tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84426568805100678272024-03-05T00:29:48.268-08:00Accountability and other mattersDennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-90259430148320405542012-09-25T08:05:00.001-07:002012-09-25T08:05:14.093-07:00Denver founded on a Claim Jump?Jane Lorimer of Inter Neighborhood Cooperation recently asked what three towns made up the founding of early Denver? Here is what I answered,. Other historians might say something different. Other historians will retort that whatever I say is incorrect.
Here is why some folks say Denver was found on a claim jump.
I believe it would be more accurate to identify the names of the original founding towns as four: 1. Denver City, 2. Auraria City 3. briefly St Charles; and 4. Highland. Denver City was set up by General William Larimer. Larimer arrived at confluence of Cherry Creek and Platte on November 16, 1858. Larimer squinted across Cherry Creek and got worried when saw another town, Auraria City. So he lusted for more developable land elsewhere. Charles Nichols hailed from St. Charles, Missouri and put four logs together to set up the town of St. Charles. I can't find the Denver town referred to as St. Charles City, just St. Charles.
As backup to his own east Platte diggings, Larimer walked across the ice across to the Northwest side of the river and set up the town of Highland on December 11, 1858 or sometime in 1859. Then the story goes that in spring of 1859 Larimer and his cronies bullied Nichols by telling him that he should simply give up his four log claim to St. Charles or face the end of a rope. In exchange for such urban cooperation, Larimer said he would gave him some choice lots in Denver. Nichols accepted the deal rather than a hanging. So Larimer claim jumped St. Charles. This is long before memoranda of understandings and long before Aurora and Denver started fighting over the Gaylord project.
Did Nichols give up his town for a barrel of whiskey?
Tom Noel, Denver's pre-eminent historian, thinks the whiskey story that Nichols sold out his town for a barrel of whiskey, is probably apocryphal. But I think we can promote the whiskey story as more prophetic since there is still lots of whiskey being drunk in lodo. Many historians say the bully rope threat story is more accurate. Nichols then sold his lots and left such unfriendly territory. This was before multiple use zoning rules. No setbacks. No dispute resolution office.
Was Montana City one of the founding cities?
Remember, Montana City was a bit further down south from the confluence area located at Florida Avenue and the Platte. So I would leave Montana City out of the list of 4 names considered above.
So I suggest that there were 4 cities involved in Denver's founding: Auraria City; Denver City which claim jumped and absorbed the short-lived St. Charles; and then Larimer's backup town, Highland, later to become the town of Highlands in 1870's.
Just imagine what those founding folks could have done with some creative tax increment financing. And some say the early Denver founders may have lusted in their corporate hearts to gobble up the town of Glendale, but it was thought to be too far out in the country to bother.
Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-84442688416987228462012-08-22T05:01:00.002-07:002012-08-22T05:01:57.570-07:00Bracero exhibit at RegisThe word bracero is derived from the Spanish word brazos meaning 'arms.' Braceros worked with thier arms, their strong arms harvesting the fields of America's west from 1942-1964. The Dayton Memorial Library at Regis University, in partnership with the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, hosts this fascinating exhibit of this part of US/Mexican history from August 18---October 28. The braceros also worked for railroads and maintained tracks. The library is open until 12 midnight now for the semester since the students are flocking back to campus for another exciting year. So there is no excuse that you could not find time to come to the library. The Regis exhibit commemorates the 70th anniversary of the start of the Bracero Program in Colorado.
The exhibit is entitled "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964," and traces the history of the program which engaged nearly 5 million Mexican workers to come to the US and work in agriculture. Pictures on the Smithsonian traveling panels offer a wide range of memories of this almost now forgotten part of American history. Workers look out from the pictures with strength and pride and love of hard work. The US unilaterally ended the program because many felt that these workers took jobs away from American workers.
Professor Ramon Del castillo wrote a poem for the exhibit and read it with passion. Dr. Nikki Gonzales, Regis professor and daughter of Chief Joe Gonzales of the Denver Fire Department, headed up the Regis side of the exhibit.
Fr. John P. FitzGibbons, S. J., the new president of Regis, reminded the crowd that Regis was proud to host this exhibit. He then quoted from the psalms about helping those most in need and respecting the foreigners in our midst. Fr. FitzGibbons's words showed us how the exhibit speaks out to us today.
Dr. Charles Collins, University of Northern Colorado, mused at the opening of the exhibit aboutf his experiences with braceros who worked on his family's farm in Greeley. Interested folks will have another chance to hear Dr. Collins talk further on Thursday, August 30th at Casa Mayan House, 1020 9th Street Historic Park on Auraria Campus. 12:30-1:30 PM. Regis is sponsoring several other speakers and panels throughout the semester. You can check it out at www.regis.edu/exhibit.
I hope you will embrace the Bracero Exhibit at Regis. While you are in the library, visit the Santo Chapel on the 3rd floor holding some of the finest religious Santo art in the country. Tell all your amigos.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-6919986159123798922012-08-20T11:51:00.003-07:002012-08-20T11:51:41.170-07:00St Rocco'sJane Jacob's in her axial work on what makes America's cities special, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, talks about the importance of church neighborhood events for building community, an understanding of diversity, looking to civic renewal a bright future, turning things from darkness into light. While Jane probably never attended St. Rocco's Festival in North Denver, the yearly summer processions sponsored by Italian fraternal organizations at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church fit like a Venetian velvet glove within her theory. Church festivals and processions through the neighborhood build diversity for residents. They bring a spirit of renewal, gene unity, a yearly spiritual cleaning after all the sorrows, the family fights, the crime, any harms which beset a neighborhood during the year.
I really look forward to the processions at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on 36th and Navajo. I smile so much my face muscles begin to hurt. I see lots of friends from high school and students from Regis. My cousin, Captain Brian Gallagher, DPD, always volunteers to do traffic control for the procession. Grazzie mile, Brian.
Let me share with you why this festival engenders such great fun and an amazing uplift to our spirits. I believe Marie Dispense invited me to my first St. Rocco's festival when I was a freshman in high school with her beautiful daughter, Mary Carole. I wanted to be there, if Mary Carol with her bobby socks rolled was going to be there. I didn't want to be square. I wanted to be "cool." When I was in high school, being Italian equaled "cool squared."
The Potenza Lodge takes charge of the St. Rocco procession. The saint's statue with his sporty Tyrolean hiking cap gets gently hoisted on a portable platform and placed at the entrance of the church surrounded by kids, flowers, and flags. A small dog is carved into the St. Rocco statue because of the oral legend passed down for centuries now for mother to daughter and fathers to sons in Potenza, Italy. St. Rocco injured his leg and a dog came to him and tended unto him. St. Rocco's finger points to his wounded leg healing with the assistance of his dog. I am surprised the groups seeking protection for animals have not picked up on St. Rocco.
Before the procession the faithful can pin money to an scarf placed around St. Rocco's neck, like a bride's dress at a traditional Italian wedding. The belief holds that the money becomes a petition for healing, for forgiveness, for help with a marriage, for the kid to get a job, for the economy, as divine providence healed St. Rocco. The money becomes a prayer. St. Rocco, deliver us.
Remember the band in The Godfather when Michael gets married in Sicily? I swear that band flew in for the St. Rocco procession. The hearty band's music really livens the whole festival up. The band builds tension and increases the take for the church allowing bidders time to collaborate how much they want to give this year. St. Rocco, spare us from the recession.
The band plays and the bidding begins. Who gets to carry the statue? Families begin bidding for the privilege of carrying the saint's statue through the neighborhood. Tension builds, the band plays again, families confer and pool their resources. Families bid again, the tension builds more. This is an election year, competition is good.
Families can also bid on who gets to carry the flags, the American flag always gets the highest bid followed by the Potenza Lodge procession banner.
Finally, to me the most touching part of the whole festival and procession, can be found in youngsters from the church giving flowers to women along the procession route. You just don't get this pastiche in Cherry Hills Village and other gated communities.
So thanks to Potenza Lodge and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church for blessing Denver such ethnic old world diversity. And St. Rocco, send us some rain, por favore.
Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-6170934364598555542012-07-03T12:44:00.002-07:002012-07-03T12:44:26.082-07:00IndependenceTomorrow at Denver’s historic 4 Mile House Park, Professor Tom Noel and I will be leading folks in our annual reading of the full Declaration of Independence. The reading will start about 1pm, but fun for all the family can be had if you get there early. We thank Congresswoman Diana DeGette for giving us copies of the Declaration and the Constitution from her office supply.
They serve a good hamburger and brat lunch with potato salad and baked beans at the park. The park also celebrates our independence with hay rides, and a stage coach rides. You just line up for those events. And Daniel Knifechief from North Denver, a Native American friend, shows kids what living in a teepee is like.
The civil war soldiers always set off a few canon shots just in case the British might be thinking about reclaiming their former colony. Visitors can see many early American crafts: quilt making and sewing; horse shoe clanging on hot anvils; and the gift show is open.
The Denver Concert Band always lifts the spirits of all with their rousing patriotic marches and melodies. And during the Declaration’s reading, we try to get the crowd roaring “Down with King George.” Last year the crowd picked up the refrain like a bunch of Tea Partiers at a make up your mind rally.
I will have voter registration sign-up sheets available for anyone who wishes to register. I took the course at a neighborhood meeting on how to help sign up residents to vote. I am a veritable walking voter registration site. And feel free to join in on the reading of your favorite grievance old King George III.
The park is at 715 S. Forrest Street, in Denver, not quite Glendale.
There is a charge for admission, but it’s well worth it. Up the Republic.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-76650648564834684552012-07-02T15:05:00.000-07:002012-07-02T15:05:29.896-07:00The Patent Office the past; and a PresidentA U.S. Patent Office satellite location is coming to Denver. Good news for our city and our state. This is a significant economic shot in the arm for Denver and Colorado in more ways than one and will pay dividends for many years to come.
It will pay major economic dividends "for basically zero taxpayer money."
It was a truly collaborative effort that included bipartisan support in government, the business community, academia, and from local leaders across the state. (As I am fond of noting, when I served in the Legislature, the spirit of cooperation was usually there and many of us worked across the aisle on efforts that were good for the state.)
Denver's relatively low costs for commercial real estate leases and other expenses were a key reason the city got picked.
Having a patent office here will likely spur patents locally, as well as investment and the relocation of tech companies here.
Officials estimate a $439 million economic impact on Colorado in the first five years a patent office is open -- and with little or no taxpayer money, since operations are funded by patent fees.
Historically, the issuance of patents was one of the earliest endeavors of the federal government.
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution states, "Congress shall have the Power... To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."
Congress passed several patent acts during the first half century following the ratification of the Constitution. These acts include the Patent Act of 1790, the Patent Act of 1793, and the Patent Act of 1836. It is important to examine the provisions outlined by these acts, and analyze the impact of each upon American scientists of the time. The provisions outlined by this series of Congressional legislation are the foundation upon which the modern-day Patent Office is based.
The modern concept of the patent had its origins in 15th century England and the original Thirteen Colonies had some form of patent law, however it was Thomas Jefferson (among others) that influenced the development of a national patent system in 1790.
Though he influenced the development of the system and was an innovator and inventor in his own right, Jefferson never obtained a patent. Only one U.S. President has ever obtained a patent.
Who you ask?
On May 22, 1849, Abraham Lincoln received Patent No. 6469 for a device to lift boats over shoals, an invention which was never manufactured.
The great emancipator, savior of the Union and magnificent word-smith later said: “The patent system added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius."Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-6901580051095927082012-06-28T05:19:00.001-07:002012-06-28T05:19:24.436-07:00Fixing the City's Budget 'fix'Mayor Michael Hancock, hopefully with the support of council, will ask the citizens of Denver to de-Bruce our city on the November ballot as part of the strategy to meet the city's budget deficit. I predict City Council will support the Mayor in putting the ballot measure to de-Bruce before the voters. And the voters, if they vote to de-Bruce, would allow the city to keep monies(about $67 million)currently being returned to voters in the form of credits under TABOR. To de-Bruce,a proper noun turned into a verb, requires a vote of the people.
While our budget shortfall is about $90 million this year, the Mayor believes that allowing the city to retain this money in the city coffers would do much to alleviate the shortfall for Denver's city libraries(allowing service levels to be returned to earlier levels)and other needed city services. I suspect lots of voters don't even realize they get these credits. I am starting a survey.
I agree with the Mayor and I look forward to talking with as many voters as possible to encourage them to support this move.
But a possible glitch to the strategy to fix Denver's budget shortfall surfaces. Denver Public Schools is looking at putting $500 million on the ballot at the same time the city tries to de-Bruce. Nevertheless, I look forward to talking with you about these budget changes. Sounds like someone has to start working on the 'strategy' here on these issues.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-68722513821795763312012-06-20T16:51:00.000-07:002012-06-20T16:51:01.203-07:00June 17I recently attended the Elder Abuse Awareness Day sponsored by Denver DA Mitch Morrissey at the Pavilion at City Park. Attendance was up from last year and while I was not on the official program, Mitch invited me to regale the crowd of 70 folks with a song. Instead of my usual Colorado Song, I asked, "Why is June 17, 1972 an important date in American history?" Only one older gentleman from Arapahoe County answered back to me, "Watergate." I gave his an auditor's round pin as a reward for remembering history. Yes, the Watergate scandal started on June 17. The headline in Washington Post of June 18 read: "5 Held in Plot to Bug Democrats' Office." I re-read it, and it was a long story. The Democrats' office was located in the fancy Watergate Apartment complex in Washington.On his rounds through the building, Guard Frank Wills saw the tape which one of the White House burglars placed over the lock of the office door. He called Washington police and they arrested the five burglars. What ever happened to Frank? In 1974 after Nixon resigned the presidency, Regis University invited Senator Sam Ervin, Democrat of North Carolina who chaired the committee to investigate the White House break ins to speak on campus. The day of the senator's speech, I was honored to host Senator Ervin for lunch at the old Bratskellar located in Larimer Square. Courtlandt Doyle, a long time Democratic activist from North Denver went with us. He thanked Senator Ervin for saving our Republic. Everybody in the place came up to thank him for what he did for the country. Courtlandt paid for the lunch. Senator Ervin who endeared himself to the nation during the Watergate hearings by whimsically referring to himself as "just a country lawyer," shared with us that he worked closely with Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two reporters from the Washington Post who worked on the story which brought down Nixon, our modern day Macbeth.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-59548171418280754662012-06-20T16:44:00.000-07:002012-06-20T16:44:18.940-07:00Bloomsday in DenverSince 1982, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, Denver aficionados of the works of James Joyce have been reading this prolific author. We met in the back room of Sullivan's on Court Place. Gone, alas like our youth too soon. That's when the Joyce readers founded the James Joyce Reading Society of Greater Metropolitan Denver. Eileen Niehouse played her guitar and regaled us with songs mentioned in Joyce's works. We all unanimously elected Ned Burke as President for Life. The readers elected me as Vice Chair and our secretary-treasurer was Robert Ross whose dad was born in Scotland. Joyce would have liked that.
So for these past thirty years the faithful have gathered every 1st Tuesday at 7:30 pm in member's homes to read from the works of Joyce. We are plowing though the labyrinthine lines of Ulysses this year, I believe the 7th time we've read it.
Ulysses contains a Denver and Colorado reference which I never noticed until Ned Burke and I were reading from this great book in the morning of June 16, now called "Bloomsday." In Leopold Bloom's visit to Night town, the red light district of Dublin in 1904, Bloom meets a sailor to tells about seeing Buffalo Bill in Stockholm. The sailor recites a two line verse: "Buffalo Bill shoots to kill. Never missed nor he never will." The sailor adds that our Buffalo Bill toured the wide world with Hengler's Royal Circus.
Pity Sullivan's isn't still standing, a parking lot now. We could put a brass plaque to commemorate this remarkable founding.
If you are interested in reading along with us, contact me and I will get you the schedule. Joyce would like that.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-14810947992926558252012-06-12T08:00:00.000-07:002012-06-12T08:00:14.760-07:00Performance AuditsAt neighborhood meetings people often ask what good are performance audits?
I try to explain to them that the auditing profession has changed dramatically over the years, certainly since my serving on the State Legislative Audit Committee over 49 years ago.
I remind them that an old fashioned green eyeshade audit would report how much an agency was owed or how much it misspent. Important information, but more important is how to fix the problem auditors encounter in an agency. What steps and how long will it take for the agency to correct the faults? It’s sort of like holistic medicine, we want to know how the whole body is working. Is everything working together as it was intended. Lots of younger people probably don’t even remember the green eye shades accountants used to wear in black and white movies. Some auditor and accountants have a hard time getting away from the narrow focus of the green eyeshade mentality.
Let me give you an example of a May performance audit of The Colorado Division of Wildlife which shows value to the taxpayers and the department audited. Auditors found that $32 million went unrecorded; checks were written and not deducted from the accounts involved; Wildlife Commissioners received confusing and mistaken fund amounts as to what was available to the agency. Because of the accounting bloopers commissioners delayed some and eliminated other programs based on faulty accounting information. No one caught the mistakes until the state auditors came in to review what was going on with the communication procedures and accounting practices.
I recall the old joke accounting students at Regis University could spout after taking Fr. Joe Ryan’s accounting class. “Debits on the left, credits on the right. Debits by the windows, credits by the door.” Fray Luca Passioli, a Franciscan monk, in Florence, Italy come up with single page left/right double entry accounting in the mid-14th century.
State auditors recommended the Wildlife department go back to basics in following Fray Luca’s principles. The auditors recommended better and accurate communication with commissioners to make sure they have the right figures in the many accounts under their watch.
Congratulations to state auditors for an excellent performance audit. And the department agreed with the recommendations. After reading the audit, I am puzzled, however, as to why the negotiated deadline for implementing the corrections is pushed out to September 2013, 14 months away. Surely under Governor John Hickenlooper’s prodding, and with all the assistant directors helping and CFO’s chiming in like a chorus, and all those bright CPA’s marching behind, the agency folks should be able to implement the recommendations before then.
Legislators on the state audit committee are skeptical if the corrections will be made. Cast a cold eye on this one. Horseman, pass by.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-17757337864240610352012-06-11T15:11:00.001-07:002012-06-11T15:11:29.253-07:00Sister Martha Ann KochThe Sisters of Loretto who taught for many years at Holy Family School in North Denver at 43rd and Utica Street, where Arupe Jesuit School is now, celebrate their 200th birthday this year. I want to help them celebrate.
We lost a venerable member of the Loretto order, Sr. Martha Ann Koch, S. L., died peacefully at the mother house in Nerinkx, Kentucky. Sister Martha Ann taught me in seventh grade at Holy Family. Let me share two memories.
We went to mass on Friday mornings and I remember in late May filing into the church. A May morning mist covered what small bits of grass covered the parking and those gray moths we have here were on the wing. In the first pew, two rows ahead of me, knelt a glimmering Grace Kelly who was rehearsing for a play at Elitch summer stock. I recall an dappled apple colored scarf encircled her golden locks like a newly minted halo. My fellow students told me I did not hear Sr. Martha click her cricket clacker which all the nuns concealed some where in the dark folds of their habits. One click meant to kneel. I confess, I did not hear the click. Every one else knelt in unison, but I stayed standing transfixed as though I was beholding a heavenly vision in Miss Kelly.
Sr. Martha Ann came up the right aisle and nudged me saying, "Dennis Gallagher, you can kneel down now and concentrate on the mass please." Miss Kelly looked back at me. Her eyes flashed blue, the sacre bleu, like the blue in Mary's garment in the side altar.
Miss Kelly left right after communion, probably off to rehearsal. And before she disappeared out the right side door, she turned back and smiled and winked at me and I swear she whispered, "Thank you, Dennis." She must have heard Sr. Martha's instructions about kneeling. I was always thankful to Sr. Martha for introducing me to Grace Kelly when I was in the seventh grade.
Remember a few years back when I promised the people of Denver I would report on the city debt? So I relied on the CPA's who worked at the Auditor's Office to get me the figure. I thought the figure they brought to me was low, but I had been told, "you always listen to your CPA's?" I reported the debt and the figure was only off by about 10 billion dollars. You remember the papers had a field day. Headlines roared about the auditor's lost decimal point. Mine enemies chapped their lips. I walked in the valley of the shadows of those shunned.
But raising my spirits from out of the depths, as in the psalm, "De profundis, clamavi ad te, Domine." Sr. Martha wrote me and said she remembered I always had trouble with those "pesky decimal points." And she added with her great humor: "but Dennis, with a 10 billion dollar mistake, shouldn't you be working for the federal government?" But not to worry she closed. Sr. Martha reminded me she "was praying for me. You will make it through this stronger than before."
I hope we will celebrate Sr. Martha Ann's wonderful life of service and accomplishment on Tuesday, June 19th at the Loretto Center Chapel, 4500 South Wadsworth, 7 pm. Now Sr. Martha is praying for us all.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-73700054985611126782012-06-05T06:30:00.000-07:002012-06-05T06:30:01.024-07:00Elder Abuse - Do ask, Do tellDid you know that Colorado Adult Protective Services receives 11,000 reports every year concerning seniors who are at risk for safety and well-being?
Many more incidents of abuse go unreported. This issue was brought home to me when I served in our state senate a few years back.
I always remember when campaigning for the house and senate when I was younger. Walking door to door in North Denver with a high percentage of older folks, each house had talk radio playing. One older constituent told me that "talk radio took away the loneliness since her husband died." Those who would abuse the older people in our city know that many older people are lonely and are vulnerable to folks who show an interest in them. Everyone can be an auditor on this issue of elder abuse. Don't be afraid to ask and don't be afraid to tell if you suspect a case of elder abuse.
I am so glad that our city is sponsoring an event to raise consciousness about Elder Abuse. I hope you will join us on Friday, June 15, 2012, from 9-12 noon at beautiful City Park Pavilion. The event is entitled: "Elder Abuse Awareness Day." This will be a great chance to connect to aging services and learn how you can help with this often unnoticed issue facing older people in our city and state.
Please tell your friends and neighbors about this important event. Invite the young, being old is not catching. There will be music and entertainment and I promise not to sing the Colorado song. At most that would be trying the patience of the elderly and everybody else in attendance.
For more information, visit: www.Denvergov.org/ElderAbuse. And I want to thank Dr. Sharon Bailey of the Auditor's Office for suggesting this meeting for my calendar..Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-86686807753400071422012-06-04T07:00:00.000-07:002012-06-04T07:00:03.987-07:00What goes around, comes around"What goes around, comes around," an old favorite slogan of my father, certainly proved true in the flurry of publicity about Douglas Bruce's recent release from prison. Remember the first time Bruce went to jail? That was because Bruce, the reticent landlord, did not repair the basic safety and health violations raised by Denver housing code inspectors on some of his many rental units in our fair city. In the Denver Post, "Bruce complained that the jail's plumbing and heating were defective and would generate multiple code violations if the building was inspected."
Mr. Bruce also railed against the prison cuisine and the picture in the papers after his release showed a crisper and leaner tax protester. Bruce's comments reminded me of an incident I encountered a few years back. An Irish Senator from County Wicklow in Ireland phoned me. He was concerned that two of his young Irish lads got caught in America with expired visas. They were immediately arrested by INS and they spent two weeks in the federal immigration jail over in East Denver. They were in jail longer than Pat Sullivan. The Irish papers had picked up the story and folks were planning demonstrations to demand "America release the Wicklow Two." He asked me to look in on them. I went to visit them, and and asked how they were doing, both responded, "we've lost almost 20 pounds." Soon to be released, I asked them if they needed anything. "Councilman Gallagher, do you know any nice American girls we could take to dinner before we get flown home?"
I will not be surprised if some entrepreneur develops the "Prison Diet Plan, guaranteed to shed pounds every day."
And Denver building inspectors should check out Douglas Bruce's complaints about the prison building's plumbing and heating. What's good for the goose is good for the Bruce.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-75049144047948045812012-06-03T14:36:00.000-07:002012-06-03T14:36:20.732-07:00Asphalt WarriorGary Reilly grew up in North Denver and always wanted to be a writer. He was in my brother Tim's class at Holy Family. Unfortunately Gary died last year but he left for us 11 novels, the first of which has been published by Running Meter Press. In his first novel, Asphalt Warrior, Gary tells the story of Murph the cab driver Reilly captures the vicissitudes, the rough and tumble life of cabbies here in Denver. Readers will appreciate and identify with the many experiences and folks Murph encounters while driving his cab.
Former news reporter, Mark Stevens, and editorial cartoonist, Mike Keefe, have teamed up to publish Gary's book.
Murph is a great character who brings his daily wages home to his apartment on Capitol Hill. He hides his hard earned money in a copy of James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake. I like Murph. Murph sarcastically quips that nobody would ever steal "sunny Jim's" labyrinthine novel off the shelf of his crowded library.
And the cabbies in this story do not swear. I must check that out, not sure I've ever heard a cab driver swear. Murph's girlfriend is named Mary Margaret Flaherty, and I have a cousin by that name. My brother mentioned he never told Reilly about my mom's maiden name, Flaherty. Maybe I did. Hope we'll meet Mary Margaret in the next novel.
And I am sure Tattered Cover Bookstore had no idea why Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 would be a propitious night to read selections from Gary's book. But I know Gary had something to do with this. No use in being Irish, if you are not a little superstitious. Early that very evening from 4:30 to 7, from all of eternity, Venus will transit or pass in front of the sun. So after you watch Venus seductively and gracefully waltz in front of the garish sun, join us at Tattered Cover, 16th and Wynkoop to get to know Gary Reilly's Asphalt Warrior. Program starts at 7:30, please tell your friends. Be sure not to look directly at the sun, you know why.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-28779153844975893242012-04-28T16:35:00.004-07:002012-04-28T16:35:47.568-07:00I think what I will miss most about Paul Sandoval is that you could disagree with him and still be friends. That is very rare today in Denver politics. He took to heart the words of Shakespeare’s second line from Sonnet 116, “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.” We could disagree on candidates, issues and ideas, but after the dust of an election settled, we were still friends. After the hurly burly was done, after the battle lost or won, you picked yourself up, dusted yourself off and went on to the next battle as friends.
We all know how precious and rare this attribute is: to be civil and pick up the pieces and fight for the common good as comrades in arms. In our long term relationship over many years, we were elected to the State Senate together. And many a time Paul trounced me in races and a few times I bested him. But ultimately politics is about relationships, sometimes strained and frayed, through rough and tumble, funny and sad. I told Paula I would send postcards for her in her recent council race and Paul told a friend of mine told me that he reported customers from North Denver coming to the tamale shop announcing: “Got Gallagher’s postcard for Paula, we’re voting for Paula.” Relationships.
Today far too many in politics have developed what I call Irish Alzheimer’s, they forget everything but their grudges. I know too many people who play at politics because they become your enemy for life, if you dare to disagree with them once. “You did not support my son-in-law for House, we are now lifetime enemies. I will work against you even when we agree.” Irrational, immature and illogical. They don’t realize politics is about true relationships. And Paul knew politics was the only game in town for adults.
We will not be able to replace Paul, and we cannot call in a substitute.
Dietrich Bonheoffer, the courageous Lutheran theologian, martyred by the Nazis in World War II, said something which applies here and I think we too often forget it.
“Nothing can make up for the absence of someone whom we love, and it world be wrong to try to find a substitute; we must simply hold out and see it through.”
Bonheoffer goes on to say that his words may sound harsh, but “at the same time it is a great consolation, for the gap, as long as it remains unfilled, preserves the bonds between us.”
He goes on to say that God does not fill the gap but “on the contrary keeps it empty and so helps us to keep alive our former communion with each other, even at the cost of pain.” That’s how it will be with Paul.
We will all miss Paul Sandoval and his old fashioned grass roots tamale parlor political style. We’ll miss being able to drop by and talk eye-to-eye about strategy, patterns, candidates, friends, family and trends. We’ll miss his smile and laughter, his enthusiasm and insights, and especially, his napkin race percentage predictions. We can’t replace any of that.
It will be painful, but we must simply hold out and see it through.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-48151337020089172032011-11-29T10:13:00.000-08:002011-11-29T10:15:49.802-08:00I treasure and admire efforts which will engender in people a love and appreciation for writing, print, and books. You can include newspapers in that list.<br /><br />Gail Lindley of legendary Denver Bookbinding in North Denver, has joined up with Denver Public Library to raise consciousness on what goes into bookbinding. She offers an open house at her pioneer Denver company at which folks can learn the ins and outs of creative bookbinding. I hope to get the Auditor's office over to her business soon.<br /><br />At the dinner I was honored to attend on Thanksgiving, several six, seven and eight year olds lined up for fat browned turkey. I asked them if they were studying cursive in their schools. One youngster responded "isn't that where you connect all the printed letters by lines?" "Bingo," I smiled. She said she was teaching herself cursive since the school was not teaching it. Cursive is out now. Printed letters only. The promise of a great education, but cursive need not apply.<br /><br />Cursive has been out for used, on the scrap heap of the politically incorrect.<br /><br />A few years back, when I asked my son, Daniel Patrick, the calligrapher's son, to write neatly his ballot's signature. He irritated me as I sensed he was right when he scoffed: "Dad, if I sign neatly, the Election Department will think it's a forgery." I shot back, "Sign with your usual sloppy scrawl." He was right and he was a prophet in his own time. Hens now legally clawing away in dusty Denver yards are more legible than some scribbling I have seen. I wonder how folks at the elections department can analyze true signatures with all the hen scratching evident today? Daniel Patrick added shaking his head at my antiquated reverence for technologies from the ancient times, "Dad, you know we won't need actual written signatures anymore, we have electronic signatures on our computers." Right again, Daniel, our signatures at the city are all electronic, except for bonding documents and the like.<br /><br />Dramatizing another shift in our culture to computer mediated communications there is a new public school in Denver which has no library at all. I guess this is since the students all have access to the great library in the sky in cyberspace. What was formerly a library at North High is now called The Ginn Family Learning Resource Center. I am glad the school administration finally recognized Wally and his dad's great contribution to North High and North Denver. A call to DPS notes that only ½ of the 122 libraries in DPL have librarians. The rest have teachers or paraprofessionals as available. Each school principal makes the decision. Did anyone hear this issue discussed in the recent school board election?<br /><br />No more libraries? Can you hear the cheering chorus, the uproarious caterwauling by some Denver school board members, accompanied by cacophonous phalanx of DPS administrators clapping? Maybe we can eliminate all the libraries. Think of the branding opportunities. Soon all school texts will be lined up on our electronic notebooks. Will there be any books left for Gail at Denver Bookbinding to repair since you can get them electronically? Where is cyberspace anyway? Is it the great electronic library in the sky without diamonds?<br /><br />So, Gail, keep up your wonderful collaboration with our Library to teach people how truly fascinating bookbinding can be. Put me on the email list. Or better yet, just tell me about it when I see you at the Safeway on 44th and Lowell.<br /><br />Fr. Walter Ong, S. J., former professor at Regis University, reminds us that all technology is for the good of humanity as long as it is interiorized properly. And the new technology makes the old technology an art form.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-72591376302889057712011-10-31T07:02:00.000-07:002011-10-31T07:02:00.547-07:00IT Risk AssessmentOur annual audit play includes specialized information technology audits. The city spends millions of dollars on computers, systems and technologies. To help with performance audits of departments done by our office, we have a technology audit team that help us determine the IT risks to the city. Risk Assessment sets up the inventory of critical IT systems. The inventory is made up of 4 main IT audit categories: IT business processes, business applications, (either existing or under development), IT infrastructure, and IT facilities.<br /> <br />IT audit categories are risk-related using an analysis based on objective technical process maturity score and a judgement based qualitative score. The IT risk assessment methodology is aligned with professional guidance, such as the Institute of Internal Auditors Global Technology Audit Guide on Developing the IT Audit Plan."<br /> <br />As Auditor I would not be doing my job well if our office did not focus on generally accepted IT governance and controls framework. In the age of sabotage and terrorists, we must continue to pay attention to these important IT risks. Check our audit plan on the Auditor's website to read the full details of this important area.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-49053931475962938792011-10-28T07:01:00.000-07:002011-10-28T07:01:00.439-07:00older AmericansOlder Americans are falling into poverty in shameful and staggering numbers. I heard one older gentleman at a coffee shop in North Denver exclaim last Friday that he wished he could go down and join in on the "tent city." He was afraid his walker might get in the way.<br /> <br />One out of every six elderly Americans, now lives below the poverty level. Between 1991 and 2007 the number of American between the ages of 65 and 74 that filed for bankruptcy rose by 178%. The sad truth is that our state and local governments are broke. They realize there is no way they can keep the promises the made to those retired folks. Some politicians are planning on telling older people in Colorado that they will bring back the senior citizen property tax relief payments.<br /> <br />I told a friend of mine in the legislature, it is unethical to promise to bring that tax benefit for older people back without a funding source for those payments. Does anyone remember the severance tax. I think Governor Hickenlooper is for it. That would be a temporary source for funding for senior property tax relief. Our conservative state to the north of us has used severance tax to fund students to free higher education for decades.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-12693652325802345702011-10-27T06:59:00.000-07:002011-10-27T06:59:00.427-07:00A Reflection on Republican Primary CandidatesAs I have told many of you, every month I attend the Colorado Republican Business Coalition. At my table someone asked how I felt being a Democrat and coming to a Republican meeting? I told them I was learning lots and people were very friendly, but I reminded them I had not had as much time as I had to make as many enemies in my own party. Every now and again they say they want to discuss strategy.... and look at me. I tell them: "If I told the Democrats your strategy, they would not know what to do with it." And that last comment comes after years of experience. <br /> <br />A Regis student today in the library asked why Herman Cain was ahead in the polls surrounding the Republican Primary candidates. In my view, Cain is a bit of a populist. And he is against the establishment of the Republican leadership. So grass roots Republicans are giving him their support. The same pattern holds true for the Democrats. Democrats in Colorado and Denver do not like their leadership telling the rank and file for whom they have to vote. Recall the Republican and Governor candidates last time round. <br /> <br />Perry has asked everyone to look what he did in Texas. Let's take a minute to look at it.<br /> <br />1. Texas has the highest rate of poverty in the nation.<br />2. Texas has the lowest educational performance in the nation, almost down with Mississippi.<br />3. Texas is the largest polluter per capita in the nation. <br /> <br />I enjoyed venturing into the national sphere. I wonder if I should think about raising my profile in this area. I think I'm doing fine right here at home.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-86619151395035233112011-10-26T06:52:00.000-07:002011-10-26T06:52:00.227-07:00PovertyA sad bit of news from last month's headlines: The Census Bureau's annual poverty report, released last September announced that 46.2 million Americans, or one in seven of us, were poor in 2010. The prolonged recession, with high levels of unemployment, has swollen the ranks of the poor. The Bureau reported that the poverty rate in 2010 reached the second highest since back in 1965. <br />The numbers of Americans without health insurance stood at record highs. <br /> <br />And recently, I am sure all of you saw the Denver Post Supplement of Delinquent Taxes. Thousands and thousands have not paid or only paid their property taxes partially. I'll wager it weighs a quarter pound in paper pulp. It's going to take me a while to tally how many folks actually make up this list of taxpayers in delinquency. I will let you know later.<br /> <br />These folks were not camped out in Civic Center. They are struggling to keep a home over their heads and food on the table for the kids. These camp-ins, which should have included teach-ins on the economy, remind me of the effects of Gutenberg stumbling on moveable type, though the Chinese had invented the process centuries earlier. When he started printing hundreds of copies of the bible, little did he know he was helping bring on the Reformation. Folks could take their own copy of scripture, formerly chained to the reading desks in the chapels and monastic libraries into their own reading room away from the influence of clergy. <br /> <br />We are not sure what citizens are signaling with these camp-ins, we will have to wait and see if they really get organized. "Don't mourn for me, organize," spoken by Joe Hill, labor organizer, about to be shot in Utah. He later asked that his ashes be mailed to place out of Utah. He said he did not want to be caught dead in Utah.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-92202972730157711232011-10-25T06:56:00.000-07:002011-10-25T06:58:03.969-07:00Occupy DenverListening to radio and TV interviews of tent colonists down at civic center here in Denver made it clear. Some of the folks were not sure what to be upset about.<br /><br />Let me provide a guide to anyone who is perplexed about that is going wrong with the good old USA. The tent people were not clear as to why they were upset. The sure know something is not right. <br /> <br />Someone asked me what is the message of the Occupy Denver. We won't know for a while, just like it took humanity a long time to realize the revolution Gutenberg brought on with his bringing moveable type for printing bibles. Reformation anyone?<br /> <br />Back to my list of possible focus of anger. <br /> <br />1. 1% of Americans own 90% of the wealth in the country. Get your attention.<br /> <br />2. Medium disposable income for all Americans has gone down and not gone up in recent years. <br /> <br />3. You are worse off than we were 15 years ago. Starting to boil?<br /> <br />4. We have a 9.1 % national unemployment rate.<br /> <br />5. 16% of Americans are working part time and wish they could work full time to provide for their families.<br /> <br />6. 21% of the unemployed, underemployed as the economists call these people, have given up looking for jobs. That's almost 1 of 5 Americans.<br /> <br />7. 32 % of African Americans fall in the underemployed category. Starting to simmer?<br /> <br />8. Police, firefighters, teachers pay higher taxes than the average hedge fund operator.<br /> <br />9. General Electric made 4 billion dollars in profit last year and paid not one penny in federal taxes.<br /> <br />10. Things are getting so bad for some of the smart rich folks, Warren Buffet and Bill Clinton, are now saying they don't need the tax breaks Congress has been giving them. They want to pay more in taxes. And the last time I gave money to our Denver Treasury, it is tax deductible. The city is like a charity.<br /> <br />Anyone want to recite the old line from the Psalm: "To your tents, Oh, Israel."Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-38723639593402862382011-10-25T06:51:00.000-07:002011-10-25T06:52:07.787-07:002A is OKReferred Ballot Question 2A, sent to the voters by the Denver Auditor's Office with the gracious help of Denver City Council is OK. Please vote yes. The measure allows the auditor to appoint an employee of the auditor's office to sign city contracts in the auditor's absence. <br /> <br />If I go out of town, the contracting process for the city comes to a standstill because the city charter does not give the auditor authority to appoint a signatory employee. A "yes" to this ballot measure will enable me to do this with the same accountability but with more flexibility and no additional cost. <br /> <br />Tell your friends. "It's Ok to vote for 2A." I feel a song coming on.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-58053025082832201252011-10-17T00:54:00.000-07:002011-10-17T00:54:00.145-07:00Audit Universe vs Audit Horizon"Oh, beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain...." We here in Colorado know what a great horizon is. The Denver Auditor's Office also has a great horizon. We call it our "audit horizon" of planned high-risk audits which stretch over three years. That's a horizon that serves the taxpayers of our city. I am really proud of our Internal Audit Division for the outstanding, meaningful and valuable audits they have performed over the past years. <br /> <br />In the past our Internal Audit Division developed what was called an "audit universe." The process was cumbersome and time consuming offering analysis that revealed there are thousands of possible audits that would require tens of thousands of audit hours. The areas of possible audit were even assigned a percentage ranking in the list of all possible audits to be done. What this complicated process really communicated was that it is not possible to audit each and every city agency, activity and contract. But by telling the administration and council of audits in a universal list, we inadvertently gave the impression that areas to be audited would be audited. It might take years, but they were on the list. That approach bothered my conscience. So, with the hard work of our Internal Audit teams, we have changed. <br /> <br />So now the "audit universe" has taken second fiddle to what we call the 'audit horizon," as mentioned above. With common sense and realistic expectations the audit horizon approach identifies, prioritizes and manages audits determined to be critical to the city operations. Audits included in the horizon are based on available audit hours each year to ensure that realistic expectations are established and stated goals are met. The auditors build in ample hours to a plan for specially requested audits by departments, the mayor and council. The audit horizon approach gives me "lots of flexibility to be able to respond to emerging issues in a timely manner by providing high quality and responsive customer service to elected officials and operational management." That last comment is right out of our audit plan. You can read it on our web site: www.denvergov.org/auditor<br /> <br />We give great care in selecting the audits to be performed. We want to make sure that there is widespread audit coverage in terms of both types of audits performed, as defined in generally accepted government audit standards promulgated by the Comptroller General of the United States. A copy of the "yellow book," as it has been christened by auditors can be read on the web site of the United States Government Accountability Office, in a publication entitled: "Government Auditing Standards," and was revised last in July of 2007. By city charter our office is required to back up all our audits with the rules in the "yellow books. If we don't perform to those high standards, we will get dinged by our peer reviewers who review our work in the Denver Office every few years. I am please to report we received rave review from our last peer review by outside auditors from other jurisdictions around the country.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-28092224419282871612011-10-07T08:08:00.000-07:002011-10-07T08:08:00.952-07:00Who audits the Auditor?At neighborhood meetings, citizens - skeptical and mistrustful of all government operations, even the auditor's office - have often asked me, "Who audits you, Gallagher?" <br /> <br />This question poses and interesting matter for citizens who want to make sure that their elected auditor is performing truly independent audits and fighting for the best interests of the taxpayers of our city. <br /> <br />Government auditing standards dictate that audit agencies, including our office, shall have a "peer review" of our audit work every three years. In October of 2009, the Audit Services Division of our Denver auditor's office went through an external peer review of its work. The peer review team was made up of three audit professionals, three accomplished audit managers representing local government audit functions from around our country. The peer review team is selected by the Association of Local Government Auditors. We have no say on whom we get to audit our office. The team stays with us for about a week and examines all our audits and all our processes. That's how they make sure our office is in compliance with the highest possible level of compliance of Association of Local Government Auditing Standards promulgated by the Comptroller General of the United States. The peer review team members are always from out of state, so it does not even look like we have a conflict of interest by bringing in friendly auditors whom we know. In Denver our auditor's office staff wants to be held to the highest ethical and professional standards. <br /> <br />I am proud to report to you that the peer review audit team found the Audit Division in our Denver Auditor's Office excels in many core audit tenants and processes. The team liked that our office fostered an excellent system of internal controls necessary for compliance with professional standards. The peer reviewers determined that our performance audits added significant value to city operations. The review team identified several best practices used by the Division. These practices were a result of the restructuring of our Auditor's office due to an amendment to our city charter. The outside peer auditors congratulated our office on gaining true structural and legal independence. They noted especially the audit planning techniques used to formulate our annual audit plan. The peer reviewers commented on our use of formal risk assessment tools and project planning and budgeting processes. They noted the high quality and expansive reporting practices used by the Division. The peer reviewers agreed with our progressive management and supervisory techniques especially our decision to move to all electronic working papers. This means we save thousands of trees since this change was implemented. Who says an auditor can't be green? Our peer reviewers even said they saw techniques from our Denver Model which they wanted to take back to their home offices.<br /> <br />I wish to congratulate and thank our Internal Audit Division for the great work they have done to merit such outstanding praise. <br /><br />Our next peer review team will visit us in 2012 for our next review. We look forward to their auditing the auditor.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-57189383991519689082011-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:002011-10-05T10:00:02.137-07:00it's in the airI told you about attending the mini conference sponsored by IBM corporation at which a analytic expert mentioned the use of social media, emails and texts by rioters in England during Britain's recent unrest. Rioters texted each other, not for social intercourse, but as to which locations should be targeted for criminal looting and burning. It's just something in the air, you say. The rioters have a new weapon, instant communication as to where to pillage, and where the police are. <br /> <br />Now, Republican presidential hopeful, Ron Paul, voiced his concern that the United States could see social unrest like that experienced in England. Conservative Representative Paul is hardly an alarmist. Must be something in the air, or could it be in the water?<br /> <br />Recently on the New York Times page one, "Protest Rise Around Globe as Faith in the Vote Wanes. Many are Driven by Contempt of Political Class." The reasons sending citizens around the world into the streets, in Spain, Greece, South Asia, Europe and even Wall Street range from corruption, lack of housing, and joblessness. In many places street protests are turning to violence. Tear gas is in the air.<br /> <br />Fr. Walter Ong, S. J., who once taught at Regis University, and author of many books on communication theory once reflected that all technology is for the good of humankind, as long as that technology is properly interiorized. Using electronically mediated communication to riot, pillage is not what Fr. Ong had in mind.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442656880510067827.post-68190274895013988362011-10-04T09:57:00.000-07:002011-10-04T09:57:00.838-07:00Arturo JimenezI am supporting the re-election of Arturo Jimenez for the Denver School Board. Arturo should be re-elected because he dares to ask the tough questions which a school board member should ask. He is not afraid to confront the administration about fiscally unsound choices and poor academic goof ups. <br /> <br />Arturo also fights to build consensus even with the sharp divisions on the board. His ability to work with other members of the board can be seen in his colleagues electing him to the post of vice-president of the board. He has fought for transparency and fiscal accountability on the board. <br /> <br />And Arturo's ability to deal with parents and students who speak Spanish at home is a valuable asset for our district. This is especially important because seventy five percent of Hispanic students drop out of North High School. As a resident of North Denver, I am proud Arturo can speak to parents and students in their own language about problems facing them and their children. He brings direct feedback to a board which greatly needs that information, not mediated by the district. His linguistic ability is the envy of all the other board members. This talent makes Arturo a unifier who brings in all to the table, especially those who struggle with language issues. He talks to everybody across cultures and generations.<br /> <br />The other quality of Arturo's personality that recommends him for another term is his courage. He asks the tough questions to the administration about fiscal and financial mismanagement. He is not afraid to ask what needs to be asked and aired in front of the people and the board. JFK got in trouble with the Cuban invasion because all his advisors would not share with the president their doubts and misgivings about the Cuban invasion. Result: disaster. Every board needs someone with Arturo's courage to not be afraid to be unpopular and express doubts about teachers teaching to standardized tests. Arturo is that courageous advisor in this race. <br /> <br />Finally, Arturo is really stubborn. I have observed him work hard and never letgo until problems are solved. He is even-tempered, has a good sense of humor, another important asset to be on our school board. He is not a grudge holder and I admire Arturo especially for that. Indeed he is an inspiration to me because I sometimes forget that important virtue. Arturo is an optimist and happy in his work on the board is blest the loving support of his wife and family. Arturo has vowed he will not run a negative campaign even though his opponent's well-funded campaign has already turned personally vindictive and divisive. Allow a rhetorical intervention, that's a shame on our neighborhood.Dennis Gallagherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10997890910764977006noreply@blogger.com0