Podcasts about general fund

Greg visits with Stephanie Smith for a conversation about how Alabama's state budgets are actually built and the forces that shape spending decisions in Montgomery. Many citizens hear about the General Fund and Education Trust Fund, but few understand the process lawmakers use to assemble these massive budgets each year.Stephanie explains how the budgeting process works inside the Alabama Legislature, the priorities that often drive funding decisions. Part of the discussion focuses on the history and the political influence of the Alabama Education Association and how it affects education funding debates.Greg and Stephanie also explore what greater transparency in the budgeting process could look like and why understanding the budget matters for Alabama taxpayers and families.

This "Deep Dive" podcast outlines the 2026 Liquid Fuels Road Program for Newtown Township, a municipal infrastructure project focused on roadway rehabilitation and safety upgrades. The technical specifications and street index detail a comprehensive list of base and alternate bid locations, including roads such as Union Street and Eagleton Farm Road. Primary tasks involve asphalt milling, pavement resurfacing, and the installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks. Potential contractors must submit electronic bids through the PennBid platform by March 18, 2026, and adhere to PennDOT standards and state prevailing wage laws. Financial resources for the project includes a total budget of $850,000, sourced from both the Township's General Fund and PennDOT Liquid Feuls Fund. Successful applicants are required to provide various financial securities, such as performance and maintenance bonds, to ensure the completion and quality of the construction.

Just two weeks after digesting the details of Governor Whitmer's final Executive Budget proposal, one thing is certain: it's going to be a very interesting watch as Michigan policymakers tackle and negotiate the fiscal year 2027 budget. Senior Research Council staff Craig Thiel and Bob Schneider chat with Guy Gordon, walking through some of the most consequential pressure points as lawmakers craft a budget that will pass both chambers and be signed by the Governor. Multiple federal and state policy changes over the past year have set the stage for General Fund revenue that is expected to be down by more than $1.2 billion from the May 2025 forecast, an 8.3 percent decrease. Additionally, state budget writers will need to address federal cost shifts that place greater burdens on states for Medicaid and food assistance programs. The key challenge for budget writers during FY2027 budget deliberations will be addressing deficits rather than allocating surpluses, as has been the case for several consecutive years. Any new investment proposals that increase the budget will require additional dollar-for-dollar reductions to offset their impact. To quote Schneider: “It's going to be a really interesting budget cycle. In an election year, you're usually always done by July 1st, but I'm not so sure that's going to happen this year.”

Send a textTanya Emery, MMA's Advocacy Manager, joins podcast co-hosts Rebecca Lambert and Amanda Campbell to discuss LD 2173, which seeks to amend LD 1829 housing development provisions enacted in 2025.  The team also reviews key elements of Governor Mills' proposed FY 2026 – FY 2027 supplemental General Fund budget (LD 2212), including funding for code enforcement officer support, pre-K to grade 12 school programs, school bus passenger safety retrofits, and an expansion of the veterans' exemption. Amanda provides updates on General Assistance-related initiatives, including increased state reimbursement for the assistance provided applicants (LD 978), and administrator access to a statewide database used to determine applicant eligibility (LD 1996). Rebecca provides an update on an effort to collaborate with the Maine Press Association to modernize public notice requirements (LD 2042).  The team also provides an update on an amended version of LD 2174, which seeks to preempt municipal regulation of renewable energy projects, which will receive a public hearing this week.  

The provided document is an official bills list for Newtown Township, detailing financial expenditures and fund transfers authorized on February 25, 2026. The records outline a total disbursement of $325,504.61 across several categories, including the General Fund, Fire Protection, and Capital Projects. Significant costs include road maintenance, legal services, and municipal utility payments, alongside specific invoices for snow plowing and administrative repairs. A major $25,000 transfer was also designated for a boiler replacement within the township's administration building. Detailed itemizations highlight payments to various vendors for services ranging from police vehicle maintenance to recreational programming. This financial summary serves as a comprehensive account of the township's operational and infrastructure expenses for the mid-February period.

This financial documentation details the expenditure of funds for Newtown Township during a period ending in February 2026. The records provide a comprehensive Bills List that accounts for a total disbursement of $470,312.91 across various municipal accounts, including the General Fund, Fire Protection, and Highway Aid. These costs encompass essential public services such as police equipment, road maintenance materials like salt, and building repairs. Additionally, the itemized reports track employee benefits, insurance premiums, and recreational program expenses. The documents serve as a formal accounting ledger to ensure transparency in the allocation of taxpayer resources for local governance and infrastructure.

This "Deep Dive" podcast focuses on official financial records for Newtown Township, documenting various expenditures and account activities throughout 2025. The provided Bills Lists detail payments to vendors for municipal services, including public works maintenance, police department equipment, and professional legal and engineering fees. Additionally, the records include fund transfer authorizations that move significant capital between the General Fund and specialized accounts for payroll, health benefits, and pension obligations. The sources also track infrastructure costs such as utility bills, road repair materials, and public lighting projects. Individual entries further reflect community programming expenses, ranging from summer camp supplies to recreational instructor fees. Collectively, these reports offer a transparent overview of the township's fiscal management and operational spending.

The provided sources for this "Deep Dive" podcast - the official meeting agenda and a detailed transcript - offer insight into a Newtown Township Board of Supervisors meeting held on December 10, 2025. The meeting began with the recognition of two departing supervisors, John Mack and Dennis Fisher, who each offered farewell remarks expressing gratitude for their recognition of service. Key actions from the meeting included the controversial adoption of the 2026 budget, which faced strong opposition from two supervisors and several public commenters concerned about the depletion of the General Fund and excessive spending on non-roadwork-related items. Other official business covered the approval of the 2026 tax rate and ordinances for fire and EMS services, along with reports from the Township Engineer and Police Captain.

The provided excerpts from the Newtown Township 2026 Proposed Manager's Budget offer a comprehensive look at the municipality's financial planning and departmental operations. These documents outline the fund structure, detailing various governmental funds, their major revenue sources, and the services they provide, such as the General Fund supporting Public Safety and Public Works, and special revenue funds for fire and rescue services. Furthermore, the text gives an overview of departmental descriptions and staffing levels, noting proposed capital purchases and personnel changes, including a planned increase in full-time employees from 79 in 2025 to 82.5 in 2026, primarily due to additional firefighters. Financial details include a history of real estate tax levies showing a significant millage increase over the last five years, a debt service summary for General Obligation Notes, and a detailed look at the General Fund's budgeted versus actual surplus/deficit history, which relies on applying surplus fund balance to offset planned deficits in 2026.

A busy Tuesday on the show leading off with our monthly visit with the NH Insurance Department. We were joined by the State Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt to discuss the importance of life insurance during "Life Insurance Awareness Month". Also Mr. Bettencourt talked about the departments financial contribution to New Hampshire's General Fund in Fiscal 2025. Also with us Tuesday, correspondent John Leahy on the Red Sox and the upcoming NFL season plus our first visit with UNH head football coach Rick Santos discussing his team's win on opening weekend, and a preview of Saturday night's home opener vs. Holy Cross.

Kentucky Delivery Network Company Driver Transparency & Protections Act SECTION 1. KRS Chapter [to be assigned] is amended to create a new section to read as follows: As used in Sections 1 to 10 of this Act, unless the context requires otherwise: "Delivery network company" or "DNC" means an entity that: (a) Uses a digital network to connect consumers with drivers to facilitate delivery services; (b) Collects payments from consumers for such delivery services; and (c) Compensates drivers for providing such services. "Driver" means an individual who: (a) Is engaged by a delivery network company to provide delivery services; (b) May be classified as an independent contractor or an employee; and (c) Uses a personal or commercial vehicle to fulfill delivery requests. "Consumer" means an individual who uses a delivery network company's platform to request and receive delivery services. SECTION 2. A delivery network company shall, for each delivery transaction: Clearly disclose to the consumer: (a) The total amount charged for the delivery, including all fees, tips, and service charges; and (b) The amount or percentage of the total that will be remitted to the driver. Clearly disclose to the driver prior to accepting a delivery offer: (a) The total amount payable for the delivery; and (b) Any tip included; and       (c) Delivery pick up and drop off location; and       (d) Delivery total miles. Ensure that: (a) One hundred percent (100%) of any tip provided by the consumer is paid to the driver; and (b) A driver's base compensation is not reduced based on the amount of a tip. SECTION 3. A delivery network company shall provide each driver with access to all contracts or terms of service that govern the relationship between the driver and the company. Any updates or changes to contract terms shall be: (a) Provided to the driver via the digital platform and via email; and (b) Presented in clear and understandable language. A delivery network company shall: (a) Make available all current contract templates to drivers in English and Spanish; and (b) Post notice of any revised contract terms at least fourteen (14) days prior to implementation. SECTION 4. A delivery network company shall maintain and publicly post a written driver deactivation policy. If a driver is deactivated or restricted from accessing the platform, the company shall: (a) Provide written notice stating the specific reason for deactivation; and (b) Offer an internal appeal process that allows the driver to contest the deactivation and request reinstatement. Deactivation policies and appeal procedures shall be made available on the company's website. SECTION 5. When matching a driver with a consumer for a delivery, the company shall include a prompt or notice requesting that the consumer facilitate a safe delivery environment, which may include: (a) Keeping paths to delivery locations clear and well-lit; and (b) Securing pets or potential hazards. A driver shall be provided no fewer than sixty (60) seconds to review and accept or decline a delivery offer. SECTION 6. A delivery network company shall submit quarterly reports to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet, containing the following data: (a) Average and range of driver compensation per delivery; (b) Percentage and distribution of tips among drivers; (c) Number of drivers deactivated during the reporting period and outcomes of appeal proceedings. The Labor Cabinet shall compile and publish an annual report summarizing the data and providing recommendations for legislative or regulatory action as necessary. SECTION 7. A driver or consumer aggrieved by a violation of this Act may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for: (a) Statutory damages of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation; (b) Actual damages; and (c) Injunctive or other equitable relief as the court deems appropriate. The Kentucky Labor Cabinet may impose administrative fines not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) per violation. SECTION 8. The Kentucky Labor Cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this Act. SECTION 9. The General Assembly hereby appropriates sufficient funds from the General Fund to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet to carry out its duties under this Act for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. SECTION 10. Sections 1 through 8 of this Act shall take effect on March 6th, 2026. This Act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure in order to allow immediate preparation and rule making, and shall take effect upon its passage and becoming law. ***** ***** ***** ***** *****  Rideshare Rodeo Brand & Podcast: https://linktr.ee/RideshareRodeo 

Pennsylvania's Attorney General is planning a new statewide program to promote treatment for persons with mental illness who commit minor crimes. Defense spending, investment in artificial intelligence and fossil fuels will support Pennsylvania’s economic future, according to three Republican lawmakers who visited the Midstate this week. President Donald Trump says he wants to get rid of voting by mail and voting machines. Some of Pennsylvania’s congressional Republicans say they like the idea, but election rules are set by states, not the president. The Dauphin County General Authority voted Wednesday to accept a proposal for a Dauphin County golf course to be sold and turned into a data center. A bill introduced by Allegheny County state Rep. Emily Kinkead would use $10 million from the state's General Fund to establish the proposed Landslide and Sinkhole Insurance Program. Earlier this summer, WITF welcomed dozens of children and teens for summer camps organized by our colleagues at Pennon Education. That included a camp for middle schoolers called Rising Youth Voices. To learn more about pennon education check out The Sparks podcast episode live now: Did you know that if every one of WITF’s sustaining circle members gives as little as $12 more a month, we'd close the gap caused by federal funding cuts? Increase your gift at https://witf.org/increase or become a new sustaining member at www.witf.org/givenow.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JC Shepard, founder of Wimkin Social Media - big free speech advocate, and we talk the challeneges in the modern culture. Fmr State Senator Baertschiger - why cant Oregon pay for all the stuff it used to from the General Fund, Huh??

Budget Currently Being Hashed Out by Legislators to Decline by $1.1 Billion; OBBBA to Eat 40% of Expected General Fund Growth by FY2032 The Citizens Research Council today released an analysis of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the massive federal legislation signed into law earlier this month that touches nearly every corner of the federal government. The analysis focuses on the likely short- and long-term impacts of OBBBA provisions on Michigan's budget outlook. Key provisions of OBBBA include the extension of the vast majority of tax cuts included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and an assortment of new – albeit temporary – tax relief provisions for tipped income, overtime pay earners, and senior citizens. Under Congressional rules, the legislation needed to identify significant federal spending reductions to offset the revenue loss attributed to the new tax policies as well as increased military and immigration enforcement spending. OBBBA also achieves federal spending reductions through shifts in cost-sharing with states – provisions that will have significant impacts on state budgets going forward. In contrast to much that has been written about the immediacy of certain tax benefits followed by the delay in programmatic cuts, the Research Council's analysis shows the impact to the FY2026 Michigan budget currently being deliberated by state lawmakers is immediate: The OBBBA increases state cost-sharing within two major safety net programs – Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The changes could increase Michigan's spending on these programs by over $1 billion by FY2032. It also implements more favorable tax treatment of certain business expenditures under the federal corporate income tax – changes that will have ripple effects on Michigan's corporate income tax collections, leading to large and immediate revenue declines ($677 million revenue reduction estimated for FY2026). These provisions mean the state will need to cut around $1.1 billion in General Fund/General Purpose appropriations from the FY2026 Executive Budget proposal. By FY2032, OBBBA's provisions will absorb around 40 percent of expected General Fund revenue growth. “For years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan experienced an unexpected state revenue high driven largely by federal stimulus initiatives,” said Robert Schneider, senior research associate for state affairs and lead author of the report. “Even before OBBBA, it was evident that those days were coming to an end and state revenue growth was returning to pre-COVID trends. With the enactment of the OBBBA, Michigan now faces an added budget challenge that will be particularly severe over the next few budget cycles. State lawmakers should get to work on developing a budget plan that considers these new realities.”

There is a pile of important matters we discuss in today's show. From the White House to the U.S. Southern Border and everywhere in between, our nation is busy finding its way through a plethora of landmines laid by the Far Left in America.The noise along with multiple allegations of the details of the Epstein saga continues to grow. Now, President Trump has even suggested that Attorney General Pam Bondi "release any of the details of the incidents she deems credible.The Senate passed a massive "recession" bill that, if the House agrees, will claw back more than $9 billion to put back in the U.S. General Fund. It is now before the House for consideration and is expected to be passed today.We learned today that 1.4 million people who live abroad are receiving UK welfare money, and none of them are working.A new report provides evidence that shows the "official" Jeffrey Epstein jail video released to the public is "officially" short by almost 3 minutes of content. Those three minutes were removed, and the video was copied three times.

John 21:1-19After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. This is how he showed himself to them. Gathered there were Simon Peter, Thomas who was also called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the Sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” And they went and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.Just after daybreak, Jesus came and stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. He said to them, “My children, you haven't any fish, have you?” They said to him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast it and they were not able to haul in the net because it was full of so many fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Simon Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was Jesus, he put on some clothes for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. The others went in the boat, bringing with them the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land; only about a hundred yards off.When they had come ashore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring with you some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three of them. But even though there were so many fish, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”Now, none of them dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they new that it was Jesus. He came and took the bread and gave it to them and he did the same thing with the fish. This was the third time he had appeared to them since he had been raised from the dead.After they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time, Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” A third time, Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter, upset that he had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?,” said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. When you were a child, you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you chose to go. But when you grow old you will stretch out your arms and others will fasten a belt around you and lead you to places that you may not choose to go.” (He said this in order to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) And when he has said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” Pastor Cogan said something, almost in passing last Sunday, in his sermon reflecting on Pope Francis. It was a one-liner that caught my attention in the moment and that came back to me when I read today's Gospel. He said that Pope Francis – faithful, humble servant that he was – “was a shepherd who smelled like his sheep.” “… a shepherd who smelled like his sheep.”Did anyone else catch that? Or remember that? Or wonder any more about that? I did, because I think it has a lot to say about where we find Jesus and his disciples – and especially, this famous conversation and command to Peter – on the beach at breakfast, not long after the resurrection.“Do you love me?” … “Yes.” … “Feed my lambs.”“Do you love me?” … “Yes.” … “Tend my sheep.”“Do you love me?” … “Yes.” … “Feed my sheep.”And you can't blame Jesus for asking again, and again, and again. It's no coincidence that Jesus asked him three times, after what had happened just days before, of course, when Peter, questioned just before the crucifixion, denied Jesus three times to strangers, just as Jesus warned him that he would. So, this “Q and A” between Jesus and Peter – this whole experience on the beach after Easter, really – is chock full of symbolism and meaning. But, to the sheep and the lambs…Too much of the time for us, “sheep” and especially “lambs” – so close to Easter Sunday, in the spring of the year – elicit a warm and fuzzy, soft and sweet, cute, cuddly, cozy kind of vibe – don't you think? They are the stuff of Springtime and Easter baskets, right. But the truth is, sheep are actually dirty and lambs are pretty dumb. (Here's that video I'm sure many of us have seen of a sheep being both – dirty and dumb.) And remember that even the “sheep” Jesus refers to so often, even before this brunch on the beach, are pitiable and lost and in need of redemption, too. Remember that the “sheep” in Jesus' teachings need to be separated from the goats, they need to be found because they've gone astray, they need to be saved from the clutches of the wolves that surround them, and they need to listen for the sound of their shepherd's voice to lead them. And besides, all of that, remember that the warm and fuzzy Lamb, in Jesus himself, gets sacrificed, after all. And remember that the Lamb of God, in Jesus Christ, showed up to do the dirty work of taking away the sin of the world.There's not much “warm and fuzzy” or “cute and cuddly” or “soft and sweet” about any of that, in the end. The Lord's work is dirty work, to say the least. So it's notable, for me, that Jesus uses “sheep” and “lambs” as a metaphor for Peter, the fisherman – again – this time around.So when he talks about feeding sheep and tending to lambs, it seems to me, that Jesus is talking about the hard and holy stuff of life and discipleship for believers, this morning. And he's implying that you really need to LOVE Jesus, in order to fully enter into the business of following him faithfully.So we're invited to wonder, what in the world that means for you and me? Where are the sheep and the lambs, the lost and the lonely, the scared, the sick, the suffering – and the stinky – in this world and in your life?He makes it really hard for us to avoid the question. When Jesus asks us if we love him, who and how and what is he really asking us to consider? How many of us – like Pope Francis – smell like the sheep we're called to love and serve?For starters, it seems random, but it's no mistake that the Gospel writer says there were 153 fish in the net that morning. It's not likely anyone actually counted those fish. It's a number that smarter people than me suggest is meant to symbolize the entirety of creation; or they say it symbolizes all the people and every nation of the world. So, it's just another reminder that, as followers of Jesus, we're meant to tend to, feed, care about, and love all people; from every nation; in every land; even when it's hard. Even when it stinks. Do you love Jesus, even if it leads to people and to places where you may not want to go? Do you love Jesus, even if it leads people to your doorstep who you wish wouldn't come?Of course, we answer this question in other ways, too.I hope, when we consider our financial commitments to the General Fund in the days ahead, we'll hear that question, again: “Do you love me?” And I pray our commitments and the offerings that follow will be one meaningful way that we respond – even if it's uncomfortable, unfamiliar, unconventional by the world's standards and expectations.I hope, as we're filling out our Time and Talent Sheets for the year ahead, too, that Jesus' question will ring in our ears, “Do you love me?” And that how we choose to serve the world through our little part of the kingdom at Cross of Grace will reveal our answer in a faithful way – and that we'll do it even when it's inconvenient sometimes; even if it's new; even if it's something we've done before or something we never thought we'd do at all. Even if it stinks from time to time, like helping to clean the church or to mow the lawn.I hope, that as we live our lives in this broken and hurting world, that we see around us – on the evening news, in the hallways at school, in the house down the street, on the faces of strangers, and in the mirror – I hope we see the sheep and lambs of Jesus – the children of God – who are starving for, who need and who deserve to be fed and tended to and loved with the same grace we long for, need, and try to share around here.I hope that when we wonder about what it looks like to love Jesus, that we aren't afraid to get our hands dirty, to stop pretending that life in this world – our own lives or the lives of our neighbors – are always neat and tidy, soft and sweet, cute, cuddly, and convenient. I hope our lives of faith in this world leave us smelling like sheep.Because the truth is we are all sheep. Each of us is a lamb. We all stink of the sin that covers us. And we're all unable to be free of it on our own.So Jesus shows up to inspire us and to encourage us and to love us, first – all so that we might follow him – like he invites Peter to do – into a new way of life. So that we'll follow him into a kingdom that is built on service and sacrifice, generosity and grace, mercy and good news; a kingdom built with very clear directions from the resurrected and living love of Jesus Christ our Lord – who so faithfully feeds, tend to, and loves us – and the world – so that we can't help but return the favor, in his name.Amen

AlabamaAG Marshall files lawsuit against Tik Tok for causing mental harm to childrenA state version of the Laken Riley Act close to passage if no more delaysAL senate passes General Fund budget  despite Democratic delay tacticsBill that places adult content filters on cellphones for minors passes HouseGovernor Ivey allocates $7.6M for road and bridge projects in stateSen. Tuberville to officially announce his political plans at end of MayNationalPresident Trump holds cabinet meeting on Day 101 since taking officeA Federal judge in CA blocks Border Patrol from arresting illegal aliensNY Governor wants a ban on cellphones in public school classroomsRNC Chair details legal efforts in states to stop non citizens from votingUS and Ukraine sign an energy deal that involves rare earth minerals

Today we have a new state employee benefit and the General Fund budget. And the Poarch Creeks closed on a Birmingham property. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  —Here are 3 big things you need to know—   One — President Trump has officially signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, first created by then-President Carter back in 1979.  The White House says test scores for kids have been in decline for years, and it's time to see education authority be returned to individual states.  Education Secretary Linda McMahon will have to get Congressional approval to officially abolish the department.   Two ---- Governor Gretchen Whitmer is happy state House Speaker Matt Hall has passed a three-point-one-billion-dollar plan to fund road fixes, but says the plan could create budget holes and doesn't solve the problem.  Whitmer says she will work with the state Senate on a compromise that will be acceptable to both parties.  Whitmer and Republicans in the House want to put all taxes collected for fuel to the roads instead of being split up now for road funding, education, and more.  The GOP plan would fill the School Aid Fund hole with money from the General Fund and wouldn't raise taxes but Whitmer says new revenue has to be brought in from somewhere.   And number three —    A private company said Wednesday it has obtained a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to start housing immigrant inmates at its 1,800-bed prison in northern Michigan. GEO Group, a for-profit prison company based in Boca Raton, Florida, owns and operates North Lake Correctional Facility near Baldwin. The company issued a statement that there will be an activation of a federal immigration processing center at North Lake, boasting it will bring in $70 million dollars in annual revenue.  

—Here are 3 big things you need to know—   One — The Pentagon is preparing to eliminate between 50 and 60-thousand civilian jobs over the next few months.  On Tuesday, a senior defense official said the job cuts will hopefully happen via voluntary resignations and by not replacing workers who leave.  The Pentagon will also begin firing probationary employees.   Two ---- The Michigan House has approved a bill to lower income taxes to four-point-zero-five-percent from four-and-a-quarter-percent.  The bill would restore the tax rate that was in place for 2023 after the General Fund revenue grew faster than inflation.  In 2024, the income tax rate went back up following an opinion issued by Attorney General Dana Nessel that the reduction should be temporary.   And number three -- One of the biggest auto shows in Canada says it's removing Tesla from the event over safety concerns.  The Vancouver International Auto Show starts today and bills itself as one of North America's premiere auto shows.  In a statement Tuesday, the director of the event said Tesla vehicles were being removed from the show over concerns for the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff. 

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 21 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Men's Basketball vs Illinois Starts at 1:00 Michigan was asking for a game like this after the last couple months, you can't give up 19 offensive rebounds in a game and expect to win. Illinois got 9 more shots than Michigan and their young guys went off. Vlad Goldin was the only one who was getting an advantage. Danny Wolf is officially in a funk, this likely doesn't affect his draft stock. Michigan might be a popular pick to get upset in the first round of the tournament. They're fading down the stretch and not getting better in a lot of departments, especially rebounding.  [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]  2. Men's Basketball vs Michigan State Starts at 23:06 This was a "make your shots" game, Michigan State hit their shots. Also Michigan had an 11 shot deficit. Michigan now has a worse 3-point shooting percentage than Michigan State. Roddy Gayle has not hit a three-pointer since January, nobody is covering him anymore and that extra player is guarding the paint. Tre Donaldson might've had his worst game.  3. Hot Takes and Men's Basketball vs Rutgers & Nebraska Starts at 34:06 Takes hotter than yours truly after the 19th Illinois offensive rebound. These two games were polar opposites in what basketball is. Michigan had poor shooting and looked tired after the Michigan State game. The three-point shooting has come down tremendously. Seth thinks the worse three point shooting is mostly random except for Roddy Gayle, opposing defenses can always plan for Roddy not being able to shoot. For one half, Rutgers was the greatest basketball team in the world, then it came crashing back to Earth. Is it time for L.J. Cason to play more? Sometimes he looks great and sometimes he doesn't box out at all. Vlad Goldin is just not a passer in the paint. Who would you take for free throws to win the game, Roddy Gayle or Nimari Burnett? 4. Hockey vs Ohio State Starts at 1:10:08 Michigan steals four points from Ohio State and has their tournament percentage up to 85%. Michigan hosts Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament but Penn State is playing very hot at the end of this season. The "It gets worse" call is now legendary. Win this upcoming series and you're in, get swept and... you might still be in.  MUSIC: "You Don't Know The Shape I'm In"—MJ Lenderman "Loser"—Jerry Garcia "Whip Appeal"—Babyface “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra    

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 42 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Men's Basketball at Ohio State Starts at 1:00 Bienvenue! Recorded remotely this week because Seth's 19 year old ski boots exploded. Michigan wins a defense-optional shootout, they rebounded half their misses which ended up being the difference (Ohio State just couldn't out-rebound Goldin and Wolf). There's a big difference between Goldin being the role guy and Tschetter being the role guy, so why did Goldin only get 24 minutes? Officiating in this game and how it relates to the Bo Ryan era. Don't elbow someone in the head but also don't put your head into someone's elbow. Roddy Gayle returns to Columbus and silences the boos out of timeouts. Stop missing dunks. Neither team got a double digit lead, the game was tense the whole time.  [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]  2. Men's Basketball vs Purdue Starts at 24:50 Michigan avenges a terrible loss to become co-favorites to win the Big Ten. Braden Smith plays an insane 12 minutes to open the game for Purdue, making the first half extra frustrating. His mid-range shots weren't even bad shots, necessarily. Rubin Jones and Roddy Gayle combined for 20 points and played excellent, annoying defense. They came through in a way that was required to win this game. Michigan shoots below their season 3-point average but only had 11 turnovers. They also got to the line a lot (off of some calls that weren't great). Caleb Furst should've fouled out in the first six minutes! The physicality of the Big Ten is more than Dusty May realized. Purdue had zero bench points.  3. Hot Takes and Hockey vs Minnesota Starts at 49:12 Takes hotter than Michigan basketball in a three point game. Michigan gets slightly more than a split against Minnesota which decently increases their NCAA tournament chances. A split with Ohio State and a first round win in the Big Ten Tournament should do it. Minnesota was out-shooting Michigan 12-2 to start the game on Saturday, not great! Welcome back, Michael Hage. Tyler Duke played a nice game when everyone else was gassed. Bye week upcoming so we won't know much about tournament chances for a while.  4. Tournament Outlooks Starts at 1:16:40 Men's basketball is now projected to win the Big Ten but Wisconsin is looming with the easier schedule. Purdue and Michigan State both finish with a gauntlet. Of Michigan's last six games, four or five of them will be against tournament teams. Finishing 3-3 could maybe be enough to win a share of the Big Ten and get a banner. It's been a while since it's come down to Michigan and Michigan State down the stretch. Torvik has Michigan jumping between 3 and 4 seeds, which takes win margin into account. Hockey is projected to play Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. They're now 80% to make the NCAA tournament but everyone ahead of them in the Pairwise rankings is pretty much a lock. The worst tournament in sports is suddenly in Michigan's favor! There's a regional in Toledo but Michigan probably doesn't go there. Shout out to Hockey Bear.  MUSIC: "Real Life"—The Marias "MUTT"—Leon Thomas "THE BADDEST"—Joey Valence and Brae “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 28 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Dusty May Talk Starts at 1:00 Welcome to the Plodcast. This game had the awkward undertones of Mike Woodson getting "fired" and Indiana wanting to hire Dusty May. What's a better job, Indiana or Michigan? Indiana is home for Dusty but there's also a lot of pressure there. If Michigan needed the money to match, they could get it. He did turn down the Louisville job so maybe the biggest thing that would bring Dusty May back to Indiana is that his mom still lives in Bloomington.  [The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]  2. Men's Basketball vs Indiana Starts at 22:30 Once again it is the story of the season where Michigan gets a big lead and then suddenly looks like they forgot how to play basketball. Kenpom said Michigan would win by four so maybe we're overexaggerating. They've gone from a top 10 team to a top 25 team, so a 5-6 seed in the tournament. The turnover margin between the most turnovers and the fewest in the Big Ten is only four turnovers. Three point shooting was extremely frustrating. Gayle is driving to the basketball when he should be shooting a 3. Screwing up the foul on Goldin really hurt Michigan. Nimari Burnett's shooting percentages have simply fallen back down to earth.  3. Hot Takes and Men's Basketball vs Oregon Starts at 41:22 Takes hotter than the Indiana fanbase when Dusty May spikes a three hundred million dollar offer in their faces and says "I'm a Michigan man forever, babyyyy". Another game where Michigan had a double digit lead that they almost blew! Roddy Gayle got to the line a lot but also traveled enough that John Beilein would've ripped his esophagus out. Will Tschetter had a nice game and led the team in scoring. The bench players aren't quite ready and that's okay. Is Supreme Cook the best version of Brian?  4. Michigan Hockey vs Michigan State Starts at 1:13:28 Michigan picks up a split against the #2 team in Pairwise, getting one win was the best possible scenario. Both games were about the same but Michigan State actually scored in the second game. Michigan is a team of just guys. Nobody really pops besides Hage. The WWE aspect of these games in the 3rd period against Michigan State has become a bit much. Michigan has a 70% projected chance of making the field, which feels great right now. Is the most boring Michigan hockey team in memory? This isn't a bad team, they're just not the team last year that booted Michigan State out of the tournament. Pre-season expectation was to hopefully make the tournament and that hasn't changed. MUSIC: "Aston Martin Music"—Rick Ross "Waiting For The Bells"—Joel Alme "Vines"—Cameron Winter “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra    

GoFundMes to support victims of the fires in LA who are part of the MGoBlog community: General Fund. Reader's mother-in-law Anne Cohen. Reader Chef Robert. Reader Josh Bishop-Moser. Reader Mike on behalf of Mika Yoshitake & daughter Sora. Readers Liberty and Mark. 1 hour and 9 minutes The Sponsors Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com. Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, Human Element, Sharon's Heating & Air Conditioning, The Sklars Brothers, the Autograph: Fandom Rewarded app, Champions Circle, Winewood Organics, Community Pest Solutions, and Venue by 4M where usually record this. 1. Men's Basketball vs Rutgers Starts at 1:00 Brian returns after a week (or two) of trying not to die ala ice and norovirus. The Rutgers game was a weird game of two offensive-oriented teams not scoring much. Rutgers has 15 more shots than Michigan and still loses due to poor shooting. Michigan did a great job defending Ace Bailey. Rubin Jones made a two! Rutgers likely won't make the tournament but this was still a solid road win. Tre Donaldson is averaging 1.7 fouls per game, can't just pull him with two fouls. Things feel bad but Michigan has a tournament bid pretty much locked up if they stay the course.  2. Men's Basketball vs Penn State and Purdue Starts at 21:34 Penn State is the most Clingon team in college basketball. Tre Donaldson was the hero with 21 points, also the Vlad Goldin "empty tubes" game. Only nine turnovers was a great improvement against a team that forces a bunch of turnovers. Speaking of poop, the Purdue game! This was not a game from the start. Michigan can't handle Purdue's pace and then the second half is just coasting home for both teams. Every Michigan coach has to get their head caved in by Painter once. It was discombobulating to see Michigan so discombobulated. The final stretch of this schedule is a gauntlet, they're all quad 1 games (besides maybe Rutgers). If Michigan finishes .500 they'll be fine.  3. Football Stuff Starts at 41:23 Ross Dellenger got a leak of a portion of Michigan's NCAA response. Michigan is taking the route that the allegations are unsupported and should be level 2 allegations. In the past they've laid down and taken it for allegations. All the released texts about Connor Stalions within the program almost sound like they're annoyed with him. The portal has been pretty quiet recently, this might be it for the incoming wide receivers. All signs point towards Ty Haywood coming to Michigan. The NIL values you see are probably made up.  4. Michigan Hockey vs Penn State Starts at 56:09 Michigan is down to 14th in Pairwise and on the bubble. The remaining games are the hardest part of the schedule so they need to go at least 3-3 to try and get into the tournament. This is such a frustrating team to watch. In some years, the Michigan defense can do spectacular things while making mistakes, this year they just make mistakes. They're running out of time to figure stuff out.  MUSIC: "Alaska"—Maggie Rogers "Help Me"—Joni Mitchell "Don't Dream It's Over"—Crowded House “Across 110th Street”—JJ Johnson and his Orchestra    

Measure H would implement a one-cent sales tax for Butte County residents that could lead to millions of dollars in the county's coffers. Also, Plumas County is trying to attract people to live and visit the area by being featured in the PBS show “Viewpoint,” and Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday released an optimistic progress report on efforts to reach an ambitious goal to conserve 30% of California's land by 2030.

Boeing's commercial market outlook, the AirVenture and Farnborough air shows, Airbus' A321XLR certification, funding for FAA infrastructure, Embraer's Eve flying taxi prototype, JetBlue's unpaid leave offer to flight attendants, and first officers decline to upgrade to captain. Aviation News Boeing Forecasts Demand for Nearly 44,000 New Airplanes Through 2043 as Air Travel Surpasses Pre-Pandemic Levels Boeing released its Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for 2024-2043, including an interactive dashboard. CMO forecast highlights through 2043: The global commercial fleet is projected to grow 3.2% annually. The air cargo fleet will increase by two-thirds by 2043, to support 4.1% annual air cargo traffic growth. The number of global routes served by commercial airlines has returned to 2019 levels, even though nearly 20% of them are new, illustrating the adaptability of aviation in a dynamic market. Single-aisle airplanes will make up 71% of the 2043 fleet. The global widebody fleet will more than double, with twin-aisles comprising 44% of the Middle East fleet. It's Opening Week for Two of the World's Largest Airshows EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is July 22 – July 28, 2024. EAA has about 300,000 members worldwide. AirVenture sees more than 500,000 attendees over the week-long event they call The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration®. The Farnborough International Airshow is held every two years, alternating with the Paris Air Show. This year Farnborough is July 22 – July 26, 2024, and targets the global aerospace industry. See Farnborough Air Show 2024 - Preview from the Royal Aeronautical Society. Airbus A321XLR Receives EASA Type Certification The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued Type Certification for the Airbus A321XLR powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines. Airbus has a backlog of over 500 single-aisle A321XLR orders. Iberia is the launch customer and EIS is expected in November 2024. Airbus also has orders from Qantas, Icelandair, and IAG Group. Certification for the Pratt & Whitney GTF variant is to come next. Groups Push Lawmakers To Up FAA's ATC Equipment Budget Twenty-six industry associations sent a letter to the Appropriations Committees, the Senate Commerce Committee, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asking for more ATC modernization funding. The associations represent business and general aviation, airlines, air traffic controllers and specialists, pilots and flight attendants, and manufacturers. The groups note an uncommitted balance in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) that could be used for the FAA's Facilities and Equipment (F&E) account. “We… believe more must be done to not only maintain and sustain the ATC system but also to modernize it.” The Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF), also known as the Aviation Trust Fund, was established in 1970 to help finance the FAA's investments in the airport and airway system, independent of the General Fund. Embraer's Eve rolls out flying taxi prototype, cash needs covered until 2027 Embraer subsidiary Eve Air Mobility revealed their full-scale eVTOL prototype. The fixed-wing aircraft uses eight propellers for vertical flight and an electric pusher motor. The first prototype does not have a cabin or pilot. The final aircraft will seat four passengers and a pilot. Eve was founded in 2020 and plans to obtain certification and enter service in 2026. Five conforming prototypes are planned for 2025. The company says they have letters of intent for 2,900 eVTOLs that seat four passengers and a pilot. Investors include United Airlines, BAE Systems, Thales, and Rolls-Royce. Eve eVTOL protype. JetBlue to Offer Six Months of Unpaid Leave to Flight Attendants, Trim Number of Crew Members On Transatlantic Flights A Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) memo says JetBlue is taking steps to reduce costs. Flight attendants should expect “significantly reduced” flying sched...

May brought a strong economic climate to Virginia, according to the most recent state data. Virginia's general fund revenues rose by 14.2% compared to the same period last year and remain slightly ahead of the revenue forecast included in the budget approved May 13. “With more Virginians working than ever before, Virginia's job market continues to fuel the economic engine of the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin. “We are pleased with the underlying strength of Virginia's business climate and job growth, but with inflation at the federal level remaining persistent we will continue to exercise caution in our forecast and...Article LinkSupport the Show.

State budget officials met on May 17, 2024, to finalize state revenue estimates that will be used as guideposts for ongoing FY2025 budget deliberations. The Research Council's Bob Schneider and Craig Thiel provide insights into what the new estimates mean as lawmakers wrap up the budget as well as the budget outlook for Fiscal Year 2026. Scheider said the conference experts delivered a positive outlook, stating that the forecast for the national and state economy was generally good: real GDP, the key metric to monitor the health of the national economy, is expected to continue to grow through the next few years at a normal, healthy rate. Inflation is falling back, though not quite as fast in Michigan as it is nationally; incomes are growing, and Michigan's unemployment rate remains low. The revenue conference, held in January and May each year, brings together the State Treasurer, the Michigan Legislature's top budget advisors and economists who present information on the state and national economy, workforce, wages, the auto industry, and spending patterns by businesses and the public in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The May Revenue Estimating Conference is a key step for state lawmakers in finalizing the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins October 1. Economists and state officials determined that revenue estimates in May showed a slight increase for the state's General Fund and a slight decrease for the School Aid Fund from January estimates. Schneider says the most important takeaway is that revenues continue to grow. Revenues for the state General Fund is expected to grow about 1.5 percent, or just over $200 million. School Aid Fund revenues were adjusted down to about $160 million, or about 1 percent, from January, and that largely reflects slightly slower sales tax growth. "During COVID, people shifted their spending patterns towards goods and 'stuff.' People were buying stuff rather than services. So now, maybe we're seeing a sort of return to normal on that front, which is slowing sales tax growth."

The 2024 race for Northfield Mayor took an interesting turn yesterday when Erica Zweifel, a three-term member of the Northfield City Council from 2009 until she chose to not run in 2020, announced that she is a candidate for the City of Northfield's highest elected office.   Zweifel said as mayor, her priorities would be fiscal […]

 Zweifel announces candidacy for Northfield Mayor; School Board hears '24-'25 General Fund budget presentation; Watermain flushing begins on Sunday 

Today we have a Legislative roundup that includes a $3.4 billion General Fund budget. A North Alabama chef won the Alabama Seafood Cook-Off. An NFL team is helping build girls flag football in Alabama. Jonathan Sobolewski explains the new federal noncompete rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legislative session talk is still on the stalled lottery/casinos package. Biden now only needs Ivey's signature to be on the ballot. House passes General Fund budget. Finding and affording childcare is no easy task. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fiscal and Administrative Services is providing weekly briefings to the Charles County Board of Commissioners on different aspects of the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget.  Throughout the month of April and into early May, Let's Get Fiscal will have weekly "Budget Bite" mini-episodes to give quick overviews of what was presented and what's coming next!  Tune in to this episode to hear about all about the budget presentations on April 23 and April 24, and the budget public hearing on April 24th.  Tune back in next week to hear about Special Revenues Funds (grants, fire & rescue, special programs), recapping the Enterprise funds and discussing any Commissioner Proposed Changes to the Budget.

Fiscal and Administrative services is providing weekly briefings to the Charles County Board of Commissioners on different aspects of the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget.  Throughout the month of April, Let's Get Fiscal will have weekly "Budget Bite" mini-episodes to give quick overviews of what was presented and what's coming next!  Tune in to this episode to hear about the Tuesday, April 16th presentation that discussed the County Administrator's proposed fiscal 2025 general fund proposed budget, our partner agency budget requests, and the capital improvement program. Check back in next week to hear about the April 23rd presentation, and don't forget to block your calendar to attend the public hearing on April 24th!

Acts 4:32-35Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.John 20:19-31When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors on the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” When he said this, he showed them his hands and his sides, and the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. He said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so now I send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”Now, Thomas (who was called “the Twin”) one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared. So the disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands, and put my fingers in the marks of the nails, and my hands in his side, I will not believe.”A week later, the disciples were again in the house and this time, Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your fingers here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”Now, Jesus did many other signs which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you might have life in his name. If I were to meet Thomas today, I would ask him, which would have been harder for him to believe: What we heard about in this Gospel reading from John or what took place in that reading, later in Acts, Chapter 4.In John's Gospel, immediately following Easter's resurrection, we hear the familiar story about the unfairly infamous “Doubting Thomas” with all of that heavy breathing, behind the locked doors of that hideout of a house. There are Jesus' holey hands and scarred sides. There are those commands to be sent into the world with the authority to forgive the sins of others, at their discretion. And there's that invitation to “not doubt, but believe.” That's a whole lot of hard, holy stuff to take in, to buy, and to make sense of.But it's at least as easy to believe, if you ask me, as what happens later in Acts. Did you hear it? Were you paying attention? Did you consider it with at least as much seriousness as Easter's good news and Thomas' doubts? First, it's worth knowing that “the whole group who believed” as we hear about in Acts, was bigger than just the handful of disciples who saw Jesus in that house with Thomas on Easter Sunday. By the time we get to that Acts reading, thousands had been baptized and had come to believe; believers and followers were being added to the mix every day. And this is what we're told:- The whole group of those thousands who believed were of one heart and soul. (How could that be?)- And not one of them claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. (Can you imagine?)- There was not a needy person among them, as the story goes. They sold their land and houses, and laid the proceeds of it at the feet of the apostles' to be handed out, as any had need, no strings attached. (Call me “Thomas.” I'd need to see it, for myself, to believe it.)Because that sounds like a cult to me. Or socialism, God forbid. Nothing most of us – and the culture surrounding us – are willing to believe or buy into, practice or propagate as faithful capitalists. But there it is, in black and white, lifted up as a model for faithful living, right there in the Word of God.And it makes me wonder if people in the world might have an easier time believing the former – the Gospel good news that the love of God, in Jesus, was more powerful, even, than death – if they could see and experience the latter, from his followers like you and me – that kind of radical, selfless, sacrificial, generosity – I mean. And that's a question we're called to ponder, still.…We were blessed enough to have celebrated a couple of baptisms the last couple of weeks here, in worship – one, each, on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, too. Depending on which service you attended, you may or may not have known that. And, as is customary at Cross of Grace, especially when the family of the baptized and/or a sanctuary full of people who don't usually attend Cross of Grace – or church, generally, for that matter, as is customary on a typical Easter Sunday – we make a deliberate effort at explaining ourselves.What I mean is, we baptize at the back, by the door. We move the baptismal bowl. We encourage everyone to stand and turn to see it. And we explain our reasoning for that is two-fold. First, because baptism is a sign of our invitation, welcome and entry to the Church on this side of heaven. And it's also a sign of our promised welcome into God's heaven, on the other side of eternity. Hence, the doors.And the second reason we turn our attention to the back, is to show that the kind of grace we celebrate, pour out, and promise to one another by way of Holy Baptism, is meant to turn us around, quite literally, in as many ways as we'll allow that to happen. It's meant to change us, utterly. God's love is meant to inspire and transform the way we live and move and breathe in the world – here and now, on this side of heaven, in great gratitude for God's love in our lives and for the sake of the world.…That's what the good news of Easter's grace and love and new life was doing in that room with Thomas and those first disciples – everything was changed and changing. And that's what the good news of Easter's grace and love and new life was doing in the lives of those followers in Acts, just the same – everything was changed and changing, still, for those who wanted in on the action, too.They were so captivated by who they now knew Jesus to be – the Messiah, the Son of God – that they let that good news have its way with every part of their life, as individuals and as a community of faith. They devoted themselves to each other in prayer, fellowship, teaching, worship … and in sharing their money for the good of the cause, too. …Several weeks ago, before we got knee deep into the season of Lent, in preparation for Easter, we engaged some wonderful Holy Conversations as a congregation. Those conversations were about a lot of things – what we've been up to as a family of faith, what we hope to see happen around here in the future, and how we plan to make that happen. And we have some big dreams brewing among us. We heard about building projects, expanding our food pantry ministry, growing our influence in social justice efforts, adding programming for kids and youth, and more.And we'd like to continue those conversations now that we've made it to the other side of Easter. Not in the same way. We won't be hosting special events, happy hours, or luncheons and whatnot, like we did for those Holy Conversations. But we're gearing up to make our General Fund financial commitments in early May, and we want to pray and prepare for that in the context of worship, learning, and service on the other side of the empty tomb – like Thomas and the first disciples; like the apostles and the throngs of the faithful, changed by Easter's good news and wanting to change the world with the same kind of grace, generosity, love, mercy and forgiveness they had experienced, in Jesus.That's God's call and my hope for all of us, every day that we live on the other side of Easter – that we'll be so captivated by the grace and blessing of God's love for the world, that we'll return the favor as much as we're able by sharing ourselves and our resources for the sake of what's so unique about the ministry we share in this place, for the sake of the communities we serve.And our ministry is uniquely beautiful as far as churches go in our community. I'm talking about our wide, sincere welcome of all people – and especially the LGBTQ neighbors among us. And I'm talking about our food pantry, our teaching about and our doing of justice for those others ignore, and our generosity when we get it right. (We have 25 grant applications to review for the $50,000 we get to give away from our Building and Outreach Fund.)…After that baptism on Palm Sunday, one of the family members of the newly baptized little boy came looking for me to very deliberately thank me for whatever I had preached that day and, generally, for the spirit of welcome and grace and whatever else he felt by being here. He lives out west, so won't be back anytime soon, but he could see and feel something different about this placed than is true in so many other churches out there in the world. You all deserve to know that just as much as I do.…Like Thomas, sometimes you just have to see and experience it to believe it. So, I'm praying we're all paying attention. And, like the early Church in Acts – growing and giving and sharing their resources and themselves – I'm hopeful we'll all get in on the action in the days ahead, because I know others will be drawn to and inspired by what we're up to when they see and experience the kind of grace we proclaim, right along with us, just the same.Amen

Let's talk about a new way to allocate resources for Portland. Maria Sipin is working with the Community Budgeting for All campaign and they just launched a petition drive to get participatory budgeting (PB) on the November 2024 ballot in Portland. They want to take 2% of the city's General Fund (about $15.6 million) and put it in the hands of everyday people. In this conversation, you'll learn what PB is and how it's different than the traditional, top-down budgeting process.Links:https://www.communitybudgetingforall.com/

Nate Benefield, Senior VP at the Commonwealth Foundation joins Dawn LIVE! Nate expands on the recent Commonwealth report expanding on the Shapiro budget, and the deficit that PA residents could face long after Gov. Shapiro's stint as Governor...  From the report: Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a $48.3 billion 2024–25 General Fund budget, a $3 billion or 7.1 percent spending increase compared to last year's ongoing general fund spending.The proposal overestimates revenue growth and underestimates spending growth compared to projections from the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), meaning deficits under Shapiro's plan may be even higher than projected.Shapiro's budget would balloon the structural deficit to more than $6 billion. His proposed series of startling increases and new initiatives would empty Pennsylvania's checking account and illegally raid the Rainy Day Fund, necessitating a tax hike of more than $2,000 per family of four.Pennsylvania's aging population and the persistent, troubling outmigration of its working-age residents present long-term budgetary challenges for policymakers. Shapiro's budget, as proposed, fails to address our economic competitiveness, exacerbating these trends. Nathan (Nate) Benefield is the Senior Vice President at the Commonwealth Foundation.An Ohio native, Nate holds an undergraduate degree in political science and economics and a master's degree in public service management from DePaul University in Chicago. He also completed his doctoral studies (ABD) in political science at Loyola University, also in Chicago. Nate joined the Commonwealth Foundation in 2005. Now as senior vice president, he provides strategic leadership as well as operational oversight spanning policy analysis, government relations, marketing, and communications. Tune in 10 AM - 12 PM EST weekdays on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT; or on the Audacy app!

Over the past decade Arizona's population and economy have grown rapidly, but more recent data suggests this pace is slowing. Today the state is facing the end of its fastest period of revenue and spending growth ever – over the past five years, General Fund revenue collections have grown 52%, while spending has increased by over two-thirds (to $17.8 billion this year). In October, the Arizona Legislature's Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) – a nonpartisan body tasked with forecasting State revenue collections – projected a cumulative $1.0 billion General Fund cash deficit over the next three fiscal years. The last time the state was in this position was in 2015, following years of tepid revenue growth after the Great Recession and during the peak of K-12 formula funding litigation. How did this happen, and how did it happen so quickly? Host and National Chairman of CSI Earl Wright welcomes President & CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry Danny Seiden and CSI Arizona's Director of Policy and Research Glenn Farley to discuss the issue's origins, its history, and its possible solutions.  Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

On this Election 2023 re-air, Crystal chats with Teresa Mosqueda about her campaign for King County Council District 8 - why she decided to run, the experience and lessons she'll bring to the County from serving on Seattle City Council, and her thoughts on addressing progressive revenue options, public service wage equity and morale, housing and homelessness, public safety, transit rider experience, climate change, and budget transparency. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Teresa Mosqueda at @TeresaCMosqueda.   Teresa Mosqueda As a Progressive Labor Democrat, Teresa Mosqueda is committed to creating healthy and safe communities, investing in working families through job training, childcare and transit access, and developing more affordable housing for all residents. She brings a proven track record of successfully passing progressive policies and building broad and inclusive coalitions. Teresa was named one of Seattle's Most Influential People 2018 for acting with urgency upon getting elected, received the Ady Barkan Progressive Champion Award from Local Progress in 2019; and earned national attention by leading the passage of JumpStart progressive revenue to invest in housing, economic resilience, green new deal investments, and equitable development. Prior to elected office Teresa worked on community health policies from SeaMar to the Children's Alliance, and championed workers' rights at the WA State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, where she helped lead state's minimum wage increase, paid sick leave, farmworker protections, workplace safety standards, and launched the Path to Power candidate training with the AFL-CIO.   Resources Campaign Website - Teresa Mosqueda   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. I am very excited today to have joining us - current Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who is a candidate for King County Council District 8, which covers Seattle - including West Seattle, South Park, Georgetown, Chinatown International District, and First Hill - as well as Burien, part of Tukwila, and unincorporated King County - in White Center and Vashon Island. Welcome to the program - welcome back. [00:01:22] Teresa Mosqueda: Thank you so much for having me back - I appreciate it. [00:01:25] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. So I guess the first question is - what made you decide to run for King County Council after being on the Seattle City Council? [00:01:35] Teresa Mosqueda: I've been really, really honored to be able to serve the full City of Seattle - 775,000 residents at this point - to be able to pass progressive policies like progressive revenue through JumpStart, Green New Deal and affordable housing that it was funding, to be able to quadruple the investments in affordable housing, to expand worker protections. But the truth is, we know that much of the population that I was elected by - the folks that I really center in my public policy - also work and have family outside of the City of Seattle. And in many ways, I want to build on what I've been able to accomplish in Seattle - investments in affordable housing, investments in new career pathways, good union jobs, to expand on the childcare and working family supports that I've centered in my work on City Council. But in order to reach the broader population of working families who are just outside of Seattle's borders but may work in Seattle and come in and out of the City - I want to create greater equity and stability across our region - the County is the place to do it. And in terms of stability, the County is the only place that has purview over public health, has the purse strings for behavioral health investments. And so if I want to complement efforts to try to house folks and create long-term housing stability, especially for our most vulnerable community members, the County is the place to do that - through investments in behavioral health, by sitting on the Public Health Board, by being directly involved in the budget that has purview over public health and behavioral health investments. I see it as an extension of my work at the City to create housed and healthy communities. And it actually goes full circle back to my roots where I started my career in community health. It is exciting opportunity, and I see it as a growth and expansion of the work that we've done in Seattle. [00:03:24] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. You talk about progressive revenue - the JumpStart Tax, which is a really, really important source of revenue that has been so helpful for businesses in the City, for residents, so many people in need - and has been a benefit to the City, especially in this time of a budget downturn in that the JumpStart Tax helped to bail out a budget shortfall there. So this revenue seemed to come just in time. You had to fight for it. You led the fight for it. What lessons do you take out of that fight to the County, and what progressive revenue options are there at the county level that you would be willing to pursue? [00:04:05] Teresa Mosqueda: I think one major lesson is how I've approached building these big progressive policies that have not only earned the majority of votes, but the vast majority - if not unanimous vote sometimes - that have withstood the test of time, have not been overturned, and have not been overturned by legislative councilmatic action nor by the courts. I will take with me to King County the ability to build these broad coalitions. And think about JumpStart - who was there when we launched it? It was ironworkers and hardhats, along with business entrepreneurs from both small and large business, with community and housing advocates standing collectively together to say - We will not only stand by this progressive revenue, we will stand by it knowing that it's five times the amount of the previous policy and it's twice as long. That's a huge effort that took place to try to get people on the same page, and we had to - with growing income inequality, growing needs, an increase in our population. There was no other option. This had to succeed, and so I will take that same approach to King County Council. So much is on the needs list right now in the "wake" of the global pandemic. We have the ongoing shadow pandemic. We have increased needs for mental health and community health investments. We have increased needs for food security and housing stability. There is not an alternative. We must invest more and we must do it in a way that withstands the test of time, like I've done on Seattle City Council. So for me, it's the how I bring people together that I will bring to King County Council. And I think it's also the what - not being afraid to push the envelope on what's possible. Many people said it was impossible to pass the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights - and we got sued, and we won. People said it was impossible to legislate having hotel workers get access to guaranteed healthcare at the gold level, protections from retaliation, maximum workload. We not only passed that in legislation, but we withstood that in the court. And the same is true of JumpStart. We withstood multiple litigation attempts to try to take away JumpStart, and it's withstood the test of time. And I'm excited to see what else we can do in a city that sees so much growth but incredible inequity across our region - to bring people together to address these pressing needs. [00:06:24] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. You talked about housing and homelessness, and one thing called out by experts as a barrier to our homelessness response is that frontline worker wages don't cover their cost of living. Do you believe our local service providers, a lot of whom are nonprofits, have a responsibility to pay living wages for the area? And how can we make that more likely with how we bid and contract for services at the county level? [00:06:54] Teresa Mosqueda: Yeah, two things I would say. One is - absolutely, we need to make sure that folks who are working on the frontline as human service providers - think folks who are the counselors to youth, or people who have mental health or substance abuse needs that we need to help address so that they can get stably housed, think about services to our vets and seniors. These are workers on the frontline who rely on relationships and have skills, expertise in the human service category. They need to have investments in these deeply needed services. And in order for us to create greater stability, we need to be paying them living wages. I say "we" - because this is not about the nonprofits needing to pay them more. It is about we, the public entities, needing to increase our contracts to these organizations who then employ people to be on the frontline. For better or worse, we have a human services system that has largely relied on contracting out critical services that are arguably public services. They are supported by public dollars, and we, public officials, have a responsibility to pay those organizations enough so that they can invest in the wages for frontline workers. That is what I have tried to do at Seattle City Council. The first year that I came in at Seattle City Council, the Human Services Coalition came to me and said - We have not had a cost of living increase in 10 years. To not have a COLA in 10 years for most workers in our region and across the country is unheard of, but it's especially unheard of for the very folks on the frontline trying to address the most pressing crisis in our country right now - and that is housing instability and homeless services. So we worked in 2019, and we passed the Human Services cost of living adjustment - that is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what needs to be addressed. The historic and chronic underfunding of these positions still needs to be addressed. We are not going to be able to close this gap of 40, 50, 60% turnover in our critical organizational partners, organizations, if we don't address the wage stability issue. So I think actually going to the County and bringing that experience of having worked directly with the human service providers and hearing their stories about why it was so critical not only to have a cost of living adjustment, but to get at this chronic underfunding is going to be really coming at a pivotal moment. Seattle does have a cost of living adjustment. I want to bring that cost of living adjustment to King County and collectively with Seattle, I want to work to address the underpayment for human service providers as well. [00:09:26] Crystal Fincher: There's been a lot of action when it comes to addressing housing and homelessness from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to new legislation, and potentially even more legislation coming out through the end of this legislative session. We're currently recording this in mid-April, so it may come out a little bit further when there's a definitive answer for everything that happens. But amid a lot of this work that is currently being implemented or has just been authorized, there's a lot in process but still seemingly a lot more that needs to be done. What would your top priorities be to make a noticeable and meaningful difference in both homelessness and housing affordability if you're elected to this position? [00:10:11] Teresa Mosqueda: Resources for housing is critically needed across King County. Resources will help local jurisdictions be able to implement the new requirements that are going to be coming forth from our State Legislature, which - I want to thank our State legislative members - every year they go to Olympia and every year we ask them to be bold - be bold on housing solutions, recognizing that housing is the solution to being houseless. Housing helps people who have multiple compounding factors get healthy, get stable, and be productive members of our community. Housing is the solution to this biggest crisis that we see, not only in Seattle and King County, up and down the West Coast, but across our entire country. We have not built enough housing to house our current population plus the population who will continue to come to our region. So one of the things that I think I can take to the County is the desire to make sure that local jurisdictions, whether it's Burien or Tukwila, or unincorporated areas like in Vashon and Maury Island or in White Center - that they have resources as well to help build the type of housing that's being requested from the State Legislature - to do so in accordance with their Comprehensive Plan so that people can implement it in the time frame that works for those local jurisdictions, but to help them take away the barrier of not having enough resources. Seattle is unique in that we have pushed forward different resources. We have different types of tax revenues - thanks to JumpStart, for example - but in areas that don't have those type of resources, I hope the County can continue to be a good partner, in addition to the state, to build the type of diverse housing that we're now going to be required to build and hopefully we can do even more. The State Legislature is actually creating a new floor. We should be building upon that, and where we can go higher and denser - that is good for the local environment, it is good for the local economy, it's good for the health of workers and small businesses. And it's what I've heard from Vashon Island to Tukwila - people have said, "We don't have enough workforce housing." Small business owners have said, "I don't have enough workers in this area because they can't afford to live here." So I want to hopefully break down misperceptions about what type of housing we're talking about. We're talking about housing for seniors and vets, kiddos, youth, workers. We're talking about supporting the creation of that housing with additional revenue - that's one of the things I'd like to bring to the County. And to also recognize that when we have diverse economies that are prosperous, it's because workers can live next to their place of employment. Workers can walk to their childcare. We don't have time to spend two hours in the car commuting back and forth - that's not good for our health, our family's health, and it sure isn't good for the health of our planet. So it's a win-win-win, and I think that's something that I can really bring in as a County Councilmember - the knowledge that these local jurisdictions want to do more, but sometimes are limited with their resources. And wherever I can, I want to help step up and provide that support. [00:13:08] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Public safety has also been an area where the County continues to make a lot of news, has a lot of responsibility - they operate a jail, and that has itself made a lot of news. Over the past couple years throughout the pandemic, some of the employees of the jails - the guards - other people, the Public Defenders Association have called out overcrowding conditions, unsafe conditions in the jail. There's been times where the jail has not had clean water, several illness outbreaks, people not being treated correctly. It seems to be a really bad situation. Recently, the King County Council just voted to extend a contract to rent additional beds from a SCORE facility in Des Moines. This, during a backdrop of events where the King County Executive has made a promise to close the King County Jail, but it seems like we're getting further away from that, or at least not getting closer to that. Would you have voted to extend the SCORE contract? And should we close the jail? What is your vision for the short term? [00:14:17] Teresa Mosqueda: I think that the move to close down a jail that's both outdated and unsafe is not only good for the inmates, it's good for the folks who are working there. I think this is another example of where there's a false perception of sides. People who work within the jail, as well as those who are incarcerated, have expressed their not only horror when seeing mold and deterioration of the building, but it is extremely unsafe as well - as you mentioned - due to overcrowding. There's a few things that I think we can do. Number one, we should address upstream - who was being sent to these facilities in the first place. In a presentation that the Seattle City Council received from the City Attorney's Office, there was a large number of people who were initially booked and jailed, and ultimately were released because there was no grounds to put forward charges. And I think we need to stop the habit or the practice of putting folks in that situation to begin with. Even if they are not incarcerated for long periods of time, the fact that people are being jailed - especially youth - creates consequences down the road, mental health consequences, consequences for your housing, for your livelihood, your employment. And the negative impact of just being booked in the first place - both for the physical health of somebody, but also the trajectory of their life - is quantifiable. It is known, and we should stop that practice early. I agree with the effort to move folks into a situation that is healthier, but I also want to continue to look at how we can reduce the chance that someone is ever incarcerated in the first place, invest more in restorative justice practices. I'm optimistic by some of the conversations I've heard from folks in the community, specifically in Burien, about the ways in which some of the initial conversations have taken place with the Burien City Police Chief Ted Boe, and some of the commitments that have been made to try to look at restorative justice differently. And I think that holistically we need to look at what leads someone to be in that situation in the first place and back up to see what additional community investments we can be making so that people can have greater access to economic security, community safety, and reduce the chance that someone ever interacts with the carceral system to begin with. [00:16:40] Crystal Fincher: What do you think, or for people who are considering this voting decision and who are looking around and who are feeling unsafe, and who are not quite sure what the right direction is to move forward, or what can be done but feel like something should be done - what is your message to them? And what can make us all safer? [00:17:01] Teresa Mosqueda: There's a few things that I think have really come to light, especially during the pandemic. We tell people to stay home to stay healthy. Well, if people don't have a home, they can't stay healthy. If we can think about the increased situation where many of us have probably seen loved ones in our lives - whether it's family members or friends - who have turned to substances to cope, to self-medicate with the stress, the trauma, the isolation that has only increased during the pandemic. I hope there's greater empathy across our community and across our country for why people may be self-medicating to begin with. And I think if we think about these recent examples of where we have seen people become more unstable in their housing situation or turn to substances because of increasing stress and pressure, that hopefully there's greater empathy for why it is so critical that we invest upstream. It is not an either/or - it's creating greater balance with how we invest in community safety, in what we know equals the social determinants of health. When we invest in housing, it helps reduce the chance that someone is going to engage in criminal activities later in life. When we invest in early learning, in job opportunities, in youth interactive programs, when we invest in even gun reduction and youth violence reduction strategies, it helps create healthier individuals and healthier populations, reduce the chance that someone ever interacts with an officer to begin with. These are public safety investments, and they shouldn't be seen as a separate silo from "traditional safety." It actually saves lives, and there's a huge return on investment when we make some of these upstream program policies a priority. I think it actually creates healthier communities, and for those who are looking at it through the economic lens, healthier economies - knowing that that return on investment has been proven time and time again. And it's good for individuals and community health as well. [00:19:02] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Now, there's a shortage of workers across the board - certainly King County is included in this shortage of county workers in several areas, including in many front-line positions that impact public safety - maintenance, care, health - all of those that are crucial to delivering services and help that the residents of the County need. We've seen hiring, retention, and referral bonuses for public safety employees. Do you think we should be considering those for other employees? [00:19:39] Teresa Mosqueda: Absolutely. This is part of the conversation that I raised while at Seattle City Council. There is, I think, a detrimental impact to workplace morale across public servants when we're not uniformly treating people the same. It's not what I feel, it's not that that's my perception - that's actually coming from workers within the City of Seattle who completed a survey that our Human Resources Department, in addition to Seattle Police Department and other Seattle agencies, completed to ask, "What would you like to see? How would you feel if certain employees got a hiring bonus or retention bonus?" And overwhelmingly, workers in public service said that they thought that this would hurt morale - if existing public servants weren't treated the same. I mentioned that in the Human Services category, there's a 40% to 60% turnover rate for our nonprofit organizations who are helping folks on the frontline. There's a huge turnover rate, as well, within our Human Services Department - we've had to freeze the hiring, and reduce hours, and reduce positions. Public libraries, community centers are front-facing programs for the community during COVID and we are slowly starting to scale those back up, but they're nowhere at capacity right now. And what workers themselves have said within the City of Seattle is - they want to see greater strategies for retention. Investments in childcare keeps coming up. Investments in more affordable housing keeps coming up. And if you want to look specifically at the Seattle Police Department, the officers themselves said that they did not think that hiring bonuses was the way to address retention and morale issues - that played out in their comments in the press, as well as the survey results that we saw. I think that there's a more equitable approach that we should be taking. I think that we should be looking at how we recruit and train and incentivize people to come to public service overall, whether that means you're coming in to work as a firefighter or a police officer, or whether that means that we want to recruit you to be serving the public in libraries or as a lifeguard - which we don't have enough of - or as a childcare provider, which we don't have enough of. We should be looking across the board at these public service programs and figuring out ways to both address retention and morale, and to do so equitably. And to listen to what workers have said - they want housing, they want childcare, they want regular and routine transit. And they want us to, especially within the City of Seattle, address disparity in wages for folks of color and women compared to their counterparts. Those are some things that I think we should be taking on more seriously. [00:22:17] Crystal Fincher: Definitely. Now, you talk about people saying they want regular and routine transit. Lots of people want that. Lots of people - more importantly - need that, are relying on that. And there's been lots of talk about the rider experience around safety on transit, but also about the availability and accessibility of service and all-day service - not just some of those commuter-centric commute-time service bumps that we've seen. What would your approach to Metro be as a councilmember? [00:22:50] Teresa Mosqueda: So I appreciate that you raise safety because it is an issue that comes up for riders as well as the drivers. Members of ATU, who drive buses around King County, have expressed increased concern around their safety. Whether they're driving in the day or night - given COVID has increased interpersonal violence across our country, they are on the receiving end of that as well. So I'm excited to talk with ATU, with members who have been out on the frontline as our bus drivers, as well as riders to talk about how we can improve safety for everyone. That is - again, on the preventative side, trying to figure out ways that structurally and through public policy we can ensure that riders and drivers are safe. There's also two things that drivers have talked to me about and folks within King County Metro. They say there's a lot of focus on new routes and how do we expand routes - routes, routes, routes - which I also agree with. But they've also brought up that we need to continue to invest in the people, maintenance, and operation to make sure that there's enough people to be working on existing routes and new routes to come. Similar to housing, we don't want to just build units. We want to make sure that for those who need personnel in those units to make sure that folks stay stably housed, we're investing in the workforce to ensure that that housing, that that unit is successful. We need to be looking at investments in the workforce, recruiting folks to come to these good living wage union jobs, and to be thinking about how we improve retention and stability as well. And for as far as maintenance is concerned - thinking more about how we can invest in greener fleets, greener maintenance opportunities, and ensure that those vehicles are running well and routinely. So those are two of the things that have come directly from the frontline drivers themselves. And then more broadly - workers. You mentioned all-day services. I would also argue all-night services to the degree that we can add additional stops, because many of the childcare providers who are coming in early in the morning, construction workers who are coming in early in the morning, janitors who might be going out late at night, talk about how they have to rely on vehicles because there are not times that the buses are showing up to get them to work and back home in time. So I think that it's multi-prong. But again, I think the common ground here is that the workers in this sector are agreeing with the recipients of the service. And collectively, I'm hoping that we can address safety, workforce needs, and increase routes as well. [00:25:23] Crystal Fincher: Definitely, and I really appreciate you bringing up the workforce needs. I know a couple people who use transit regularly but ended up getting vehicles because of the unpredictable cancellations due to staff shortages, whether it's maintenance or drivers, just making it unreliable to get to work on time. And already the time taken to commute that way is a lot, so that would improve the experience greatly - definitely appreciate that. Transit is also very, very important to achieving our climate goals. And by most measures, we're behind on our 2030 climate goals - while we're experiencing devastating impacts from climate change, including extreme heat and cold, wildfires, floods. What are your highest-priority plans to get us on track to meet our 2030 climate goals? [00:26:17] Teresa Mosqueda: One thing might surprise folks in that category - probably not a huge surprise for folks who have heard me talk before - but I think if we can invest in additional housing, dense housing across our region, it will actually reduce CO2 emissions. And it's really common sense, right? We are the third-highest mega-commuter city or region in the nation. We have more people who are commuting back and forth to work than most of the country. And the reason is because they can't afford to find a house near their place of employment. If CO2 emissions from cars - single-occupancy cars - is the number-one contributor to pollution in our region, I believe that is at the top of our list for helping to reduce our carbon footprint across the country and across the globe. We should be increasing density. We should see it not only as a good economic stimulant, what's right to do for workers and working families, but it is one of the best things that we could also do for our climate. I think that there's - again, a misperception or a false divide between folks who are environmentalists and want to see more trees, and their perception that additional housing or density takes that away. It does not. We can both create setbacks for higher buildings and use the airspace to create living opportunities, while we plant additional trees and preserve old growth. I've gone to at least three ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Habitat for Humanity, who created - basically - townhouses connected altogether. We don't have a lot of row houses in Seattle, but row houses, if you will, around trees created in the shape of a U with old-growth trees in the middle - allowing for greater shade, and a play area for kiddos, and a place to sit for elders. It is very much possible to build dense housing options and preserve old growth while planting new trees. So I think in addition to creating density, we can plant more trees. We can do more to incentivize good living-wage jobs in industries that are cleaner. I heard from our friends in Georgetown Community Center that they had to beg and plead for one of the local industries to incorporate more greener options for a glass manufacturer down there. And we should simultaneously be seeing the opportunity to promote good jobs as a requirement for also promoting good green jobs. And I worked very hard with members of both the environmental community and the labor community in the past to push Just Transition policies - to ensure that as we transition to greener economies or greener manufacturing strategies, that we're preserving good living-wage jobs and, even better, preserving good union living-wage jobs. So I look forward to making sure that we have denser cities, that we have greener cities, and that we have greener industries. [00:29:13] Crystal Fincher: Now, King County does incremental budgeting, making it more challenging for people to understand how county funds are allocated in a base budget. The budget is known as one of your areas of strength. What do you think can be done to make the budget process easier for the public to understand and influence at the county level? [00:29:35] Teresa Mosqueda: I've been really proud of what we've been able to accomplish in Seattle. And coming from working the halls of Olympia on behalf of the Washington State Labor Council for eight years and then for three years before that with the Children's Alliance, I was used to this concept of having these biennial budgets that needed to be seen in full, that you could see the red line to know what was the investment from last year versus the upcoming year. Unfortunately, the City of Seattle doesn't have such a budget document. It's basically like single pages - page after page of narrative descriptions of what the dollars will do. That's fine for some budget notes, but what I think we are working towards in the City of Seattle - a preview for folks who love budget talk - is we're going to one day have a true biennial budget and an actual budget document where you will be able to see the red line, either additions or subtractions to specific programs so that everyone knows what is being invested in, how funding is changing, and where priorities are showing up in the budget. I am excited about being able to build on that work that I've done in Seattle, especially as Budget Chair, in some of the most pressing economic times in recent history, starting in 2020. And have been able to not only allocate millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, but also to create greater transparency in how we budget. One of the things that I think is maybe misunderstood out there is the way in which we've helped to provide transparency in the entire budget, but specifically the Seattle Police Department. It had not been exposed year-over-year that Seattle Police Department actually had about $40 million that was rolling over year-over-year on top of funding that the chief, that the mayor, that the department had acknowledged they could not use. And in a time where we saw an economic crisis on the horizon, growing needs in our community, and knew that that was $40 million that was not going to be put to use, not going into direct services for the community - and for those who wanted to see additional officers, wasn't even going to be able to use to increase the hiring plan. It's good budgeting to be able to make sure that that funding is transparently accounted for in the General Fund - and where we can deploy it to things like food, housing, childcare, economic security for small businesses that we do so. That's something I'm really proud of - that we were able to show what the full picture was, not only for that department, but for all departments. And to make some important investments in mental health services, behavioral health services, youth violence, gun violence reduction strategies - things that similarly invest in community safety, but we were able to show where those line items move. I will bring to King County Council the ability to structurally push for greater transparency for members of the public, encourage us as the legislative branch to own the separate but equal branch of government that the council is as the legislative branch, and ensure that the public has an opportunity to dive into the proposal that comes from the executive, just like the proposal that comes from the governor to the State Legislature. You receive that, you dissect it, you talk to community about what it means - and then ultimately the legislative branch reconvenes, reconfigures the budget, and presents it to the executive for a signature. It's good governance, it's good transparency. I think it's understandable from folks across whatever political spectrum - it's important to have budget transparency and accountability, and that's what I've been able to accomplish in the City of Seattle. [00:33:02] Crystal Fincher: It is, and I think there are a number of people, especially listeners to Hacks & Wonks, who do enjoy budget conversations, who would definitely look forward to more budget transparency at the County level, like you've been working towards at the City level. As we close here and as people are going to be making the decision about who they're going to be voting for for this County Council position, what is your message to voters and people listening about why they should choose you? [00:33:30] Teresa Mosqueda: I'm very thrilled to be in this race for King County Council. I think I have not only proven that I'm an effective legislator at the council level, but that I know how to center folks who have been left out of policy conversations in the room, but more importantly - follow the lead of those who've experienced the injustices over the years. We have been able to move historic, monumental, national-headline-grabbing policies within the City of Seattle in my now going into six years in Seattle City Council. And it has been done, I believe, in a collaborative way, in a way that has made transformational change, and in a way that I think has always centered - been centered on my progressive commitments to investing in working families, folks of color, and the LGBTQ community, workers to ensure that there's greater opportunity and prosperity. And creating housing and stability - that is something that is good for our entire community. I do this work because it's all about how we create healthy communities. You have to have investments in good living wage jobs and housing stability and opportunity education to have self-determination and control over your own life and your own decisions. And I think through public policy, through investments with public resources, we can create greater opportunity across our county. I am excited, as well, to be coming to this race as a woman, as a Latina, as a Chicana - poised to be the first Latina ever elected to King County Council. And with a King County population that is made up of half people of color and a quarter immigrant and refugee, it is critical that we have more voices with folks who have the lived experience coming from communities of color serving in these positions. I think that's why I've been able to effectively and efficiently move policy through so quickly - because I have put at the front of the line many of the community members who are often left out of policy discussions. I hope to bring in my commitment to working with folks who are workers, women, folks of color, members of the LGBTQ community to hear more about what we can do at King County Council. I know I have big shoes to step into with Councilmember McDermott and his commitment to public health, working with the LGBTQ community, his tenure in the State Legislature - and I'm also excited to add to that and serve our broader region and our growing needs. [00:35:59] Crystal Fincher: Thank you so much, Councilmember Mosqueda, for spending this time with us today and having this conversation. Sincerely appreciate it, and we'll certainly be following your campaign eagerly over the next several months. Thank you. [00:36:13] Teresa Mosqueda: Thank you so much - I appreciate it. [00:36:15] Crystal Fincher: Thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks, which is co-produced by Shannon Cheng and Bryce Cannatelli. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

Listen today as I talk to Matt Newburg from Fort Meyers, Florida.  Matt leads a church in Southwest Florida that has grown from a small group of 30 to over 140.  He talks about the things that have led to consistent growth: ·        Focusing on the “One Thing.” ·        Radical transparency and vulnerability ·        Surrendering control quicker and allowing God to work in all situations. More about Matt: ·        49 years old ·        Married to Deanna since 2001 ·        Baptized in 1992 ·        Father of two girls, 13 and 18 ·        He works as a minister and his wife works as an engineer   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Thanks for listening today.  Pam and I have been able to plant 5 churches and my dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  My next planting target is Green Valley and Sahuarita, Arizona.  This area is one of the fastest growing in Arizona.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will help get this church off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, I interview Steve and Charley Stevenson from Orange County, California.  Steve and Charley led a campus ministry in Long Beach California that grew from 25 disciples to 135.  Their leadership training helped put 17 graduates go into the professional ministry.  Find out their secret to spirit-led growth in this episode. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Join me today as I talk with Nick Galang from Oahu, Hawaii.  Nick and his wife, Shelley, are the interim leaders of the Oahu Church of Christ.  They have stepped in for Nick's parents, Saun and Anthony Galang.  Listen as Nick shares: ·        What it was like growing up in the Galang household ·        How he met and married his high school sweetheart ·        How he got started as a songleader ·        How he started and runs his own marketing firm in Hawaii ·        What it's like to work in his business along with his brother, Chris. ·        How his Dad's advice to “Be Who You Are” has guided his choices in life ·        What gets him up in the morning ·        The importance of “Saying Yes!” to God ·        And a secret surprise in his family   Nick's Company: "Founded in the heart of Honolulu, The Creative Co. is a full-service marketing agency that blends traditional marketing expertise with forward-thinking digital strategies. With 9 years in the industry, we specialize in delivering a broad range of services, from web development and graphic design to branding and search engine optimization. Our mission is to drive success for our clients by crafting unique, creative solutions that harness the power of innovation and ensure their brand's visibility in the digital age." How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    Flagstaff, Arizona.   My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

oday, I read chapter seven of my book, How to Plant and Grow a Church.  The chapter subject is how to raise money.  I'll be sharing the tips and tools to raise money personally or for your church planting from friends, family and those you don't know. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, I'm talking to Travis Albritton, founder and host of Honest Podcasts and the Practical Christian Podcast.  Travis worked for a time as a campus minister at Georgia Southern and then worked as a mechanical engineer for Lockheed Martin.  Now he runs his own company helping businesses with strategic content marketing.  His podcast has over 360 episodes.  He lives in Ponte Vedra, Florida. Listen today as I talk to him about: Why he started a podcast How to start a podcast What are the pitfalls of podcast production What microphone to start with if you're on a budget What he thinks about F.I.R.E (Financial Independence Retire Early) What was his favorite episode of nearly four-hundred podcast episodes How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, I'm talking with Douglas Arthur from Boston, Massachusetts.  I spoke with Doug in 2021 and at that time, he was just starting a new program called “Chance of a Lifetime.”  This program gives people a 15-month paid internship to explore three facets of ministry in a HOPE youth camp, the Boston campus ministry and finally a foreign missionary adventure.  I thought it would be good to check back in with Doug and see how that program as well as the 15 missionary schools that he's helping to develop globally are doing.   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!  

Today I talk to Ben and Susan Borland, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  I interviewed them on episode 140 in February of 2022.  They are planting a new church in Montevideo, Uruguay in South America.  Listen as they share how they made the decision to go on the foreign mission field in their thirties with three young kids.  They talk about their timeline, finances, team-gathering and how they are preparing for learning a new language.  You can reach Ben at MissionMontevideo@gmail.com or 940-390-7592   ·        The Climb Conference is coming up November 30th-December 3rd in Dallas, Texas.  We already have a ton of people going.  I'm getting emails from Denmark, India, and other places around the world.  You can register at RobSkinner.com if you haven't already.   ·        If you are looking to find old episodes on the Rob Skinner podcast, just google Rob Skinner Podcast along with the name or subject of the episode.  It'll take you right to where you want to go.   ·        I'm looking for an assistant to help me with my podcast and website.  If you or someone you know might be interested, email me at RobSkinner.Com   ·        I just went on a scouting trip last week to my next mission target in Sahuarita/Green Valley in Southeastern, Arizona.  Sahuarita is one of the top five fastest growing cities in Arizona.  I'm looking for team members and a church leader to plant that church in September of 2023.  We are looking for families with kids, empty nesters and retirees to plant this beautiful area of Arizona.  If you are looking to preach the word while raising your family, or you want to retire with a purpose, contact me at rob@robskinner.com How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, my wife, Pam, and I interview Jeanie Shaw, author of 17 books.  She shares about her life and ministry and writing career and how she's coped with losing her husband, Wyndham.  More about Jeanie Shaw: After graduating from the University of Florida, Jeanie Shaw went into the ministry, helping women learn how to apply the Bible to real life. Over forty-five years later, she is a New Englander continuing to minister. She has taught classes and workshops worldwide on issues such as marriage, parenting, leadership, adoption, and loss. For eight years of those years, she served as a vice-president of HOPE worldwide, working with orphans and the elderly in New England and Europe. She holds a master's degree in Christian Spirituality and Formation and is pursuing her doctorate in the same field. She has four grown children, eight grandchildren, and a tennis-ball-obsessed golden retriever.  You can reach Jeanie at shaw.jeanie@gmail.com   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.    I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.      Portland, Oregon 2.     Anchorage, Alaska 3.     Ashland, Oregon 4.    Tucson, Arizona 5.     and Flagstaff, Arizona.    Thanks for listening today.  Pam and I have been able to plant 5 churches and myy dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  My next planting target is Green Valley Arizona.  This area is one of the fastest growing in Arizona.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will help get this church off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Have you ever: ·        Felt like there was a gap between what you are experiencing spiritually and what the New Testament describes? ·        Wanted God to speak more directly with you? ·        Wondered if your relationship with God is as deep as it should or can be? ·        Wondered what Jesus was talking about when he describes “springs of living water” flowing from those who believe in God? If so, David Takle in his book: “Forming:  A Work of Grace” talks about how to take your relationship with God to a deeper and more meaningful level.  In this interview he talks about his book and how a person can work with God to build a more interactive and satisfying connection with God.  You can reach David Takle at David@KingdomFormation.org. His course can be found at Forming-Course.Com His books can be found at Amazon.com or humbleshack.net Find out more information at KingdomFormation.org   It's April 11th, 2023 and I hope you had a fantastic Easter weekend.  Here in Tucson, we were praying to have over 200 in attendance.  Prior to Covid, we had several Easter services of over 300 and yet we haven't broken 200 in over three years.  God blessed our Sunday service with over 220 in attendance.  We also had our first Spanish-speaking service after our English service.  Angel Armenta is doing a great job leading our Spanish work. ·       We hired a great couple to lead our campus ministry, Coleman and Alexa Gordon.  They moved to Tucson at the end of March. ·       I read a book called “Backpacking with the Saints” and in the book, the author talks about backpacking Aravaipa Canyon in Arizona.  I've been wanting to do that since I read about it 6 or seven years ago.  So last week I took my two ministry interns, Kevin Lu and Coleman Gordan and we spent three days and two nights backpacking through 23 miles of Aravaipa creek.  It's a combination of trail and hiking in the stream.  Our feet were constantly wet and the scenery was staggering.  You have to make reservations because only 10 people per day are allowed to be in the canyon.  It was super bonding, tiring and we made a great memory, walking, talking and praying together. ·       I'm looking forward to the Climb Conference November 3oth in Dallas Texas.  I want to ask you to please register to go.  This Friday, April 15th is the last day to register for the early bird discount of $125 per person.  After that, it will go up to $150 per person.  If you are listening to this podcast, you need to come.  You are the type person who will be inspired and motivated by the fellowship and preaching.  Just go to RobSkinner.Com and look for the Climb Tab.   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.    I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.    My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give. 

Today I interview a 65-year-old semi-retired Chiropractor named Karen Kolarik.  She retired with a purpose to Green Valley Arizona and has converted her Dad, Stepmother and is studying the Bible with a large number of her neighbors currently.  She joined our church during COVID and has been on fire since she arrived.  She reminds me of this scripture in Psalm 92 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,     they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord,     they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age,     they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;     he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”  Karen is still bearing fruit and like Caleb, hasn't lost her passion in maturity.  If you've ever wondered how to be effective as a senior disciple, you need to listen to Karen's story! Climb Conference Please register today for the Climb Conference!  Now more than ever, you need the practical training, warm encouragement and powerful inspiration that this conference will provide you with.  Whether you are a small church leader, planter, ministry leader or campus leader, you are going to thank yourself for showing up in Dallas, Texas, November 30th through December 3rd.  We have people coming from India, Europe and New Zealand and more are signing up every week.  Sign up today by going to RobSkinner.com and looking for the Climb Conference tab.  How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Thank you for listening to the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic to inspire you to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I've learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in: 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.   My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

San Francisco has just 815,000 residents. But its annual budget is nearly $14 billion. The budget covers the operations of both the city and county of San Francisco, and half of that is money earmarked for the airport, port, Muni, and public utilities, among other enterprise agencies. But that leaves nearly $7 billion in General Fund money for a city with less than a million people. And, the city is projecting a $728 million deficit over the next two years. Where does the money go and does San Francisco's budget reflect the values of its citizens? We'll talk about the budget, the looming deficit, and the financial state of San Francisco, which has had one of the slowest economic recoveries from the pandemic in the nation. Guests: Jim Wunderman, President and CEO, Bay Area Council - A regional business-sponsored public policy group JD Morris, City Hall reporter, SF Chronicle Michelle Allersma, director, San Francisco Controller's Office Budget and Analysis Division Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices