I have spent the last few days up in Austin while Kendra is attending the interactive segment of the SXSW conference.  While here we have spent time over on Congress Avenue and other parts, I have caught myself thinking ..."wow...this is so cool...why can't Corpus be more like this?" 

The reality is, it can, but to get there each of us is going to have to realize a few things.  It's not going to just happen.  There is not going to be any knight in shining armor that makes it happen.  No magic wands either.  Austin did not happen overnight. 

The creation of the mecca we call Austin came over time.  No doubt the University of Texas played a role with it's enrollment today topping 51,000.  Yes, that's right.  Nearly twenty percent of the entire population of Corpus Christi and that's not taking into account the multiplier impact it has on the economy.  Imagine for a moment the impact on CC today when TAMUCC reaches twenty thousand.  You want economic growth in CC...that would fuel the growth more than anything else that will come along. 

UT and many other things share the credit but the area on Congress where you have all the little trailers selling some pretty unique food items should not be forgotten.  The Cupcakes, the Mighty Cone, Jo's Coffee Shop, The Magnolia Cafe, and all the unique stores on Congress Avenue.  They played a role as well.  People went out and opened places.  They might not have gotten "rich" but they created something special that goes into making Austin...Austin. 

I think of Corpus Christi and one of the first things that comes to mind is how we all too often want to fault someone for our not being like Austin.  We say it's the greedy rich that has theirs and don't want anyone else to come in.  We blame it on the City Council.  We have all that down pretty damn good. 

Perhaps it's time we pause and look in the mirror.  That person you see.  That's who you need to hold accountable.  Not some elected body.  Not some group of people that to this day I still don't know just who they are.  You want to change this place.  Well start right there.  Change what it is you do. 

I imagine years ago someone started SXSW in Austin and never really imagined what it would become.  Today there are thousands of people spending a week in Austin.  Reported attendance at the interactive session is approximately 15,000.  That's just a portion of SXSW as the film and music portion are yet to get in full swing.

I stop and think about a film festival which came directly from a group founded by Joe Hilliard (Corpus Christi Film Society).  It has grown over the years and has a bright future. That is if we do our part.  Take the time to go to these type of events.  If you can, financially support them as they continue to get established. In time, they will get the support from others outside our City as well.  Who knows what that event might be ten-fifteen years from now.  

There are a number of local businesses on the bay front.  Some have been more successful (measured financially) than others but the people who opened them up.  They all should be commended and supported for their efforts.  Same goes for the group that is involved in Destination Bayfront, North Beach and the Island.  It's those type efforts that will result in making Corpus Christi live up to it's potential.

It's us folks.  It's us being supportive of these efforts..these business ventures that will lead to others.  It's us taking the chance in opening up that new business in what will some day be a part of what is being called Destination Bayfront.  So stop blaming someone else.  Start doing something.  Support the events..support the businesses....open that new business that WE will come support. 

I know it's easier to blame others than to take responsibility but it's time.  You can continue to blame others and nothing will change.  Or you can do something.  What's it going to be?

One can debate the decision based upon an evaluation of a new building versus a renovation of the old but I believe they might have left out a component in their evaluation.  In today's world there is this movement toward what is referred to as work shifting.  In today's social media/internet world work shifting includes situations where employees are allowed to work from places outside the traditional office arrangement.  Simply put, many of us can be just as productive regardless of where we are as long as we have our computer and an internet connection.  

I wonder if they really looked at how it might work for some of their employees to work either from home or from a satellite office setup.  I would be willing to bet that there are quite a few employees that if they had their computers and internet access could be just as productive in this type of arrangement.  You can still at your main office or the satellite office provide a place should there be a need for a meeting with a taxpayer. 

Just a thought but in times like today and for the future the time has come to not be close minded at how the world is changing.  Embrace it and when it's appropriate it adopt it.   This applies to all of us as individuals/families just as it applies to for profits; not for profits and perhaps even more so governmental entities. 

"Bear with this Council as they tackle the financial challenges facing the City.  The current year's budget was balanced using approximately $8M of one time fixes. They start out with an $8M deficit to tackle next year.  What lies ahead makes this year seem like a piece of cake.  The good thing is they recognize this and are taking the steps necessary to come up with solutions over the next fiscal year.  It won't necessarily be easy and some of the changes will be unpopular but they seem up for the task.  After all...they really don't have a choice.  They can't even raise taxes (not that necessarily would) by the amount that it would take without it being subject to voter approval.  The voters would not approve an increase of that magnitude when they don't feel as though real efforts have been made to curb spending and implement technology and infrastructure changes first."

Today's Caller Times has an article about the ten million dollar estimated budget shortage facing the City.   As you can see from the above, this was actually identified back in the budget process.  True the problem has grown due to the ever growing sales tax results but that has only made what was a pretty big hill to climb a little tougher.  It's good to see that the finance committee chaired by Mark Scott got this issue back to being the biggest single issue the Council needs to address at this time.  As I indicated above, it's not going to be easy but I remain optimistic the Council is going to have the political guts to take the steps that are necessary to lead us out of this situation.  These type of things can't be looked at one year at a time.  The decisions you make this year impact succeeding years so you always need to be focused on looking forward for at least a five year time period. 

As a side note, the situation they face further supports the four council members who would not let the City enter into a "bad deal" with Brass just so they could say they had done something.  I actually think that with this financial information back on the table others will join those four including the Mayor in aggressively tackling this issue. 

An article today in the Caller Times gives more insight into to the Brass proposal. Certainly more than you are getting from sound bites on television, interviews on the radio and face book posts and pages by what for the most part are well meaning individuals who I feel I share something with---we care.  There are others with agenda's and it's those that bother me to the point where I sit here typing this.  

There was and is no $90 million project that we are losing.  The proposal could have very easily started and ended with MC being renovated with there being an actual walk away clause put in by the developer if the parking garage funding was not secured in a specified period of time (exact time escapes me but it was within in a few months).  Keep in mind they could walk away with significant fees being paid to themselves from the upfront funds they were insisting the city put up.  They were not open to clauses on MC which would have then restricted the ability to go after a tenant such as the Islanders or any other event or function.  They wanted a sweetheart deal where we could have easily and likely ended up with just the MC renovation being publicly subsidized to compete against against another public facility.  That makes a lot of sense....well it does if you are on the other side of the deal.  To the city, to the taxpayers it would simply mean additional funds would then have to be provided to further fund ABC.  So we offer a fantastic incentive package to do a deal which then further cripples the city's finances?  I don't think so.

Without one of the four council members changing their stance (which I truly hope they don't), it's over and time to move forward.  If you really want something finally done with MC, you have the opportunity now.  Let all the Council know that you want it torn down.  You don't want to go down the same path with the swim group as Brass only to end up where we are today because the odds are that the Swim Proposal deal will end on the same note.  I am not saying that the Council could not do a deal with the Swim Group.  Only that the type of deal that they would have to make and what we get in the end is not going to be any different than where we got with Brass.  Bad deals are bad deals regardless of who it's with and the nature of the project. 

We all want a "wow" project to jump start not only downtown but the city as a whole.  Sorry but there is no such project on the table nor will there be one over the next few years until the economy changes.  It's time...time to close out the whole MC scenario.   Tear it down....move on.  There are real projects and other issues with far more impact on our city that need attention.  Closure is needed.  Not a divided Council which focuses on further damaging the relationships they have. 

It's time....vote to tear it down.  Have the demolition crew out there before the end of the year getting started.  Let that be the Christmas present you give to the citizens of Corpus Christi.  The majority will be very thankful and those that are not....well you are never going to make everyone happy.   Some don't even want to be happy to begin with as it would take away the only thing they have to do.  Just do it...it's time!  History will show you did the right thing as some day there will be a "wow" in that area which never would have happened otherwise.

Earlier this year there was legislation which proposed changes to the Texas Municipal Retirement Plan which covers city employees.  Our prior council even went on record as supporting the legislation by passing a resolution in support of it.  The CT ran a story at that time as the changes being proposed included a provision under which a five percent rate of return would effectively be guaranteed by the City.   I don't know about you but if I was given the chance to be in a retirement plan where I was guaranteed a five percent rate of return---show me where to sign and let me at it.   This is for a plan where the manner in which contributions by the City are calculated results in the equivalent of a two for one match. 

I had been led to believe the legislation died but I should have known better since it was a bill endorsed by TML (Texas Municipal League) with little opposition.  Recently, it came to my attention that the legislation (for which a great deal of credit is given to State Reps. Herrero and Ortiz) did indeed pass.  The City's minimum contribution even under the phased in rate increased from 15.75% to 16.77%.  Under the full rate it increases to 22.40%.  To put it into dollars and cents---it's a seven figure adjustment if you use the phase in rate which leaves you open for even larger contributions to fund in future years.

Do any of you know of a plan with a guaranteed rate of return of 5% and and a two for one matching rate on the contribution?  There is no such plan in Corporate America.  Not only is there no such plan today but there never has been a plan that rich.  Now let's jump to where we are.  We are in a recession.  We have a City which had budget issues this year which were minor in comparison to the problems that lie ahead.  

The first question the Council is going to ask is ----why did we not know about this?  Why is it that the City has had this information since May but not fully shared and explained the implications of this?  These questions is going to cause some squirming and shifting around.  If it were me, I would pretty upset.  The mountain we are facing just got a little steeper.

Changes have to be made and now is the time to start the process leading to making those changes.  This is not going to be an easy issue as it has political ramifications when you start dealing with the Unions.  Leadership from the Mayor is going to be a key in being able to navigate this and the other changes which are going to be necessary to balance the budget next year.  I believe he will be up to the task.