Editorials / Opinions

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Imagination looks to the future. Knowledge is a result of the past. You know what you have already experienced. You imagine what you want to happen next.

Young children have very few experiences, so their minds are filled primarily with imagination. Since they have little past, children fantasize about the future. They have not yet learned many limitations, so their imagination knows no boundaries.

In their minds, children can become anyone and do anything. As they grow they are taught what supposedly is and is not possible. They learn about reality and thinking realistically. This is a shame because it extinguishes the mental flame they are all born with.

So as you mature, you develop self-imposed restrictions based on your knowledge of the past. However, you would be much better served maintaining your boundless imagination. The reason is simple: all accomplishment is preceded by imagination.

Anyone who has succeeded has first imagined success. Regardless of how you define success, no one has achieved it without being able to imagine it. Imagination is not just something for kids, it's just as important, if not more so, for adults.

Imagination takes you to a destination that does not yet exist outside your mind. But your mind has to visualize it, and you have to believe it's possible, before you can accomplish it. Yet it is at the imagination stage that people receive the most criticism from others and are most prone to becoming discouraged.

The list of accomplishments that would never have happened without imagination is virtually endless. Modern medicine, automobiles, airplanes, electricity, radio, TV, computers, the internet, space travel, and telephones would never have become reality if the inventors of the world did not first imagine them as possible.

How active is your imagination? Do you think about how much is possible? Or do you restrict yourself by what you believe is impossible? If your imagination has been smothered, the good news is that you have the power to rekindle it.

A good first step is to stop listening to what other people feel is possible, practical, or realistic. Take a few minutes each day to imagine what you would like to be doing. Visualize your life being any way you want it.

Imagining what you want puts your brain to work trying to figure out a way to make it happen. Once an idea is put into your mind, it will spend 24 hours a day trying to bring the thoughts to reality.

Just look at people who constantly imagine negative situations. Invariably these people experience exactly what they are imagining. It's easy to identify them. They advertise their imagination with statements such as "bad things always happen to me," "I never have any good luck," "I can't seem to make things work," "I can't do it," "it's not possible," or "I'm just not that successful."

Make sure you are not imagining outcomes you really don't want. If you are, immediately replace them with thoughts of what you actually do want. You have to be vigilant. It so easy to start imagining the wrong things.

Your imagination is the first step to creating the future you want. It's the mental blueprint your brain uses in directing your thoughts and actions. Since it's rare to accomplish more than you imagined, allow your imagination to soar to any destination you desire. The greater your imagination, the greater your results.

Turn your imagination loose. Go for whatever it is you want. Whatever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve.

Sincerely,

Bryan Golden

NOW AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. Email Bryan at bryan@columnist.com or write him c/o this paper. © 2024 Bryan Golden

Throwing more money at a problem before addressing the cause of that problem is never a wise investment.

It's no secret that Pennsylvania's education system is failing many of our students.

According to 2023 US News education rankings, Pennsylvania ranks 36th in overall quality of education. Meanwhile, we have the 8th most expensive system in the nation and our average cost per student is $22,000. Lack of funding is not the problem, but how that money is spent must be scrutinized to ensure that our kids get the quality education they deserve.

Take the School District of Philadelphia for an example. Recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that Philadelphia ranks near the bottom nationally for both math and reading when compared to similar urban districts.

From 2019-2022, the district saw it steepest decline in math and reading scores since 1990 despite spending an annual budget of more than $4 billion.

Families failed by their local education system have increasingly turned to alternatives such as homeschool and charter schools.

What's the remedy?

According to Democrats on the Basic Education Funding Commission, the solution is a reckless infusion of additional taxpayer dollars to a failing system.

The commission's partisan majority report, backed by Democrats and members of Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration, calls for more than $7 billion in additional spending.

What's not included in their recommendations? There are no accountability measures or metrics for student success. They include no additional scholarship funding for families who seek alternative options to help their kids escape failing schools. There are zero improvements to curriculum transparency so parents can know what their children are learning.

The General Assembly has already increased state taxpayer spending for education by historic amounts in recent years. Since 2020, taxpayer spending on education has increased by more than $3 billion. Sadly, that has not been accompanied by an improvement in quality.

How much of that new taxpayer money will go to help students and teachers? Unfortunately, not as much as you think.

While Pennsylvania's public-school population has declined, the growth of school administration staff has accelerated by almost 40% since 2000. Most new funds will ultimately be diverted to pay for bloated salaries and pension payments for those unnecessary additional administrators.

The financial burden of a $7 billion infusion of taxpayer funds will be placed squarely on the backs of hard-working Pennsylvanians.

The nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office already predicts that by 2025, Pennsylvania will face a $3 billion state budget shortfall based on current budget projections.

The massive spending binge recommended by Pennsylvania Democrats means our state would need more revenue to offset the increase.

Pennsylvania already has one of the worst property tax burdens in the nation to pay for education budgets.

More than 10,000 homes are seized annually in Pennsylvania and auctioned off for failure to pay the tax. It is particularly troubling that most of the home seizures are from our elderly residents. Retirees live on limited-fixed incomes and additional irresponsible state spending could leave them faced with the stark choice of paying for food, medicine or their property tax. This is simply unacceptable.

Property taxes would increase in all 67 counties to pay for the kind of spending increase recommended by Pennsylvania Democrats.

An increase in the state sales tax and income tax also would likely be on the table in future sessions of the General Assembly to offset budget shortfalls.

As we head into the 2024 budget season, we must protect Pennsylvanians and make fundamental changes to improve how we spend taxpayer funds for education. The money should follow the child and parents should have the right to choose how and where to educate their own children.

Blind spending of additional taxpayer dollars will not fix the fundamental problems of our education system.

Sincerely,

Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33)

Sen. Doug Mastriano represents the 33rd Senatorial District, covering Adams and Franklin counties. Mastriano has a doctorate in history and four master's degrees. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee.