The City of Lake Mills water system serves approximately 5,300 people and consists of three active wells, three booster pumping facilities, three ground storage reservoirs, one elevated water storage tank, and approximately 170,000 feet of water transmission and distribution mains.
Recently, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) sent a notice to the Lake Mills Light and Water Utility stating further action would have to be taken regarding lead and copper in your drinking water. Although most homes in Lake Mills have very low levels of lead and copper in their drinking water, some homes in the community have lead and copper levels above the EPA action levels. Lead and copper in your drinking water may come from materials commonly used in plumbing and water distribution systems, such as service lines, pipes, brass and bronze fixtures or solders and fluxes. Corrosive water may remove lead or copper from these materials, causing lead or copper to enter your drinking water.
Lead is unusual among drinking water contaminants in that it seldom occurs naturally in water supplies like ground water, rivers or lakes. Lead enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away of materials containing lead in the water distribution system and household plumbing. These materials include lead-based solder used to join copper pipe, brass and chrome plated brass faucets, and in some cases, pipes made of lead that connect your house to the water main (service lines). In 1986, Congress banned the use of lead solder containing greater than 0.2% lead, and restricted the lead content of faucets, pipes and other plumbing materials to 0.8%.
When water stands in lead and copper pipes or plumbing systems containing lead for several hours or more, the lead or copper may dissolve into your drinking water. This means the first water drawn from the tap in the morning, or later in the afternoon after returning from work or school, can contain fairly high levels of lead or copper.
The Lake Mills Light and Water Utility has been adding phosphate to the water to reduce lead and copper leaching from interior pipe surfaces containing lead. The phosphate forms a very thin coating on interior pipe surfaces to keep lead and copper from dissolving into water. Many other water utilities across the U.S. have taken similar measures. The phosphate is added in the form of phosphoric acid. The Lake Mills Light and Water Utility has controlled lead and copper levels until recently. Because the levels of lead and copper are extremely sensitive to testing practices and the city has hired a firm to complete the testing for the rest of the year (2009). Historically, the homeowner has drawn the samples, but as federal requirements tighten down, better sampling practices can make a big difference.
WDNR is waiting to see the results of the first round of tests to make a final determination on changes the Utility would have to make in order to meet requirements. Possible options are requiring residents to change out their lead lines as the city rebuilds the system in front of their property. There are several other options the Utility could take to comply with the order.
The City and Utility will be working on solutions over the next several months.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The State Budget and the City Finances
The State Joint Finance Committee (JFC) passed their series of omnibus motions on May 29th. The Committee's version of the state budget increases the governor’s cut in shared revenue from 1% to 3.5% and it also prohibits municipalities from cutting emergency services expenditures in 2010. The JFC's proposal reduces shared revenue funding by an additional $21.4 million for a total cut of $29.9 million to be applied to payments made in 2010. The total 3.5% cut is to be distributed among municipalities in the same manner as proposed for the original 1% cut included in Governor Doyle's recommended budget, which is on a equalized value basis with a 15% maximum payment reduction. After the cut in 2010, each municipality would receive the same shared revenue payment in 2011 that it received in 2010. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau will release a report showing the impact of the cuts on each municipality in the next week or so.
To keep shared revenue cuts below 5%, the Governor and legislative leaders agreed on a plan inserted into the Joint Finance Committee's version of the budget that converts a telephone surcharge approved by the committee last month to pay for county 911 dispatch equipment upgrades to a police and fire telephone fee. The new 75 cent per month fee on all cell phones and landlines raises an estimated $100 million in new revenue for the state to help fund the shared revenue program.
The JFC in exchange for this funding add on requires that each municipality spend each year for "emergency services" no less than the amount it spent in 2009, not including one-time expenses. Failure to comply may lead to a reduction in shared revenue payments in an amount to be determined by DOR. DOR is instructed to develop a definition of "emergency services."
The Joint Finance Committee also proposed increasing funding for the General Transportation Aid program by 2% in 2010 and 3% in 2011. (The Governor had proposed a 1% cut to GTA in 2010.)
These are some other municipal related items:
Expenditure Restraint Program. (ERP)
The Governor has notified the City of Lake Mills of a 7.6% reduction in shared revenues and 6.13% reduction in transportation aids. Although the total shared revenues distributed by the state where reduced 3.5%, the actual reduction per city was done on an equalized value basis and Lake Mills was the largest percentage cut in Jefferson County for cities. The transportation aids were proposed by the Governor to decrease 1% and increase in all the other proposals so the notice of a 6.13%reduction was a surprise.
Much of this information is from League Legislative bulletins.
To keep shared revenue cuts below 5%, the Governor and legislative leaders agreed on a plan inserted into the Joint Finance Committee's version of the budget that converts a telephone surcharge approved by the committee last month to pay for county 911 dispatch equipment upgrades to a police and fire telephone fee. The new 75 cent per month fee on all cell phones and landlines raises an estimated $100 million in new revenue for the state to help fund the shared revenue program.
The JFC in exchange for this funding add on requires that each municipality spend each year for "emergency services" no less than the amount it spent in 2009, not including one-time expenses. Failure to comply may lead to a reduction in shared revenue payments in an amount to be determined by DOR. DOR is instructed to develop a definition of "emergency services."
The Joint Finance Committee also proposed increasing funding for the General Transportation Aid program by 2% in 2010 and 3% in 2011. (The Governor had proposed a 1% cut to GTA in 2010.)
These are some other municipal related items:
Expenditure Restraint Program. (ERP)
- Modify the definition of "inflation factor" under the expenditure restraint spending limit formula to limit it to no less than 0%. (The League had requested the adoption of a CPI floor of 3%.)
- Modify the budget test under ERP to allow an adjustment to municipal budgets equal to the difference between a municipality's entitlement under the payments for municipal services program, assuming the program is fully funded, and the municipality's actual payment under the program. Provide that any expenditures allowed under this provision cannot be financed with property tax revenues. (This was requested by the City of Madison).
- Exclude from the spending limits under ERP unreimbursed expenses related to a declared emergency.
- Allow municipalities to recapture unused levy capacity from the previous two years when calculating the allowable levy increase in 2009.
- Except from levy limit any amount that a municipality levies to pay the unreimbursed expenses related to a declared emergency beginning in the year in which the emergency occurs or the next year. Extend the exception to amounts levied to replenish cash reserves used in the previous year to pay any unreimbursed expenses related to a declared emergency.
- Allow levy limit adjustments when two communities contract to consolidate services where one community agrees to lower its allowable levy to allow a second community to increase its allowable levy.
- Expenditure Restraint Program -- Police and Fire Expenditures. Excludes police and fire expenditures from the expenditure restraint program's budget test if those expenditures are funded from a municipality's general fund balance.
- Property Tax Exemption for Student Housing Facilities. Creates a property tax exemption for all real and personal property of a student housing facility if: (a) the facility is owned by a nonprofit organization; (b) at least 90% of the facility's residents are students enrolled at a public or private institution of higher education and the facility houses no more than 300 such students; and (c) the facility offers support services and outreach programs to its residents, the public or private institution of higher education at which the student residents are enrolled, and the public.
- Beer and Wine at Nonprofit Organization Fundraisers. Deletes provision added by the JFC allowing any non-profit organization to provide free beer or wine at fundraisers without the need for a license from the municipality.
- Expenditure Restraint Program Budget Test. Establishes a CPI floor of 3% under the Expenditure Restraint Program's spending limits.
- Maintenance of Effort for Police and Fire Protection Services. Clarifies that the new maintenance of effort requirement for police and fire protection services inserted into the budget by the JFC does not apply to capital expenditures or one time expenses.
- Municipal and County Recycling Grant Program Funding Level. Increases funding for the municipal and county recycling grant program by $2.5 million annually. This would provide a total of $31.6 million in 2009-10 and $32.6 in 2010-11. (The program is currently funded at $31 million, but $3.1 million was transferred to the general fund as part of the current budget deficit efforts.)
- Property Tax Exemption for Retirement Homes for the Aged. Reduces the threshold for distinguishing between taxable and exempt dwelling units within retirement homes for the aged from 160% to 100% of the average equalized value of residential parcels within the county; deletes provision requiring assessors to exclude common areas when assessing value of individual units; and restores requirement that retirement homes must be owned by benevolent associations to qualify for the exemption.
- Definition of Agricultural Land for Property Tax Purposes. Modifies the definition of agricultural land for purposes of property taxation to exclude any land that is platted or zoned for residential, commercial, or industrial use.
- Police and Fire Protection Fee – Sunset. Sunsets the police and fire telephone surcharge on June 30, 2011. Creates a 911 equipment upgrade telephone surcharge effective July 1, 2011.
- Modifications to Prevailing Wage Provisions. Clarifies that the prevailing wage requirements do not apply to "minor service and maintenance work," which is defined to include minor crack filling, chip or slurry sealing or other minor pavement patching, not including overlays. Makes several other technical modifications, including defining "direct financial assistance" for publicly funded private construction projects as moneys in the form of a grant or other arrangement that a municipality directly provides to assist in the erection, construction, repair, remodeling, demolition, or improvement of a private facility.
- Broader Definition of Public Contract Subject to Competitive Bidding. Expands definition of municipal "public contract" for purposes of determining when public works contracts are subject to competitive bidding requirements. The new definition includes contracts for demolition, grading, alteration, painting, or decorating, as well as construction, repair, and remodeling, which are included under current law.
The Governor has notified the City of Lake Mills of a 7.6% reduction in shared revenues and 6.13% reduction in transportation aids. Although the total shared revenues distributed by the state where reduced 3.5%, the actual reduction per city was done on an equalized value basis and Lake Mills was the largest percentage cut in Jefferson County for cities. The transportation aids were proposed by the Governor to decrease 1% and increase in all the other proposals so the notice of a 6.13%reduction was a surprise.
Much of this information is from League Legislative bulletins.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Lake Mills Zoning Code Rewrite
The zoning code is one of the primary tools the City of Lake Mills uses to regulate development. All existing and new development in the City must be consistent with the requirements of the zoning code. These requirements range from the land uses (e.g. single family home, apartment, neighborhood store, office building) allowed on a property, to building setbacks from the street and adjacent properties, to the amount of parking required on a site. The current zoning code dates from 1969 and it does not always reflect best zoning and community planning practices. Further, the zoning code is often confusing and difficult to use. In addition, it is not always effective in implementing the recommendations of Lake Mills’ adopted Comprehensive Plan, neighborhood and special area plans. The new zoning code will be a much-improved code that is easier to use and understand. Further, it will better enable the City to implement its various plans.
Specifically, the city's desire is to create subdivision and zoning codes that encompass the city’s comprehensive plan, neighborhood plans, public works plans, extra-territorial zoning, facilitate development and redevelopment within the Tax Increment Districts and City, continue the City’s ability to provide adequate administrative review and public hearings, integrate the codes and plans so that they are consistent and cross referenced, and are flexible to accommodate changing economic and technological conditions.
In February, the City retained the services of Dustin Wolff of Mead & Hunt, Inc. The consultant will prepare a new zoning code and map for the City of Lake Mills. The zoning code rewrite project is expected to be a one-year process, starting in April 2009, with completion in December 2009.
Dustin Wolff has had the opportunity to work as the City’s consulting planner, conducted development review, prepared long-range plans, and drafted patch ordinance amendments. He has an established familiarity with the community’s needs and objectives. He has witnessed the growth and development pressures facing the City, and has firsthand knowledge that the current ordinances do not provide the most effective strategy for implementing the desired development patterns and character desired by the City.
Specifically, the city's desire is to create subdivision and zoning codes that encompass the city’s comprehensive plan, neighborhood plans, public works plans, extra-territorial zoning, facilitate development and redevelopment within the Tax Increment Districts and City, continue the City’s ability to provide adequate administrative review and public hearings, integrate the codes and plans so that they are consistent and cross referenced, and are flexible to accommodate changing economic and technological conditions.
In February, the City retained the services of Dustin Wolff of Mead & Hunt, Inc. The consultant will prepare a new zoning code and map for the City of Lake Mills. The zoning code rewrite project is expected to be a one-year process, starting in April 2009, with completion in December 2009.
Dustin Wolff has had the opportunity to work as the City’s consulting planner, conducted development review, prepared long-range plans, and drafted patch ordinance amendments. He has an established familiarity with the community’s needs and objectives. He has witnessed the growth and development pressures facing the City, and has firsthand knowledge that the current ordinances do not provide the most effective strategy for implementing the desired development patterns and character desired by the City.
Monday, June 22, 2009
High End Senior Housing Tax Exemption Needed?
Cities are always in an economic crisis. But now, cities need to become even more resourceful in obtaining revenue to support core services. One opportunity for the City is to review the status of properties exempt from local taxes. The residents of senior tax-exempt housing receive a substantial level of service from the City while providing no property tax revenues to support the effort required.
The Joint Finance Committee is proposing changes to this exemption in the current budget bill. The changes should be strongly opposed by municipalities because it creates a new property tax exemption for high value retirement homes for the aged. This provision will ultimately shift more of the property tax burden onto residential homeowners who already are paying 71% of the statewide property tax levy.
Benevolent Associations infer the reason they deserve the tax-exempt benefit is because they make generous contributions to charities, including low-income housing, and that their own volunteers reduce the cost of providing service to their residents. Cities contend that nonprofit housing providers’ donations to charities are really much less than they claim since a major source of that charity is borne by property taxpayers who are paying to support local governments. The providers of senior tax-exempt housing have not been able to generate any persuasive evidence that would prove tax-exempt developments produce benefits that are in any way equivalent to the taxes lost. Others argue that tax-exempt senior housing projects appear to be mutual support arrangements for well-to-do seniors that are heavily subsidized by taxpayers, both rich and poor.
The Wisconsin State Statute § 50.01(1d) definition of residential care apartment complex (RCAC) means a place where 5 or more adults reside that consists of independent apartments of two hundred and fifty (250) square feet, each of which has (1) an individual lockable entrance and exit, (2) a kitchen, including a stove, (3) individual bathroom, sleeping and living areas and (4) that provides, to the resident, not more than 28 hours per week of services that are supportive, personal and nursing services. The definition of RCAC does not include a nursing home or a community-based residential facility, but may be physically part of a structure that is a nursing home or community-based residential facility.
In a 2003 case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that nonprofit housing providers who lease their property must pay property taxes on that leased property unless the lessees themselves are tax-exempt. The result of that decision was that virtually all property leased by low income housing providers and an uncertain amount of property leased by providers of elderly services would have been placed on the tax rolls for taxable year 2004.
In response, 2003 Wisconsin Act 195 was enacted to overturn the court’s decision. The Act specified the types of property owned by benevolent associations that are exempt from the property tax to include:
1. Nursing Homes
2. Community Based Residential Facilities
3. Adult Family Homes
4. Residential Care Apartment Complexes
5. Domestic Abuse Shelters
6. Homeless and transitional shelters
7. Housing for low income persons operated in compliance with IRS income eligibility limits for federal low income housing programs
8. AODA facilities
9. Housing for people with disabilities
10. Non residential property
Act 195 again exempted the property owned and used by benevolent organizations, although the statute still does not contain a definition of benevolence for this exemption. A substantial amount of court involvement has been needed in resolving issues related to the exemption and the courts have not developed a substantive meaning of benevolence, but have ruled that benevolence implies organization on a nonprofit basis, must be engaged in benevolent activities, and that benevolence has a broader meaning than "charitable." Within each municipality, the exemption limits the amount of exempt property of a benevolent organization to 10 acres.
As lawyers, accountants, developers and administrators for seniors housing communities offer new and more creative financial and service options for avoiding taxes; government tax uniformity is likely to become more complicated. Because of the nuances involved in interpreting property tax exemptions, it is absolutely essential that local governments and the state legislature communicate about these complexities to ensure that tax uniformity is practically, carefully and appropriately applied.
American public policy toward senior citizens is defined by a long list of programs. Just about every issue affecting older persons became a government program. Philip Longman identifies a key fact by quoting a 1977 study by economists Spencer Spengler and Robert Clark: "Expenditures for the elderly at all levels of government exceed the amount spent on children, age seventeen and under, including the total amount spent on public education, by more than three to one." Noting that "the disparity is much larger today," Longman states that "Social Security pensions and Medicare pensions have become much more generous while welfare and educational programs for the young have been cut.” He adds: "At the federal level, the disproportion is about ten to one.” [1]
Reasons for the unequal treatment of the old and the young include the simple fact that elders call their legislators and children do not. Entitlements for the elderly have become the sacred cow of American politics. Officeholders and candidates threaten entitlements at their peril. One of the most powerful lobbies in Washington is run by the 29-million-member American Association of Retired Persons—which Newsweek recently described as "the big gray money machine."
The Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (WAHSA) is a statewide membership organization of 193 not-for-profit long-term care providers. Their members own/operate 185 not-for-profit nursing homes, of which 47 are county-operated facilities, 72 community-based residential facilities (CBRF), 50 residential care apartment complexes (RCAC), 13 HUD Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly apartment complexes, and 98 apartment complexes for independent seniors. WAHSA members offer over 300 community service programs ranging from home care, hospice, Alzheimer’s support and adult and child daycare to Meals on Wheels. Their members employ over 38,000 dedicated caregiving and support staff.
Benevolent Associations are also associated with strong lobbying groups themselves as noted above. Churches, hospitals, nursing homes and other nonprofits providing service in this field generally have long histories of effectively lobbying their public officials.
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities supports legislation clarifying the property tax exemption for benevolent organizations that provide housing for low-income individuals. They would support a property tax exemption for retirement housing priced at or below market rates which is owned by benevolent organizations. They oppose the provision inserted in the budget bill because it goes far beyond these worthwhile objectives and will ultimately and unjustifiably shift more of the property tax burden onto homeowners.
[1] Longman, Philip. Born to Pay: The New Politics of Aging in America (Houghton Mifflin, 1987).
The Joint Finance Committee is proposing changes to this exemption in the current budget bill. The changes should be strongly opposed by municipalities because it creates a new property tax exemption for high value retirement homes for the aged. This provision will ultimately shift more of the property tax burden onto residential homeowners who already are paying 71% of the statewide property tax levy.
Benevolent Associations infer the reason they deserve the tax-exempt benefit is because they make generous contributions to charities, including low-income housing, and that their own volunteers reduce the cost of providing service to their residents. Cities contend that nonprofit housing providers’ donations to charities are really much less than they claim since a major source of that charity is borne by property taxpayers who are paying to support local governments. The providers of senior tax-exempt housing have not been able to generate any persuasive evidence that would prove tax-exempt developments produce benefits that are in any way equivalent to the taxes lost. Others argue that tax-exempt senior housing projects appear to be mutual support arrangements for well-to-do seniors that are heavily subsidized by taxpayers, both rich and poor.
The Wisconsin State Statute § 50.01(1d) definition of residential care apartment complex (RCAC) means a place where 5 or more adults reside that consists of independent apartments of two hundred and fifty (250) square feet, each of which has (1) an individual lockable entrance and exit, (2) a kitchen, including a stove, (3) individual bathroom, sleeping and living areas and (4) that provides, to the resident, not more than 28 hours per week of services that are supportive, personal and nursing services. The definition of RCAC does not include a nursing home or a community-based residential facility, but may be physically part of a structure that is a nursing home or community-based residential facility.
In a 2003 case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that nonprofit housing providers who lease their property must pay property taxes on that leased property unless the lessees themselves are tax-exempt. The result of that decision was that virtually all property leased by low income housing providers and an uncertain amount of property leased by providers of elderly services would have been placed on the tax rolls for taxable year 2004.
In response, 2003 Wisconsin Act 195 was enacted to overturn the court’s decision. The Act specified the types of property owned by benevolent associations that are exempt from the property tax to include:
1. Nursing Homes
2. Community Based Residential Facilities
3. Adult Family Homes
4. Residential Care Apartment Complexes
5. Domestic Abuse Shelters
6. Homeless and transitional shelters
7. Housing for low income persons operated in compliance with IRS income eligibility limits for federal low income housing programs
8. AODA facilities
9. Housing for people with disabilities
10. Non residential property
Act 195 again exempted the property owned and used by benevolent organizations, although the statute still does not contain a definition of benevolence for this exemption. A substantial amount of court involvement has been needed in resolving issues related to the exemption and the courts have not developed a substantive meaning of benevolence, but have ruled that benevolence implies organization on a nonprofit basis, must be engaged in benevolent activities, and that benevolence has a broader meaning than "charitable." Within each municipality, the exemption limits the amount of exempt property of a benevolent organization to 10 acres.
As lawyers, accountants, developers and administrators for seniors housing communities offer new and more creative financial and service options for avoiding taxes; government tax uniformity is likely to become more complicated. Because of the nuances involved in interpreting property tax exemptions, it is absolutely essential that local governments and the state legislature communicate about these complexities to ensure that tax uniformity is practically, carefully and appropriately applied.
American public policy toward senior citizens is defined by a long list of programs. Just about every issue affecting older persons became a government program. Philip Longman identifies a key fact by quoting a 1977 study by economists Spencer Spengler and Robert Clark: "Expenditures for the elderly at all levels of government exceed the amount spent on children, age seventeen and under, including the total amount spent on public education, by more than three to one." Noting that "the disparity is much larger today," Longman states that "Social Security pensions and Medicare pensions have become much more generous while welfare and educational programs for the young have been cut.” He adds: "At the federal level, the disproportion is about ten to one.” [1]
Reasons for the unequal treatment of the old and the young include the simple fact that elders call their legislators and children do not. Entitlements for the elderly have become the sacred cow of American politics. Officeholders and candidates threaten entitlements at their peril. One of the most powerful lobbies in Washington is run by the 29-million-member American Association of Retired Persons—which Newsweek recently described as "the big gray money machine."
The Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (WAHSA) is a statewide membership organization of 193 not-for-profit long-term care providers. Their members own/operate 185 not-for-profit nursing homes, of which 47 are county-operated facilities, 72 community-based residential facilities (CBRF), 50 residential care apartment complexes (RCAC), 13 HUD Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly apartment complexes, and 98 apartment complexes for independent seniors. WAHSA members offer over 300 community service programs ranging from home care, hospice, Alzheimer’s support and adult and child daycare to Meals on Wheels. Their members employ over 38,000 dedicated caregiving and support staff.
Benevolent Associations are also associated with strong lobbying groups themselves as noted above. Churches, hospitals, nursing homes and other nonprofits providing service in this field generally have long histories of effectively lobbying their public officials.
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities supports legislation clarifying the property tax exemption for benevolent organizations that provide housing for low-income individuals. They would support a property tax exemption for retirement housing priced at or below market rates which is owned by benevolent organizations. They oppose the provision inserted in the budget bill because it goes far beyond these worthwhile objectives and will ultimately and unjustifiably shift more of the property tax burden onto homeowners.
[1] Longman, Philip. Born to Pay: The New Politics of Aging in America (Houghton Mifflin, 1987).
Friday, June 12, 2009
The State and The City
For your information - this is one of the ways the State is attempting to fix it's budget problem. The City will actually end up being the one who charges the additional fees - but it goes to the State. Not quite as mean and desperate as California - but still making the cities raise their revenues.
The State Budget is proposing to increase tipping fees that are paid per ton of solid waste (excluding high volume industrial waste) from the current $5.90 per ton to $13.00 per ton. This is a 120% solid waste tipping fee increase that will be passed on to city residents in their Sanitation and Recycling fees.
The State is proposing to Increase funding for the recycling grant program by $20 million in each year of the biennium. It is projected that the total increase of $7.10 per ton on municipal solid waste will generate an additional $44.1 million per year.
The 24.1 million in funds per year will be used to fund other environmental programs and environmental debt service, freeing up general purpose revenue to balance the state budget.
The State Budget is proposing to increase tipping fees that are paid per ton of solid waste (excluding high volume industrial waste) from the current $5.90 per ton to $13.00 per ton. This is a 120% solid waste tipping fee increase that will be passed on to city residents in their Sanitation and Recycling fees.
The State is proposing to Increase funding for the recycling grant program by $20 million in each year of the biennium. It is projected that the total increase of $7.10 per ton on municipal solid waste will generate an additional $44.1 million per year.
The 24.1 million in funds per year will be used to fund other environmental programs and environmental debt service, freeing up general purpose revenue to balance the state budget.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Just Coping!
So a description of what I think my personality is like withheld a small issue. I have a couple of personality defenses which influences the ease with which I am able to develop and maintain relationships. I have unconsciously developed these coping techniques in response to frustrating and difficult relationships and experiences. These techniques help me to defend against upsetting and destructive relationships, while hopefully also allowing healthy relationships to continue. I sometimes use these defenses to gain perspective on my problems. The following are the most evident coping techniques that I use.
I sometimes use Intellectualization to cope with anxiety producing events by retreating into a cognitive analysis of the event, in so doing, creating a sort of insulating distance from the emotions surrounding the event. I may also use Rationalization post-hoc (after the fact) to defend a course of action I have taken. I also love to use Humor to break up negativity, to inject laughter into what is otherwise serious and to force myself to look at a brighter side of my predicaments. Humor simultaneously distracts (allowing distance from seriousness) and instructs.[1]
I need to maintain reasonable relationships as a part of my job and it is a necessary ingredient for a happy and functional lifestyle. Coping techniques, if used properly, helps me maintain an accurate understanding of social reality and enhances my ability to function socially.
[1] Dombeck, Mark Ph.D., Defense Mechanisms. http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=4054
I sometimes use Intellectualization to cope with anxiety producing events by retreating into a cognitive analysis of the event, in so doing, creating a sort of insulating distance from the emotions surrounding the event. I may also use Rationalization post-hoc (after the fact) to defend a course of action I have taken. I also love to use Humor to break up negativity, to inject laughter into what is otherwise serious and to force myself to look at a brighter side of my predicaments. Humor simultaneously distracts (allowing distance from seriousness) and instructs.[1]
I need to maintain reasonable relationships as a part of my job and it is a necessary ingredient for a happy and functional lifestyle. Coping techniques, if used properly, helps me maintain an accurate understanding of social reality and enhances my ability to function socially.
[1] Dombeck, Mark Ph.D., Defense Mechanisms. http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=4054
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Personality - Does Understanding it Help?
Every so often you wonder if your personality is right for the job or work environment you're in. I've taken the Myers-Briggs test a couple of times. The following is kind of a summary of how I read the test. I wonder if this is really how people see me?
My personality starts by being internally focus, where I take things in primarily via my intuition. I than switch my focus to external, where I deal with things rationally and logically. My modes of focus are almost equally balanced.
I enjoy the world of ideas and strategic planning and have lived in it for the last twenty years. There is always a world of possibilities where I see all sorts’ of challenges and I want to be the one responsible for overcoming them. I see things from a long-range perspective and am usually successful at identifying plans to turn problems around. I am tireless in my efforts on the job, and driven to visualize where an organization is headed.
I have a drive for leadership, as a youth I was often place in positions of leadership and still seek leadership positions today. My leadership is well-served by my quickness to grasp complexities, ability to absorb a large amount of impersonal information, and quick and decisive judgments. I am a "take charge" person. I constantly scan the environment for potential problems which I can turn into solutions.
When I’m in a leadership role, I tend to be quite effective because I work hard to objectively see the reality of a situation and can still adapt to change when things aren't working well. I am always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against the current strategy to plan for every conceivable contingency.
I spend a lot of my energy observing the world and generating ideas and possibilities. My mind constantly gathers information and makes associations about it. I work hard at being insightful and usually am very quick to understand new ideas. However, my primary interest is not understanding a concept, but rather applying that concept in a useful way. I do not need to follow an idea as far as it can possibly go; I only need to understand it fully. I really need to come to conclusions about ideas. Once I have my conclusion, my need for closure usually requires that I take some action.
I value intelligence, knowledge, humor and competence and typically have high standards in these regards, which I continuously strive to fulfill. To a somewhat lesser extent, I have similar expectations of those around me.
I dislike seeing mistakes repeated, and have no patience with inefficiency. I can become brutally honest and may become rather harsh when my patience is tried in these respects, because I’m not naturally tuned in to people's feelings, and generally don't believe that I should tailor my judgments in consideration for people's feelings. I have difficulty seeing things from outside my own perspective. I tend to have little patience with people who do not see things the same way as I do. I have to consciously work on recognizing the value of other people's opinions, as well as the value of being sensitive towards people's feelings. When I’m not consciously working on being sensitive towards people, I can become forceful, intimidating and overbearing.
People tend to grant me a tremendous amount of personal power and allow my presence to affect them, which works as a force towards achieving my goals. However, this personal power is also an agent of alienation and self-aggrandizement, which I have to work hard to avoid.
I tend to be a very forceful, decisive individual. I generally make decisions quickly, and can be quick to verbalize my opinions and decisions. Every day there are countless choices that I make without much thought. I tend to apply rules and copy solutions from my own or others past experience rather than solve every problem I encounter on a daily basis. I would have difficulty surviving if I had to apply problem solving techniques to every decision I faced. Some will call this intuition; I prefer to think of it as the ability to recall all that impersonal data. Either way, as I have gather experience and education, I tend to make fewer decisions too hastily, because I have a better understanding of all the issues and possible solutions. I still spend a lot of time thinking and developing understandable and rational system for new projects or ideas. This may isolate me and I can lose interest in other people's thoughts or feelings. It is not easy for me to express internal images, insights, and abstractions. The internal form of my thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not easy for others to understand. However, I’m driven to translate my ideas into a plan or system that is usually readily explainable.
Although I’m not naturally tuned into other people's feelings, I frequently experience very strong sentimental streaks. Often these sentiments are very powerful and I hide it from general knowledge, believing the feelings to be a weakness. Because the world of feelings and values are not where I naturally function, I may sometimes make value judgments and hold onto submerged emotions which are ill-founded and inappropriately developed.
I enjoy interacting with people. I’m energized and stimulated by public situations. There's nothing more enjoyable and satisfying to me than having a lively, challenging conversation. I especially respect people who are able to stand up to me, and argue persuasively for their point of view. There aren't too many people who will do so, however, because I’m a very forceful and dynamic presence who has a tremendous amount of self-confidence and excellent verbal communication skills. Even the most confident person may experience moments of self-doubt when debating a point with me.
Other people may have a difficult time understanding me. They may see me as aloof and reserved. Indeed, I’m not overly demonstrative of my affections and will not give as much praise or positive support as others may need or desire. This doesn't mean that I don't truly have affection or regard for others, I simply do not typically feel the need to express it. Others may falsely perceive me as being rigid and set in my ways. Nothing could be further from the truth, because I’m committed to always finding the objective best strategy to implement my ideas. I’m usually quite open to hearing an alternative way of doing something.
I like my home because it is beautiful, well-furnished, and efficiently run. I’ve always placed a lot of emphasis on my children being well-educated and structured. I have worked to develop a congenial and devoted relationship with my spouse. My wife survives with me because she has a strong self-image and is also a thinking type. She has very well-formed ideas about the way things should be and is not shy about expressing her opinions
I’m ambitious, self-confident, deliberate, and a long-range thinker. I picked my profession to find enough challenges which involve organizing and strategic planning. I dislike messiness and inefficiency, and anything that is muddled or unclear. I value clarity and efficiency, and will put enormous amounts of energy and time into consolidating their insights into structured patterns.
I get the Big Picture and am driven to synthesize concepts into solid plans of action. I have good reasoning skills and the means to accomplish my plans. I have not had a problem meeting my career or education goals.
My personality starts by being internally focus, where I take things in primarily via my intuition. I than switch my focus to external, where I deal with things rationally and logically. My modes of focus are almost equally balanced.
I enjoy the world of ideas and strategic planning and have lived in it for the last twenty years. There is always a world of possibilities where I see all sorts’ of challenges and I want to be the one responsible for overcoming them. I see things from a long-range perspective and am usually successful at identifying plans to turn problems around. I am tireless in my efforts on the job, and driven to visualize where an organization is headed.
I have a drive for leadership, as a youth I was often place in positions of leadership and still seek leadership positions today. My leadership is well-served by my quickness to grasp complexities, ability to absorb a large amount of impersonal information, and quick and decisive judgments. I am a "take charge" person. I constantly scan the environment for potential problems which I can turn into solutions.
When I’m in a leadership role, I tend to be quite effective because I work hard to objectively see the reality of a situation and can still adapt to change when things aren't working well. I am always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against the current strategy to plan for every conceivable contingency.
I spend a lot of my energy observing the world and generating ideas and possibilities. My mind constantly gathers information and makes associations about it. I work hard at being insightful and usually am very quick to understand new ideas. However, my primary interest is not understanding a concept, but rather applying that concept in a useful way. I do not need to follow an idea as far as it can possibly go; I only need to understand it fully. I really need to come to conclusions about ideas. Once I have my conclusion, my need for closure usually requires that I take some action.
I value intelligence, knowledge, humor and competence and typically have high standards in these regards, which I continuously strive to fulfill. To a somewhat lesser extent, I have similar expectations of those around me.
I dislike seeing mistakes repeated, and have no patience with inefficiency. I can become brutally honest and may become rather harsh when my patience is tried in these respects, because I’m not naturally tuned in to people's feelings, and generally don't believe that I should tailor my judgments in consideration for people's feelings. I have difficulty seeing things from outside my own perspective. I tend to have little patience with people who do not see things the same way as I do. I have to consciously work on recognizing the value of other people's opinions, as well as the value of being sensitive towards people's feelings. When I’m not consciously working on being sensitive towards people, I can become forceful, intimidating and overbearing.
People tend to grant me a tremendous amount of personal power and allow my presence to affect them, which works as a force towards achieving my goals. However, this personal power is also an agent of alienation and self-aggrandizement, which I have to work hard to avoid.
I tend to be a very forceful, decisive individual. I generally make decisions quickly, and can be quick to verbalize my opinions and decisions. Every day there are countless choices that I make without much thought. I tend to apply rules and copy solutions from my own or others past experience rather than solve every problem I encounter on a daily basis. I would have difficulty surviving if I had to apply problem solving techniques to every decision I faced. Some will call this intuition; I prefer to think of it as the ability to recall all that impersonal data. Either way, as I have gather experience and education, I tend to make fewer decisions too hastily, because I have a better understanding of all the issues and possible solutions. I still spend a lot of time thinking and developing understandable and rational system for new projects or ideas. This may isolate me and I can lose interest in other people's thoughts or feelings. It is not easy for me to express internal images, insights, and abstractions. The internal form of my thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not easy for others to understand. However, I’m driven to translate my ideas into a plan or system that is usually readily explainable.
Although I’m not naturally tuned into other people's feelings, I frequently experience very strong sentimental streaks. Often these sentiments are very powerful and I hide it from general knowledge, believing the feelings to be a weakness. Because the world of feelings and values are not where I naturally function, I may sometimes make value judgments and hold onto submerged emotions which are ill-founded and inappropriately developed.
I enjoy interacting with people. I’m energized and stimulated by public situations. There's nothing more enjoyable and satisfying to me than having a lively, challenging conversation. I especially respect people who are able to stand up to me, and argue persuasively for their point of view. There aren't too many people who will do so, however, because I’m a very forceful and dynamic presence who has a tremendous amount of self-confidence and excellent verbal communication skills. Even the most confident person may experience moments of self-doubt when debating a point with me.
Other people may have a difficult time understanding me. They may see me as aloof and reserved. Indeed, I’m not overly demonstrative of my affections and will not give as much praise or positive support as others may need or desire. This doesn't mean that I don't truly have affection or regard for others, I simply do not typically feel the need to express it. Others may falsely perceive me as being rigid and set in my ways. Nothing could be further from the truth, because I’m committed to always finding the objective best strategy to implement my ideas. I’m usually quite open to hearing an alternative way of doing something.
I like my home because it is beautiful, well-furnished, and efficiently run. I’ve always placed a lot of emphasis on my children being well-educated and structured. I have worked to develop a congenial and devoted relationship with my spouse. My wife survives with me because she has a strong self-image and is also a thinking type. She has very well-formed ideas about the way things should be and is not shy about expressing her opinions
I’m ambitious, self-confident, deliberate, and a long-range thinker. I picked my profession to find enough challenges which involve organizing and strategic planning. I dislike messiness and inefficiency, and anything that is muddled or unclear. I value clarity and efficiency, and will put enormous amounts of energy and time into consolidating their insights into structured patterns.
I get the Big Picture and am driven to synthesize concepts into solid plans of action. I have good reasoning skills and the means to accomplish my plans. I have not had a problem meeting my career or education goals.
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