Monthly Archives: May 2016

Hamilton Pool Fee Earns First “Unaffordability Award” For Travis County

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By Bill Oakey – May 25, 2016

This is the time of year for congratulating all kinds of citizens. Students are graduating, many of them with honors and distinctions, from high schools and colleges across Central Texas. Very soon, the June wedding season will begin, with beaming grooms and smiling brides celebrating and being congratulated by their families and friends.

My nephew, Nathan and his bride, Amanda at their June, 2002 wedding

My nephew, Nathan and his bride, Amanda at their June, 2002 wedding

For all of those reasons, I am very disappointed that May 2016 just happens to be the time when Travis County receives the very first “downer” award from this blog. We sometimes hear sour notes in music, and awards can be given for negative recognition. So, today we announce an un-congratulatory, “Unaffordability Award” for Travis County.*

The Hamilton Pool Reservation Fee Fiasco – A Fantastical Foray Into Fiscal Foolishness

As of May 15, the Travis County Parks Department began charging a $10.00 advance reservation fee to get into Hamilton Pool Preserve. The fee can only be paid online and only with a credit card. There is a mandatory $1.00 surcharge for the credit card, so the fee is actually $11.00. None of it is refundable under any circumstances. And once you make the reservation, you cannot change the date. I suppose that pools need rules, but who were the fools who came up with such an unfriendly and inflexible system? I did find one section of the website that states that you can change your reservation (but you still can’t get a refund) if rain causes the pool to be closed on your reservation date. If you are a tourist and don’t plan to come back anytime soon, I guess you just eat the $11.00 fee.

Is There Another Fee to Pay When You Get to the Pool?

Of course. This one is $15 per vehicle. And the reservation fee does not count towards the second fee. So, your total cost comes to $26.00. The double-pack of fees remains in effect through September 30th. County officials did articulate a reason for these policy changes. Hamilton Pool is just “getting too popular around the globe.” So, the reservation system protects the public from driving 30 miles from Austin, only to discover that there is a long line of cars waiting to get in. County Parks staff have been spending too many hours and costly resources handling the traffic in recent years. But their solution leaves a lot of questions, not the least of which is this one:

Does Your Family “Belong” at Hamilton Pool? – Apparently Not, If You Are Low-Income

In these modern days of $300 massages and $150 breakfasts at some downtown hotels during Formula One, $26 in fees to get into Hamilton Pool may not sound like a big deal. But let’s not forget that Travis County has a very high poverty rate, and a heck of a lot of families who struggle with low wages, high rent and other affordability issues. For a special occasion, some of those families may want to visit Hamilton Pool. Travis County does an admirable job on affordable housing initiatives and they continue to explore new options in that area. But somewhere, somehow, somebody simply dropped the ball on this Hamilton Pool fee fiasco.

droppedball

How Much Extra Parks Revenue Could Travis County Get From the New Fees This Year?

$127,175.00, according to the Austin Monitor.

A Simple Solution

The crux of the pool problem seems to be overcrowding and not enough room for parking. The Texas Governor’s Mansion uses a simple reservation process, and it’s free. As for Hamilton Pool, it seems like it would make sense to charge only one fee, and let visitors pay it online in advance. That’s what people do every day when they pay for concerts and zillions of other special events. Modern computer systems are capable of handling reservation date changes. A family with a medical emergency or any other reason should not have to swallow the fee and pay it again later. Since the upfront cost would be higher under this arrangement, the County might want to rethink the refund policy. Perhaps they could charge a small processing fee to do a refund. Retailers and restaurants do it all the time with credit card payments, usually without an extra charge.

A More Cost-Effective Process Should Result In Lower Fees, Not Higher Ones

Travis County should be able to run a few cost analysis scenarios and come up with a payment method that is far simpler and more affordable than the one that took effect on May 15th. In fact, since the new system would be automated and fewer Parks staff would be needed to handle the smaller influx of cars, the visitor fee should be lower than last year’s, not higher. Hamilton pool should be financially accessible to all Travis County residents.

* Fine Print: “Downer” awards from this blog can be rescinded. No application, no website registration, and no fee is required. Once the public officials fix the problem that earned them the award, the blog will rescind it. The original posting will remain in the blog archives, along with an update noting when the award was rescinded.

Musical Accompaniment for This Blog Posting:

“The Unbirthday Song” – From “Alice In Wonderland”

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Presentation To AISD Board Of Trustees – School Finance Reform Proposal

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By Bill Oakey – May 23, 2016

Attending an AISD board meeting was a fascinating experience, and one that I recommend everyone do at least once in their lifetime. During the 30 person public comment period, parents, teachers, school staff members and community activists of all stripes had their say. It was quite different from a City Council meeting or a Travis County Commissioners Court meeting. The center of attention, whether addressed directly or indirectly, was the school kids, the folks who will step into our shoes and who represent Austin’s future.

My topic of discussion was the school finance reform proposal that was introduced on this blog on May 14th:

Presentation to AISD Board Meeting, Public Comment Period – School Finance Reform Proposal

By Bill Oakey – May 23, 2016

Hello And Good Evening,

My name is Bill Oakey, and I am a retired accountant and blog writer for AustinAffordability.com. Since the Texas Supreme Court ruled the current school finance system Constitutional, I have drafted a school finance reform proposal. This proposal would subdivide the school districts across Texas into local school board voting districts, and use those smaller areas to calculate the “Robin Hood” recapture amounts. The intent is to reduce the unfair burden placed upon AISD, and allow more of our local tax dollars to stay here in Austin.

I would like to thank Board President, Kendall Pace, as well as Jacob Reach in Dr. Cruz’s office for offering to formally review my proposal. I hope it can serve as a discussion staring point that will lead to meaningful reform. Some folks have cautioned me that the Legislature will not reform the school funding formulas or increase education spending. But in its 2016 “Quality Counts” report, Education Week ranked Texas 43rd in the nation for student achievement, chance for success and school finance. (See the full Education Week “Quality Counts” report here).

We need to rally the support of City, County and AISD officials, along with leaders in the business community, to stand up for Austin Schools and make Legislative reform happen. Austin simply cannot sustain a Robin Hood increase from $181 million to $445 million over a three-year period. For some challengers, you could walk softly and carry a big memory stick full of data, as you march into battle. The numbers should speak for themselves.

It will be an uphill struggle. When Marty Robbins sang his inspiring song, “You Gave Me a Mountain,” in 1969, he wasn’t sure if he could climb that mountain. But here today, if everyone works together, I do believe there is hope. I believe in Austin, and I believe in Texas.

mountain

Vote For Jeff Travillion For Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 1

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By Bill Oakey – May 19, 2016

After studying the employment and community backgrounds and campaign commentary of Democratic candidates Jeff Travillion and Arthur Sampson, this blog recommends that voters of Travis County Precinct 1 vote for Jeff Travillion. This is a runoff election for the Democratic primary, and election day is this coming Tuesday May 24th. The winner will face a Republican opponent in the November general election, to replace retiring Commissioner Ron Davis. Voter turnout in this Tuesday’s runoff will be extremely important. So if you do not live in Precinct 1, but have contact with people who do, please feel free to share this blog link.

Vote for Jeff Travillion on Election Day, this Tuesday May 24th

Jeff-Travillion

Jeff Travillion

A Very Brief Rundown On the Candidates’ Backgrounds

In the March primary, Jeff Travillion came out in first place with 41.6% of the vote, to 18.5% for Arthur Sampson. Both candidates are well established in the community, with Travillion having worked as an administrator at several City of Austin departments, and Sampson being a retired project manager at the City’s Public Works Department. Travillion is currently a division manager in the City’s Code Department.

Where Jeff Travillion Stands On Affordability

In a recent blog interview, Mr. Travillion started the conversation by emphasizing the need to address the displacement of residents from the central core out to the outer layers of the County. He made the following comments:

“We need to build density in the transportation corridors, to justify the creation of better transportation options.”
“We need improvements in bus service. There is no bus service at all in Pflugerville, and very little bus service in Manor.”
“The outer areas of the County do not have a series of health clinics like they have in the City.”
“Half of the people moving to the outskirts of the County are not doing so by choice. They are being forced to move because of the high costs in the City.”

Throughout the discussion, Mr. Travillion stressed that there is a strong correlation between affordability and economic development. Many of the problems that he described have existed in Precinct 1 for quite a number of years. In terms of solutions, Jeff suggested that our local officials should work together to develop a Park and Ride Master Plan. This would help facilitate better opportunities for both rail and improved bus service. He also recommended the building of secure treatment centers for citizens who face mental health issues. He made a strong case that his employment experience doing problem-solving at the City level would prepare him to help deliver the needed improvements in Precinct 1.

What About the Mud and the Muck In the Runoff Campaign?

Attacks are going to happen in political races about as often as ants will get into your sandwich if you leave it near the grass too long while on a picnic. You can read about that kind of stuff elsewhere, if you are interested. My favorite quote from Jeff Travillion is a comment that he made to the Austin American-Statesman, which endorsed him in the March primary election. In the face of some strong criticism from his opponent, Mr. Travillion said of him, “He’s a great man and has had a great career. but I’ve been involved in a number of public policy areas.” That’s not exactly a ringside counter-punch or media ratings-grabber of a comment. But it’s a big part of the reason that I would vote for Jeff Travillion if I lived in Precinct 1.

To learn more about Jeff Travilliion, volunteer or make a donation, visit his website and his Facebook page.

logo

Musical Accompaniment for This Blog Piece:

“Pflugerville” – The Austin Lounge Lizards, 1984

One More Time – Can We Get A Master List With Total Costs For All City Plans?

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By Bill Oakey May 19, 2016

I have asked this question before, both on this blog and in the offices down at City Hall. There was the first time and then the next time. The last time I tried it out on a City Council aide, I got a polite response. In fact, they’ve all been polite.  But we are still no closer to an actual, tangible report that you could hold in your hand or click on from a website. What we need, in my opinion, is a complete list of all active City plans, showing how much each one of them will cost, and what the total cost would be if we funded every one of them. And, there’s one other thing. We need a public process to engage with the City Council, so they can set priorities and establish an affordable timeline to implement and pay for the most essential plans.

So, there! I’ve said it again. And on Thursday during Citizens Communications at the City Council meeting, I will deliver the suggestion and the request one more time. Rather than repeat myself on this blog, I will offer the previous links to this subject at the end. But first, I must confess that I failed to employ one of my core research principles. So, let’s get that out of the way right now.

My Favorite Question for Other Cities – How Do You Do It?

Today a little light went off in my head, and I realized that I needed to do a simple Google search for “list of city plans.” Lo and behold, there are other cities out there that publish lists of their plans. Granted, these are not necessarily in a format that summarizes, prioritizes and tallies up the total cost. But, heck, a master list is a gigantic step in the right direction. This might help convince Austin officials that it isn’t such a crazy idea after all. Below are links to some of the lists from other cities found in the Google search:

  1. Portsmouth, New Hampshire – “Plans and Reports,” from “Plan Portsmouth” website
  2. Homer, Alaska – “Strategic Doing List of City Plans” (Memorandum 15-042)
  3. Ann Arbor, Michigan – “List of City Plans,” from “Sustainability Framework, 2013,” Appendix A, Page 14
  4. Asheville, North Carolina – “City Plans”
  5. Urbana, Illinois – “Urbana Plan Commission, Regular Meeting Minutes,” November 6, 2014, Item 5, Page 2, 5th paragraph, “There is a list of City plans that are available on the City’s website…”

I should point out that a few of Austin’s plans are listed on the “Planning and Zoning Development webpage.”

How Long Should It Take the City to Compile the List?

One friend told me that it’s “pretty scary” to think that no one person at City Hall knows how many plans there are, much less how much all of them totaled up might cost. So, what deadline should I suggest, if I can find a Council sponsor for a resolution? The bottom line would be a pretty scary number, so perhaps October 31st, Halloween, would be appropriate. The City Manager would no doubt decide which Halloween of which year in the future to comply with the resolution, regardless of what due date is certified by the City Clerk in the approved document. But it’s still worth one more try. Maybe the request won’t just fade away, like all the other times.

One Final Comment That Does Bear Repeating

You can read my previous blog postings on this subject by clicking here, here and here. To conclude, let’s all think about this question. What would happen if the CEO of Apple, Google, Amazon or any other big company was called upon by their board of directors to provide a complete list of that company’s active plans, their total cost, and a time frame for funding those plans? Suppose that CEO stared back at the board and said, “I don’t have any such list, and I don’t know how many departments have active plans in place.” The chairperson would most likely reply, “We hope you have enjoyed your tenure here as CEO. The door is over that way…”

door out

Musical Accompaniment for This Blog Posting:
Planning Songs
  1. “Making Plans” – Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton, 1980
  2. “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” – Paul Simon, 1975
Timing Songs
  1. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – Celine Dion, 2004
  2. “The Next Time” – Cliff Richard & the Shadows, 1962
  3. “The Last Time” – The Rolling Stones, 1965
  4. “This Time” – Troy Shondell, 1961
  5. “Time After Time” – Frank Sinatra, 1947
  6. “Time After Time” – Cyndi Lauper, 1983
  7. “There! I’ve Said It Again” – Bobby Vinton, 1963
  8. “Try Me One More Time” – Wanda Jackson, 1966
  9. “Like All The Other Times” – Marty Robbins, 1961
  10. “Do It Again” – The Beach Boys, 1968
Questions & Answers
  1. “How Do You Do It?” – Gerry & the Pacemakers, 1963. (Turned down by the Beatles for their first record)
  2. “Lo And Behold” – James Taylor, 1970
Scary Songs
  1. “Haunted House” – Jumpin’ Gene Simmons, 1964
  2. “The Purple People Eater” – Sheb Wooley, 1958
  3. “The Mummy” – Bob McFadden & Dor, 1959
  4. “Monster Mash” – Bobby “Boris” Pickett, 1962

School Finance Reform Proposal

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By Bill Oakey – May 14, 2016

The City of Austin and the Austin Independent School District (AISD) were both rocked to their foundations on Friday when the Texas Supreme Court handed down its decision on the State’s controversial Robin Hood school finance system. The Court ruled unanimously that the funding plan is constitutional under Texas law. That leaves Austin schools in a perilous financial dilemma. Under the Robin Hood formulas, Austin is forced to send more school property tax revenue back to the State than any other school district in Texas. For details on the devastating financial impact that the court decision will have on AISD, please see this excellent KXAN-TV News piece by reporters Kevin Kline, Calily Blen and Kylie McGivern.

As KXAN reported, the Texas Supreme Court did, however, stop short of endorsing the current school financing system. “Justice Eva Guzman delivered a concurring opinion stating the court calls for “transformational, top-to-bottom reforms” and that more work needs to be done regarding “economically disadvantaged students.” Following the announcement of the court’s decision, Austin State Representative, Celia Israel immediately declared that Governor Abbott should call a special session of the Legislature “so Texas can fully invest in its education system.” A special session is unlikely, however, since Governor Abbott issued a statement praising the Supreme Court ruling.

How Austin Schools Get the Royal Shaft

Former AISD school board president and Texas Senate candidate, Gina Hinojosa, labeled the court decision “a punch in the gut.” The numbers show that AISD taxpayers will soon be headed for a world of hurt in proportions that I can only describe as a nightmare scenario. Unless some adequate reforms are hammered out between now and January when the Legislature meets for the next regular session. Do not continue reading this blog post if you have any stomach issues or anxiety problems. AISD’s current funding requirement from local taxpayers to be sent back to the State under Robin Hood in 2015 was $181 million. Projections indicate that by 2018 that number would skyrocket to $445 million. Who amongst your neighbors and friends could sustain that kind of hit to their wallets in increased property taxes?

1938 "Adventures of Robin Hood" Movie Poster

1938 “Adventures of Robin Hood” Movie Poster

The City Has Proposed a Tax Swap With AISD

Some on the Austin City Council have proposed letting Austin taxpayers pay for certain social programs currently funded by AISD. But as I mentioned on this blog, such a plan would have serious unintended consequences. Seniors aged 65 and over have their school taxes frozen under Texas law. The City’s tax-swap proposal would need to include carefully prescribed adjustments in order to avoid penalizing seniors.

Here Is My School Finance Reform Proposal

Currently the State shifts funds from property-rich school districts to property-poor school districts, based upon the taxable value of each school district’s total property tax base. Because of Austin’s huge annual spikes in tax appraisals, we get the biggest share of Robin Hood payments required to be sent back to the State each year. My reform proposal calls for designating the “wealthy” and “poor” areas at the local school board voting district level, rather than ranking each whole school district against every other whole district.

Under this scenario, AISD’s seven geographic voting districts would be measured against all the other geographic school board voting districts across the state. You can see the boundaries of AISD’s voting districts here. Under my funding plan, the property values would be calculated for each of these seven districts. Using this method, only some of our geographic districts would be designated as “wealthy.” Orhers might fall somewhere in the middle, and some might be considered “poor.”

Approximately 60% of AISD students live in poverty and receive free or reduced price school lunches. Under my proposal, the Robin Hood funds would only be collected from the richest school board voting districts across the state. Then those funds would be redistributed  to the poorest of those school board voting districts. We all know that school funding formulas can be crazy and ridiculously complicated. So, I see my proposal as a discussion starting point. Let’s see if our local and State officials can work with it and other reform strategies to fund Texas schools in a much more equitable manner. Otherwise, the current system will send AISD taxpayers completely over the cliff that they already perched upon.

falling

Musical Accompaniment for This Blog Piece:

  1. “Wonderful World” – Sam Cooke, 1960
  2. “Swingin’ School” – Bobby Rydell, 1960
  3. “High School Confidential” – Jerry Lee Lewis, 1958
  4. “Little School Girl” – Fats Domino, 1954
  5. “Charlie Brown” – The Coasters, 1959
  6. “The Hookey Song” – Don Cornell & Teresa Brewer, 1952
  7. “Teacher’s Pet” – Doris Day, 1958
  8. “School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)” – Chuck Berry, 1957
  9. “Hey, Schoolgirl” – Tom & Jerry, 1957 (early recording name for Simon & Garfunkel)
  10. “Waitin’ In School” – Ricky Nelson, 1957
  11. “Teen Angel” – Mark Dinning, 1959
  12. “High School USA” – Tommy Facenda, 1959 (national version; 28 regional versions released)
  13. “Let’s Go Steady for the Summer” – The Three G’s, 1960
  14. “Vacation” – Connie Francis, 1962
  15. “Roses Are Red (My Love)” – Bobby Vinton, 1962
  16. “Surfin’ USA” – The Beach Boys, 1963
  17. “The New Girl In School” – Jan & Dean, 1964 (flip side of “Dead Man’s Curve”)
  18. “Sealed With a Kiss” – Brian Hyland, 1962
  19. “Summertime, Summertine” – The Jamies, 1958 (became a hit again in 1962)
  20. “See You In September” – The Tempos, 1959
  21. “Kodachrome” – Paul Simon, 1973
  22. “To Sir With Love” – Lulu, 1967
  23. “Carrie Anne” – The Hollies, 1967
  24. “Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard” – Paul Simon, 1972
  25. “Dance, Dance, Dance” – The Beach Boys, 1965
  26. “Summer Nights” – “Grease” Soundtrack, 1978
  27. “You’re The One That I Want” – “Grease” Soundtrack, 1978
  28. “The Janitor Knows” – Those Darn Accordions, 2007
  29. “Teach Me Tonight” – Jo Stafford, 1954
  30. “Moments To Remember” – The Four Lads, 1955

Austin’s Economic Divide – Is There Hope On The Horizon?

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By Bill Oakey – May 9, 2016

The unfortunate dilemma of income inequality is alive and well in Austin. But Austin American-Statesman business writer, Dan Zehr, recently highlighted a new report that shows one positive change. From 2007 to 2012, there was a drop in the concentration of affluent families in affluent neighborhoods. The bad news is that Austin and some other Texas cities remain among the most economically segregated in the United States. Worst of all, the segregation of the lowest income families in Austin increased during the five years cited in the report. You can read the entire report from Stanford and Cornell University here.

City Officials Have Gotten the Message, And Help May Be On the Way

One of the things I learned over the past few years is that “Affordable Housing” (capitalized) means something different in official parlance from “affordable housing.” The capitalized term refers to subsidized housing for low-income households. The HousingWorks organization, under the direction of Mandy De Mayo, is a strong community leader in that area. Here in Austin, we face an affordability crisis across several income strata. The hopeful news on the horizon comes from the City Council and the City’s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Dept. (NHCD).

Last month on April 7th, the City Council passed Resolution # 20160407-024, which addresses gentrification and the economic divide. This resolution calls for NHCD to develop a set of options for permanent affordable housing. Preliminary findings are due to be presented to the City Council by June 14th, with a final report to be presented by August 2nd.

On Tuesday of this week, I participated in a stakeholders meeting with NHCD to discuss both types of affordable housing options – publicly and privately funded. This was a very interesting and productive gathering. Kudos to Erica Leak, NHCD Housing Policy and Planning Manager, who hosted and led the stakeholder discussion. Those in attendance included community members from financial, real estate, community housing and various other related backgrounds. We divided into groups to try to come to consensus on recommendations for affordable housing options. Some of the options discussed came from the Homeowner Retention Initiative, proposed on this blog.

There are some high mountains to climb in order to make significant progress in the housing side of Austin’s affordability quagmire. Here’s hoping that the City Council and City Staff will go big with innovative strategies that break new ground. Austin should lead, not follow, in the quest to build bridges across the economic divide.

And Now for the Music – Affordability Songs and Tales From the Economic Divide

  1. Blue Water Line – The Brothers Four, 1961
  2. Somebody Bought My Old Hometown – Bobby Bare, 1967, from the album, “A Bird Named Yesterday”
  3. In the Middle of the House – Rusty Draper, 1956
  4. A Dollar Down – The Limeliters, 1961
  5. Busted – Ray Charles, 1963
  6. Poor Boy – Elvis Presley, 1956
  7. Sixteen Tons – Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1956
  8. The Money Tree – Patience & Prudence, 1957
  9. Saginaw, Michigan – Lefty Frizzell, 1963
  10. Down In the Boondocks – Billy Joe Royal, 1965
  11. One Piece At a Time – Johnny Cash, 1976
  12. Patches – Dickey Lee, 1962
  13. Rag Doll – The Four Seasons, 1964
  14. Poor Side of Town – Johnny Rivers, 1966
  15. Above and Beyond – Rodney Crowell, 1989, first recorded by Buck Owens, 1960
  16. Ruby Ann – Marty Robbins, 1962 (Rare stereo version)
  17. Little Boxes – Pete Seeger, 1964
  18. You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly – Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn, 1978
  19. (We’re Not) The Jet Set – George Jones & Tammy Wynette, 1974
  20. Can’t Buy Me Love – The Beatles, 1964
  21. Uptown Girl – Billy Joel, 1983
  22. Dawn (Go Away) – The Four Seasons, 1964
  23. Crystal Chandeliers – Charley Pride, 1972
  24. King of the Road – Roger Miller, 1965
  25. Queen of the House – Jody Miller, 1965, totally hilarious “answer song,” country Grammy Award winner, #12 national pop hit

Pants On Fire – Lies, Shame And Sleepless Nights

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By Bill Oakey – May 1, 2016

Back in the 1920’s, the famous humorist, Will Rogers stated that “America has the best politicians money can buy.” Here in the 21st century, we can count on that being true. Especially since the Supreme Court ruled in the Citizens United case that a corporation is a person, and that contributions to political campaigns should be considered “free speech.” Much closer to home is Austin’s May 7th Prop 1 election. The folks who run the top ridesharing companies have already dumped an obscene and breathtaking $8.1 million into their campaign so far. That amount is OVER 6 TIMES MORE than the previous record for any Austin election in history! Somebody needs to calculate how many drivers could be fingerprinted for $8.1 million and / or how much more the companies could pay their drivers.

As pointed out previously on this blog, the Pro-Prop 1 campaign has flung a whole pack of lies at the voters from the start. (Is there no shame? How do they sleep at night?) The Big Money Machine would have you believe that voting “yes” is not only as good as apple pie and motherhood, but even better. And, in keeping with the Federal court rulings allowing unlimited campaign spending, the same court system has upheld various forms of public lying. When Congress got fed up with shysters wearing fake military medals and claiming to be war heroes, they passed the Stolen Valor Act (2005). But the Supreme Court struck it down in 2012 as a violation of free speech rights. (It’s still not a good idea to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater unless the building really is on fire. But it could very well be legal).

Pants

So, without any legal remedies against bald-faced lying, we are left with one other thing. If you are reading this on Sunday, you may have been in a building where they talked about this. Check out the ninth item:

10 Commandments_M

Vote Against Prop 1 During Early Voting Or Next Saturday, May 7th. Click Here to Donate to “Our City, Our Safety, Our Choice.”

Extended Song List for This Blog Posting, “Pants On Fire – Lies, Shame and Sleepless Nights” (Beware of certain political commercials when you click on these songs)

  1. “Lies,” – The Knickerbockers, 1965
  2. “Liar, Liar” – The Castaways, 1965
  3. “Mama Didn’t Lie” – Jan Bradley, 1962
  4. “It’s the Truth Ruth” – The Big Bopper, 1959
  5. “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie” – Somethin’ Smith & The Redheads, 1955
  6. “Lie No Better” – Delbert McClinton, 1997
  7. “Little White Lies” – Annette Hanshaw, 1930
  8. “Your Nose Is Gonna Grow” – Debbie Peters, 1962
  9. “Tossin’ & Turnin”” – Bobby Lewis, 1961
  10. “You’re The Reason” – Gerry & The Pacemakers, 1964
  11. “Another Sleepless Night” – Jimmy Clanton, 1960
  12. “Wake Me, Shake Me” – The Coasters, 1960
  13. “Musta Notta Gotta Lotta” – Joe Ely, 1990
  14. “Don’t Sleep In The Subway” – Petula Clark, 1967
  15. “Ain’t That A Shame” – Fats Domino, 1955
  16. “Shame, Shame, Shame” – Jimmy Reed, 1963
  17. “What A Shame” – The Rolling Stones, 1965
  18. “Shame On You” – Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel, 2009
  19. “Shame On Me” – Bobby Bare, 1963
  20. “Lyin’ Eyes” – The Eagles, 1975
  21. “Little Lies” – Fleetwood Mac, 1987
  22. “Don’t Lie To Me” – The Rolling Stones, 1975
  23. “All Men Are Liars” (??) Nick Lowe, 1990
  24. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” – Elvis Presley, 1960, or Al Jolson version, 1950 (One spoken line is taken from “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare. The song was written in 1926, first recorded by Charles Hart, 1927)

(The song, “All Men Are Liars” should be taken with a huge grain of salt. For something closer to the truth, listen to what this woman has to say)!