Opinion: yes

For as much as I have said I wanted to be an opinion columnist, I’ve found I am oddly voiceless when I go to my blog to open my mouth on local issues. I want to offer my two cents, but I can’t help but hold back. I don’t want to alienate sources, and I don’t want to seem biased. However,I really don’t want to feed into the dated notion that journalist aren’t biased, either. Of course they are.

In full hillbilly voice I say: I is biased and so are everyone else. Real people run the world, and we can't let ourselves forget that. So, onward I march.

In my view, people don’t hate Fox News because there’s an obvious right-wing slant to much of their news programming (that’s why they love them). They hate Fox News because they’ll tell you what they're offering as news is “fair and balanced.” Just be honest, Fox. Tell people upfront your channel supports a conservative ideology. That's not such a terrible thing. Occasionally, I will hear our CFP ad guy compare us to Fox News when he’s trying to sell. It makes me cringe every time.

To get a sense of my own biases, please read my opening blog post.

I’m getting off point.

When I’m not using this blog as a creative outlet, I’d like to use it to express my own opinions about the stories I’m covering. At least every so often. I suspect that others like me may be hesitant to do this, and that's understandable. I believe other reporters have the same fears of perceived bias I have and so they shy away from taking a stand. In fact, the Society of Professional Journalists recommends reporters stay away from conflicts of interest "real or perceived."

But then newspapers have been writing editorials forever. I think the same code of ethics draws the line between news and opinion correctly: "Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context."

Don’t get me wrong: we need objective reporting. People who are reading or watching news want facts to form their own opinions about important issues. I want others to be objective, too. And when I’m writing news for CFP, that’s what I’m doing. But here aint news. It’s beauty and fear and love and greed and something more honest. And by exposing that side of myself, I’m meeting the mission of this blog: to say something true about the human experience.

But why should my opinion matter, you may ask?

Ultimately, I know how I approach stories. I’m going in trying to learn what people need to know to make up their own minds. And if I wasn’t myself, I’d be interested in what I thought. So, for what it’s worth, I’m offering up my opinion on the story that won’t go away … please, take it more as a polite suggestion rather than the ramblings of a nut case who found a megaphone.

On Nov. 3 pension sales tax

My take: Vote yes, y’all.

Click here to read my story on the upcoming pension sales tax vote in the latest issue of CFP (Page 1 and Page 4).

I believe the cops and firefighters have tough jobs as it is. The city is responsible for their pension, and their pension is failing. You can blame the city if you like, but no one is served with a “no” vote. I agree with the citizens’ pension task force: the best way to fill this gap is with a sales tax. People from surrounding areas spend money in Springfield, thereby lessening the Springfield tax burden. It’s the quickest and easiest fix. Cutting benefits will likely result in a lawsuit. And the state can potentially take away tax revenues if the city doesn’t keep the fund at 60 percent of its actuarial value. It's at 46.5 percent now.

Many have expressed concern about the city’s wasteful spending. And that’s fine. Many have expressed concern about the ballot language not including a clear and obvious sunset-- including Bob Mace on Page 6. Okay. But a “no” vote only ignores the problem, and then the problem will only escalate. You can be mad at the sky for the storm, just don’t forget to fill the sandbags out of spite.

I voted for the 1-cent initiative in February, and I think that would have been a better and quicker way to address the issue. I do think the ballot language in this initiative should have called for a 90 percent funding goal, which would have been in-line with actuarial recommendations. However, that’s not enough of a reason for me to avoid the real issue. Police and firefighters deserve to not worry about their pensions. I’m sorry the stock market tanked on your 401(k), but as for me—and I am broke—I don’t mind pitching in an extra penny when I buy a candy bar. And don’t tell me it’s 75 cents when I buy a pizza because I don’t want to know.

I have the highest regard for Bob Mace, Jackie Melton and Fred Ellison. Each are intelligent and involved citizens whose opinions I hold in high regard. Each have said they're opposed to the tax. Mr. Ellison, if you are reading this, I thought you should know I didn't like the way the mayor spoke to you and others opposed to the sales tax. With all that said, I hope each of you change your minds and vote for this thing. I believe city leaders are trying to make this right, and we can pitch in.

After all, real people are running this city. People who answer calls for help in the middle of night. I hope we don't forget that Nov. 3.

Happy Birthday Mason

Look buddy, you are on the computer.

My son Mason is turning 7-years-old today. If you don't know Mason, you are really missing out because this kid is a crack-up. While each of my kids has a unique and fascinating combination of traits, the wheel of fortune gene swirl that resulted in Mason seemed to take most of the best ingredients his mother and I had to offer.

He has the devilish smirk of my dad and the trademark Wilkinson blonde hair. He has Valerie's fearless attitude, mixed with a healthy amount of daddy and grandma Kay-Kay's altruism. He is smart, handsome, funny, cool and caring. He has a love for people and traveling that is really contagious-- If you ask him where he'd like to go more than anywhere in the world he'd tell you a hotel with a pool. He's a ham for the camera, full of energy, and can become a loyal friend in 30 seconds or less. And if I haven't said it yet, this kid is funny. He loves knock-knock jokes that go off the script.

When Val and I found out she was pregnant with Mason it was hard for us because we were really broke at the time. Well, we are still broke today but we've got the best family in the world and it could not be what it is without him. I love him more than myself and I only hope I can become the father he thinks I am. He deserves all the best, and I am excited that today is all about him. Happy Birthday, buddy!

A bad word

In the latest issue of the Community Free Press I wrote a story about the upcoming Springfield R-12 bond initiative. The district wants to raise money for air conditioning and other projects by extending its debt service levy.

The district is also, as Jackie Melton points out, hoping to secure federal stimulus dollars, which will be added to the overall construction funds once the bond measure has passed. As Jackehammer notes in her post, that money is not guaranteed.

My story was one I worked hard on, struggled with, but felt good about. Unfortunately, it is not without error. You see, I found the mistake after being bothered by a word in the ballot language box and re-read the story. In the second paragraph of that box, it reads:

If this question is approved, the District’s debt service
levy is protected to remain unchanged at the current levy
of $0.51 per $100 of assessed valuation.

You can see the second paragraph of the actual ballot language on the sample ballot here. Do you see the mistake? I copied the ballot from a fax the County Clerk's office sent me before the ballot was online.

I wrote "protected to remain unchanged" when the actual language is "projected to remain unchanged." And I never caught it.

I want our readers and SPS to know that I regret this error. It was unintentional. I will make sure we run a correction in the next issue.

It's one word. One letter, actually. But it was wrong, and it does make a difference. I spent a lot of time on that article, and I hate thinking that any part of it could be wrong. I thought you should know.

Million Dollar Hollar

Sometimes I get excited by my own ideas. It happened with my candy cane utensils. Imagine edible forks and spoons. You could do hard chocolate, too. It happened with my menthol nasal spray. And now, it's happened again. What's the latest million-dollar idea, you ask? Personal fiction.

I tried calling invention services after both the menthol nasal spray and candy cane idea, but it turns out that inventing a revolutionary new product that reduces nasal swelling or transforms the way you gently sip holiday cider costs a lot of money.

Personal fiction. What is personal fiction? Well, it's only a potentially whole new genre of literature. For years, authors have been twiddling away their time and talents writing books for readers. Mostly bland ol' diddies. They've had to choose between writing made-up stories with made-up characters or serious and factual narratives based on reality. Fiction or non-fiction. What a bunch of followers.

Now, I declare a new day. Imagine if Joyce had written about being a soldier in the civil war. Or Fitzgerald had written about the excesses of wealth -- his excesses. Personal fiction is a new form of self-expression and exploration. I, Brian Brown, can write about traveling through a black hole as, that's right, Brian Brown. It is revolutionary.

You take one real you, and add imagination. What would you do if you met Jesus? WWYDIYMJ? What if you were a NASCAR driver and you were in a horrible accident? What would happen if you sprouted wings and could fly? Personal fiction.

This morning, with great excitement, I told my wife about my latest million-dollar idea. I just knew she'd get that big knowing smile and she'd tell me to get to work on it and we'd buy a house with a dog that's not crazy and a jacuzzi and a slide that went from the roof to the basement as soon as my book was published and eventually they'd have college courses like Personal Fiction 501 and I could pop in as a guest speaker and they'd all be amazed and I would tell them to leave class early and get busy imagining things and they'd give me high-fives except one nice girl who couldn't resist giving me a kiss on the cheek as she left and I'd blush.

My wife said "isn't that just fiction? I don't get it."