Who is paying?

In March of 2011, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) was asked by the Senate Budget Committee to investigate different methods of getting funding for highway maintenance and work. The result is the "Alternative Approaches to Funding Highways" report located here (http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=12101).

I didn't make it very far into the report… in fact I was in the first paragraph of the Preface... when I came across a statement that took me back enough that I had to reread the statement to make sure I was seeing it correctly. Upon reflection, the statement makes perfect sense. The implications of the statement, however, are astounding.

"As scheduled increases in federal standards for average vehicle fuel efficiency take effect,

dedicated revenues may fall further below spending."

As people spend less money on gasoline and diesel, revenues from fuel taxes will decrease. Makes sense, right?

What do you suppose the primary motivation is for buying a more fuel efficient vehicle? I would think it is to save money on fuel costs. What do you suppose will happen if buying a fuel efficient car subjects a person to a another tax to compensate for lost revenue to the Highway Department? Will people still have the same motivation for buying that fuel efficient car? I don't think I would. The highly fuel efficient and electric cars are still very expensive but many people justify the cost by the reduced fuel requirements. If the fuel cost reduction is countered by a new fee or tax, there goes the justification!

As gas prices sore into the $4 and $5 range with no relief offered from the government (did everyone hear about the President's response to a blue-collar worker? To paraphrase "… sounds like you need to buy a new car"), are we really going to be asked to absorb further costs and fees for driving? I understand the desire of some people to reduce their carbon footprint, but for those people that live far from work, this becomes a problem.

A couple of examples come to mind:

I had a friend that moved to California (the Bay area) because that's where the work was. Coming from a town where housing costs were much lower, he did not have enough cash for a down payment on a house in CA near work. The only place he could afford to live was about 3.5 hours away (without traffic). He actually lived in a camper at a KOA during the week because he couldn't make the commute otherwise.

In another case, my sister worked in a "resort" town. She made decent money, but not enough to live there. As a result, her commute was extensive and expensive. Ask people that work in Aspen or Telluride how their commute looks.

The people that really need the breaks seem to be the ones that end up paying the most.

I plan on reading the rest of the report in order to write a more business related entry in another blog, but I felt like I had to share this first part, since it hit me right out of the gate.

Should I live in a closet now?

So, two weeks before Christmas someone broke into my car and took my GPS, two days after New Year’s Day someone used my credit card number to run up $300 on XBOX Live, and one week ago my power supply was taken from my wireless headset at work.

You ever feel violated?

When I first moved to Oregon, in 1998, I had checks stolen from the mailbox. I called the police and filed a report and they told me “I can tell you right now that we won’t be able to put any resources on this… this happens so frequently that we don’t have the manpower to chase all the identity theft and fraud cases.” It took me a full year to put that issue to rest and get everything straightened out, and yet, I know I will never get justice because the police never pursued it.

This string of recent events has me looking more closely at how secure my information is and I’ve been doing some research on some of these identity theft protection companies. I almost feel like I would be entrusting my information to a hacker… what happens if I don’t stay with these companies? Will they sell my information to the highest bidder? How paranoid do I let myself get in the name of security? Is it finally time to move into that closet and let the world pass me by?

Of course not.

More diligence on my part to make up for the lack of commitment from our local “to server… and protect” group and the acceptance that things happen and it will all be okay in the long-run is my best defense at this point. I will likely join one of these protection agencies in order to help safeguard myself and my family; a motion light on the front of the house can act as a deterrent for future auto break-ins and there are always other methods that can be employed. Who knows, maybe this will be the event that forces a home security system?

Life moves on and we can’t let fear keep us from participating.

A new year and a new beginning

As the New Year begins I have found myself looking to the future and trying to determine my place in it. It has been almost five months since I finished my Masters degree and work seems to be a little stagnant and un-challenging. It would be very easy to let myself drift off into a rut, settle in, and let the world roll on by. The problem is I don’t want that to happen.

I am currently working in a temporary assignment to help with headcount in another organization. Originally, this position was going to offer me opportunities to flex my newly gained knowledge muscles and provide methods and theories to improve processes in this new group. While there have been some opportunities, they have not been nearly as prolific as I would have liked or was lead to believe. If I am not careful, I can become somewhat complacent. The improvements I am making can be useful and some people like them but they are not “expected”. I find something and look for a way to make it easier. I’m not being tasked to solve specific issues, merely to fill a seat.

So what happens from here?

I have begun looking for other jobs within the company and am attempting to branch out. One particular hurdle that I am trying to clear is the fact that I have been with the company for almost 21 years and, even though I have a brand new degree, I am somewhat pigeon-holed by my longevity and current role with the company. If I were to be outside the company, applying to become a new employee, my opportunities would actually be greater. One particular role that I applied for turned out to only be available for new hires and was posted to help fulfill a new government initiative. Essentially, I can’t leave my current position open for an outside hire, they would rather I stay where I’m at and give my dream job to someone from outside the company. It’s a little frustrating…

Anyway, I have determined that I will seek continuous learning in my field and look for ways to branch out. I have considered looking for small businesses and non-profits and volunteer my time to see if I can help them out. At the very least it will give me practical experience in the field and something more to put on my resume.

The future, as always, is unclear. In an effort to find a new niche I will do what I can and make adjustments as I see fit. Only time will tell…