Herbert A. Opalek: What should we be doing?

Imagine if you will, the Western world is reeling with economic distress.

Experts and prognosticators are predicting pitfall after pitfalls with 2010 not expected to bring us much relief.

Yet you open the newspaper and read that a sculpture by Giacometti, a modern Swiss sculptor who died in 1966, brings $104.3 million plus at a Sothebys auction.

I am not an art critic but my taste buds tell me that this very talented sculptor is not Michelangelo or even Picasso.

Yet this large sculpture titled "Walking Man 1" has astounded the art world by overtaking Picasso's 1906 portrait "Boy With a Pipe" as the most money spent for art at an auction.

No one knows who purchased this sculpture or do we begrudge any art collector from enhancing their collection but I am sure that we can all wonder how much more could be done with this munificent amount of cash.

Even one-tenth of this amount sent to Haiti, given to help find a cure for Alzheimers, or even to find solutions for homelessness would enhance all of our lives.

I would think that spending such an exorbitant amount of money on a sculpture is an example of a misplaced priority.

And another example: Our president spent the first year of his new administration on having Congress pass a comprehensive health care reform bill. Now at the time of final action it seems that Mr. Obama will have to settle for piecemeal legislation that is much scaled back and weaker than originally promised.

Political pundits are correct in stating that it was unwise to propose expensive health reform in economically challenged times. Indeed, the way the bill was structured it would be many a year before the ordinary citizen would reap the benefits of this legislation.

Had Mr. Obama listened to the vox populi he should have realized that it was jobs and not health care that was the most important concern of America's citizens.

I would think that spending such an exorbitant amount of time on an issue that was not even of secondary importance to us is another example of a misplaced priority.

These musings lead me to wonder whether there are misplaced priorities right here in Merced.

It would be redundant to recapitulate how serious the economic picture is in Merced. Both the city and county are experiencing shortfalls in revenues and services. Agriculture, an important component of our local economy, is suffering on a daily basis.

There are unprecedented cuts being proposed in our education system. School librarians at Merced Union High School District, we are told, will be the first to be let go. This will, as presently proposed, be followed by letting 10 teachers and two administrators go.

One wonders if we are spiting ourselves by letting librarians and teachers fall under the hatchet while there is many an administrator whose jobs could be merged. (For the sake of honesty, I admit my wife is a teacher). I always will believe that classroom is more important to the intellectual growth of our youth than is administration.

I would think that when gangs are rampant and education is a priority letting these fine educators go is an example of a misplaced priority.

Another thought comes to mind and is closer to home. In the not-for-profit or community benefit organization world of Merced we find the seeds of major reshaping. Some of our organizations are top heavy with administration and do little to meet their expressed missions or ministries. Many replicate work already being well covered by others.

Indeed, there is talk of starting new organizations to solve some of Merced's social ills. These are well-intentioned people wanting to solve our community's problems.

Yet one wonders if our impoverished city, that barely supports United Way and the already existent agencies, can bear the cost of another group.

Is not demanding more accountability and allowing the status quo to continue a misplaced priority? Should we not demand that our communty-based organizations work more closely with city and county? Should accountability for use of government and private funding be a priority?

You tell me.

Herbert A. Opalek CEO of the Merced County Rescue Mission.