Tampa Bay Times Investigation: Did You Know 14 Of America's 50 Worst Charities Are Police And Firefighter Charities?

During the past year, the Tampa Bay Times has collaborated with the California-based Center for Investigative Reporting, the nation's largest and longest serving nonprofit newsroom dedicated to watchdog journalism, to determine how many of the estimated 1.6 million tax-exempt organizations function honestly. Finding that the sheer number was too large to permit a close examination of all, they instead chose to narrow the pool to the 5,800 charities nationwide that report paying professional solicitation companies to raise donations. They focused on these charities because relying heavily on for-profit fundraisers is one of the most inefficient ways to collect donations. Regulators and industry experts widely consider the practice a red flag for bad charities. The Times further describes their rationale and methodology HERE.

From their research, the Times produced a list of what they characterize as the 50 Worst Charities in America (PDF version HERE). Their primary benchmark is those charities that consistently kept less than 33 cents of every dollar donated, paying professional fundraisers 66 cents or more of every dollar donated. What surprised me is the fact that there are 14 police and firefighter charities on this list. Because police and firefighters routinely place themselves in harm's way, most people are sympathetic towards them. But do police and firefighters actually benefit from these charities, and do they actually need their help? I list the 14 below to answer the first question; click on the links to find out more specific information published by the Times:

5 Firefighters Charitable Foundation: 8.1% direct cash aid, 85.7% of donations paid to solicitors.
7 International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO: 0.5% direct cash aid, 72.3% of donations paid to solicitors.
9 American Association of State Troopers: 8.6% direct cash aid, 80.0% of donations paid to solicitors.
14 Association for Firefighters and Paramedics: 3.1% direct cash aid, 89.7% of donations paid to solicitors.
18 United States Deputy Sheriffs’ Association: 0.6% direct cash aid, 68.8% of donations paid to solicitors.
20 Police Protective Fund: 0.8% direct cash aid, 42.4% of donations paid to solicitors.
30 Disabled Police Officers of America Inc: 2.5% direct cash aid, 78.7% of donations paid to solicitors.
31 National Police Defense Foundation: 5.8% direct cash aid, 78.8% of donations paid to solicitors.
33 Reserve Police Officers Association: 1.1% direct cash aid, 88.5% of donations paid to solicitors.
35 Disabled Police and Sheriffs Foundation: 1.0% direct cash aid, 84.4% of donations paid to solicitors.
36 Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center: 0.1% direct cash aid, 84.1% of donations paid to solicitors.
43 Firefighters Assistance Fund: 3.2% direct cash aid, 82.1% of donations paid to solicitors.
45 National Narcotic Officers Associations Coalition: 0.0% direct cash aid, 83.3% of donations paid to solicitors
49 Firefighters Burn Fund: 1.5% direct cash aid, 85.0% of donations paid to solicitors.

From the combination of direct cash aid and percentage of donations paid to solicitors, one can see that only a very small amount of the funds actually reach the intended clients; namely, the cops and firefighters. So these charities are primarily a jobs program for telemarketers.

This leads to the second question: Do police and firefighters really need the funds provided by these so-called "charities"? Perhaps in some parts of the country, this may be so; I would imagine that right now, the citizens of Black Forest, Colorado might be tempted to write a blank check to their firefighters for their work in knocking down the wildfire. But police and firefighter compensation data for Anchorage, Alaska casts doubt upon the need here. The Alaska Policy Forum published some detailed stats about police and firefighter compensation in Anchorage during 2012:

(1). An Excel spreadsheet showing total compensation paid to 3,202 Municipality of Anchorage employees in 2012. Total compensation is defined as base salary, overtime, and the value of the applicable benefits package. A total of 306 municipal employees earned more than Mayor Dan Sullivan's salary of $170,787.60

(2). A separate list shows only the 306 employees who earned more than Mayor Sullivan. Of those, 72 are police (brass, sergeants, and senior patrol officers), and 113 are fire department employees, mostly captains, battalion chiefs, and apparatus engineers, with a handful of ordinary firefighters. These don't look like the type of people who need help from telemarketing charities.

If you are really inclined to respond to a telemarketing charity, the Tampa Bay Times recommends asking five key questions of any telemarketer:

• What is the full name of the charity?
• Do you work for a paid fundraiser?
• How much of my donation actually goes to charity?
• Will any local programs directly benefit? If so, how?
• What is the website address of the charity?

Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell Certifies Recreational Marijuana Ballot Initiative Application For The 2014 Election

On Friday June 14th, 2013, Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell certified a ballot initiative application that would make it legal for adults to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Supporters will have one year to collect 30,169 signatures from qualified voters in 30 of the state's 40 House districts, although they'd like to get it done by January 2014 to assure the initiative's placement on the 2014 election ballot.

The initiative, entitled "An Act to tax and regulate the production, sale and use of marijuana", is designated 13PSUM and the petition application was initially filed on April 16th. If passed, the initiative will add AS.17.38 to the Alaska Code. You can read the eight-page initiative HERE; below are screenshots of the three most important sections:

The remainder of the initiative provides terms and definitions and sets penalties for various breaches of the law. The oversight responsibility will be conferred upon the existing Alcoholic Beverage Control Board unless the state legislature decides to create a marijuana control board.

Strengths: No ridiculous amnesty or reparations provisions included in 99HEMP, which was shot down with a 59 percent No vote in the 2000 election, show up in this version.

-- Requires the practice be kept discrete, but will permit the regulated sale of the product. And with an excise tax of $50 per ounce, the state will get a healthy chunk. The days of three-fingered ounces for $20 like we got during the 70s aren't coming back; merchants will be recovering that $50 excise tax from consumers.

-- Protects the right of employers to restrict or prohibit marijuana use by employees at any time for any reason. Also protects the rights of persons and a host of other entities to restrict or prohibit marijuana use on their premises.

Rationale: The effects of marijuana are not as debilitating as those of other recreational drugs. Most people who use recreational marijuana are still quite functional so long as they are not operating sensitive equipment. In addition, marijuana neither provokes the aggression nor spawns the upsurge in petty crime caused by other drugs. You've heard of meth-heads staging home invasions to support their habits; how often have you heard of potheads staging home invasions to support their habits? And while meth labs can poison a home and make it uninhabitable, marijuana plants have no negative impact on the environment. Legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana will free up resources to wage an all-out war against the methedrine scourge.

Raw Videos Of Black Forest Wildfire Near Colorado Springs; Fire Rapidly Approaching Total Containment

Just under two weeks ago, folks in Galena, Alaska received a "baptism" of water. Most homes there are now uninhabitable. But during the week of June 12th, residents of Colorado received a "baptism" of fire. The highest-profile area is the rural community of Black Forest, just northeast of Colorado Springs. Black Forest is spread out much like the area between Palmer and Wasilla, which made it difficult to fight this type of fire. The Colorado Wildfire Information static page I've set up is still available for all the stats, facts, and links to other sources, but with the fire well on its way to total containment, the page will be taken down in about a week.

The Basic Facts About the Black Forest Fire: As of June 16th at 7:30 P.M. MDT, this fire burned around 14,198 acres, with 483 homes destroyed, 17 damaged, and 3,633 homes ruled as unaffected. An estimated 41,000 people were evacuated at the peak of the fire, but evacuees now being allowed to return to some neighborhoods. Fire now declared to be 75 percent contained, and full containment is projected for June 20th. Firefighting costs have totaled $5.5 million so far.

NOTE: The #blackforestfire Twitter feed is still a good source of up-to-the-minute updates, but has now dwindled to about 5 new Tweets per minute.

To orient you, here's a map of the area:

But it takes videos to convey a proper impression of the challenges faced by residents and firefighters. First, raw video shot Wednesday June 12th by KMGH Channel 7 in Denver:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RohJeQPgcr8




Next, more KMGH raw video from an overflight of the area on Tuesday June 11th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHNKSp_qIDo




And finally, KMGH interviews Eric Scott, who barely escaped with his family on June 12th. He believes his home was lost; when he left, there were flames four stories high bearing down upon the home, and it felt like a blowtorch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PH9OvfrARg




This is the second destructive wildfire to strike the Colorado Springs area in less than a year. Waldo Canyon wiped out 347 homes in northwest Colorado Springs last summer.

U.S. Senate Votes 82-15 To Proceed With Debate On S.744, The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, And Immigration Modernization Act

On June 11th, 2013, the full U.S. Senate finally weighed in on S.744, known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, And Immigration Modernization Act. First, they voted 82-15 to invoke cloture, and then they followed up by voting 84-15 on a motion to proceed.

The first vote, on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S.744, took place at 2:15 P.M. EDT. This motion required 60 votes to pass, and was designed to prevent a filibuster. The full roll call vote shows 82 Yes, 15 No, and 3 Not Voting. Among the latter three was Senator Lisa Murkowski. All 54 Democrats and Independent Bernie Sanders voted Yes. One of the Republicans voting Yes was New Jersey's new Republican Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, appointed by Gov. Chris Christie to replace the deceased Democrat Frank Lautenberg.

The second vote, on the Motion to Proceed to S.744, took place at 4:01 P.M. EDT. This motion only required a simple majority of 51 votes. The full roll call vote shows 84 Yes, 15 No, and 1 Not Voting; the only differences this time was that Lisa Murkowski and Tom Coburn (R-OK) climbed down off the fence and voted Yes. New Jersey Senator Jeffrey Chiesa also voted Yes. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) switched his vote from “no” on cloture to “yes” on proceeding to the bill, while Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) switched from “yes” on cloture to “no” on proceeding.

The Guardian published an interesting live-blog of the proceedings.

Note that this does NOT mean the Senate passed the bill; it merely means they will now proceed with debate. And one Democratic Senator, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has already thrown a spanner in the works. Leahy has filed three amendments to add to the bill, and one of them would recognize same-sex marriages in which one spouse is an American. He said the amendment would remove discrimination from our immigration system. Another of his amendments calls for extending benefits to a child or spouse of immigrants who hold agricultural temporary work visas. Already, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), the most prominent Republican in the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" who crafted S.744, called Leahy's amendments a poison pill virtually certain to destroy GOP support for the measure, and threatened to remove his own support from the bill if the same-sex marriage measure stayed. It is unclear whether Leahy’s proposal will get a vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have yet to reach an agreement on amendments.

Even besides this issue, many Republicans who voted Yes on the motions have misgivings about the bill. In particular, Republicans are pushing for stronger border control provisions while senators from both sides of the aisle mull introducing amendments that are either non-germane to the bill or could disrupt the delicate political coalition championing the legislation, to include gun control provisions, as well as a series of amendments that would weaken the core of the bill from Republican senators who have little intention to vote for a final package. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), a Joe Miller-type conservative who voted against both motions on June 11th, set forth his principal objections to S.744 in an op-ed published on June 10th by KSL Channel 5:

-- Provides immediate legalization without securing the border;
-- Rewards criminal aliens, absconders, and deportees and undermines law enforcement;
-- Contains national security loopholes and facilitates fraud in our immigration system;
-- Creates no real penalties for illegal immigrants and rewards them with entitlements;
-- Delays for years the implementation of E-Verify;
-- Does not fix our legal immigration system.

Sen. Lee proposed a slew of alternatives:

That's why I have sponsored, cosponsored, or supported several reforms, both as stand-alone legislation and amendments to the current Senate proposal, that would improve high-skilled immigration, address agricultural and seasonal workers, and create new incentives for tourism — many of which enjoy bipartisan support.

For example, The STEM Jobs Act (S. 303), I-Squared Act (S.169), DASH Act (S.292), and Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants (H.R.633) would bring our immigration system closer to meeting the needs of our economy. The Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act (S.202), as well as several amendments to the current Senate bill, would create a reliable employment verification system that protects immigrants, citizens, and businesses from bureaucratic mistakes. I have cosponsored legislation that would require full implementation of an integrated entry-exit system at every land, sea, and air port of entry.

S.744 will undoubtedly be toughened up before it passes the Senate. And even if it eventually passes the Senate in some form, there's no guarantee it will be tough enough for the more conservative U.S. House.

Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan Files Letter Of Intent To Run For Unspecified Statewide Elective Office In 2014

On June 3rd, 2013, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan revealed that he's interested in continuing his political career after his second and final mayoral term expires in 2015. Mayor Sullivan announced he's filed a letter of intent to seek statewide elective office in 2014, which permits him to begin raising money although he says he has no fundraisers planned in the near future. Sullivan actually filed the paperwork with the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) on May 30th. Primary local stories come from the Anchorage Daily News and KTUU Channel 2.

Sullivan says he hasn't determined which office he will seek yet, but that his decision will be affected by the choices of other candidates. He could potentially run for governor, lieutenant governor, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, the state legislature, or a local office. To run for federal elective office, Sullivan must also file paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Sullivan is a fiscally and socially conservative Republican. Sullivan has not ruled out private sector options.

Of course, this begs the question which office Sullivan will eventually seek. It's unlikely he would run for governor, since he has no issues against Sean Parnell, and Bill Walker's already challenging Parnell. I also think it unlikely he will challenge Congressman Don Young, since Young excels at bringing home the bacon and in winning re-election. Local office is unlikely, although he may surprise us and run for the state legislature. What's more likely is running for either lieutenant governor or the U.S. Senate.

-- Lieutenant Governor: The more I think about this, the more likely it becomes. Serving a four-year apprenticeship behind Sean Parnell would ideally position him for a gubernatorial run in 2018. In addition, Sullivan would not have to run against incumbent Lite Guv Mead Treadwell, who's going for the U.S. Senate and has a solid chance of defeating Joe Miller for the Republican nomination. However, getting the Republican nomination might not be a slam dunk for Sullivan as the photogenic State Senator Lesil McGuire announced her intention to run for lieutenant governor on June 5th. McGuire proclaims herself "a peacemaking alternative" to Sullivan, noting that although she thinks he has done a good job leading the city in many ways, she also believes he has been fairly polarizing in recent years. It's ironic that McGuire would call herself a "peacemaking alternative" considering her previous disruptive behavior aboard an Alaska Airlines flight in 2008. In the final analysis, Sullivan could defeat McGuire in a primary, although it would be close.

-- U.S. Senate: There is still a good chance Sullivan could go for the U.S. Senate. This would make it a three-way between him, Treadwell, and Miller for the Republican nomination, although Treadwell could decide to drop out and seek a different office. Sullivan would be the one Republican in the race who could defeat Democratic incumbent Mark Begich.

One person who doesn't think Sullivan will run for any office posted this comment on ADN:

richardscommonsense June 5th 05:14 AM:
At the end of the day all the liberals/haters have nothing to worry about. Sullivan won't run for office . Other than governor or U.S. senate, it would be a step down for him, though someone must run against sure loser Joe Miller. He can already see who's running and probably knows there's nothing to get involved with.

One thing I find sickening are those who attack him over and over no matter what postion he takes on issues. As Anchorage's mayor he has done exactly as he promised to do and kept property taxes as low as possible. He has tried to cut costs by lowering the number of city workers making over a 100 thousand a year who number in the hundreds. The city looks pretty darn good after him being mayor for this long. Its still patheitc many of you support the dope smoking chump that wants to sit on our street over the mayor who's trying to clean up our town . How on earth you can compare grandma sitting on a bench to the dope smoking loser is beyond me. Clearly many of you have a liberal agenda and it drives you crazy that the mayor keeps on doing a great job and gets re-elected in a landslide. Hate is clearly a liberal value and it comes out every single time Sullivan, Parnell, or Palin's names are mentioned. He has kept property taxes as low as possible, beat the unions who don't care how much they cost taxpayers, and slapped down special rights for gays. He's a hero to over a hundred thousand people in this town and would be great at the state or national level. If he could do for America what he has done for Anchorage, our nation would return to greatness.