Never Forget...Pay It Forward

By Allen Bacon, Editor, The Daily Bosco

The tenth anniversary of the horrific mass murder of students at a high school campus in Colorado was marked by memorial services that were highly publicized by the media. There was footage of the memorial services but there were also images of that horrible day on April 20, 1999...a replay of the event that many of us are trying to forget.

I have mixed emotions about this.

One part of me wants to remember these events so we never forget to take steps that will keep this from happening again. The other part of me...the cynical part...tells me that the media shows replays these horrible events to capture better ratings.

There's one huge reason that I really don't want to see replays of these events on television. I remember clearly that in this event, and events like it, that the killers left notes and video to the effect that they would be famous for this. It seems like they got their wish.

The names of the killers seem to be as prominent as the victims and that's very wrong. Every year on this date their heinous crime is drudged back up and their notoriety as one of the biggest mass murderers in history is confirmed. They got their wish. Their famous.

While it certainly is appropriate to have private memorial services for the victims so their families remember their loved ones... I wish the constant replay of the tragedy would stop. Because you know that somewhere some people are getting ideas that, in a perverse way, they can be famous too and their name will be remembered forever.

As an alternative each of us on an individual level need to make it our resolve to be more inclusive and tolerant of other people to make sure these events don't happen again. In other words, treat people like you would want to be treated. It's a simple concept, I know. But it works.

Another Misuse of Taxpayers Money

By Allen Bacon, Editor, The Daily Bosco

I read this week in my local paper, The Los Angeles Register of Orange County, that the Orange County Transportation Authority spent $95,802 on travel and conference expenses for its board members over the past three years, according to agency documents - including $300-a-night hotel rooms in New York City and $975-per-person conference fees to join a group of Southern California officials trying to secure transportation spending in Washington, D.C.

One board member spent $24,017. taking 14 trips requiring air travel to places like New York, Miami, Washington D.C., Toronto, Portland and Sacramento. While in New York this board member stayed at the Le Parker Meridien hotel for $300 a night.

Another board member took seven trips requiring air travel - including Washington D.C. and New York - with bills totaling $16,575. On one of those rating-agency trips, he stayed at the five-star, $300-a night New York Palace hotel, which bills itself “An icon of Manhattan splendor, The New York Palace seamlessly blends old world elegance with new world opulence…. known for its luxurious hotel accommodations, spectacular views, spacious rooms, and unparalleled service.” This member also traveled to Washington with the Orange County Business Council to lobby for better transportation funding and planning; registration fees alone were $975 in 2007 and $700 in 2008.

Another board member made 14 trips requiring air travel and expenses of $13,997. She too went on rating agency trips to New York and advocacy trips to Washington D.C., as well as many runs to Sacramento for hearings and meetings with legislators. (She was chair and vice-chair at the time.)

OCTA is the transportation czar for Orange County, CA overseeing billions in highway, road and rail projects. It recently increased bus fares and cut bus routes to deal with budget problems, and plans to cut its travel and conference budget by 10 percent next year.

Art Brown is on the Metrolink advisory board, and is the board’s authority person on rail issues. He defended his excessive traveling expense by saying It’s extremely important for him to stay current on the latest developments and update his colleagues. “The board relies on me to give explanations on how it’s going to fit in the grand scheme for rail safety and better service,” Brown said. “It’s important to make decisions based on fact.”

Most of the trips are probably necessary to secure funds for the Transportation District. But is it really necessary to spend taxpayers money on five star hotels and first class travel accomodations?

I feel it would be more fitting, since they are spending taxpayers money, to take the most economical way of getting to their destination. When they get to their destination they should be staying at the most economical motel like a Motel 6 or a relatives house. And whenever possible they need to take public transportation to their meeting.

When traveling in state to places like Los Angeles or Sacramento...the board members need to take a train. When going to and from their living accomodations they need to take public transportation. They are afterall making recommendations on a transportation system. What better way to get ideas for recommendations than by actually riding a bus or light rail or train.

Also, many of these seminars these board members go to probably do not require traveling anyway. I attend several "webinars" a year from my laptop. And I'm sure there is a way to access most of these meetings without actually being there.

Let's call this what it is. It's an abuse and misappropriation of taxpayers money and it needs to stop now.