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January 8th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
First observation, one particular CC, had to recuse himself from ( the room) on TWO AGENDA items on the FIRST meeting…Wonder just how many more meetings over the next two years, our CC will be minus a vote.
I’d have rather have had Ali in that seat. It’s amazing what one can do with $80k.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:00 am
right on k.r.s., waht are we going to watch this guy
walk out on every vote, conflict of interest , for two years.
unbelievable!!!
January 9th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I have to chuckle every time a CC waxes poetic about how we must control property taxes. (See ad in the Lowell Sun urging readers to call into Rita Mercier with their tax questions) Then come budget time when they go through the proposal line by line do they make major cuts in the city budget? Usually they just lop off a million or so from the school side, let them deal with it, and their job is done!
Look for the “New strategy for the Spinner’s contract” to be in the paper the day after the executive session. Remember, it was Cox and his supporters who put roadblocks up when the Webers wanted to expand the ballpark at their own cost because they wanted a better “cut”.
What happened? The double A team went to Manchester and there was no expansion of the ballpark.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
It would be interesting if someone were to keep track of the number of times a CC/SC member has to recuse him/herself from debates and votes and tally them up as the end of the term approaches.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
ER - To my knowledge, what you are referring to, is already being done on many differant fronts, as well as the follow through to ensure that CC’s recuse themselves when they are presented with an ethically challenged situation when it comes to CC agenda items.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Great, already calling for layoffs in lieu of taxes, Happy New Year city employees. How about some more worthwhile economic development instead?
January 11th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Bobo,
These are the same folks that “rallied” in support of their best buds to save their jobs (remember….)!
Don’t want to lay folks off, but raise taxes….Don’t want to raise taxes but lay folks off….It’s manic government! (wink, wink)…Where on earth would one expect to get money that just isn’t there????
REALLY, do you think that CC who couldn’t actually be bothered to read the revnue vs. expenditures in the City Budget to have a mite of a clue as to what the realities are in Lowell (or any municipality for that matter).
My goodness, while every other community is looking at lay offs, prop 2 1/2 overrides, elimination of sports programs, pay as you go trash pick ups,huge tax hikes, ect ( AND, Lowell isn’t even at their levy limit)…we’re actually quite fortunate.
Did anyone actually think, that the individual who saw a $600 increase in their property taxes, finally had his property, properly evaluated?
Did this person or the CC who complained about this sharp increase even think for one moment to do a bit of research in to the matter??
WOW…Unique concept…to actually do your homework before you open your mouth.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
So the issue is that the councillor(s) are two faced at worst and ignorant at best, not that there is really an economic problem? If you guys are really calling them out its a bit subtle for my tastes.
January 11th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Bobo,
You are correct, there is an economic development issue.
AT the heart of all of these issues, is an ever expanding cost of government without the revenue stream to fully fund our expenditures. These issues are rampant throughout cities and towns throughout the US.
Bob F. has made some great points on economic development and true, that UML does have to become a larger part of the equation when it comes to economic development.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Anyone see what happened to nearby Salem, MA yesyerday because of some budget trickery in 2007 to cover shortfalls without telling the truth. Many classroom teachers laid off in the middle of the school year. That ought to do wonders for learning! For me, until the CC and others in leadership really start talking about the problems the entire region faces we are simply singing somewhere over the rainbow and not as well as Dorothy did years ago. The foreclosure crisis, the come and go businesses in the ‘old downtown’ as opposed to the magical ‘new Hamilton Canal soon to be open downtown’, the loss of more and more manufacturing employment and little growth in any other employment sectors, state budget shortfalls that will certainly have an impact on municipal funding in 2008 and most likely funding to Middlesex CC and UML too. Need I go on? I rad somewhere the other day that the national foreclosure crisis and the risks associated with people losing their homes now only rivals the scale of the problem in 1932 as the Great Depression hit. That is remarkable. Back then there were no big shot bankers and economists in place and supposedly more vigilant Federal Reserve Bank and banking laws in place to curtail the risky lending. We already have the example of Springfield and its being controlled these days by a state-appointed finance control board which has effectively taken economic decision-making away from elected officials. Unless folks acknowledge where we are at right now and start to tell the truth and deal with these issues, Lowell may well follow Springfield’s ‘lead’. Imagine the howls if everyone is, in effect, disenfranchised. Time to put petty politics aside and engage in a thoroughly honest assessment of where the city is at so that plans can be developed based on reality, not wishes and hopes. Heat for seniors on fixed incomes, increased family homelessness caused by foreclosures, infrastructure problems, costly arena, numerous closed small businesses: time to wake up!
January 21st, 2008 at 1:26 am
K.R.S please don’t make judgements with no knowledge of the situation. People that had tax increases of $600 have done more research than we should ever have to do. No our houses have never sold for the value of the appraisal nor anywhere even close to it. These are not half million dollar home owners like you would all like to think. We are a family of four that bought our home for $200,000 in 2005 and now the ‘2006′ year end sales values sky rocketed. Last year I was at $241,000 this year at $307,400. I also went up about $30,000 the first year if I remember correctly. My house is valued incorrectly for the same as some beautiful homes in Belvediere. This is very hard for people like myself to pay extra and you should be posting abatement forms here to help people with this.