"'Yes' voters, are you willing to donate?"
Reposted with permission of The Davis Enterprise -http://www.davisenterprise.com/opinion/dunning/yes-voters-are-you-willing-to-donate/
OPEN MOUTH, INSERT WALLET ... let's imagine for a minute the unimaginable ... suppose Measure C fails ... not likely, given that Tommy Randall and Jose Granda appear to be the only Davisites against it, and, based on Sunday's newspaper ads and letters to the editor, there are thousands and thousands in favor ... still, a two-thirds vote is a high bar indeed and one that the Yes on C folks are not taking lightly ...
Our schools are already in a hole, and if Measure C fails, the hole gets considerably deeper ... yes, there are always more and better ways to cut, squeeze and trim and we all have our opinions about how that might be accomplished, but the plain fact of the matter is our schools desperately need the cash infusion Measure C is designed to provide ... it's not a complete answer, but it is a very large Band-Aid ...
Those of us who plan to vote in favor of Measure C are in effect signing a contract to provide $320 a year to the Davis schools ... still, if Measure C fails, there is absolutely nothing to prevent every single one of us who voted "Yes" from going ahead and donating $320 a year to the schools ... for sure, we don't have to, but if we voted "Yes," we certainly planned to, so why not come across with the cash anyway? ...
Obviously, even if all "Yes" voters accept this plan, it will still bring in far fewer dollars than if Measure C passes, but the amount raised would not be insignificant if people take this pledge seriously ... many people, no doubt, have already contributed far more than $320 to the schools ...
And naysayers will ask how this is any different from straight tuition and whatever happened to the notion of free public education? ... well, nothing the government -- at any level -- pays for is actually free ... it all comes out of our pocket one way or the other ... if Measure C fails to pass, I'll be among those pulling out my checkbook and making a $320 donation ... annually ... I hope you'll do the same ...
SAVE THE STAMP ... in my column two days ago complaining of grammatical errors in the official Measure C Sample Ballot, I noted that "Our family has embarked on a Frugal February in which we have all pledged not to spend a penny for the entire month, so it's a good thing ballots aren't due until March 6 or we wouldn't be able to buy a stamp to mail it in." ... turns out no stamp is required ... in most cases ... having finally opened my "Official Mail Ballot," I note in the upper righthand corner a statement that "NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES." ...
Darn, that leaves out taking my ballot to Honolulu and mulling my vote on the sands of Waikiki ... as any Birther will tell you, people born in Hawaii are not U.S. citizens, so it must not be a state ...
SPEAKING OF FRUGAL FEBRUARY ... my friend Nate forwarded me the Chronicle piece from the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa that offered "Free admission for red-haired girls" last Sunday ... according to the museum, "Little (and not so little) red-haired girls get in FREE today (last Sunday). We are continuing the tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day and Charlie Brown's affection for a certain Little Red-Haired Girl two days early since the Museum will be closed on Valentine's Day this year." ... thanks, Nate ... the Red-Headed Girl of My Dreams and I will file this one away for future reference ...
CANDLES AND CAKE ... happy birthday to Ted -- my first born -- a Valentine's baby with a heart of gold who makes me proud every day ...
A SAD REMINDER ... sadly, Rudy at yahoo.com reports that "My wife died last year in April. She did get an Official Ballot from our Yolo County Office of Elections. Wonder if she will get another chance to vote in June." ... I am truly sorry, Rudy ... but, you know, it must be hard for the county to keep its voter rolls current in all cases ... our prayers are with you, my friend ...
