, 2011, Mr. Brad Loar threatened Monroe County and its citizens with removal from the National Flood Insurance Program if Monroe County did not comply with FEMA’s mandate regarding the management responsibilities of the Endangered Species Act delegated to Monroe County by FEMA. FEMA Region IV Office’s long history of threats and intimidation was articulated in a December 7, 2011 letter from Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen to Craig Fugate, FEMA Director. FEMA’s decision to mandate unfunded requirements to a local government is in direct violation of Executive Order 13132.

Allegation II – Violation of Executive Order 13132

In a letter dated January 9, 2012, Mr. Major Phillip May unilaterally changed the requirements for Monroe County, Florida’s participation in the National Flood Insurance, Pilot Inspection Program. Very specific requirements for the community responsibilities were previously identified in 44 CFR 59.30. The original community responsibilities for floodplain management requirements found in 44 CFR 59.30 were clarified/modified by Mr. Brad Loar in a letter to Monroe County dated October 7, 2008. The January 9, 2012 mandate by Mr. May and the associated requirements apply additional administrative and management burdens on Monroe County creating additional costs to Monroe County, Florida and its citizens. Additionally Mr. May is mandating that Monroe County enforce aspects of the floodplain management efforts that are out of Monroe County’s realm of authority.

Allegation III – Failed to comply with 44 CFR 59.30

The Pilot Inspection Program requirements, as found in 44 CFR 59.30 Subpart C, specifies in Section 2 “The Federal Insurance Administrator may extend the implementation of the inspection procedure with a new termination date upon the recommendation of the Regional Administrator.” Mr. Brad Loar, a GS-15 employee, notified Monroe County the Pilot Inspection Program was being extended in a letter dated October 7, 2008. 44 CFR Part 2 – Subpart A Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority §2.2, Regional Offices (c) Delegated authorities states that “In addition, the authorities of the Federal Insurance Administrator as set forth in §2.31 are not delegated to the Regional Directors.” (emphasis added). By extending the Pilot Inspection Program without the approval of the Federal Insurance Administrator and without appropriate delegated authority, Mr. Brad Loar exceeded and abused his authority in the performance of his duties. In doing so, Mr. Loar created severe hardships on citizens of Monroe County and required that Monroe County expend a significant amount of local funding to continue 44 CFR 59.30 Subpart C mandated floodplain management efforts as well as new requirements mandated by Mr. Loar. Please note that Mr. David Maurstad, Federal Insurance Administrator, resigned on September 13, 2008 and a replacement had not been named when Mr. Brad Loar signed the extension letter on October 7, 2008.

Allegation IV – Failed to comply with 44 CFR 59.30

44 CFR 59.30 specifies in Section 2 “The Federal Insurance Administrator may extend the implementation of the inspection procedure with a new termination date upon the recommendation of the Regional Administrator. Mr. Major Phillip May, a SES employee and FEMA Region IV Administrator extended the inspection procedure in a letter to Monroe County dated January 9, 2012. 44 CFR Part 2 – Subpart A Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority §2.2, Regional Offices (c) Delegated authorities states that “In addition, the authorities of the Federal Insurance Administrator as set forth in §2.31 are not delegated to the Regional Directors.” (emphasis added). By extending the Pilot Inspection Program without the approval of the Federal Insurance Administrator and without appropriate delegated authority, Mr. Major Mays exceeded and abused his authority in the performance of his duties. Monroe County is currently expending local funding while assessing the latest extension of the Pilot Inspection Program and the new mandates Mr. May has placed on Monroe County.

Allegation V – Retaliation

Mr. Major Phillip May extended the Pilot Inspection Program and associated inspection procedure less than 30 days after the Director of FEMA received a letter from a Member of Congress that expressed indignation regarding a December 7, 2011 letter from Mr. Brad Loar, FEMA Region IV Office to Monroe County. Contained within Mr. May’s letter were new, burdensome and unfunded requirements not authorized by 44 CFR 59.30 as well as threats to place Monroe County on probation or actual suspension from the National Flood Insurance Program if deem non-compliant. Mr. May’s timing, new unauthorized requirements and threats to suspend Monroe County from the National Flood Insurance Program appear to be retaliatory in nature.

Allegation VI – Abuse of authority, inconsistent policy, gross mismanagement

A history of threats and intimidation by FEMA Region IV employees of Monroe County elected officials, its employees and citizens is well documented in official correspondence. This history of abuse is clearly articulated by a Member of Congress in a letter to FEMA Director dated December 7, 2011. A survey, interviews with local officials in the FEMA Region IV area of responsibility, comparative analysis and review of efforts by Mr. May and Mr. Loar to adjudicate floodplain management issues within the FEMA Region IV Office area of responsibility (eight states) reveals a pattern of very inconsistent, discriminatory and punitive application of floodplain management policy. It should be noted that inconsistent application of floodplain management policy is even occurring within Monroe County, Florida when the incorporated locations are compared with the unincorporated locations.

As one of many examples, in a letter to Monroe County dated Oct. 7, 2008 signed by Mr. Loar, in which he identified the extension of the Pilot Inspection Program, and required that Monroe County accomplish the following to complete the Pilot Inspection Program:

Provide to FEMA a list of insured buildings incorrectly rated as pre-FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map) and a list of post-FIRM buildings that the community identifies as possible violations;

Inspect insured buildings at the request of policyholders who received a notice from the insurer that an inspection is necessary in order to renew the policy; and

Demonstrate to FEMA that the community is undertaking measures to remedy the violation to the maximum extent possible for insured post-FIRM buildings that the community inspects and determines to violate the community’s floodplain management regulations.

Please note Mr. Loar’s requirements deviated from the initial requirements provided in 44 CFR 59.30. Regardless of Mr. Loar’s mandated deviations, Monroe County worked diligently during the period from October 2008 until January 2012 to meet the requirements as identified by Mr. Loar. This effort included frequent communications and continuous oversight by the FEMA Region IV Office. There is substantial documentation of correspondence between Monroe County and Mr. Brad Loar and Ms Susan Wilson, FEMA Region IV Office during this period of time. The documentation identifies that Monroe County transmitted over 5,000 letters to insurance carriers, conducted an unprecedented number of home inspections, both internal and external, and corrected a large number of floodplain management code violations in an effort to meet the 2008 compliance requirements identified in Mr. Loar’s letter.

In his January 9, 2012 letter to the Monroe County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, Mr. Major Phillip May unilateral modified the requirements for the inspection procedure to include:

Continue to identify potential floodplain management enclosure violations; inspect the potential violations; and remedy the violations to the maximum extent possible

Submit a detailed compliance plan no later than March 1, 2012, to the Regional Office, outlining how the County will complete the Inspection Procedure by June 28, 2013

Submit quarterly progress reports to the Regional Office.”

Additionally, Mr. May identified to Monroe County that, even though Monroe County followed the intent of the requirements identified in Mr. Loar’s 2008 Pilot Inspection Program extension letter, the efforts did not constitute community compliance with the mandates of the floodplain regulations. Mr. May now states that Monroe County must submit additional plans and progress reports, perform an inspection on all properties, regardless of status of participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, regardless

of the number of properties that are “in the pipeline” awaiting insurance carrier notification or property owner response. Monroe County officials have no authority to mitigate issues of responsiveness between private insurance carriers and their customers. Regardless, Mr. May is holding Monroe County accountable for such delays and is attributing this deficiency as justification for extending the Pilot Inspection Program. Please note that an Oct. 7, 2008 letter, Mr. Loar specifically stated that as a requirement for compliance, Monroe County must “Inspect insured buildings at the request of policyholders who received a notice from the insurer that an inspection is necessary in order to renew the policy”. Monroe County followed this requirement to the letter. At no time during the period of October 2008 and January 2012 did the FEMA Region IV Office identify that any or all of Monroe County’s efforts were deficient or non-compliant. Just the opposite occurred in which Mr. Loar threatened probation and suspension in a September 30, 2009 letter if Monroe County attempted to deviate from the process that Mr. Loar defined or approved.

In another example of FEMA Region IV Office mismanagement and abusive tactics, Mr. Loar’s December 2, 2011 letter regarding the Endangered Species Act was the first communication to Monroe County in over six months regarding the issue, despite the concerns formally expressed to FEMA Region IV Office by Monroe County in April, 2011. Mr. Loar’s letter also provided less than 30 days for Monroe County to fund and implement the Endangered Species Act mandate contained in Mr. Loar’s letter. Mr. Loar also threatened that if the mandate was not complied with in what can only be defined as a very unreasonable time period, FEMA Region IV office would begin procedures to suspend Monroe County from the National Flood Insurance Program. Thousands of Monroe County residents are dependent on the FEMA flood insurance program in order to retain their mortgage standings with financial institutions.

On March 29, 2011, Mr. Prasad Inmula, FEMA Region IV Office sent an email to Dianne Bair, Monroe County Growth Management and directed a variance to the flood- plain management program issued by Monroe County for Debra and Rory Brown be rescinded. Monroe County issued the variance in order to allow the Brown’s severely disabled son, Darren Brown, to live in an enclosure below a stilted home that is five feet below the base flood elevation. In the email, Mr. Inmula ordered Monroe County to:

Immediately cease issuing variances

Research and review all variances previously issued; rescind such variances and analyze them on a case by case basis

Submit to this office on a monthly basis, a Floodplain Management Variance Report (copy attached)

This is another example of the FEMA Region IV Office exceeding their authority and adding unfunded requirements to Monroe County’s limited staff and budget without regard to Executive Order 13132 and specific requirements identified in 44 CFR 59.30. This also illustrates an apparent ignorance or disregard for the American with Disabilities Act.

Please note the FEMA Region IV Office later reversed their previous decision in regards to disallowing a disabled son to live with his parents. It should be also noted the FEMA Region IV Office was made fully aware of another variance granted by Monroe County in 2004 for a high profile couple. FEMA Region IV never objected to that variance.

In a September 30, 2009 letter Mr. Loar responded to an inquiry from Mr. Roman Gastesi, Monroe County Administrator regarding the repealing of locally generated inspection program specifics in which Monroe County had exceeded the requirements of 44 CFR 59.30 in a show of good faith. Mr. Loar identified that two items Monroe County wanted to remove from the existing inspection program are not related to the Pilot Inspection Program which were:

Requiring property owners to obtain an inspection report if they sell or transfer title to a property

Requiring property owners with below flood elevation enclosures to obtain an inspection report if they seek a building permit and to remediate (sic) any identified noncompliant aspects of enclosures prior to issuance of a building permit

Mr. Loar then stated that Monroe County should not repeal these compliance measures, even though unintended consequences had been created by Monroe County’s additional inspection effort. He further stated “If these measures are repealed, we will request that the County provide us with alternative measures to identify and take enforcement action against non-compliant enclosures in non-insured buildings.”

Mr. Loar’s response interfered with a local government’s attempt to resolve a local issue, knowing fully well the issue was outside the parameters of 44 CFR 59.30 and his authority. Please note the State of Florida later passed legislation (House Bill 407) that stopped lower enclosure inspections when applying for a building permit. In a letter from Mr. Loar, dated October 14, 2011 to Christine Hurley, Monroe County Growth Management Division Director, Mr. Loar acknowledged the passage of House Bill 407 but did not request the County provide FEMA with alternative measures to identify and take enforcement action and did not further discuss the removal of the inspection procedure by the Florida legislature.

Summary: The allegations of wrongdoing by FEMA government employees found in this complaint are valid and fully documented as a matter of public record. Ten years of FEMA Region IV Office’s free reign over Monroe County, Florida allowed abuse of authority, multiple violations of an Executive Order and numerous other activities that are, at a minimum, questionable. The continued overreach by FEMA Region IV Office employees has now resulted in FEMA threatening to remove Monroe County from the National Flood Insurance Program if Monroe County does not submit to demands that Monroe County provide, at local taxpayer’s expense, administrative, permitting and enforcement responsibilities in support of the Endangered Species Act.

 

___________________________

 

I replied:

I followed up:

Sloan

художник на икони 

Jungle Jane, of Tarzan Tree Care, aka Sandy Downs

Fell asleep very early last night and just before midnight dreamt of playing golf with Margaret Romero (a serious Key West activist/watchdog) on the East (women’s) Course of the Birmingham Country Club. Then, I dreamt of being in Key West with Mayor Craig Cates, who was showing me a lot of ornamental-looking, large, well-groomed parsley bushes growing in front of conch houses. I pinched off a clump and tasted it, and was surprised to find it really was parsley and it tasted pretty good. I thought to myself, parsley is rich in nurients. I awoke wondering what that was about, crawled out of the sack, opened my email account, and found this from Sandy Downs, some of the details of which she and I had discussed the other day.

From: sandra downs <janesjunglework@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 9:26 PM
Subject: Complaint to State Attorney
To: lynne.tejeda@keysenergy.com
Cc: sdsmith@keywestcity.com, jscholl@keywestcity.com, rransing@keywestcity.com, lballard@keywestcity.com, dbradsha@keywestcity.com, mbrowning@keywestcity.com, dcraig@keywestcity.com, kdemaria@keywestcity.com, dfernend@keywestcity.com, mfinigan@keywestcity.com, churd@keywestcity.com, dnicklau@keywestcity.com, vperez@keywestcity.com, jjyoung@keywestcity.com, ccates@keywestcity.com, tjohnston@keywestcity.com, bwardlow@keywestcity.com, jweekley@keywestcity.com, tyaniz@keywestcity.com, clopez@keywestcity.com, mrossi@keywestcity.com

БогородицаDropped by the Supervisor of Elections office in Marathon yesterday to vote early, and was escorted by an election worker into the office where School Board candidate Ed Davidson was filling out papers. The elections office people remembered and welcomed me. The election worker said something about my getting a ballot to vote for president, and I said I didn’t belong to the Republican party. The manager of the elections office pulled out a document and showed it to the election worker, to let her know I am registered as an Independent, and cannot vote in the Republican presidential primary.

I said the way I would deal with Washington D.C. would be to nuke it. Before I could say with Congress in session and the President in the White House, to show my lack of partisan bias, the manager of the elections office crawled all over me, said no political talk was allowed around voting booths. She was definitely not happy. I said it wasn’t political talk, it was terrorist talk. I did not say they had started and done most of the political talk, and maybe I said something about why they had not called Homeland Security? I voted YES for the .5 mil schools referendum, and left, glad I had not gone there to file to run for office.

From The Citizen today:

Flexible spending measure critical to maintaining quality education

By ANDY GRIFFITHS Monroe County School Board

Scandal, deep recession and rotating superintendents have rocked the Monroe County School District in recent years, but teachers and support staff have kept our school system running during the worst of times. And now, we’re facing another blow — equivalent to a loss of $9,000 per district employee — unless we vote YES on the flexible funding referendum between now and Jan. 31.

Voting YES on the flexible funding referendum will not change your taxes, but every four years we must ask voters to support a tax for operations while we continue to reduce the capital millage by the exact same amount. The vote is required per a state statute. Our millage will remain the same in total, but flexible funding allows us to indirectly use capital money for operations.

This year it is especially imperative. Most of our operating budget is based on property value, which has dropped 35 percent over the last five years. Our very diverse School Board has voted unanimously to max out our local millage, and the state sets the other half of our overall millage rate, so we have very few options available to us. Yet our millage remains the lowest in the state.

So far, we’ve already cut 29 percent of our administrators, from 62 to 44, and half of those remaining are in our schools. We have reduced our instructional staff by 12 percent. We lost 85 positions while still managing to comply with the state constitution for class size — something other districts simply ignored. These instructional personnel were resource teachers, reading coaches, media specialists and counselors.

We’ve also already reduced support staff by 20 percent, another 123 positions, and this does not include the tough decision to outsource custodians. We have made these personnel cuts while our student population has remained constant.

These were all painful decisions that ultimately have a negative impact on students. But we had no choice in order to balance the budget with revenue declining due to dropping property values.

And we are not finished with our downsizing. We have more to do despite what happens in this election. We must build our [reserve] fund balance and make due with less in the coming year. Property values are still not rebounding as fast as we would like. So we will have more cuts regardless, but they’ll be more manageable.

[My understanding is Keys property values are still falling, thus ad valorem tax revenues are still falling. At an Audit & Finance Committee meeting, Andy compared these additional required cuts to Armageddon, and I said that is the preface to Armageddon, the referendum failing to pass is Armageddon. Make no mistake, if the referendum passes, there will be serious and painful budget cuts for the school year beginning July 1 of this year, and if the referendum fails to pass, it will be horrific.]

Still, this year we remain an “A” district for the sixth year in a row, and we are tied for eighth in the state for FCAT scores out of 67 districts. A score of 525 is required for an “A” and we scored a 566.

Our SAT (a national test for college entrance) scores are up in reading, math and writing over this same five-year period, and that’s a fact.

And we did this despite our unique challenges with geography and poverty. Not many know that we have a very high number of students on free and reduced lunch. Our schools are no longer mostly middle class.

[And we have a horrendous drop-out rate, if you follow first-graders and see what percentage graduate from high school, and we had 500 Key West High School students using online course to make up failed classes, and we have plenty of high school graduates going off to 2 or 4-year colleges and having to take remedial courses, and we have few students graduating with job skills that can earn them a living, and we have a fast-growing charter school program, due to students not fitting into our regular schools.]

But without the passing of the referendum, we will be forced to balance the budget by eliminating even more people or salaries, or both. Eighty percent of our budget is people. The other 20 percent is stuff. Most of that stuff is fixed costs such a fuel, utilities and insurance. We can only cut so much toilet paper, folks.

[Some time ago, Andy told me he does not favor cutting out non-educational programs, such as sports, band, etc. He said he favored cutting salaries and positions elsewhere. He admitted his bias against cutting special programs was due to his children having enjoyed them.]

Some would say just cut the waste or just cut those larger salaries. Hey, don’t get me wrong, every little bit helps (like making sure the field lights are shut off!) but these are mostly symbolic cuts. They sound good politically but don’t plug the budget hole. Most of our non-teacher positions left in the district are required by federal or state law. The only way to achieve huge cuts is to go after salaries and positions. That’s where the money is, unfortunately. The sum of the little cuts just won’t get us there.

[The list of School District employees making over $50,000 a year is very long, several typed single-spaced pages long. There are administrative employees, including teachers, making far more than their job skills justify. $50,000 and above is where most of the salary cuts should be made, for these people can most afford the cuts; cutting $9,000 out of a $35,000 a year job is far harder for the employee to cope with than cutting $9,000 out of a $50,000 a year job. I see $12,000-$20,000 a year cuts in the higher-paid jobs, if the referendum fails, and $2,000-$3,000 cuts in the lower paid jobs, and somewhere in between for the middle salary positions. Just do the math. Divide the referendum revenue, $9.5 million, by the current school budget, this year $80 million, and multiply that fraction by each employee's salary, and that's the dollar wage cut for that . No employee is exempt, and the highest-paid employees have the highest dollar cuts in salary, benefits, etc.]

Our budget is down 15 percent over the last five-year period, and yet our student population remains constant. Without the flexible funding, we will have to cut another 10 percent. It’s an understatement to say this would be a disaster for our students and employees who have kept this district marching toward success despite the odds.

[Even with the flexible funding, to maintain a 6 percent reserve fund balance, which the Audit & Finance Committee has recommended, this district is looking at probably minimum $8 million in budget cuts for next year, even if the referendum passes. At least $17.5 million in budget cuts, if the referendum fails. This year's budget is $80 million. Tell me where you can find $17.5 million in cuts in an $80 million budget the year before, and still keep good people, including good teachers, working in this school district.]

So our way of saying thanks to our students and those teachers, the physical therapists, occupational therapists, staffing specialists, speech therapists, assistant principals, principals, people in payroll, finance, purchasing, insurance, transportation, maintenance, human resources, insurance, the front offices and, yes, those remaining administrators, is to vote YES!

Andy Griffiths is vice chairman of the Monroe County School Board.

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I was glad to see School Board candidate Mark Peterson at the Board meeting last night. He spoke against giving Glynn Archer School to the city, on basic economic grounds. He also said the district had not complied with the legal requirements, to allow it to give the property to the city. First I had heard of that, but Mark is a lawyer, and he sounded like he had done his homework.

The Board’s attorney insisted there were no Navy restrictions on the Trumbo property, which I had reported yesterday via Larry Murray from Audit & Finance Committee chair Stuart Kessler, who used to practice law. Stuart told me off to the side, well, maybe he was mistaken about that, maybe he wasn’t. My sense was he didn’t think maybe he was mistaken, but he said nothing about that when he made the AFC report. This morning brought emails from Stuart saying maybe he wasn’t mistaken, maybe there is a problem with the Navy on some of the Trumbo property.

Andy Griffiths told me off to the side, as he left the meeting to drive up to Tallahassee to lobby for the School District at his expense, if his (the schools’) lawyers were wrong about the Trumbo title, he would pull off their pants and publicly spank them. He said he (the schools) paid them not to be wrong, to give sound legal advice. I remembered when Andy ignored his lawyers’ sound legal advice that sunshine law violations had occurred, which Stuart Kessler also argued had had curred. That had led to John Dick asking the State Attorney to look into it. Made a big flap in The Citizen a few months back.

When I spoke during citizen comments, I said kudos to everyone who had busted their tails trying to get the referendum passed. I think I recall School Board candidate Capt. Ed saying something similar, but I do not recall candidates Mark Peterson or Larry Murray speaking in favor of the referendum. However, Mark had writtn a letter to the editor, in The Citizen, in support of the referendum.

I said it looked weird, giving away Glynn Archer School, while promising to continue levying capital millage, and I said the item should be tabled because Mayor Craig Cates was unable to be there, due to a city commission meeting going on at the same time. I said the public was entitled to vet Mayor Cates at a School Board meeting, to grill him, since Glynn Archer was his project.

Lastly, I said this district receives 67 percent of the county tax revenues, yet it only allows citizens to speak once during Board meetings. I said citizens get to speak to every item on the agenda at county commission, Key West city commission and other government meetings. I said I hoped the Board would allow more citizen input at Board meetings. I did not see any encouragement on the faces of the Board members. Maybe they were not thrilled I told the TV viewing audience how much of the county tax revenue goes to the School District.

Not long after that, I decided to leave. It was as if I had nothing else to say or offer on the schools topic. I was empty, spent. On my way out, I told School Board member Ron Martin I was glad he had reminded the rest of the Board that giving Glynn Archer to the city did not mean the district administrative offices should be moved to Glynn Archer. Ron said the district administrative offices needed to be moved to Marathon. I did not get the sense Ron represented the majority view.

I did not say anything during my citizen comments about Ed Swift having an option on the district’s Trumbo property, perhaps because I did not know Ed was going to show up and urge the gift of Glynn Archer to Key West. Had I known, I might have said giving Glynn Archer to the city was the first step in Ed getting to develop the Trumbo property. When I said that to Stuart Kessler off to the side, after Ed had spoken, Stuart agreed.

Driving away, I told my Editorial Board it seemed I had seen something for the first time. It seemed I had seen citizen comments at School Board meetings is allowed because it is required, but it is not heeded, if it is disagreeable to the School Board. I concluded it would be more honest not to allow citizen comments at Board meetings.

This morning, I added that it seemed the School Board doesn’t listen very well to the Audit & Finance Committee, either, and from what I have seen so far at School Board meetings, it doesn’t look to me that the Audit & Finance Committee is willing to go toe to toe with the School Board in that setting.

After reading The Citizen this morning, I concluded that newspaper is incapable of reporting anything I suggest at School Board and Audit & Finance meetings, or at any government meetings.

I told my Editorial Board last night, and again this morning, I had yet to see any suggestion they had me make to any Keys government be accepted, and if it were my call, I would never write another thing about anything having to do with Keys government. I would plow new ground, if there was any to plow. Alas, I am not in charge of the topics on which I write. My Editoral Board would peel the skin off any journalist in the Keys, who was so unfortunate to work for it.

I usually can be reached at keysmyhome@hotmail.com

 

Here is The Citizen article on last night’s meeting:

Lots more schoolish rumbles, starting off but hardly ending with this gibberish in The Citizen today, my comments in italics.

District ranking rankles some

BY GWEN FILOSA Citizen Staff

gfilosa@keysnews.com

The Monroe County School District is tied for eighth place out of 67 school districts in Florida, the state Department of Education said Monday by releasing a list based solely on standardized test results.

the godalmighty FCAT

While Schools Superintendent Jesus Jara and Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson applauded Florida Keys students and staff for their work, critics dismissed the ratings as a specious snapshot of school districts formulated by data released in June.

The school year ends June 31, these are last school year’s FCAT scores, hardly fresh news today.

The Florida Association of District School Superintendents expressed dismay with the rankings, which present the districts listed as best to worst by number.

“It’s not a comprehensive assessment,” said the group’s chief executive officer, Bill Montford, who is also a Democratic state senator from Tallahassee.

“Financial management of a school district is a factor,” said Montford. “We also know that poverty plays a role in student performance. Everything needs to be on the table to give an accurate assessment.

Wonder how close to the bottom our school district ranks in financial management?

Monroe tied in overall points with Brevard County.

“I feel great at where we are,” Jara said, acknowledging that the rankings are a newly packaged list of previous FCAT results. “We are very proud of the work teachers are doing in the classroom.”

Yep, they really are teaching to the FCAT.

Jara said that districts ahead of Monroe lack the diversity in race and economic backgrounds found in the Keys. His final word on the list, though, was to shoot for No. 2 next year.

Florida’s governor led the move to rank school districts by FCAT scores.

The Christian-right Republican governor himself even made a graven image of the FCAT.

“Ranking school districts by performance allows taxpayers to see their investment in education at work,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a written statement.

In a recent article in The Citizen, Jesus Jara was quoted as saying colleges don’t pay much attention to the FCAT.

St. Johns County came in at No. 1, followed by Santa Rosa, Martin, Sarasota, Gilchrist, Okaloosa and Seminole counties. Madison County came in dead last, below DeSoto, Hamilton and Jefferson counties.

“In no way are we saying they are the bottom districts,” Robinson told reporters Monday. “We’re quite well aware that there are social and economic factors that influence how we deliver education to children.”

The point of the district rankings is to “start a conversation” about how districts can improve, said Robinson.

“One measurement does not provide a comprehensive grading picture for a school system, much less an individual student,” Pinellas County Superintendent John Stewart said in a statement released Monday.

Stewart said the list — which ranked Pinellas at 49th out of 67 — is like branding all of a marathon race’s runners as losers, save for the one who breaks the tape.

“When I ran races, it was for my personal best,” said Stewart. “I am convinced that each of the state’s 67 districts is doing its personal best for all students, not because we want to come in first place and beat out the other districts, but simply because it’s the right thing to do for children.”

Stewart said the ranking doesn’t tell his district anything new, and that Pinellas is redoubling its efforts to ensure that all students can read and do math at grade level.

Montford said the rankings could harm the economies behind the school districts consigned to the bottom of the list by discouraging companies from starting up shop there.

“We are all dependent upon the governor’s effort to bring business into Florida,” Montford said. “I’m not sure that helped our case.
gfilosa@keysnews.com

I don’t see how the way our school district is run brings business into the Keys.

School Board candidate Larry Murray alerted me yesterday to this article in The Keynoter. My comments in italics.

OUR SCHOOLS

Budget miss blamed on undercount

By SEAN KINNEY

skinney@keynoter.com

Posted – Saturday, January 21, 2012 11:01 AM EST

A review of district budgeting practices by the Audit and Finance Committee points to errors in charter school enrollment projections that amounted to a $1.2 million temporary budget shortfall.

Details emerged following a committee meeting on Monday where member Roger McVeigh pressed for conservative financial planning.

“When you’re budgeting in a situation like this,” he said, “you’ve got to budget the cost side at the worst case scenario. Budget estimates are always going to be off. There’s always going to be negative surprises. You’ve got to be prepared if you’re going to provide quality education to the students.”

Last month, the school board approved a $1.2 million budget amendment tied to what administrators described as “unexpected enrollment increases” at Keys charter schools.

That amendment dropped the district’s reserves below a 3 percent threshold, which forced the superintendent to notify the Department of Education. If reserves drop below two percent, state oversight could result.

Committee chair Stuart Kessler said the enrollment projections given by the charter school principals to the distric tturned out to be “amazingly accurate.”

He said an “examanation of why the budget was so far off for charter schools . . . the short answer is (the administration) apparently elected to use last year’s enrollment instead.”

Chief Financial Officer Michael Kinneer told committee members that he used the actual enrollment numbers from the previous year, plus another 80 students for the two new charter schools – Key West Collegiate School and Ocean Studies Charter School in Tavernier.

He did not address whether those calculations included additional grade levels at Big Pine Academy or the Montessori Elementary School of Key West.

“We were finding that a lot of charter schools would give numbers that were overly optimistic in terms of projected enrollment,” Kinneer said. “That became the basis for the budget number.”

A count of charter school enrollment conducted and pubilshed in August by the Keynoter indicated 983 students.

When the annual budget was approved in September, the charts received collective funding of &6,272,031.63 based on projected enrollment of 755 students.

In November, a head count showed actual enrollment was above 1,000 students, which Kessler noted was very close to projections provided by the charter principals over the summer.

The $1.2 million in additional charter expenses will eventually be reocouped from the state, but the actual budget amendment had the very real effect of throwing hte district coffers below the 3 percent state-mandated ratio of revenues to reserves.

Don’t know where Sean Kinney got the $1.2 million number, or that all of the unexpected charter school expenses will be recouped from the state. Under tense discussion at the Audit Finance Committee (AFC) meeting, which I attended and Sean did not, nor did anyone else from the press attend, nor was Jesus Jara there, CFO Michael Kinneer said $350,000 of unexpected $900,000 in charter school expenses for this school year (which ends on July 31) will be recouped from the state, and the rest of the $900,000 will not be recouped. Internal Auditor Ken Gentile agreed with me during a break at the last School Board meeting, at Coral Shores High School, that Jesus Jara and Michael Kinneer had gambled the charter school number estimates provided by the charter school principals were too high. That screw up is what led to Roger McVeigh offering a resolution at the last AFC meeting, which passed 3 in favor, one abstaining (Stuart Kessler), based on what I heard and saw, for the School Board and School District to adopt a worst case fiscally conservative budget for next school year, with minimum 6 percent reserve balance.

Focusing in on the ratio of revenue to reserves, committee members agreed they would recommend a School Board policy to hold 6 percent as reserves. Based on the current budget, that would be more than $4 million.

It was discussed and understood by all present that 6 percent was inflated to allow the District to keep the reserve fund balance from falling below the state-required 3 percent, if unexpected costs and/or lower revenues occurred. In the past, the District has raided the reserve fund to below 3 percent to make up for unexpected costs and/or lower revenues.

School Board Chairman John Dick has said he won’t approve a budget this year (for 2012-2013) that doesn’t include at least a 5 percent fund balance.

Already faced with millions in cuts, committee members admitted it’s going to be difficult for the district to find additional reductions to fund that 6 percent reserve balance.

“It’s going to be an extremely difficult goal to reach in the current austere environment,” Kessler said. As it stands, the current ratio of district revenue to reserves is 2.71 percent – or $2,025,285.

It’s going to be an extremely difficult goal-cubed to reach, if the .5 mil referendum doesn’t pass. Instead of looking at a $6-8 million budget shortfall, assuming a 6 percent reserve fund balance, add $9.5 million more to the budget shortfall, if the referendum fails. To see that scenario in historical perspective, this year’s school budget of $80 million is $10 million less than last year’s budget, which was $10 million less than the year before’s budget. I again wonder if the only real solution, if the referendum fails, is to close all schools and dismiss all teachers and other school employees, and let all students be taught online, at home, on Tallahassee’s dime and supervision. Sell all School District real estate, pay off all School District debt. Imagine the savings to the county’s taxpayers. Imagine no more School Board races and no more local schools scandals and no more articles in The Citizen and the Keynoter and on my blog about the School District.

On the referendum are these three letters to the editor in The Citizen today. The third letter, against the referendum, is gibberish.

Please take time to vote on referendum

Want to do something simple yet profound, something that will take five to 15 minutes yet could save $9 million?

Even if you don’t have school-aged kids — or if you’re a Democrat or Independent — you, along with Republicans, have until next Tuesday, Jan. 31, to step outside your busy life and make the effort to vote “yes” on the referendum to shift funds between budget categories for our school district.

Why bother? The outcome will affect all of us. If it fails, each teacher’s salary could be slashed by $10,000, and that’s just the beginning. There would go the school nurses and classroom supplies, student athletics, art and music programs, and more.

Think about how well-rounded and informed you are due to your education; now imagine setting loose a slew of young people into the world who were never afforded the same kinds of opportunities. Stunting their competitive edge in the job market, the elimination of funding for school operations would leave our children without the best contraception there is: hope for the future.

Your taxes will not go up if you vote “yes.” You don’t even have to leave your house if you request an absentee ballot by this Wednesday (call 305-292-3416). Otherwise please invest in our community by taking the time to get to your polling place on Jan. 31.
Kim Romano

Key West

Flexible funding is acommon-sense solution

I encourage all residents to support the flexible funding referendum on the ballot Jan. 31. The referendum will allow some of the money collected in a capital improvement fund to be used for general expenses.

This is a progressive approach to help the schools meet their financial obligations. This referendum comes for voter approval after the teachers and other school employees have taken major concessions, including paying more for health care, reduction in pay through decreased salaries and a decrease in the number of days for which the employees are paid.

The cuts and reductions have helped, but is not the end-all answer. The continuation of current practice using a portion of capital funds for operation is imperative. Without the referendum, the only people hurt will be the students.

This referendum does not increase taxes; it only continues current collection and practice. Please do not hold the staff and students hostage for ill feelings toward the Board of Education or the superintendent. Educating the young people of America is one of the primary responsibilities of the adults in any community. Using capital fund money for operations, when the money is not needed for capital improvement, is a common-sense approach to meet the financial obligations of the School District.

Please allow the continuation of current practice. Vote yes Jan. 31 for the flexible funding referendum. Help our young people succeed.

Bruce W. Hulme

Key West and

Wadsworth, Ohio

School referendum is a budget shell game

I sincerely regret that the pro-referendum “PAC” uses trickery to get more money for the [School District] operating budget. Come on now; if you are going to give a raise to the union-led schoolteachers, call it what it is. Allow the millage for capital improvements to expire and try to get a raise for the teachers by identifying the actual goal.

Public employee unions have hoodwinked and coaxed the taxpayers with great political skill. Don’t be fooled, make them ask for their raise, not just an end run to our pocketbooks.

John Imbus

Shark Key

Also received this from Larry Murray, replying to yesterday’s the Glynn Archer, Horace O’Bryant, Trumbo triangle – Key West post. A bit of a bomshell Larry brought. My comments in italics:

Sloan:

I thought that your commentary today was exceptionally cogent, i.e. I agreed with virtually all that you wrote. I especially enjoyed your observation that it’s awfully hard for John Dick and company to promise to raise the capital improvement millage by .5 mil should the referendum fail when the District can afford to give away a $5 million asset. More importantly, from my point of view, I remain mystified at what the School District gets out of the deal. What has been said suggests very little.

Two thoughts occur to me:

1. While parking the buses on Stock Island during the reconstruction of North Roosevelt Boulevard sounds like a good idea, so far as I know the fuel dock and maintenance operations will remain at Trumbo Point. How is that going to work?

Maybe they helicopter the buses to the fuel dock and back to the Stock Island parking lot?

2. Speaking of school property, tomorrow’s agenda also includes a discussion of the title the School District has to the Trumbo Road property. My sources tell me that the Navy gave the property to the School District in 1977 with the codicil that it had to be used exclusively for educational purposes for 30 years or 2007.

Sometime in the mid-90?s, the School District gave the city a sliver of property directly behind the Steam Plant Condominiums. That was done with the permission of the Navy, I am told. However, in granting that permission, the Navy extended the 30-year mandate beyond 2007. I do not know exactly where it stands now and I hope that there is a clear and fruitful discussion at tomorrow’s meeting.

If there is such a restriction on the property, that could change lots of hopes and dreams. If there is such a restriction, it needs to be in plain view now.

I have also been told that Ed Swift may have an agreement with the School District whereby they would lease the land to him should the District cease using the Trumbo property. Again, I don’t know the particulars about this and, again, I hope that there is a clear and fruitful discussion at tomorrow’s meeting.

I heard Ed once had an option, but I thought it was on the city’s Trumbo property. I hear lately he’s in a bit of a financial strain and isn’t likely to be starting any new developments. Options usually can be sold.

In sum, I agree with you that tomorrow’s agenda is extremely lengthy and includes several significant financial matters, all of which deserve a clear and fruitful discussion. The agenda includes Glynn Archer School, the Harris School money, the HOB project, Marathon Manor, Trumbo Point, the Montessori School, etc. etc. I do not see how the Board can intelligently wade through so many major financial issues in anything resembling an intelligent manner. It will be interesting to see. I plan to be there and expect to see you.

Larry

I’m not convinced the School Board can even wade through the charter school under-budgeting, and am having trouble feeling I finally got to the bottom of it. The overall schools budget is, well, probably not understandable by anyone, is what I’m coming to think. I asked Andy Griffiths [the senior School Board member] to try to explain it to me in language a third-grader would understand, and he said he would try, but so far, I don’t have that from him. Asked the same thing of Ken Gentile [the School Board's Internal Auditor] about the charter school cost overrun, and he said he would try to get me something, but so far, I don’t have that from him.

Sloan:

Like your helicopter idea.

As for Ed Swift’s leases on what property, I do not know. Margaret Romero has been digging into this.

As for the title search on the Trumbo property, they are indeed, in Stuart Kessler’s word, a “cloud” on the title. The District cannot sell the property at this time without approval from the Navy. Will explain in more detail tomorrow. Trust me, it is a very serious problem that calls for full disclosure.

Yes, the budget is Byzantine which is how the bureaucrats like it. What can I explain to you? Ask me tomorrow. Gentile is useless.

Larry

P.S. Just got off the phone with Todd German, he said Ed Swift got an option on the School Board’s Trumbo property.

Todd said he had not heard any Navy restrictions.

Sloan,

Thanks for the update re: Ed Swift. I still recommend talking to Margaret as she has done a lot of research. I thought that I had described the “cloud” with Todd. Guess not. Will explain it to him later. In the interim, it is very real. Ask Stuart Kessler who has read the complete report of the title search. In 25 words or less, the Navy gave the District the land in 1977 with a codicil that it could only be used for educational/public purposes for 30 years. In 1995, the District asked the Navy for permission to deed a small section to the City of Key West, the land that sits directly behind Ed Swift’s condos. The Navy said “okay”, but then proceeded to extend the codicil another 30 years beginning in 1995. That’s the long and the short of it. For the District to sell or lease the land for anything other than educational/public purposes, they would have to get permission from the Navy, a waiver of the 30 year restriction.

Larry

I usually can be reached at keysmyhome@hotmail.com, but today I’m taking a refresher course in smelling and decoding B.S., because it’s gotten a lot more creative lately. Todd German said, I agreed, the School District needs to check the title for all of its real estate holdings.

Received this yesterday from School Board candidate Larry Murray:

“The poor will always be with you.”

There has been a great deal of news lately in The Citizen on homelessness, and on not enabling homeless people to be homeless. The other day, The Citizen enabled a homeless man to exercise his First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of religion.

From The Citizen, January 18

Our nation is based on the Christian faith

Our country was founded and based on Christian principles that have served us well ever since. Now it seems that the so-called 15 percent of the non-Christians are leading the rest of us 85 percent around by the nose and trying to undermine those very same principles.

To be politically correct, we are no longer supposed to use the words God, Christ, Jesus, etc., or have the Bible or Nativity scenes displayed in any public buildings, including schools, courthouses, or any other federally funded buildings. They are trying to take prayer out of schools and the military, the word ‘God’ off of our money and out of our Pledge of Allegiance, and trying to take Christ out of Christmas, among other things. Well, I’m fed up with it all and I think I’ve come up with a solution.

Here it is. All those who oppose our Christian way of life can refuse to pay federal taxes. That’s right; they can refuse to pay federal taxes and not be penalized for it. All they have to do is register as an atheist, devil worshipper, voodoo practitioner, or whatever. That way they can no longer argue the fact that since they pay taxes they have the right to voice, or should I say “force,” their opinions on what can or cannot be done on federal properties. But, of course, by refusing to pay taxes they no longer will have access to our public schools, courthouses, etc., or programs such as welfare, Medicaid, or anything else subsidized by our federal tax dollars.

To make up for the shortfall in taxes, having the 15 percent off the federal dole would more than make up the difference. Plus, look at all the money we would save by not having to mitigate their inane demands.

Will this idea work? Probably not. Is it far-fetched? Of course it is. But I will say this to the 15 percent: If you don’t like what we do with your money, then keep it and shut the hell up!

Dave Scott

Marathon

Since then, I have seen four reply letters to the editor in The Citizen.

January 21

United States based on democracy, not religion

In a recent letter to the editor, Dave Scott made the persistent and untrue statement that the USA is based on the Christian faith. This intentional lie or ignorant fantasy shows a complete lack of knowledge or understanding of our nation’s history. It’s like saying that Rome is based on Catholicism, even though it existed long before Jesus was born.

Maybe this fantasy has its roots in the story of the Pilgrims, who were persecuted in England and parts of Europe and started to settle the colonies. They then adopted the worst traits of those they fled and started to persecute anyone who didn’t believe as they did. One thing all the Christians at one time or another seemed to share was the need to murder uppity women for being witches, murder homosexuals and anybody else they considered heretics to their one “true” faith.

The Founding Fathers rebelled not only against the tyranny of the English crown but also against the false theology of the divine right of kings promulgated by leaders of the Protestant and Catholic churches. The writer of “Common Sense,” which was read around the campfires at Valley Forge and kept the revolution alive in its darkest hour, was written by Founding Father and atheist Thomas Paine.

Mr. Scott and others seem to think that because the majority of Americans say they are Christian of some form or another, then he has the right to use the public square to proselytize using public funds they way they do in Iran. He has no right to do this; it is un-American.

This nation is founded on evolving concepts of Greek democracy, Roman republicanism and the rule of law. I’m sure Mr. Scott thinks I should “shut the hell up,” to use his term. I’m sure he doesn’t care one bit for what I have to say, so let’s end with this quote. “The United States of America are not founded upon the Christian religion or any other religion.” George Washington, 1789.

Michael Berzellini

Key West

Where did letter-writer get his information?

Wow! I have seen so many letters to the editor in so many newspapers throughout the USA, but the one in the Jan. 18 edition of The Citizen defies all explanation. First, why your newspaper would print such drivel with absolutely no basis of fact throughout is amazing. Next, if Mr. Dave Scott really believes his assertions, where did he get his information?

There is no study or report anywhere that indicates an 85 percent plurality of Christian believers in this country. Where in the Constitution is anything mentioned about Christianity?

Mr. Scott says he will relieve us nonbelievers of any tax responsibility if we agree to no services. That is fine with me, but all his so-called Christian folk must fight all future Bush wars based on lies and lack of compassion.

Mr. Scott says he is tired of nonbelievers “forcing” their beliefs on the Christian majority. Is he insane? The forcing of beliefs comes from the right-wing Republican defectives who want all to bow to their hypocritical agenda. No room for compromise. The same thing happens in other areas of the country, such as Brown City, Mich., where a very prominent sign says if you don’t believe in saying “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays” then you should leave the U.S.

No, Mr. Scott, I am not going anywhere, but maybe you should go to a real church that practices what many say are the true tenets of Jesus Christ: tolerance, love and compassion. I believe people like Mr. Scott have none of these attributes, just hypocrisy.

From The Citizen, January 22

Wendell Hamilton

Brown City, Mich.

Christian letter-writer should check his facts

This is in response to a Jan. 18 letter on the subject of the United States being a Christian nation founded on Christian values.

I will start with the end of the writer’s letter. After pontificating on his Christian values, the last sentence reads: “If you don’t like what we do with your money, then keep it and shut the hell up!” Is that how Christ would say it?

This letter was so full of misinformation and made-up gibberish, I hesitated to dignify it with a response, but I just couldn’t help myself. For example, “In God We Trust” was minted on the two-cent coin for the first time in 1864 as a response to the horror of the Civil War — and not introduced in 1776. The phrase was on and off coins for decades, and was only introduced to paper bills in 1957.

The Pledge of Allegiance had the phrase “under God” added in 1954 after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus — again not an “ancient” Founding Father’s decree.

As for the Founding Fathers, they were for the most part of varying Christian faiths, but deism and Unitarians were in the mix along with the liberal-thinking of “enlightenment.” These far-thinking gentlemen purposely kept religion out of the Constitution to avoid the very Taliban-like behavior that some of the “Christian” community mimics. To listen to the writer, one would think Jesus wrote the Constitution!

As for the writer’s solution to this “problem” of nonChristians’ “inane demands,” all I can say is holy crap! I guess he is so ill-informed that he has inane demands confused with civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution — you know, the one written by the Founding Fathers. They left room for everyone on purpose. The Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and atheists, just to name a few. Apparently, in the writer’s world, if you’re not a Christian, you are a devil worshipper or a practitioner of voodoo.

Please sir, turn off the Fox News and question your sources of information before you write a letter to the editor.

Alex Symington

Key West

Founders were clear on religion, government

In response to Dave Scott’s angry diatribe and recommendation to completely disenfranchise all nonChristians in the U.S., let me quote the founder of that religion: “Whatsoever ye have done unto one of these, the least of my brethren, ye have done it also unto me.”

Let’s pretend (admittedly far-fetched) that the founders of this wonderful country did intend to found a theocracy, as Dave seems to believe. What kind of theocracy should it be? Catholic? Protestant? Quaker? Mormon? Or should we return to our roots and embrace the Puritan faith and all that implies?

Dave seems to believe that, because our currency and our Pledge of Allegiance make reference to God, that makes us a “Christian nation.” But “under God” was added to the pledge in 1954, and our original currency said nothing about trusting in God. Our founders were pretty clear on the subject. Adamant, even.

I am thankful that I live in a country that has, time after time, in her courts and in her legislation, reinforced one of the most critical founding principles of this nation — that of separation of church and state. And I am also thankful that we recognize that we are always in the process of “forming a more perfect union” by interpreting those principles and never sitting back and saying “there, we’ve done it.”

Imagine how shameful we would feel if this nation forced any particular religion on others. That is precisely what is happening when our tax-supported institutions display the Ten Commandments, etc. Imagine going to a public school and seeing only passages from the Quran posted on the wall. See how it works?

I think Dave is wrong about some fundamental founding principles of this glorious ongoing experiment in democracy, as well as the teachings of perhaps that greatest of all teachers, Jesus. I have read the red text many times and all I find are lessons of inclusion, compassion, gentleness, harmony, patience and love for all. I doubt seriously if He would endorse your instruction to “… keep it and shut the hell up!”

Roger Cunningham

Key West

My thoughts.

Maybe they didn’t teach American history in schools Dave Scott attended.

From all I have read, the Founding Fathers founded a nation based on white male supremacy.

I have read the Declaration of Independence was penned by a Deist named Thomas Jefferson, a slaveholder known to have no respect for Christianity, and who later led the charge to keep Christianity from becoming the state religion of Virginia in its Constitution.

In the Declaration of Independence, which was the beginning of America as we know it, there is no mention of Christianity. There are four different mentions of God, none remotely resembling Bible or New Testament terminology. Some of the men who signed it were Christians, some were not.

I also have read the Founding Fathers did not want to see repeated in America what had happened in Europe at the hands countries allegient to only one sect of Christianity, and that’s why they passed the First Amendment, guaranteeing freedom of the press, speech and religion, and prohibiting government estabishment of a religion. Even Christian congressmen voted for that Amendment. Because of that Amendment, every American can write letters to the editor and get them published, and every American can be a memmber of any or no relgion, or believe in or not believe God exists.

Consider other tenets of Jesus, as well: resist not one who does evil; forsake an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth; love your enemies and pray for and do good to those who persecute you; turn the other cheek; take no thought for your own life; fear not him who can take your life, but fear him who can take your life and your soul (God); if someone takes your goods, ask not for them back; if someone asks for your shirt, give also your coat; it is more blessed to give than to receive; love your neighbor as yourself, even if he is a hated Samaritan; the kingdom of God is not of this world …

I read somewhere the Republican bigwigs sizing up Abraham Lincoln as their candidate for president said to him something like, “It is said you do not attend church,” to which Lincoln replied, “That is true, but I would, if I could find one where God is in charge.”

I read somewhere else Lincoln said something like, “When the Lord wants me to do something, he finds a way to let me know, and when the Lord doesn’t want me tto do something, he finds a way to let me know that, too.”

I read somewhere else Lincoln was well-versed in the Bible.

My spirit controllers, one goes by the name of Jesus, told me a few years ago that Christianity is the Anti-Christ because it claims Jesus as Lord but does not do what he said to do and does what he said not to do. Often have I written, in God’s eyes, we all are homeless.

As for George W. Bush’s wars, I think Bush and all American Christians who supported his wars, including Barack Obama, should be on the front lines in Afghanistan. That Christians still wage human wars indicates they do not understand the war Jesus waged and taught others to wage – within.

Sloan Bashinsky

I usually can be reached at keysmyhome@hotmail.com