Welcome to my blog! My topics will vary, but they will be heavily weighted to local government in general and Collin County in particular. Since many blogs may sound like I am running for some kind of office, I feel compelled to make this statement. I would never run for office. In fact, I do not want anything from any local officials other than good government and good services for the taxes and fees I pay. I want real transparency, and that means much more than just saying those words or having documents posted on the Web. I am for open discussion in the public forum that allows us to see how decisions are made, and that includes the strictest adherence to minimal closed sessions. Beyond the news media, we, the public, should be insisting that the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How questions are answered as part of open government without having to ask. Thanks for reading! Lewis
12/31/2025 Standing at Midnight: The History, Meaning, and Stories of New Year’s Eve
12/30/2025 When the Holidays Press In: Recent Texas Tragedies and a Call to Awareness
12/28/2025 An Update on Drone Uses in Texas Municipalities
12/27/2025 We Can’t Afford to Stay Alive
12/25/2025 The Wonder of a Child They Did Not Yet Know
12/24/2025 Silent Night: The Meaning of a Song the World Keeps Singing
12/23/2025 The Little Drummer Boy: A Story of Gift, Humility, and Belonging
12/22/2025 The Day the Sun Stands Still
12/21/2025 The Census, the Journey and the Conversations
12/20/2025 What Question Are We Actually Answering?
12/19/2025 How Could the Minnesota Fraud Happen — and Why Texas Didn’t See the Same Outcome
12/18/2025 Texas Local Government: Sovereignty, Delegation, Fragmentation, and the State’s Return to Planning
12/17/2025 When the Enemy Wants You to Hate Your Neighbor
12/16/2025 Sydney Australia: An Updated Case Study on Two Previous Essays regarding a Serious Topic
12/15/2025 Density, Interaction, Aging, and the Fracturing of Local Control
12/14/2025 Nathan and the Courage to Speak Truth to Power
12/13/2025 The Modern Financial & General Analyst’s Core Skill Set
12/12/2025 Population as the Primary and Predictable Driver of Local Government Forecasting
12/11/2025 For Those Weary of Yet One More Survey
12/10/2025 When Faith is Slipping
12/09/2025 The Supreme Court and Texas Redistricting: Arguments, Standards, and the Court’s Conclusions
12/08/2025 The Supreme Court and Texas Redistricting: Arguments, Standards, and the Court’s Conclusions
12/07/2025 The Career Secret I Learned the Hard Way: Why I Build the First Model
12/06/2025 What Every Student Should Learn From Civics and Government — The Education of a Citizen
12/05/2025 What Every Student Should Learn From Economics — The Missing Foundation for Adult Life
12/04/2025 What Every Student Should Learn From History — And Why It Matters More Than Ever
12/03/2025 What Every Student Should Know: The Real Purpose of English Literature Education
12/02/2025 The Soundtrack of a Life
12/01/2025 Mass Shootings in America
11/29/2025 Commonly Misused Words
11/28/2025 Cost Allocation Methodologies and Why the Reciprocal (Simultaneous Equations) Method is Superior
11/27/2025 Giving Thanks: A Biblical Theology of Gratitude
11/26/2025 The Night Before the First Thanksgiving
11/24/2025 Do Republicans Still Want to Kill the Affordable Care Act?
11/23/2025 Cities at a Crossroads: Understanding the Findings of City Fiscal Conditions 2025
11/22/2025 The Mind of the Mapmaker
11/20/2025 Joe Walsh: The Guitarist Who Turned Chaos Into Clarity
11/20/2025 Same Facts: Different Viewpoints
11/19/2025 Key Aspects of School Funding in Texas
11/18/2025 The Texas Teacher Exodus: Causes, Consequences, and Strategic Actions for District Leadership
11/18/2025 Rethinking Disaster Relief in America
11/17/2025 The One-Page Fix That Costs a Thousand Pages to Execute:
11/15/2025 Trump, Einstein, and Socrates Walk into a Blog
11/14/2025 The Economics of Political Hostage-Taking: Government Shutdowns as Strategic Dysfunction
11/13/2025 We Don’t Need New CDL Laws – We Need the Backbone to Enforce the Ones We Already Have
11/12/2025 The Lost Art of Waiting
11/11/2025 The Republic of Small Things
11/10/2025 Two Days of Service, One Story of the Nation↗
11/10/2025 The Speed of Debt: When the Numbers Outrun the Nation
11/09/2025 When a Reopening Bill Isn’t Really a Reopening Bill (Updated November 10)
11/09/2025 Killing the Filibuster to Save the Government
11/08/2025 Daylight Saving Time: Its Origins, Modern Realities, and the Health-Driven Push for Change
11/07/2025 What Do You Say to the Seriously Ill?
11/06/2025 Affordability, Not Ideology: What the 2025 New York City Election Might Be Really Saying
11/06/2025 Rightsizing Under Enrollment, Funding & Choice Pressure
11/06/2025 You Are the Salt of the Earth
11/05/2025 The Spirit of the Texas Way: Common Sense Over Cynicism
11/05/2025 Happy to Be Alive Day!
11/04/2025 The Socialist Experiment in New York City: Vision Meets Fiscal Reality
11/04/2025 How Do You Know?
11/03/2025 Winged Victory of Samothrace: Triumph in Motion
11/02/2025 The Church Steeple and the Soul of a Town
11/01/2025 Socrates Takes Flight: The Trial of the Sky
10/31/2025 From Shadows to Saints: The Journey from Halloween to All Saints’ Day
10/30/2025 The Divine Conspiracy: The Beatitudes and the Blessed Life in God
10/29/2025 Consider Your Ways — A Call to the People of God
10/28/2025 Morning Has Broken: The Song That Welcomed the Dawn
10/27/2025 Miss Saigon: Love, Illusion, and the Mirage of the American Dream
10/26/2025 Building Bridges in Early Childhood Special Education Programs
10/26/2025 Come to Me as a Child: The Invitation from Christ and Its Meaning Today
10/25/2025 Fund 999
10/24/2025 Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss
10/23/2025 Dallas City Hall and the True Cost of Deferred Maintenance
10/23/2025 Analysis: Crowd Size and Plausibility of the Boston “No Kings” Rally Photograph
10/22/2025 Venus de Milo: Beauty, Mystery, and the Ages of Greek Art
10/21/2025 The Hands That Speak: The Ministry of Those Who Serve the Deaf
10/20/2025 Genuine Goodness: The Quiet Strength of a Christian Life
10/19/2025 Cathedrals: Architecture of Faith and Light
10/18/2025 Socrates Teaches Auditing
10/17/2025 The Mind of an Inventor: The Common Thread of Creation
10/16/2025 How to Hang a Picture Straight (and Other Lost Causes)
10/15/2025 The Mind of the Accountant and the Eye of the Auditor
10/14/2025 Madagascar Current Events
10/14/2025 Wants vs. Needs: The Ancient Search for the Good Life
10/13/2025 Concentric Circles of Concern
10/12/2025 The Shutdown That Won’t End: How America’s Fiscal Stalemate Became a Test of Creditworthiness
10/12/2025 When Washington Stops, Cities Keep Going
10/12/2025 Just As I Am: The Journey of the Altar
10/11/2025 Here Am I, Lord: The Call and Commission in Today’s World
10/10/2025 Searching for God’s Plan Is Part of God’s Plan
10/09/2025 Beacons at the Edge of the World: The Timeless Allure of Lighthouses
10/08/2025 The Fragile Balance: The Supreme Court, the Presidency, and the Deep Machinery of Power
10/07/2025 Guns, Common Sense, and the Search for Realistic Solutions
10/06/2025 Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue
10/05/2025 Forgiveness and Redemption in Scripture, Life, and Literature
10/04/2025 The Boy Who Never Quite Learned to Dance
10/03/2025 Israel, Hamas, and American Opinion After October 7
10/02/2025 Antifa, Funding Issues, and the Psychology of Crowd Violence
10/01/2025 In His Steps: WWJD?
09/30/2025 Markets, Governments, and Self-Sufficiency: Eleven Economists and Two Traditions
09/29/2025 Government Shutdowns: Crisis or Farce?
09/29/2025 An Analysis of Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock
09/28/2025 Exploring the Bible: History, Structure, Literature, Theology, Application, and Influence
09/27/2025 Turning Down the Lights, Saving the Migratory Birds
09/26/2025 The Miracle of Dialogue: Reuel L. Howe’s Vision for Human and Spiritual Connection
09/25/2025 Dallas ICE and the Long Arc of American Political Violence
09/24/2025 The Burden of Being Misunderstood
09/23/2025 A Study of Acts 23
09/22/2025 Drones as a Core Municipal Utility: Policy, Training, and Future Directions for Texas Cities
09/21/2025 Confession of Beliefs, Faith, and Confidence
09/20/2025 A Public Argument for What I Believe and Why (In Charlie Kirk’s Voice)
09/19/2025 Data Centers in Texas: Peak Math, Success, Failures, and How to Keep Residents Off the Hook
09/18/2025 Homelessness in America: Successes, Failures, and the Search for Lasting Solutions
09/17/2025 Apology and Surrender: The Healing Powers of Humility
09/16/2025 Dementia: Understanding, Preventing, and Facing It
09/15/2025 No One Should Have to Live in Fear: The Role of the Ordinary Citizen
09/14/2025 In the World but Not of the World: A Christian Call to Distinction and Engagement
09/13/2025 The Need to Remarry Every Day
09/12/2025 Plan v Pivot: Texas Municipal Leadership in the World of “Re-”
09/11/2025 The Quiet Romance of Park Benches
09/10/2025 A Turning Point in Heaven’s Light
09/10/2025 Servant Leadership: From Hermann Hesse to Robert Greenleaf and Beyond
09/09/2025 Acts 21: An Expository Study (NIV)
09/08/2025 History vs. Heritage Are Two Different Things
09/07/2025 Justice at the City Gate: The Bible’s Model for Civic Leadership
09/06/2025 The Weight of Words: When Speech Shapes Destiny
09/05/2025 The Porch Conversation
09/04/2025 The Digital Babel Consideration
09/03/2025 The Heart and Soul of a Street Preacher.
09/02/2025 Generational and Political Dynamics in Municipal Government
09/01/2025 The Work That Holds Us Together.
08/31/2025 Dorm Faith Dialogue
08/30/2025 Gerrymandering in America: Race, Party, and the Battle Over Fair Maps
08/29/2025 Texas State vs Local Government Powers: A Struggle for Control in the Lone Star State
08/28/2025 A Christian Response to Tragedies; When People Say Thoughts & Prayers Are Not Enough
08/28/2025 The Hymns of Charles Wesley
08/27/2025 Richly Blessed & Highly Favored!
08/26/2025 Understanding Islam, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Sunni and Shia Differences and Treatment of Non-Muslims
08/25/2025 The Case for Balance: Conservatism, Progressivism, and the Way of Christ
08/24/2025 How I Use AI for Bible Study (Acts 19)
08/24/2025 I’m Back!
10/11/2019 Thanks for Throwing McKinney Under the Bus, Shemwell! Now Resign!
09/02/2019 Grateful to Have a Job.
08/31/2019 The Professional Tea Party Distortionists Keep on Distorting!
08/25/2019 The Tea Party Distortionists & An Invitation to Same.
08/12/2019 The Whack-a-Mole Citizen.
08/10/2019 Putting Opioids into Perspective.
05/20/2019 Why Should I Apologize for Serving Citizens’ Needs & Desires?
05/05/2019 The Missing Link in Council Prayers.
04/21/2019 The Looks on Their Faces; The Thoughts in Their Heads; The Jubiliation in Their Hearts!
04/19/2019 Why Don’t Governments Invest in R&D?
04/18/2019 Who Owns Your Population Data?
04/15/2019 What is Home Value Needed to “Breakeven in Your City?
03/31/2019 Understanding the Cost of An Employee.
03/30/2019 Do You Watch Oil & Gas Data? You Should.
03/29/2019 Another Perspective on Infrastructure.
03/28/2019 Getting Taxed Out of Your Home? Prove it!
03/25/2019 What Does a Recession Mean to Texas?
03/23/2019 Federal Deficits and Debt – What, Me Worry?
09/30/2018 A Huge Local Government Expense Not Being Disclosed.
09/29/2018 Job Needed: Information Ombudsperson.
06/24/2018 The McKinney Elephant NOT in the Room.
06/02/2018 Why Do We Wait for Animal Control to Reach a Crisis Before We act?
05/31/2018 Stadiums Cracks, Forensic Investigation and Bureaucratic Sedation at McKinney ISD.
05/27/2018 Assertions, Exaggerations and Anecdotal Evidence.
05/20/2018 The Best Option for Councilman Shemwell.
05/16/2018 Will the Real Councilman Shemwell, Please Resign!
04/15/2018 Is It Time to Reconsider the GFOA Awards & Transparency Awards?
10/02/2017 Reflecting On the Days of New York Bond Rating Trips
08/20/2017 Go All-In … Dwell … Just For One Hour
08/03/2017 Should McKinney Refund $29,770,931 to Taxpayers from Excessive Taxation? You Make the Call!
07/07/2017 How Do I Feel About Growing Old With You?
07/04/2017 A Few Governance Wishes on July 4th
07/01/2017 When Conservatism Stinks
06/25/2017 Dear Class Bully … I Need To Tell You Something
06/24/2017 The Next Improvement Step in McKinney Governance
06/22/2017 I Got My Answer On The McKinney MUDs
06/21/2017 La’Shandion Shemwell: A Story of Redemption
05/07/2017 McKinney Underground Suffers a Setback, and a New Future Opens
05/02/2017 Collin County Tax Base is Robust … And Will Put Pressure on Officials to Lower Tax Rates
04/29/2017 McKinney Police & Fire Unions Have No Business Being Involved in Political Influence Peddling
04/25/2017 Thank you for taking care of us!
04/18/2017 Is McKinney Sandbagging Revenue Estimates?
04/17/2017 Distractions.
11/11/2016 How Much Do I Love Thee, Council-Manager Form of Government? Let Me Count the Ways.
10/20/2016 Why Search for Restaurant Ruse When You’ve Seen This?
10/19/2016 A Code of Ethics & Conduct McKinney Citizens Should Push To See Happen Now!
10/19/2016 Captain Obvious To The Country of Oblivious: The Math Won’t Compute Forever
10/16/2016 Looking at Accounting Fundamentals for a Company Called CopSync
10/04/2016 Are We Living Out “The Abilene Paradox Story” In McKinney?
10/01/2016 Are We Chasing Our Re-Tails Too Much?
09/17/2016 Is Texas Charging A Hidden Tax To Local Governments & Citizens?
09/05/2016 Blessing Pay to Play in the City of McKinney
08/20/2016 McKinney City Council, Let’s Be Adults About Conflicts of Interest
08/18/2016 Welcome To McKinney’s Restaurant Ruse
07/26/2016 An Open Records Request To Confirm An Illegal Walking Quorum In McKinney
07/16/2016 Approved As To Form But Not Legality.
06/19/2016 Who Is Monitoring McKinney Municipal Utility Districts?
06/12/2016 The Ultimate Transparency Model: The Teaching Government.
05/30/2016 We Can Learn From Comparative Data.
05/29/2016 Understanding Overlapping Numbers – Like Debt & Tax Rates.
05/28/2016 City of McKinney Makes Quantum Leap in True Transparency.
05/20/2016 Heaping Praise & Sending Insults Simultaneously.
05/17/2016 Sometimes The Process Starts With NO!
05/15/2016 Improper Student-Teacher Relationships Are Happening Right Now.
05/14/2016 Texas Local Government Sales Taxes Are Flat.
05/06/2016 More Proof That McKinney ISD Is Less Than Transparent.
05/05/2016 McKinney ISD Physical Assets Are Depreciating $44,109 Every Single Day.
05/05/2016 McKinney ISD is Hoarding Money Big Time.
04/29/2016 How Many People Can Fit On A Bus at McKinney ISD?
04/27/2016 Will The Real Population Numbers Please Stand Up!
04/26/2016 Is Your Capital Project Management Headed Toward a Forensic Audit?
04/24/2016 More Mystery at the McKinney ISD Sheep-Board.
04/23/2016 Generations Wanting Choices.
04/22/2016 Another Project for the McKinney Suckers.
04/21/2016 On My Watch.
04/20/2016 Leadership and The Janitor.
04/18/2016 More Intellectual Dishonesty at McKinney ISD.
04/16/2016 The Burglar Bar Issue That Got Overlooked.
04/15/2016 Top Contenders for the Worst Jobs On Earth.
04/14/2016 The Stain of Collin County & The News Story That Hasn’t Happened Yet.
04/13/2016 A Secret McKinney Investment Club Dons Their Hazardous Materials Suits.
04/12/2016 Please, Please Advise AG Ken Paxton To Resign!
04/11/2016 Two Girls & Four Painters.
04/10/2016 In The World, But Not Of It.
04/07/2016 McKinney ISD: You Are Working Hard Not To Be Transparent.
04/06/2016 The Energy & Legacy of Bruce Springsteen.
04/05/2016 McKinney Numbers Not Published Until There Is A Problem.
04/04/2016 Is McKinney A Self-Sufficient Island?
04/03/2016 How To Learn About Local Government in McKinney.
04/02/2016 McKinney: What Are We Getting For A Quarter-Billion Dollars?
04/01/2016 And Other Duties As Assigned.
03/31/2016 Maslow & Municipal Services.
03/30/2016 Somebody is Stealing From You as You Read This.
03/29/2016 McKinney Gateway Project Raises Questions Not Asked By News Media.
03/28/2016 Is Election Fraud Occurring in Addison?
03/27/2016 This Side of Easter.
03/26/2016 Let Your Reach Exceed Your Grasp.
03/25/2016 And Can It Be That I Should Gain.
03/24/2016 Otis Redding Has Returned!
03/23/2016 The Dilemma for Recipients of Public Funds.
03/22/2016 Local Elected Officials Should Receive Long Reach-Back Report Cards.
03/21/2016 McKinney City Council: Raise the Bar & Lower the Boom on Mr. McKinney.
03/20/2016 I’m In Love With An 18-Year-Old Girl
03/19/2016 Concentration & The Zone.
03/18/2016 Who Speaks for This Deceased Child?
03/17/2016 MISD: Give Us The Tax Rate Equivalent!
03/16/2016 Cataracts & Health Tidbits.
03/15/2016 McKinney ISD Is Intellectually Dishonest.
03/14/2016 I Smell a Fraud in Addison … In the Fraud Audit.
03/13/2016 Bruce Springsteen Conducts a Leadership Workshop.
03/12/2016 Thinking About My Bro.
03/11/2016 On Pensions & Promises.
03/10/2016 The Strong Know How to Surrender.
03/09/2016 Rumors, Facts & Standard Setters.
03/07/2016 Lifelong Learning.
03/04/2016 Local Control.
03/03/2016 The GoToPerson.
03/02/2016 Beyond Contentment.
03/01/2016 Grandkids.
02/25/2016 Dear City Council: About Your Request for Input Regarding Our Next City
Manager.
02/25/2016 Dear City Council – What about those legal fees?
02/25/2016 Understanding Data & That Misleading Word, Transparency.
02/21/2016 Why I Like Reading on Facebook.
02/20/2016 Surely You Aren’t For Growing Government, Are you?
02/14/2016 Announcing My New Blog: “Let’s Talk About It, Lewis!”
Let's Talk About It, Lewis! 