The Arrogance of the Siddiquis

Turning to HoCo’s House Lannister, Dr. Janet Siddiqui has decided to enter the race for the 4^th County Council District.

First of all, one should be skeptical of the argument that self-funders can be independent of special interests (“unbought and unbossed” to employ former Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm’s slogan).  Folks with the ability to loan themselves $100,000 (funneled through various committees, as outlined here: https://scotteblog.com/2018/01/17/will-janet-siddiqui-run-for-office-in-2018/) are themselves a special interest.  Of course, I expect her campaign won’t completely self-fund, but who would give the Siddiquis money to fill their coffers?  Fortunately, campaign finance reports are available to the public. Just go ahead and type in “Siddiqui” in the Committee Name box here: https://campaignfinancemd.us/Public/ViewFiledReports

Her attempted job hop in 2014, from the Board of Education to a brief run for the House of Delegates in District 13 to deciding to drop out in favor of her husband Nayab is redolent of a sense of entitlement.  This familial bait-and-switch was rejected by Team 13, while she was selected to run on the slate, Nayab was not. In her own words, she said regarding a run for the state legislature, “I’ve always looked forward to that in my plan.”  (Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-janet-siddiqui-withdraws-district-13-story.html).  Oh really, would you care to tell Howard County voters more about your "plan?"  Or how the events of “the day of the filing” were necessary for you to rediscover your “commitment to the people and children of Howard County.”  If that commitment was so unshakeable, should it have mattered what Aquino and Meshkin did or did not do re: seeking re-election to the Board?

Let us not forget the very recent past, when Janet Siddiqui voted to retain the services of former Superintendent Renee Foose.  By voting with the other members of the “Gang of Five” to renew her contract, this gave Foose the leverage to secure a massive ($1.65 million) buy-out.  Of course, it should be noted that three members of this Gang were tossed out of office by Howard County voters in 2016, including Dr. Siddiqui.

Back to when she was on the Board of Education, her commitment seemingly didn’t extend to an awareness of certain aspects of the position.  When asked about the public release of a “special education audit,” that one parent called “critical information that the public needs,” Siddiqui’s reply was “I don’t know that it hasn’t been released” (Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-special-education-forum-0414-20160412-story.html). The report cost $300,000 yet only 26 pages were released to the public ($11,538 per page).  As parents and other activists clamored for greater transparency and a full report, Siddiqui’s response, “we should work with what we have, moving forward.”  That sounds like acquiescence, not advocacy.

Then there is the curious relationship that the Siddiquis seem to enjoy with gas station owners.  Another prominent blogger has written more about this topic (Source:  
http://53beersontap.typepad.com/53beers/2014/06/siddiqui-and-omvb-leaders-to-bring-gas-station-to-om-village-center.html

If you prefer videos for information,  a YouTube channel (HCEA Howard) created four short videos featuring Janet Siddiqui in which you might be interested:

Ranging from mold to poor spending decisions and weak financial oversight, they include:

Pediatrician Janet Siddiqui falls short on health issues for students and staff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q8G-dFQm90

Failed management by Board Member Janet Siddiqui proven in State Audit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdYeamS8PBU

State Audit Results under Janet Siddiqui’s leadership

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouaK40DuPEU

Janet Siddiqui spends our tax dollars in the wrong places

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnklEzt4_qo

In the opinion of this author, her track record demonstrates questionable judgement and an excessive degree of concern over what is best for the Siddiquis, not Howard County.  As said in campaign literature in support of Grover Cleveland’s presidential candidacy, “public office is a public trust.”  Based on her performance, Dr. Siddiqui has not earned our trust, and she should not be elected to a public office such as the County Council.

Stay tuned, as more will follow…

The FEZ Post: Foose, Elevate, and Zen

When asked about an obstreperous yet vacuous back-bencher, I believe it was former British PM Sir Anthony Eden who opined, “I don’t think much of him, alas, too frequently.”

Shifting from the intrigues of Westminster in the ‘50s to Howard County of today, Renee Foose, of course, is the answer to what happens when an uncontrollable Superintendent meets up with an unyielding Board.

Careful readers of this blog will know that this author generally believes the Reform Five to be more in the right when it comes to matters facing HCPSS.  That said, the recent traditional local media coverage is making it appear as though we are dealing with a “she said/they said” controversy…school yard fractiousness where the combatants are roughly equivalent in their degree of wrong, or short-sighted-ness, or self-interested-ness, etc…

The reality, from a communications perspective, is that Foose and her allies have been punching above their weight in terms of advancing her “case.”  Her opponents, quite simply, are not as cohesive as they could and should be.  The election results of 2016 should have been seen as a massive repudiation of the Foose regime.  A different Superintendent might have taken the hint and resigned, or opted to find a way to collaborate with the new Board.  Nay, not Ms. Foose.  By choosing to dig in her heels and snipe away, she opted to become an Obstacle, seemingly more intent on career preservation and on retaining whatever control she has over the day-to-day operations of the school system.  A different regulatory structure could have provided a faster remedy to this impasse, alas, it was not acted upon by our good friends in Annapolis.  So, we find ourselves in the mire.

It is unfortunate that we rely so heavily on citizen journalists and other interested parties to get the story right.  Such is the reality of our modern era, with traditional media often having neither the resources nor the institutional memory to provide its consumers with the depth of coverage such a story requires.

Speaking of citizen journalism, this blog would be remiss if we did not single out the new podcast offered up by HoCo’s own Action Squad:  Candace Dodson Reed and Tom Coale, Elevate Maryland (elevatemdpodcast.com).  While I enjoy the interview and discussion format, and they landed two interesting guests for the first two shows, I would definitely like to hear more of their thoughts on various state and local issues.  Perhaps the biweekly nature (and length) of the podcast necessitates the coverage of more topics within a relatively short span of time, but I would love if they could drill down on certain issues and share more of their expertise and insights.  Overall, nicely done!

Finally, on a sadder note, this blog would like to recognize the passing of Robert Pirsig, author of “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.”  I recall reading his book in its entirety over a series of Metro rides, which is precisely the wrong environment to consume this work.  An attempt to reconcile our technologically-driven society with a personal commitment to a higher expression of human values, which he summed up through his perspectives on Quality as a metaphysical concept, one felt the struggle of the protagonist as he tries to live authentically, and meaningfully, in a world that doesn’t necessarily appreciate his worldview.  His ability to locate the spiritual within the mechanistic, when seen through the lens of mindful action and a self-perfecting impulse, helped lead to the creation of this classic work.  He shall be missed.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Christine and me

I once gave Christine O’Connor some free campaign advice. Nothing major, mind you, just a couple of lines she could use at candidate forums. On a scale of life-regrets, this equates to roughly a stubbed toe.  Looking back, I wish I had avoided it.

It was September 2014 and, from a communications perspective, she was busy underwhelming the crowd at every candidate event she attended.  Frankly, her over-reliance on platitudinous remarks annoyed me. I felt compelled to try to help her up her game, if only a little.   So I sent her an email which included the following:

“Relate it all back to a larger, future-oriented vision:

‘I know that the school operating budget is no mere ledger of data points, it is a statement about our values and about how best to educate our children.  I know what they need in the classroom and I will work to ensure that they have the tools they need to learn and grow and that, at the moment they turn the tassels on their graduation caps, they will be ready for college or the workforce.’"

I thought it would work with her voice, accessible…folksy even.  Sure enough, she used some version of that line shortly thereafter.

Flash forward to early 2017, and we see less of a "values” and “vision” focus.  Now, apparently, Ms. O’Connor has other concerns top-of-mind.  In a communication with the ironically monikered Howard County Hate Watch, she writes, “We need to get more about Christina.  What can I do?”

Nice “growth.” 

Suffice to say, she will be receiving no further counsel from these quarters.  Scratch that. I will offer up one more piece of advice: she should not run for re-election.  If we have seen her apogee, that just isn’t good enough for Howard County.  Public service isn’t for everyone…some folks just don’t have the “tools they need to learn and grow.”

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Board of Education – Blackjack +1

The rest of January is going to be challenging in terms of writing for fun.  With that in mind, here is a quick initial run-down of potential 2018 BoE candidates.  Bear in mind there are 4 seats up, which means that the field will be winnowed down to 8 after the Primary.

Incumbents (4)

-       Bess Altwerger, Vice Chair.  Elected in 2014.  As of this writing, the only mortal lock to seek re-election.   Likely to win another term if she does.

-       Cynthia “Cindy” Vaillancourt, Chairperson.  Serving her second term on the BoE.  Top vote-getter in the 2014 General Election for the Board.  A near sure-bet to win a third term. I am hearing speculation in certain circles that she may not want to run for the Board again, but wants to be certain that the new Reform majority is solid before making a final decision. 

-       Sandra “Sandie” French.  A long-time BoE Member (21 years and counting), the current buzz is that she is disinclined to run for another term. Aggregating the wisdom from the Echo Chamber, I would estimate a 1-in-3 chance of her running for the BoE in 2018.  If she does, she probably finishes in the top 8 in the Primary but I believe she would finish no higher than fourth in the General, and could lose depending on the composition of the field.

-       Christine O’Connor.  Still in her tumultuous first, and perhaps only, term, I am hearing that she is dissatisfied with Board life…and being in the minority is unlikely to change that.  One in four chance of running for the BoE again and even if she does, she might not get past the primary. 

From the BoE to the Council (and Back Again?)(2)

-       Mary Kay Sigaty.  Last served on the BoE in 2006.  Current Council person in the 4^th (term-limited out). Retains strong Name ID in Columbia.  Probably a better bet for MKS than running for County Exec.  Would finish in the top 8, decent bet to win one of the 4 seat in the general.

-       Courtney Watson.  Last served on the BoE in 2006.  Former Council Member from the 1^st.  Democratic nominee for County Executive in 2014.  Solid County-wide Name ID.  Odds of winning a BoE seat?  High assuming two open seats, extremely high assuming three.    

Former BoE Members (non-Council Members)(3)

-       Ellen Flynn Giles.  Of the incumbents who lost in 2016, EFG is the one most likely to try to win a seat back.  Likely to finish in the top 8, would be a challenge to place in the top 4 in November, but her odds would increase if Sigaty and Watson did not run and there were three open seats.

-       Ann De Lacy.  Who knows what ADL might decide.  She has torched many bridges.  I doubt she would finish higher than tenth, assuming a full field with several well-known (and less controversial) candidates. 

-       Janet Siddiqui.  Another incumbent who failed to secure re-election in 2016.  It is challenging to ascertain what steps House Siddiqui may take to reacquire a public office.  A stronger candidate than ADL, I nonetheless think she would have a tough time winning a seat back, in light of her higher unfavorable numbers throughout the County.

    

We aren’t even half-way through yet.

2016 Candidates (4)

-       Corey Andrews (also a 2014 candidate…and 2012).  He posted a good showing in ’16, finishing 7^th ahead of two incumbents and almost garnering enough votes to appear on the General Election ballot.  I don’t know Mr. Andrews well.  I hear good things and what I am about to say should not be taken as a criticism.  If I were advising him, I would ask how badly he wanted to serve on the BoE.  A young man, he has run for office unsuccessfully a couple of times now.  He is on the borderline of entering perennial candidate status.  How much has he changed since 2012? 2014? Since 2016?  Perhaps he should do some other things professionally and run again in another decade.  I also hear his name attached to other possibilities but I think some serious self-reflection is in order (in order to maintain his long-term political viability).

-       Robert Miller.  Disclosure: pretty sure I voted for him in both the Primary and General Election in the last cycle. Finished sixth in both. This is where we start talking about the power of the HCEA endorsement, the lack of which hurt Miller in ’16.  If he can get on the Apple Ballot, perhaps he has a better shot of winning a seat.  Without it, in a crowded field, he might finish 7^th or 8^th in the primary…and most likely around the same place in the General.  I hear he is all but certain to run in 2018, so it will be interesting to see how his strategy evolves and how he applies the lessons learned to another campaign.

-       Pravin Ponnuri.  Decently connected, he placed 10^th of 11 candidates in the ’16 primary. In absolute numbers, he wasn’t that far behind the sixth place finisher, but I think he needs a small field to have a chance to get through a primary.  I think he would have a very challenging time winning a seat in November.

-       Vicky Cutroneo.  Placed fourth in November, about 14,000+ votes behind the third-place finisher, Mavis Ellis.  Ran an interesting slate campaign with Christina Delmont-Small, which I believe helped her in the Primary (I think she caught a bit of the Apple Ballot halo effect even though CDS was the only one of the two with the HCEA endorsement).  A decent bet to finish in the top 8 in the Primary, I think she has a tough road to a final four showing in the General.

2014 Candidates (4)

-       Dr. Zaneb Beams.  Finished sixth in the General Election.  Had the HCEA endorsement, which was a decided plus.  I have already written about her regarding District 5.  If she ran for BoE and secured a spot on the Apple Ballot, she probably gets through another primary.  She would most likely need a field with fewer Big Names and multiple open seats to place third or fourth in November.

-       Dan Furman.  Placed fifth in the General Election in ’14, not too far behind Christine O’Connor.  I hear he is likely to run for the Board in ’18.  Assuming he is on the Apple Ballot, I believe he finishes in the top 8 and has a decent shot of winning (finishing fourth) in the General. 

-       Olga Butler. One of several candidates who placed around 1,000 votes behind Mike Smith, I am inclined to believe she is more likely to run for the BoE again as opposed to running in the Second County Council race (a rumor I heard recently), given the focus of her community activism. 

-       Maureen Evans Arthurs.  I am high on her upside potential for a race for a partisan office (a future County Council run, or the General Assembly).  Her deep involvement in Democratic politics plus her Annapolis experience positions her well for such posts.  The challenge is waiting for those opportunities to open up.  I think she would be an excellent BoE candidate if she were to give it another go in ’18, and I believe she could finish in the top 8 in the Primary…it would take excellent execution and good fortune for her to land in the top 4 in the General. 

Wait, there is more…

Other Potentials (5)

-       Lisa Markovitz.  I am not seeing it, given her issue focus…which deals with schools to a certain extent but only as a part of a larger concern re: growth and development.   I doubt he runs for the BoE in ’18.  If she does, her base might allow her to finish in the top 8 in the primary, but I am thinking more like 9^th or 10^th.

-       Barb Krupiarz.  An intriguing possibility with some clout amongst the Reform constituency. An education activist with a significant digital presence, I don’t know how that might translate into a nuts-and-bolts campaign (or how strong her candidate skill-set is).  Either way, if she runs, it will be something to watch.  I don’t see her as a back-of-the-pack finisher, she could surprise and place 7^th or 8^th in the Primary and then it is off to the races.

-       Alice Giles.  What if, instead of EFG running for the Board, her daughter runs instead?  At this point, Alice isn’t carrying the electoral baggage of her mother, with the benefit of having a solid political name that is known County-wide.  Ms. Giles, Alice that is, has a broad issue portfolio, so perhaps the County Council is a better fit for her background and interests.  That said, if Alice ran for the Board, I believe she has a very good chance of finishing 5^th or 6^th (or better) in the Primary and a good chance of winning in November.

-       Deb Jung.  Heard about her as a possible candidate for County Council.  I could see her either going that route or the BoE, given her interest in education.  Regarding her ability to put together an infrastructure and her skills as a candidate, those are question marks at this time.

- Daniel "Danny" Mackey.  Engineer and education activist is also pondering a run for the Board of Education.

Well, after this series, I may need to take a little break.  There might be an odds-and-ends wrap up, but we shall see.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.