By: Tom Stubbs

Tom Stubbs — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:27:53 +0000

I have no problem with full disclosure of all donors. Of course, I presume you would ask the same of every candidate, but I did not notice that suggestion. Making the candidate who relies exclusively on small donations disclose small donors, but not requriing that of other candidates seems a bit one-sided.
I will tell you that the issue of disclosure is practical, not political. The standard forms for disclosure do not provide for a listing of small donors. We will find a way, however.
By the way, for those of you who are not as familiar with electionlaw, the $100 limit is a limit that prevents anyone from making multiple $100 donations at separte times during an election cycle. By law, you must combine all donations made during that two-year cycle. So, during the two-year period that comprises an election cyrcle, I will not allow anyone to contribute more than $100.
The bottom line is that I am taking campaign donations out of the mix of factors that influence policy. Creative ideas, not money, is what I will look for from my constituents.

By: Tom Stubbs

Tom Stubbs — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:13:37 +0000

Thanks, Ellen. Since I attended a large number of the school board meetings during the latest re-configuration deliberations early in 2009, my thoughts about Decatur schools are not a secret. While Karass is correct that the State Senate is unlikely to take this particular issue up, I hope it is of some comfort to know your senator will be fairly intimately aware of the issue.
How many school board meetings have your candidates attended? How often has a candidate participated in community activities related to school policy? Those are absolutely valid questions to ask. I am comfortable that there will be no candidate who has been immersed in education issues as me. It is one thing for a politician to “talk the talk” of declaring education to be a top priority. It is something altogether different – and more credible – when you see that the candidate has a history that shows he or she has actually “walked the walk” and been a participant in civic discussions on education. From the time I served as president of The Phoenix School in Oakhurst in the early 1990s through my tutoring of elementary schools in mathematics to the citywide roundtables in 2000 on our schools where I served both as a staffer providing statistical analysis of the results and a participant through this year, I have actively involved myself in education issues.
As far as the Senate is concerned, there are many education issues we will confront. There are three issues worth highlighting here. The first is the need to reach younger kids than pre-school. If you are concerned about the achievement gap, then the most productive focus is preschool. By the age of 3, children from affluent households have heard an average of 30 million more words than children from poor households. Those same children will have a gap of 685,000 instances of positive encouragement versus negative admonishment. Studies have shown that this difference results in the achievement gap being present when kids walk into pre-school. By that point, it becomes hugely more expensive to remedy. We have to do a better job of outreach and provision of reading and basic math for those young kids.
Second is the issue of overall funding. I will work as hard as I can to reverse the horrific funding policies that our state has implemented over the last few years. Whatever my disagreements with our Board of Education, Decatur generally shows the way for the rest of the state when it comes to schools: strong schools are our most important community resource for today and tomorrow. Our state will not get there by making education a last priority. The approach for rural and urban school systems has to change so that they are not pitted against each other. North Carolina showed the long-term benefits of making education a higher priority financially when Governor Sanford led his state in that direction in the early 1960s. They are still repaing the benefiti of that effort. In 1991, I published a paper on school finance reform, profiling the policies in four states. All systems need dramatic increases in funding, or we will see a gradual slip in our ability to attract and retain jobs in the state.
Finally, we need to retain flexibility and local control. Education is not a one-size-fits-all enterprise. From school systems to the classroom, we have to allow room for experimentation and customization. The State tends to take a monolithic approach, and that needs to be curtailed. As they say, if you love them, let them go!
As to the Fifth Avenue issue, the tone of your question makes me guess that you actually already know my approach. As I read it, the research supports small, longer grade-span schools as the best learning environment for all children, especially our at-risk kids. That approach was a crown jewel of the Decatur schools, the envy of many other school systems, that the school board decided five years ago to shift away from. When they re-visited the issue earlier this year, I suggested over the course of several board meetings that it was a good time to re-examine that issue. In order to move in that direction — or just about any direction, as it turned out — another school would have to be opened, whether Fifth Avenue or Westchester or both. The board decided to renovate Fifth Avenue.
To the extent that the renovation of Fifth Avenue provides a base from which we can move in a number of directions — including to K-5 schools — that’s wise. Laying aside the advisabilty of continuing a short-duration school, the biggest problem with using Fifth Avenue for the 4-5 school is transportation. It is a big problem. I never heard a response with which I was comfortable as to how the roads, railroad crossings and walkers would handle transportation to a far corner of our city. Our city’s good voices on walking and bicycling should be heard carefully on that issue. (In my practice, I work on railroad crossing accidents. That is a special concern of mine, since railroads are not bound by any local laws.) On top of that problem, of course, we now learn that the size of Fifth Avenue was not what as big as we earlier assumed. That could create critical problems for playground size and other issues. Beacon, also owned by the City, stands out as a possible alternative, although its current uses raise all kinds of issues since they would have to be re-located. As much as I hate to delay things, enough good questions have been raised to make it worth exploring the problems and possible alternatives. Before we commit to spending millions, it just makes sense to consult the community and develop as much buy-in as possible to whichever option is pursued.
TMI?

By: Benson

Benson — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:02:04 +0000

I think Petre asks a valid question. If Stubbs limits his contibutions to $100 or less he doesn’t have to report any of his contributors for public scrutiny. I, for one, would like to know who is supporting his campaign.

By: Tom Stubbs

Tom Stubbs — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:15:50 +0000

We have a fairly carefully budgeted campaign. We will raise and use at least the amount you listed for Augusta. (By the way, I had a reply about the Decatur schools, but I had to leave work fairly quickly and it is sitting on that computer. When I get back there, I will send that, as well. To say the least, my thoughts on the school system are not a particular secret.)

By: TANSTAAFL

TANSTAAFL — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:29:39 +0000

Greetings All,

Wonderful to see a declared candidate working a board. Quick question Mr. Stubbs, what kind of budget do you think will be required for a successful run in the 42nd District? The contest going on in the special electionState Senate District 22 in Augusta is rumored to be running around $40,000 per candidate. The three democrat candidates are running Radio and TV ads, electronic billboards and extensive yard sign campaigns. Your thoughts?

Comments on: Tom Stubbs To Run Against Jason Carter for Adelman Seat

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