Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Here’s a good story that underlines the credibility of at least one public official in the Salem-Keizer area in Oregon, Andrea Castañeda, the superintendent of the local school district.

Credit goes to Salem Reporter for conveying this news under this headline:

Salem-Keizer superintendent fulfills her personal donation promise made amid budget cuts

Here are excerpts from the story by Managing Editor Rachel Alexander (and, as an aside, I love that Salem Reporter places a premium on local news delivered on-line every day to residents in the area):

“Salem-Keizer School District Superintendent Andrea Castañeda is on track to meet her public pledge to donate $30,000 from her salary toward local youth and school organizations.

“Records obtained by Salem Reporter showed the money helped pay for student trips to Japan and New York City, a fund for school projects, $500 for a funeral fund for the family of the teen killed in the Bush Park shooting, and hundreds of donuts for district educators.”

The background:  Last November, Castañeda promised she would donate money over two school years from her $285,000 annual salary.  Her pledge came during an initial round of budget cuts across the school district that ultimately resulted in more than 100 educators being laid off. 

More from the writer, Alexander:

“Salem Reporter asked the superintendent for a list of donations made to date and verified donations of at least $500 with outside organizations.

“Every non-profit that received at least $500 confirmed Castañeda’s donation, with the exception of farmworker union PCUN, which said it did not have donor data readily available.”

Good for Salem Reporter for reporting this – and good for Castañeda for fulfilling her pledge.

She is an excellent example of public official who promises something, then follows through on that promise.