Commentary

I’ve decided to make this an annual tradition starting this year. There’s no time like the present to start another yearly tradition. Some of you may already know of my annual Independence Day Open Letter, but this is the first time I’ve done an Earth Day Open Letter.

Earth Day this year is especially important given all that has happened in the few years. The radioactive incident in Japan, Deepwater Horizion, the new reports about Fracking, sweeping droughts, weather pattern changes, all are very real reminders that changing our world is not a “tomorrow” problem. It is a today problem.

We have the technology, but can we overcome our apathy?

One of the primary things plaguing us and preventing us from solving the very real problems today is apathy and ignorance. I still hear people today claim that climate scientists have it all wrong and that there is nothing to worry about, so we shouldn’t change our lives. The argument is nonsense. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe climate scientists are wrong and we aren’t going through global climate change (regardless of what the data shows), why can’t we still clean up our act? We know that fossil fuels are finite resources, and the argument against renewable energy augmenting a huge part of that demand (I don’t see it ever completely going away, but being a much smaller percentage) is that it is too expensive. It will be too expensive if we don’t change our ways now, rather than later. Of course I would love to run out and buy a Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Volt, but like many of you I don’t have the money to do that.

However, what I do have the funds to do is to rebuild my credit, get out of my current debt, and upgrade my car to hopefully a full electric, or a hybrid electric, or if nothing else a highly economical car, like the Smart Car. Sure, until the cost of the Volts and the Leafs come down many of us won’t be able to upgrade, but they will come down, and hopefully that will be when the life cycle of our current cars have come to an end. Until then, we can reduce trips, carpool, use mass transit, or telecommute. Lifestyle changes that can make a big impact.

There are other things we can do: diminish our use of plastics. This can be as simple as changing from Plastic Bags to canvas and other types of reusable bags when going to the grocery store, to reducing the use of plastics in the home (swapping plastic dishes for glass, etc.).

Time to go solar!

If you’ve been thinking about solar power for a while now, but found buying solar arrays outside of your ability, there are other options. Planet Forward at George Washington University, broadcasting on PBS (yes, that PBS) just named Sungevity as Innovator of the Year. Why? Because they found a way to help finance solar installations. You lease your solar panels from Sungevity, and they maintain the installation, you get to keep the savings on your electric bill. Now isn’t that a bright idea? They also have options to buy. But either way, if we all put solar panels on our roof tops we will decrease the amount of energy needed to be generated by coal and natural gas power plants.

No Magic Bullet

I hear a lot of people talking about looking for that one fuel that will replace Gasoline for our cars, coal for our power plants, etc.

I don’t see that happening. I see our transportation energy especially coming from multiple sources, with different fuel types being available, whether it’s biofuels from algae, Liquid Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, all-electric, ultra-efficient petroleum engines, the days of just being able to pull up to a pump and not worry about the label is over.

The same, I think, holds true for electricity generation. We will need a mix of solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, hydro, natural gas, and hopefully soon fusion power plants. In the mean time, reducing our energy consumption through efficiency, lifestyle, and culture changes is important. The need for bright electric billboards in cities is not there, it may look pretty, but it is ultimately a waste of energy.

Time to kill apathy

Ultimately, going green is more about killing our apathy than anything else. Changing how we live our lives is the first and greatest step.

In my household we recycle more than we throw in the trash. We use energy-efficient bulbs where possible, we watch our water usage, and we use green household products. I use reusable bags whenever possible when I go to the grocery store, saving money as I typically only purchase what I can fit into three reusable bags.

We have the technology, we have the capabilities to reduce our impact on the globe, the question is, will we?

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, and I really mean paying deep attention to the news, you’ll find some very interesting headlines.

The claim is the states in our union are undergoing a major budget shortfall and drastic measures are needed to shore up state ledgers. Logical, right? That is until you look deeper:

• Florida - Gov. Rick Scott cuts Education by $1.75 million, only to give Corporations and Property owners a tax break… of almost the equal amount. (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/gov-rick-scotts-proposed-education-budget-1-75-1302720.html)
• Wisconsin – Gov. Scott Walker fleeces a potential budget surplus on corporate and business tax breaks, before engaging in busting the public sector unions (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/02/unions_arent_to_blame_for_wisc.html)
• Ohio – More zero budget impact union busting (http://www.irontontribune.com/2011/02/28/ohio-governor-says-he%E2%80%99s-for-jobs-not-anti-union/), including a special budget easing (not) portion denying Gays the right to marry. Again. Because one law ain’t enough. (http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_SB_5_PSC_Y.html)
• Indiana – Even more anti-union, zero budget actions and another Democratic flee across state lines. (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20035497-503544.html)

If you read about these situations, and yawn, thinking ‘its just another unions vs. everyone else fight, well, look no further than to Michigan, where the Governor there is about to make all three of the Governors above look like Mother Theresa.

Michigan

First, on the budget, Governor Rick Snyder is cutting $1.2 billion in spending to deal with a $1.4 billion shortfall. Sounds good so far, right? You know better than to think that before finishing reading: $1.8 billion dollar tax break to businesses by requiring only large C corporations pay business taxes. $1.4b-$1.2b=$0.2b in the red. $0.2b+$1.8=$2.0b in the red. A net savings of…. nothing. Actually, a net loss of $0.6 BILLION DOLLARS. (I could work that out to millions, but it’s almost 11:30 PM MST).

But wait, there’s more

On top of his already fuzzy math, Gov. Snyder proposes adding $1.7b in revenues to state coffers by eliminating other tax breaks… “for seniors and low-income workers and getting rid of many other income tax deductions, such as one for donating to public universities.” (http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/02/17/news/doc4d5d534aeca82215701842.txt)

But wait, there is EVEN MORE

Still trying to follow this absolutely insane mathematical squeeze? Well don’t rack your pretty little head over it any more. Tax breaks and tax cuts aside, there is a whole section of this budget repair bill that upon reading would make any rational citizen dookie in their Dockers.

Gov. Snyder has asked the state legislature to give his office sole decision making authority over local governments, regarding whether they’re in a fiscal emergency. Once his office, or a agency or firm appointed by him has done so, they can end all contracts, strip bargaining rights, fire personnel, including elected officials, dissolve or reorganize any city or school district, and even put a company in charge of those districts or cities, effectively privatizing them.

What this means, if Gov. Snyder gets his way, he or a firm (company) he appoints can go to your city, say it’s in a budget crisis, take it over, dissolve it, or put a company in it’s place to run it, and kick the mayor and council out on their rear ends. Your school district? Yeah, the superintendent is gone and your district is now part of a larger conglomeration. (http://michiganmessenger.com/47013/bill-offers-no-guidelines-for-use-of-emergency-managers-powers)

If after reading this, you are not completely awake, I recommend finding the nearest body of water that is less than 40 degrees in water temperature and taking a brief swim. Perhaps that bone chilling cold will actually wake up the senses.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we’ve been blitzed by the legislatures and Governors elected by the Tea Party Express. The same group that championed “smaller government” has just handed the keys to many states to people who want to create MUCH larger government, and not in a constructive way.

We have found ourselves in a new era, where people hell bent on destroying the very fabric of this nation have been elected and are well on their way to succeeding.

If there was ever a time to invest more personal time into being informed from trusted and reliable sources, of doing personal research, and of organizing against the injustices that are occurring, now is that time.

We’ve been blitzed and robbed. We cannot stand to allow that to happen any longer.

I’m temporarily taking a break from my series on assumptions (which I will return to soon), to bring some public advice to anyone out there in the property management community.

1) Give you apartments a simple name, please. Like after a landmark or geographic feature in the immediate area.

1a) Please, do not try to pass your complex off as a resort by calling it “The Retreat” or “The Resort”. Unless you’re going to have some chick in a bikini bring me a margarita at 2 AM, you’re not a retreat. You’re an apartment complex.

1b) If your complex is, say, further than 2 blocks from a major body of water, please don’t use terms like “Cove” “Bay” “Beach”. Again, you are not a resort and calling your complex “The Cove at Sandpoint” when it’s in the middle of, say Denver or Phoenix, not only makes you seem stupid, it actually proves the point.

1c) Simple names aren’t cheesy or lame, and actually give character.

2) The Internet is your friend. Seriously, timely updates of property rates and availability is worth the investment.

These are just two pieces of advice I would give to Property Managers, other than cleaning up your properties!

Assuming. Everyone has assumed something at some time. Some assumptions are legit, such as “Assume we have 10 apples, and I gave 7 away, but 3 were returned. How many do I have?”. However, many times we assume things to be true we we have insufficient evidence to support our claim. Not because we wish to make an example, as in the apples line, but instead we need evidence to feel validated in our opinions. We will assume many things regardless of what evidence we have based on “common sense observations”, even though there is nothing common nor sensible about “common sense”. In this blog post, I will go over some frequent assumptions that I have seen good people make, but which really should not have been made. My hope is by pointing these out, that people will think prior to making assumptions or statements, and will only opine in regards to information they can verify.

Welfare & Unemployment

This is one I have seen a lot lately, and for fairly obvious reasons: the economy sucks, and everyone is struggling. For those lucky enough to have a job, it is quite easy to resent or even hate those who are collecting unemployment and welfare as leeches on society. “They’re stealing MY money!” , many have claimed. “They’re lazy… with welfare and unemployment they have no reason to look for work. They’re living the good life!”

As someone who spent nearly 1 year unemployed, and received unemployment from March through the end of September, I take such comments very personally. First, the assumption is often they’re living an amazing life: money for free, no need to work, they can do what they want. This assumption is grossly exaggerated. Unemployment and welfare is not the sweet life. Living off of unemployment insurance is both a very depressing yet humbling thing. For about 7 months, my unemployment benefits were approximately $240 a week. Sounds like a sweet deal doesn’t it?  $960 a month? For free? I mean who in their right mind would WANT to go back to work?

Only, it really isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. By the time someone reaches unemployment, they’ve generally exhausted their savings, used their severance if they were lucky to have one, and generally have debt from before being unemployed.

Had I stayed in Arizona, unemployment would not have been enough to meet my financial obligations. Rent, utilities, phone bill and internet to be able to continue to look for work, gas, insurance, car payment, etc., what I received in unemployment would not have even begun to pay my obligations. It’s not easy to sit and look at your unemployment account, then your bills, and decide “Do I not pay the car this month and buy groceries? Do I not pay insurance and hope I don’t get pulled over and be saddled with a hefty ticket?” And that was all without having a family to support. I was lucky and I had a family safety net I could rely upon, and I was able to emigrate from a piss-poor job market to eventually one that I could find work.

However the notion that I should have forgone unemployment insurance because it’s stealing someone else’s money doesn’t sit well with me. I payed into the system while I worked, I relied upon it for the maximum time needed, and moved off. As most people do. There are only 99 Weeks available for unemployment right now and that is because of the massive recession. Once those 99 weeks are up they’re up. Gone. No mas. Yes, I saw jobs in the paper and never applied for them. Why you ask? “Part time minimum wage, 15 hours a week” wasn’t an option. Sure, some would say “if you didn’t have unemployment you would do it”, and they’re correct. I would apply for that job. But in doing so I would do nothing but satisfy someone else’s desire to see people lose everything so they can sleep knowing their tax dollars are being spent where they should be: on a new missile defense system. In taking that job, with or without unemployment, I would have lost my only method of transportation in an area without good mass transit. I would have lost any option to move to a bigger city and obtain gainful employment. I would have gone into bankruptcy and contributed to the recession. I would have had to default on account after account, making my bank and credit union closer to insolvency. I would not have been putting money back into the economy, I would not have been paying sales tax or gas tax. I would not have been able to contribute to my community through volunteer work.

I simply would have been Brad. working 2 nights a week at a burger joint, asking “And would you like the combo”, and putting the little money I made into payment to a bankruptcy lawyer.

Instead, with unemployment insurance. I kept my accounts stable enough that I only flirted with the notion of repossession, but still made as many payments as possible, which meant my credit union did not have another troubled asset on it’s hands. I bought groceries at the grocery store, which meant the bagger could continue to get paid. I bought gas at the gas station, which meant not only did the night clerk get to continue working, but the state and federal government also continued to receive my tax dollars from the sale of fuel. With unemployment insurance, I was able to contribute my time between going to school and looking for real employment to the local fire district, saving tax payers in that municipality money in IT services.

We can assume that everyone on unemployment and welfare are just leaches stealing money from our pockets. Or we can realize that there are circumstances beyond the control of people, and that the money they receive is actually doing the economy better than just saying “oh, sorry”. In my case, it would mean punishing an individual for the inept management decisions of a group of people fighting in power plays with absolute disregard for the people they were effecting.

While I admit there are a few people out there gaming the system, it is a shame that we in this country have gotten to the point where we assume everyone is gaming the system, with no evidence supporting that.

Remember, most people are good people trying to do the right thing. While in your day to day interactions you may come across every cretin and jackass out there, you’re just unfortunate enough to find yourself surrounded by the bottom percentile. Every day this past summer I wanted to work. I wanted to work so much I volunteered in my field to ensure I didn’t have a gap in my resume. Taking a 15 hour a week part time minimum wage job would have been tantamount to suicide.