$15.9 million for a ferry reservation system? Dude, there’s an app for that! I vote no.
The House passed the Transportation Budget yesterday 78-19. I was one of a mere 19 votes against the measure, and one of 5 Democrats to do so.
I do not pretend to have a deep domain of knowledge about how the gas tax flows to highways and ferries, nor can I pretend to suggest that the work of the transportation committees has been insufficient. There are clearly very compelling projects in the budget–some that will benefit my own city–that are vital to keeping our state moving.
I voted against the transportation budget as a symbolic protest against the decision of the ferry system to include $15.9 million, to be spent over 10 years, for a reservation system. Of course a reservation system makes sense in terms of improving the efficiency of the existing public infrastructure.
Yet the question remains: How should the Washington Department of Transportation tackle this challenge? Big or small, hardware or software, heavy or light, proprietary or open?
Simply, building a massive infrastucture for what should be a more modest application doesn’t make sense.
Here’s the agency’s proposal:
• The total cost of the system includes $12.4 million for the system and $3.5 million for communication for a total of $15.9 million.
• Costs associated with the IT system include hardware and software acquisition, customization expenses, license renewal expenses, project management staff time costs, WSDOT programming staff time costs, and costs associated with the procurement process for IT systems. IT costs are scheduled in two phases: (1) purchase and integration of an industry standard reservation system, and (2) system build‐out and additional customization needed to accommodate larger volumes and commuter requirements. The $12.4 million includes:
o $3.9 million for the main system
o $350k for IT support staff
o $225k for Software support staff
o $1.3 million for contingencies
o $6.3 million for terminal specific IT improvements (including: New tollbooths will need to be equipped with the current Wave2Go machinery that will read reservation bar codes. New and existing tollbooths will be upgraded with new software that provides access to reservation system information (and the ability to enter a reservation confirmation code, if necessary))
o $288k for the pre-design study
• The $3.5 million for communications will fund queue detection system at 8 terminals, web cameras as well as additional Highway Advisory Radio. The pre-design study included $9.4 million in communications costs which would support Variable Message Signs on the Highways. This item was not funded in the House floor proposal.
I suggest we take a different strategy.
First, the fact that this entire program is designed, developed and executed within the silo of Wash DOT and is not being coordinated with DIS or securing a second opinion goes against our goal of building an enterprise wide approach.
Second, while committees, task forces and studies have all endorsed the idea of embracing operational efficiencies, and this idea has been discussed for years, I am unaware of whether the agency has done any actual needs analysis/focus groups/detailed user surveys. Even if it has the question remains, what type of reservation system do users really want? I suggest we don’t really know what users want, how they’d use it and what value it would bring.
Third, rather than build this massive infrastructure, I suggest we hire 5 guys in a start up company in my district (there are lots of them) to build a web based reservation system. Let’s start small and light and test out the idea before building a massive infrastructure. Once you learn what users want, the quality of your application will increase exponentially. There are hundreds if not thousands of reservation systems in our state alone to say nothing of other states, nations and systems from the private sector. Do we need to build it ourselves? No way.
This is an old fashioned approach. We need change.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
We see in this economic crisis that the lack of responsibility has emptied the minority-party Republicans of a desire to contribute to meaningful public policy solutions just as the burden of governing has self censured the enthusiasm of majority Democrats.
The change we need in Olympia is not historically revolutionary and radical but systematic and genuine and tied to the core policy issues of our day. One of the problems we face is that it’s been decades since we’ve had the political courage to conduct a genuinely objective “zero based budget, or ZBB.” I don’t pretend to know whether a ZBB process would result in radical change in how we spend our $34 billion biennial budget (not including capital budget and transportation budget and federal dollars). But this I know: Efforts at major government reforms this year has been slimmed down to relatively modest pilot projects, studies, commissions or other safely contained initiatives with the support of both sides of the aisles.
On a narrower level my legislation, House Bill 3178, to change how we spend $2 billion a biennium on technology is moving along in the Senate (hearing is Monday) but faces the quiet, behind the scenes attack of the bureaucracy.
Here’s the irony:
The Governor’s office probably doesn’t object to the policy proposal itself. That’s of course not surprising since the bill has handed the authority and accountability to the Office of Financial Management (OFM, Department of Information Services (DIS), and the Information Services Board (ISB), the existing entities charged with oversight of the technology issues today. The problem is actually that they are more likely uncomfortable with the politics of accountability itself where they are changed with reducing technology spending this year by $30 million. Period. No excuses. No studies, commissions or task forces. Just reduce spending across the $1 billion technology spend. That means it can’t be done across the board, the traditional way out for making reductions. It must be done with a surgical approach, highly focused on excess projects and, yes, people where the value proposition is weak.
The Governor’s office and DIS don’t believe we can achieve the savings in one year. Of course, the dirty little secret is that if you DON’T hide behind process, task forces, committees and inputs then you CAN achieve the reductions by acting boldly through an enterprise wide approach. Simply, the legislation requires transparency so that every agency must report their full inventory of technology including equipment, infrastructure, people, software and more. There’s no place to hide once you have a master list and it’s verifiable. Once you have a master list, the question becomes one of authority to do something about it.
We have a decentralized model in technology where state agencies do nearly everything on their own. Payment systems, email, hosting, application development and nearly every other category remains safely secured in independent silos. Shared services–the buzz world from Olympia to D.C.–is still a generic idea rather than a systemic policy.
An example: I recently discovered a budget request from the Department of Transportation for $1.1 million for secure data lines to process credit cards for the ferry system. I’m willing to bet we have 50 of these same lines elsewhere in state government already but DOT wants their own and hides behind “security.” How many credit card processing systems do we have in state government across Department of Revenue, Parks, Health Authority, Social and Health Services, etc., etc., etc.? Who knows. But it’s a lot and yet we don’t coordinate or cooperate, we simply spend more money so everyone can go their own route. Much of the money comes from non general fund state sources (ie dedicated accounts). That’s why it’s so easy to spend. But taxpayers don’t care and they shouldn’t have to whether the money is from pot A or pot B. It’s all from the taxpayers and we should have a deeper appreciation for the source.
We can achieve $30 million in savings this year if we have the courage to act like an enterprise. Employment Security is embarking on a $52 million project to upgrade their system. It’s unemployment insurance dollars not general fund so the rationalization for the spending flew through the process. DSHS’s Provider One project is more than $100 million down the road (I haven’t followed it myself but others have) and it’s probably on the tipping point of being another disaster from a technical and implementation perspective. It’s primarily federal money but enough state dollars to make everyone nervous.
An enterprise wide approach requires a bold plan based upon sound technical decision making and a collaborative partnership with key stakeholders. But it requires action and change. I am not arguing for full consolidation of power with DIS–I am arguing for a systematic strategy of cooperation and coordination.
Most legislation is too weak in that it covers up accountability so everyone in the bureaucracy has plausible deniability. Ironically, I may have written my legislation too forcefully in the opposite direction such that the Governor’s office is uncomfortable with too much authority and direct accountability to manage their way though this challenge to get a handle on the $2 billion we spend.
We all know the truth: No matter what legislation we pass on any topic it is simply not logistically or operationally possible for the Legislature to manage our state’s way through the chaos of this budget deficit. Only the Governor can courageously tackle systems reform at the level required to deal with this financial crisis. In order for that to happen we need to find a way to wake up the institutional infrastructure of government to the depth of the crisis we face. It still slumbers. We have yet to genuinely and meaningfully and openly ask our 110,000 state employees for their own ideas to embrace new ways of doing business. In all of my committee meetings, I have yet to see one regular state employee be allowed to stand up directly to present a new idea about how to conduct business in state government. It’s simply not in our culture to allow front line employees access to the legislative table. And that’s just one of the symbols of our problem.
I readily acknowledge that my legislation to bring accountability to technology spending in merely a modest step forward. It is neither radical nor revolutionary. It is a small step in the larger picture of our budget. And yet it is strong and forceful enough to make the gears of the bureaucracy shake in discomfort. The whisper campaign against the legislation is in full force now that the bill has left the House of Representatives (on a 97-1 vote, by the way). The Senate Ways & Means Committee hears the bill on Monday.
If we were to design government from scratch today, what would it look like?
We are so much more than what we’ve become.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
Agriculture is a driver of our quality of life. Apples, cherries, wheat and other valuable commodities travel from Eastern Washinton to the Port of Seattle in our district and elsewhere to be shipped out to the world.
The problem is that the agricultural interests–farmers from small family farms to multinational agri-businesses–pay none of our state’s primary taxes regardless of their income or economic might. They pay no sales taxes on their equipment, fertilizers or other inputs necessary to successful farming. They pay no B&O taxes. We all treasure family farms but we have lost site of the reality of our tax system and fundamental equality across our state. Even massive agribusinesses pay no such taxes simply because they are in agriculture as a business category. It’s wrong and patronizes even them by suggesting they are above contributing to our community’s interests.
It is unethical and unjust to the software developers, nurses, lawyers, coffee shop owners and so many others in our district and statewide. It is unethical and unfair to Queen Anne Book store, a tiny shop strugling to compete against the Internet. It is unfair to Hobbs’ auto repair shop fighting to stay alive. It is time for us to have the courageous honesty to acknowledge that we have carved out agriculture over decades from paying any taxes regardless of their financial sitution simply because they are a vital constituency politically and we want them to be successful.
We all treasure family farms and none of us pretends their lives are easy. They are the DNA of our nation’s history. We all deeply admire farmers and the hard life and business they lead. We honor their service to our nation as they feed 1/3 of the world through exports. But today’s agribusiness is more than the family farming stereotypes of old and we need to open the doors of a new model that is more equitable to us all.
There are 52 tax preferences that benefit agriculture in Washington. Some of them make complete and total sense but some do not. The value of those exemptions totaled about $360 million in the two year budget cycle.
We spend billions of dollars to support agriculture in our state. And we should. But our lack of fairness in asking for even a modest contribution to fund public education, universities and more from the agricultural community is unjust.
I support a conversation driven by the JLARC (legislative panel) that recommends establishing an income threshold to qualify for B&O exemptions.
Here’s the critical data: Removing the current B&O tax exemption for agriculture producers and EXEMPTING the first $1 million in annual gross receipts would generate $21 million in fiscal year 2011. Exempting the first $2 million in gross receipts revenues would generate $19.5 million in fiscal year 2011. This data makes it clear that the vast majority of taxes in agriculture would be paid by large scale agribusiness entities.
We do not want to penalize farming as an industry or farmers but neither do we want to continue an old fashioned model. They should not receive preferential treatment by paying no state taxes despite receiving billions in direct public benefits through education, health care, transportation, telecommunications and so much more.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
The House just passed a bill to make it a primary offense for texting while driving, and to prohibit teenagers from using a cell phone (for calling or texting) when behind the wheel.
I’m disappointed we had to accept a Republican amendment to take out the provision making speaking without a headset a prmary offense. We just did not have the votes to push it through without any of their votes. Still, I’m pleased that we moved forward.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
The House Democratic leadership released the state budget and revenue package today. There are a number of links to data here, here and here.
We are living in extrarodinary times. I have long said that I will not vote for another all cuts budget, but I will also not vote for a timid budget that fails to embrace the need for courageous honesty about our state’s condition.
There are some pieces of this budget that I appreciate and some that are unlikely to materialize (such as the assumptions for more than $700 million in federal funds).
I include myself in a group of Legislators who have made a clear statement that it is my strong preference not to vote for a general sales tax increase. In King County, this would put us above the 10% rate, something I do not support. While I have some substantial concerns about some aspects of the revenue package that was released today, and I am fighting to reduce the adverse impact upon some key areas, I do want to be clear that I feel closing tax loopholes is a central priority. We have a patchwork tax structure and we should do much better to equalize revenues across the spectrum.
I am open to a vigorous, thoughtful, gracious and purposeful conversation about our budget and revenues. What do you like and what do you feel is off base?
Please reach out and share your views.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
I happened to be thumbing through the state Senate’s Transportation Budget today. Given my lack of policy depth in this category and my admitted lack of insight into how transportation dollars flow, my general tendency is to defer to members of the transportation committees in both the House and Senate.
But one tiny, inconsequential but symbolic line item drew my attention and caused me to roll my eyes: $75,000 (presumably through a personal services contract) for the Washington State Department of Transportation to secure short term consulting support to create a pilot program of organizing, managing and developing advertising for their website.
We spend $1.9 billion for equipment, software, infrastructure and nearly 6,000 state employees to manage our state’s technology resources.
Our lack of enterprise wide thinking is crushing us. And draining our pockets. Surely there is someone in the institutional infrastructure of state government with expertise, interest and depth in the area of web-based advertising who has some time to help our friends at Wash DOT figure this out.
$75,000 isn’t much in the grand scheme of things, of course, despite being about double the annual salary of a legislator.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
By now I’ve heard from many of you expressing concern about the amendment I drafted and added onto the Race to the Top legislation moving through the Legislature. And many of you who have expressed strong support for this move despite some reservations about how the School District will deal with this new tool.
I deeply appreciate and respect your concern. I am most impressed by the thoughtful, gracious and insightful dialogue many of you have shared with me privately.
My amendment was added yesterday to the Race to the Top bill, Senate Bill 6696, in the House Education Committee and now goes to the full House of Representatives.
It is exactly the integrity you have shown that tells me we are on the right track by trying to eliminate de-facto tenure for principals in Seattle and ultimately statewide.
The Seattle Times story about the amendment is posted here.
An earlier discussion of my passionate belief in strong principal accountability AND authority (resources, training, support, wrap around services, control over budgets and who is in your building, etc.) is posted here.
Many of you have asked, “why target Seattle principals only?” In arguing against this policy, one answer is that the state school principals association argued strenuously that few if any other jurisdictions appear to have a challenge with removing under achieving principals. Simply, Seattle seems to be an exception to the rule. Few other districts seem to have interpreted the state’s ‘probable cause’ standard so rigidly, in my view, and it makes sense to take a first step and learn from the experience before moving statewide. Second, I accept the idea that it is simply too easy to move principals around from school to school or to the Central Office in a major district. In a small district it’s just not possible.
Many of you have also asked why I’ve targeted principals when teachers and superintendents have greater protections. Fair challenge and legitimate question. Yet the Race to the Top bill targets superintendents for greater accountability as well, while taking a strong stand in favor of high accountability and high authority for teachers and principals. It is an important step. Principals play a special role in the trifecta of leadership and, yes, they have an obligation to stand up first for greater accountability.
We have maintained the state’s new WASL-driven standards for high school graduation for students. How can we not increase accountability for teachers, principals, administrators and parents (and legislators) as well?
I believe that principals are leaders, managers and bold advocates for student interests. Tenure for principals is old fashioned and counter productive to our state and nation’s larger interests in a strong school-based leadership team.
My commitment to you is that I will begin immediately working with you to draft legislation for 2011 to provide principals with more authority, support, resources and training.
You do not stand alone. You have the courage to lead and our community stands with you.
When we say ‘high accountability and high authority,’ we mean it.
Strong principals lead to strong schools and great student outcomes. I believe this move will help with Race to the Top and the Obama Administration’s priorities. And I believe it is 100% aligned with our state’s bold education reform direction toward more authority and more accountability for school leaders: Principals, teachers, administrators and parents.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
Today the House and Senate each released their budgets for the 2010 supplemental year.
I’m still wading through the pages and pages of documents of the budget and will post thoughts and comments soon. Here’s a link to the budget documents.
What do you think? What are your thoughts about the budgets? Are we going far enough for spending reductions or revenue increases or government reform?
We will deal with revenues, spending and government reforms front and center in the final few weeks. One important point: You’ll see a $30 million in savings in this year’s budget from spending in technology. This is not easy or simple to accomplish and there will be implications for IT jobs but we have no choice but to get a handle on how we spend $1.2 billion on technology. While I know this will not be easy for DIS, OFM and agencies to accomplish, I do believe we need to change the paradigm.
We need a statewide, enterprise-wide strategy and we must begin with realizing real savings in this year’s budget. Our larger goal is to write a thoughtful 2011-2013 state budget in technology, to deal with the lack of oversight by the Information Services Board, and the lack of clarity around governance. But for now, as we close group foster homes, we also need to get a handle on our technology spending.
Here’s the press release:
Budget proposal balances short-term needs against long-term recovery
OLYMPIA – Leaders in the state House of Representatives today rolled out a 2010 supplemental operating budget that outlines short-term budget adjustments with an eye towards long-term economic recovery.
“Our job, and our challenge, is to create a balanced budget in a time of severe economic distress,” said Rep. Kelli Linville (D-Bellingham), Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee. “But the distress is more than economic. It’s personal to the thousands of families, workers and business owners who are struggling to balance their own books. This budget is balanced as required by law, and as required by the values of compassion, justice and opportunity.”
Legislators approved a 2009-2011 operating budget last April when they balanced a $9 billion shortfall with no new taxes.
Since then, state revenues have plummeted another $1.7 billion, growing numbers of people are unemployed or underemployed and seeking state services, and recent lawsuit decisions and other mandatory costs total nearly $1 billion. Legislators must now pass a supplemental budget that bridges a $2.8 billion gap, bringing the two-year budget problem to $12 billion.
“By the time we leave Olympia, we’ll have solved 90% of a $12 billion budget problem without any new revenue,” said Rep. Mark Ericks, Vice-Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee. “We’re focusing first on short-term investments that will put people back to work, and long-term reforms that will cut the cost of government and streamline the way we do business.”
The proposal outlined by Linville and other budget-writers in the House includes an additional $653 million worth of cuts, including an early-action saving bill already passed, suspension of bonus pay for state workers, and other cost-cutting ideas.
It is expected that new revenue will be used to preserve funding for critical programs such as the State Need Grant, Apple Health for Kids, enhanced levy equalization, the streamlined Disability Lifeline, and more.
“We went line-by-line in our budget and asked the tough questions about what is necessary and what we can do without,” said Rep. Pat Sullivan, Vice-Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee. “This isn’t about trimming fat anymore. Providing our children a quality education that readies them for a good job means finding the money for financial aid and smaller classrooms. Keeping people out of costly emergency rooms means funding Basic Health and Apple Health for Kids.”
House budget writers say the revenue package will be decided in the coming days. Anticipated federal funding was calculated into the ending fund balance meaning legislators will pass a balanced state budget not based on federal aid.
Highlights of the House 2010 Supplemental Operating Budget proposal:
Reductions
• “Non-basic” K-12: $149.1 million
• Higher Education: $80.7 million
• Department of Social and Health Services: $202.6 million
• General Government: $19.3 million
• Department of Corrections: $24.2 million
• Natural Resources: $22.6 million
• Other human services: $18 million
Additional spending
• $653 in mandatory costs
o K-12 caseload and “staff mix” costs
o DSHS Medical Assistance, long-term care and other programs
• $243 in critical policy adds
o Lawsuits – Nursing homes, adult day health
o Federal requirements/specialized clinics
o School levies (HB 2893) and per pupil inflator
More highlights: http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/2010HouseBudgetHighlights.pdf
To see the media presentation: http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/2010HouseBudgetRollout.pdf
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
My friend Nate Miles, a man who loves public policy, politics, community service and his family with the same passion that he brings to living life in service to God, has been working in Haiti for nearly two weeks. Below is the first of three guest reposts I am making from the emails he has sent to friends, family and co workers.
Take a moment to reflect upon the journey that he shares in these dispatches, and let us all appreciate what we in our state and nation enjoy.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
A DAY IN HAITI
As most of you know I am in Haiti this week on a humanitarian mission with Medical Teams International (MTI). I serve on the board of directors there and have been impressed with their work for years. Since the earthquake first hit, we have sent 10 teams of doctors from all over the United States into the country to provide aid and relief to those in need. I am also so proud of Eli Lilly for their tremendous donation of medicines, cash and prayers for this nation. I have always been proud of my company and colleagues, but when I walked into that dirt hut and saw the desperate faces on patients waiting to be treated, my heart sank and then I looked into the makeshift medicine cabinet and saw among all the other supplies the big red Lilly. I do not speak French or Creole so I could not explain what I do, but when I pointed to the name on the box, the hugs and cheers of Merci’ were something I will NEVER forget and will always share with my colleagues.
We are here to assess the work of our 10 teams have accomplished to date and help put in place a longer range plan for dealing with life after the emergency part of this crisis is over. Most importantly how do we help them prepare for the impending “disaster after the disaster”? This is what is expected in 3 – 4 weeks when the rainy season starts and more disease and strife will be thrust upon this already decimated place. The public health hazards could be one of biblical proportions.
Like most of you I have sat at home and felt almost helpless to watch scene after scene of devastation. I felt that I had to do more. That’s when God made it possible for me to go to Haiti.
We have all seen the horrific pictures coming out of Haiti, however, all the videos, pictures and news reports you have seen could not prepare anyone for the sheer devastation that has taken place here. More than a month later, there are still bodies on the streets in the hill country, open rotting sewers, tens of thousands of orphans roaming the streets, people walking around with the dazed looks of disbelief and the smells…The horrific smells. As strange as it may seem, is very easy to distinguish from the smell of rotten garbage, toxic fumes of pollution and or the unmistakable smell of decaying bodies. Block after block, turning into mile after mile of nothing but rubble, damaged buildings, destroyed dreams and broken hopes and shattered lives.
There are so many homeless people, who are just walking aimlessly in any and all directions. This quake destroyed so much of downtown, where the more educated, more skilled workforce was. This has been a double whammy as many of the deaths were the best and brightest Haiti had to offer. It was the up and coming leaders of tomorrow, the businesses that were going to help bring them into the 20th and one day the 21st century. Then in less than 10 short seconds, time stopped and a living hell began.
It at times can be overwhelming, like today while at the makeshift hospital, where we walked through the pediatric amputation “ward”, if you can call it that. Actually it was a row of tents with people sleeping on the ground after just losing a limb or two. These poor innocent children who have had their lives so drastically changed sat bandaged in conditions you could not imaging for a recovery room, but this was better than so many others who wait outside the fence trying to get in. Only armed guards hold back their desperation to rush the doctor teams on duty. I was here that upon seeing the cutest little 4 year old girl that it all hit me. As I reached out my hand to shake hers, it was only then did I realize half her arm was missing. I felt a tremendous wave of grief try overtake me, and my eyes wanted to fill with tears, The along came Little Sebastian!
This irrepressible, little scrawny 8-year old, missing his right leg from the knee down, came around the corner to a chorus of cheers. That snaggletoothed smile and ashy face, almost kept me from noticing the crutches he used to get around. He was clearly the Mayor of this place. Cameras flashed and people, doctors and patients alike, hugged and fawned over him then brought him to meet me. He must have recognized the saddened look in my eyes because the look he gave me said, “man up”, whatchu looking so sad about, I’m the one with no leg, but you don’t see it stoppin’ me”. I immediately took to this very Nate Miles like persona and we became fast and chummy buddies. His indelible spirit, is but a snapshot of the irrepressible spirit of the Haitian people. There are hundreds more stories like this since we arrived last week, but I am going to stop and go to bed as we have an early morning tomorrow. If you would like to see some of the videos and pictures please log on to the link below and sign up for the sharesite. My only request, hug your kids and say a prayer for Haiti.
God Bless.
Nate Miles
(second email dispatch from Nate)
HAITI UPDATE
Well this will be real quick email tonight as the generator has again failed here in our camp. It is not much, enough to cook, run the well pump and charge our computers and cell phones, just in case we get the spotty coverage around here (where is that big coverage map I saw on tv?). However, that is not the case tonight. We will spend tonight with no light, except that of our few flashlights, which have precious few batteries. I share sleeping accommodations with 25 or so people, mostly doctors from the main land and about 1/3 are locals. We all have our tent or pallet upon which we sleep.
This darkness gives one time to reflect on the Haitian people who have been in the dark since the sun went down around 5:30. We at least had generator power until now it is 8:30. I can’t imagine the fear some of the children must feel in the darkness of the tent cities and slums we visited today. The doctors go in there to give treatments and talk to residents about prevention of other diseases. The medications we take for granted to cure simple things like ring worm or lice or some small topical infection are snapped up as fast as you can dispense them.
However, as I lay here, outside in my bug tent on the ground, I can hear the children singing what sounds like a spiritual song in the darkness. There are fires burning in the camps for light and cooking. Then there are the sounds of the night. Crickets chipping, some screams, but lots of loud talking (kinda like a Miles Family reunion – smile). This tent is a long way from the home in which I am used to living, but then again it is more than thousands of locals have and besides, I am able to leave it in a few days. For many of these Haitian children, this has become their life for the foreseeable future.
We had a great day today, as we visited a large Church of God In Christ facility out in the country. Wow, out there is in some ways worse off than the overcrowded city, as the services have not yet really even begun to flow out there. No buildings have been cleared or restorations started, but life has gone on. The clinic that was set up there in the church sees about 500 people a day with only 2 doctors and a nurse (and some of us think we have heavy workloads). The people are so patient. They sit there hour upon hour with their kids, no toys in the makeshift waiting area, no TV, no Barney videos. But still they sing.
Albeit in Creole, I know the rhythm of “Amen” and “Swing Low”. I have heard “Precious Lord” many times before, whenever my mom was troubled or when our family was in need, but never have I heard it hummed so beautifully by this very tired mother holding her child, who obviously had a broken arm. But the child did not cry and was fascinated when I showed him a video on my cell phone. They start lining up at 4 or 5 in the morning and some even spend the night at the door to get this service, so they are not about to be disruptive and get put out by the armed security guards.
The staff sleeps in the facility, which was in the middle of construction before the quake. I don’t know how they keep up the pace, but they are back every morning, singing praise songs and healing babies! I hope you get a sense of what is going on here through my writing. There is pain, hunger, helplessness, anger, fear and devastation. However, I must say there is hope. There is lots and lots of hope. Hope in the streets, in the camps and in the hearts of these guys.
No, they may not know exactly how they will get out of this one, but many a Haitian believes as I do, that God will never leave them nor forsake them. The wonderful work these volunteers are doing, the difference the medicines that Lilly and the other Pharmaceutical companies are sending, the dollars some many people around the world are sending is making a difference!! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers and pray for the people of Haiti and the less fortunate in America and around the world.
Good night and God Bless
https://www.sugarsync.com/share/dvpj0236kesck
Nate Miles
(Third email dispatch from Nate)
SOME PARTING THOUGHTS
It is with great deal of mixed emotions that I write this email tonight. I can’t believe how time has flown since I got here last week. Tomorrow is my last day in Haiti, and I have to return to another world. I won’t say the real world, because what is happening here is very real. I started saying good bye today to Pastor Andre, Miss Margaurite, (if I ever had a Haitian mama, it would have been her. I must leave Little Sebastian and his cadre of friends and fans. I must leave the mud tent villages of Croix-des-Bouquets, and the G’s orphanage in Carrefour, giving hope to so many.
I will miss Areyou, the 10-year old girl and her 4 year old brother, who would wake me in the morning by staring in my face until I felt that someone was watching me. They would want to see what “Uncle Nate” would teach them today. How to write new words, how to add number or just a new game on my phone was the highlight of their day. I will miss laughing at the sight of a waaaay overcrowded city bus. The city bus has legal seating for 10 but carrying 25 passengers, kids on top, older people sitting Boys holding onto the sides and riding the bumper. The buses are so over loaded, that the boys have to jump off and help give it a push to build up enough compression and then run to catch back up with it. It seems that no matter how crowed it may be, no one is denied a ride.
This whole trip started out as an idea that came about because of my daughter Sophie and son Noah. They were so worried about the kids of Haiti, so they made wish list of items, so that anyone who came over to our house would know what to send them. Some of the things needed to be brought in person.
After being asked by Rev. Jesse Jackson to go there and when my colleagues at Lilly stepped to the plate and so graciously opened their hearts, giving millions of dollars of products and a lot of cash too, I decided to follow the call and come with MTI, who needed to come here to assess its next steps.
I can see where one could feel pity and sorry for this country, or so overwhelmed you would not know what to do. However, (and I know I am an eternal optimist), I really do believe that the world has seen this unprecedented human tragedy and is going to make some major changes in how we provide real aid and assistance to countries and people in need.
We are starting to see signs of mental health decay, like when the children were asked to draw what they were feeling and the scenes were so sad and depressing. However, when asked to explain the pictures to the doctors, some of them would be smiling the whole time. Out in one village we visited today, a young girl, I will call her Alice, just sat on a dirt mound all day rocking and laughing to herself while the other kids played around her. However, maybe a sister or cousin always made sure she was never alone. No bullying her, no name calling or teasing, as they would each take turns sitting with her and sometimes actually rocking along with her for 5 or ten minutes at a time. That’s what I call real family values.
I am further encouraged by seeing a changing of the guard in so many places. Here in Leogane, near the epicenter of the quake, nearly 95% of everything that was standing collapsed. However, the group of people who were put in charge to make the decisions on rebuilding the town is a group of talented young professionals. No they don’t have all the latest technology, but the cell phones and computers they do have they are being put to good use. They are respecting their elders and making sure to keep them abreast of their plans, but in return, the elders offer advice, support and encouragement and not divisiveness so much.
During a break in between meetings this afternoon, I saw some families digging through the rubble of what use to be their home. I decided to give them a hand to help them salvage what they could. Although we did not understand one another we seemed to know what the other was doing. Whatever language barrier that existed, was broken down when a young girl found part of one of her old dresses. She held it up to her chest and just wept. Since you don’t see many tears, I felt I had to hug her as I would either of my kids who were grieving. The others saw what was happening and immediately came around her and me. They all stated talking at once in Creole and realizing I did not understand, they just clutched their heart and hugged me…No tears, just hugs, one people, one heart.
Finally, today I did something so life changing, that it startled even me. We went out with The World Food Program (WFP) to do food distribution. I am sure many of you have seen the pictures of the kaos that can erupt and sensed the danger the workers have felt. That is where I was today. 6 kilometers deep in the brush with no cell service, no armed guards or any of my “homies” from East Pasco. We went into a village of about 200 families to check on the food distribution in the area. Well, when they say us arrive in our jeep, they figured more food was coming. Upon inspection we found that the distribution for the next week had already been done, and there was no more than what was left in the nearly empty storehouse.
I cannot explain the tension in the air as we were surrounded by a large crowd of men and women who looked very displeased that there was no more food being brought in. I flashed back to those scenes of people rushing the place, a little afraid of what could happen. My heart began to race as they all closed in around us 70 or 80 of them only 5 of us. I said to myself, “Lord you said you would never leave me nor forsake me and you brought us this far to do good”. It was at that moment that the local Haitian community leader, who we took with us and is involved with our organization said; ”Wait, do not take this food, it is for the families who have not made it here yet today”. “Further, let’s show order to these, our friends, who are bringing us medicine, and more food later and who are here to help us.”
It was amazing, the respect they had for this man. The desperate, frustrated look in their eyes turned to warmth and adoration. The store house was not touched, even though it had no lock on the door and I know many of those people were suffering from malnutrition. No one rushed us, except to give a hug or two. We took pictures and they walked us to the jeep. One spoke to me in French and the translator said “He said, promise you will come back, promise that you will not forget them. I could never forget them and the world should not either.
As I drove off for the last time, looking at all the face of the kids who went back to playing in the dirt, mothers cooking over the open flame pits and seeing the strong young men breaking the bricks to get the steel out of it for salvage. There was no sadness, no remorse…no time. No only a sense of pride in their poverty and a spirit that said “trouble won’t last always!” I was reminded of the scene from The Color Purple, when Mister said to Celie “Nobody want you po, you Black and you ugly” and she says “I may be po, I may be Black and I may eeeeeeevn be ugly…BUT I AM HERE!” Yes, the People of Haiti are still here and as the poem “Invictus” goes, “Head bloodied, but unbowed”. So I say good-bye to you, for now, from Haiti, May God continue to smile on this place, its people and the people in need around the world and at home.
Nate Miles
As you know, I am passionately interested in the systems issues of government reform, accountability, performance and moving to an outcome-based way of thinking.
My hope is that we can unleash a new spirit of entrepreneurialism in government, where innovation and risk taking is not a department down the hall. Where outcomes are rewarded and failure is embraced as teachable moments to do better everyday.
The 2010 Legislative Session is entering the final few weeks. Take a stand and speak out on the issues that inspire you.
If you are interested in these issues as well and would like to talk about it here, I’d like to invite you to make a guest submission of a blog post on the topic. Please send your ideas or submission to: reuven@groupcarlyle.com.
Your partner in service,
Reuven.
