New Haven Independent

Posted by: Lou D | May 8, 2008 8:01 AM

EARLY RETIREMENT packages for city workers with 15-20 yrs or more the only reasonable way to lose bodies without LAYOFFS.............

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 8, 2008 9:05 AM

I am Mad and so should you be.
Last night was disrespectful, appalling, power tripping, selfish, Rude, bad Mannered, impolite. Discourteous insolent, Ill Mannered, Impertinent, full if themselves, self important, and self righteous on the part of the Mayor and the Alderman.

That is as many words I could find quickly enoughgh to get out this e-mail that descrices our City government. They have no regard for the people. They do not care to, nor want to listen. They do what they want, when they want and most disgraceful how they want.

This administration is out of control. The head needs to be cut off from the monster. The Board of Alderman is little ducklings following the mother goose.

You have the nerve to get over 100 people out to a meeting to voice their concerns and have the audacity to cancel it, because you are not ready.

Every single one of these people should be impeached. We need to start over, or ask some one to come in and take charge.

The budget is a mess, the debt is too high, crime is rampart, and business is down because no one wants to risk their lives coming to New Haven. (A knife fight in a down town restaurant the other night) Two shootings several nights ago, the streets are dirty and a severely below standards Board of Education. We are proposing selling off assets to cover to mistakes that are catching up with us each and every year.( Enron?)

We have a tired power hungry hungry, controlling dictator of a Mayor, who thinks New Haven belongs to him.

Here is a news flash. New Haven belongs to us, the residents who pay our taxes, which pay your salary.

The 311 system is a joke. I have tried it, and it is worse than calling the departments and getting no where fast.

We have vacancy in real estate all through out downtown .
Yale has taken over economic development.

Our Police department is the butt of jokes through out the State.
.
Parts of New haven look like a third world countries..

Here is my message to the Mayor. Get out now while you still have some what of a record of perceived achievement. The history books will make you a hero.

If you stay, the press and the people will reveal you for what you are.

A very Mad Andy Ross

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | May 8, 2008 9:14 AM

People wake up this is what you get when you keep voting these charlatan politician in from both parties!! These politician are not here to help you,They are here to only help themselves,Look how many of them work of the city and see if they get laid off!!! They only care about the corporatist,This is why we must now fight for term limits and proportional representation,This would at least allow the people a break from politicians who are in office to long,A study was done on politicians who are in office for long periods of time and it show the long in office the more lax they become.So for myself untill we get term limits or proportional representation i will write in my vote.

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 8, 2008 9:15 AM

I am still so mad I am not through yet.

How close to this are we people? Yes New Haven is on its way to the Bankruptcy Court, sooner or later.

Read this from the NY Times.

City Council in Bay Area Declares Bankruptcy

By JESSE McKINLEY
Published: May 8, 2008
VALLEJO, Calif. -- In a potentially ominous harbinger for some cities in California and elsewhere, the Vallejo City Council voted to declare bankruptcy Tuesday night in the face of dwindling tax revenues, the housing market meltdown and a faltering economy.

The unanimous vote was cast after late efforts to squeeze concessions out of city employees failed and with the city facing a $16 million shortfall for the fiscal year beginning in July.

"We finally realized there are no other options," Councilwoman Joanne Schivley, a retired banker, said. "We were going to run out of cash come the end of June. It's not a decision that any of us took pleasure in, but there are a lot of other cities that are probably be in the same boat shortly."

What worries some experts is that some of the problems here are all too common, a steep decrease in property and sales taxes and transfer fees as a result of weakness in the housing market.

"At one point, bankruptcy seemed beyond the pale, but it's something that one hears about a lot more now," said John Quigley, a professor of economics at University of California, Berkeley. "And in California, you hear about a lot of cities being pushed to this sort of thinking by the housing crisis."

A bayside community of 117,000 25 miles northeast of San Francisco, Vallejo is the largest city in California to declare bankruptcy, though Orange County did so in 1994 after a spate of bad investments.

"With Orange County," Professor Quigley said, "there were identifiable bad guys. This is different. Near as one can tell, this is more of a low-level infection everywhere."

Municipal bankruptcies are not unheard of, but are often accompanied by scandal or legal losses. County commissioners in Jefferson County, Ala., are considering bankruptcy amid a federal lawsuit over payments to the mayor of Birmingham, the county seat, and a missed bond payment.

Smaller cities like Half Moon Bay, Calif., and McCall, Idaho, have also flirted with bankruptcy. In Vallejo, Council members and residents fault decisions by past Councils, including agreeing to binding arbitration for contracts with city employees, whose salaries account for nearly 80 percent of the general fund.

Like many Bay Area cities, Vallejo has struggled to keep up with demand for services as its population has grown over 20 years. "We as a state are growing by 500,000 people a year, and that is continuing to put pressure on the cities," said Dan Carigg, the legislative director for the League of California Cities, an association for the 478 cities in the state. "And when you run short, you tend to have two choices. Cut programs or try to raise revenues.

"And when it comes to cities trying to raise new revenues, their options are very limited."

Because of propositions approved by voters, California strictly limits increases in property taxes. And in Vallejo, public workers say the cutting has already gone too far.

"We've been doing more with less forever," said Detective Mat Mustard, vice president of the Vallejo Police Officers Association, which opposed the bankruptcy declaration. "We're going to start losing people. Who wants to work for a company or a city that's bankrupt?"

Council members disputed that public safety or the attractiveness to businesses would be reduced.

"This morning, going around town, it's weird, because everyone's saying congratulations," Councilwoman Stephanie Gomes said. "Its kind of odd to say, but the mood among people is that we're finally going to solve the problems."

Along the main drag, Georgia Avenue, the sentiment seemed to be more bittersweet.

"I'm sad to see it go this way," Debbie Rojas, owner of the Georgia Street Grill, said. "But I'm kind of excited for bankruptcy."

Posted by: evst1 | May 8, 2008 9:17 AM

Budget hole? New Haven IS a hole. The middle class is almost non-existant here, except those subsidized by Mother Yale. It's only a matter of time before my house morphs into an absentee-owned tenement or a McDonalds. Who knows...might be a smart financial move on my part. Wake up New Haven.

Posted by: joey | May 8, 2008 9:39 AM

Well said Andy.

I coach baseball and cant even get parents to bring there kids over the Q bridge cause its not safe! there words not mine. The city is fallin apart maybe we should change the name soon to NEW DETROIT

Posted by: RELAX | May 8, 2008 9:40 AM

Andy..

Your comment is a little over the top, however I do feel your frustration. Nor am I a fan of this administration and yes I do believe "the head needs to be cut off the monster" but I give the board of aldermen credit where credit is due. We sometimes forget alders are residents to, who work just like you and me and feel the pressure of taxes and other cuts that might take affect (some alders not all) Budgets are tight from federal to local municipalities and they (aldermen) have worked tirelessly to do the best they can without any assistance from the state. Its easy to point blame and say "this is what I would of done" from the side lines but when your actually the one having to make the decisions its a little different.

Believe me I, like you are in the same boat and criticize the mayor and board of aldermen but couldn't even imagine how difficult it is to make such decisions with this years budget.

P. S - People moan and groan about this administration and yet they come out in numbers for him when elections roll around. If we want change lets not moan about it or attend a meeting once in a while.. lets do what grassroots people do best, unseat some of these elected officials who are not in it for their communities.

Posted by: omerta | May 8, 2008 9:46 AM

DeStefano gets a 20% pay increase, and what do the rest of us get? The word 'SCREWED' does not begin to describe the feeling.

Posted by: Esbe | May 8, 2008 9:53 AM

The article is simply incorrect when it says that the funding gap isn't due (in part) to a decrease in State funding. A nominal "increase" from $211 million to $212 million is a pretty big decrease in inflation-adjusted terms. Consumer inflation is running at 3-4% per year, but inflation in goods and services purchased by governments (think of health care, energy, etc.) is going up even faster, probably closer to 5%.

Failing to adjust for inflation is one of the primary ways to turn a "statistic" into a "lie," as in the old saw about "lies, damn lies and statistics."

One shocking fact I infer from the article is that the phased-in increase in property valuations, which will hit some folks really hard, only looks to bring in about $6 million dollars, or less than 1.5% of city expenditures. Another reminder that the city basically has no property tax base.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 8, 2008 10:02 AM

Early retirements don't save money. The state found that out the hard way according Speaker Jim Amann - at best it's expense neutral and at worst, it actually costs more money.

Just lay these people off and be done with it. While we're cutting $14 million - might as well cut $25 million. The mayor is incapable of staying within whatever budget he agrees to, annually blowing through whatever cap is in place. Last year, it was $6 million.

And by the way, the mayor was at City Hall last night during this meeting - he quietly slipped out a side door after poking his head in the chamber.

Posted by: concerned jake | May 8, 2008 12:00 PM

Gary,

Although I can certainly simpathize with your concerns regarding the financial mess we are in. I am concerned with your lack of concern for city employees and thier families. If you were faced with the prospect of losing your ability to provide for your loved ones I am sure you would not appreciate such a callous and inconsiderate remark such as the ones you have posted here.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Furthermore, laying off and employee does not mean that there is a relived burdon. This employee must now collect unemployment and is still benefiting from tax dollars.

In any case I am no financial analyst, but I am a human being and regardless of what my tax burden would be I would not make comments as insensitive as the ones you have posted here.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2008 12:27 PM

Gary Doyens
YOU ARE RIGHT!
I was just talking to a few people. They plan on making cuts to keep the mill rate the same BUT.... we NEED to make more cuts to effect the faze in! And they know they can make this happen! 20% increase in hard times is WAY to much to ask! I hope they do the right thing!

Posted by: che15 | May 8, 2008 12:57 PM

its a tough time cuts are needed. cut the programs that are things that should be done at home. early reading programs start at home with mom and dad, after school programs need to be cut instead of runnig to the city to take care of kids let them do what many of us did gather your friends and grab a football or baseball gear or even play stick ball ( which by the way was the best game ever). keep the art and music programs though, they are tough activities for kids to do alone.
police, fire and public works are needed but i am sure there is dead weight in all three that needs to be cut. any one who got there job as a favor probably won't save you from a fire, promptly clear trash, save you or your family from a predator or even write an accident report properly.
how many schools does this city really need. enough already.
stop blaming yale for everything. if it wasnt for yale we would be called bridgeport. dont get me wrong i am not a big fan of yale. they do need to become a parter with the city no a snobish rich aunt
do something with the colesium site. is a parking lot the best we could come up with?
in the end it will work out but we all need to help eachother

Posted by: Fedupwithlioberals | May 8, 2008 1:12 PM

Maybe we can sell the $300,000.00 bustops to Bridgeport and raise some cash? They have no middle class to complain about wasteful spending anymore! The lefties drove them out decades ago.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2008 1:30 PM

concerned jake
talk to the union rep's who do not want to work with the city

Posted by: on the front line | May 8, 2008 1:34 PM

Well said concerned Jake.Gary I do understand the taxpayers fustration I also pay them.I will also point out I am not very far from a six figure salary.How funny is it that the mayor loves to outsource but it never works out for him.I have yet to see any private company or this administration give back anything they know where the money went.Now that the ship hit the iceburg they want to blame the band instead of the captain who is steering us all.

Posted by: Steve Beck | May 8, 2008 1:34 PM

I have two decals on my car's rear window. One says
"if you aren't completely appalled you have not been paying attention" and the other one says "wake me up when it is over" These obviously refer to the sorry state of the Bush presidency, but I think it speaks for New Haven. I shake my head in disbelief most of the time. It is a real shame since we had the opportunity last November to make a change. I think this is reflective of the greater malaise in this country. Let's keep sleepwalking into the 21st century.

Posted by: westvilleguy | May 8, 2008 2:05 PM

Ceadr and Gary, Great to see you two on the smae page on this.

14M?? At best this is a joke. New Haven is in a downward spiral and to think that debt servicing is the answer just so people can maintain jobs is silly and fiscally irresponsible. I heard somewhere that town employees per resident is much higher in new haven than in bridgeport or hartford. Does anyone have this stat? it would be interesting. Early retirement is at best budget neutral but for the most part you end up paying one person to stay at home and the other person ends up doing the actual job.

Whats worse is the mayors debt to the unions. Its absurd (his cheif of staff is a former SEIU guy). These people claim to be for the people but vote down a wage freeze in exchange for layoffs for their peers. Seems hypocritical. I would hate to see anyone lose thier jobs but in some departments we are clearly overstaffed and people are milking overtime and benefits.

cut property taxes, take over development from yale, encourage business development to increase the tax base. Perhaps a mall? I dont know the answer but I know that raising taxes is not the answer.

Its time for a change in New Haven. someone fiscally responsible without a debt to greedy establishments. we are in tough times and everyone is cutting back. Our governments should too.

Spending doesnt boost the economy!!

Posted by: Joe | May 8, 2008 2:51 PM

First thing, DeStefano needs to forgo his 20 percent pay raise. Workers will be laid off and the mayor makes out so well? He shouldn't take a dime more than he currently earns. What a joke. How much do you care about your city when you profit off people's losses? Shame on you, John.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 8, 2008 4:29 PM

Concerned Jake:

It's not that I don't have compassion for the city employees who face having jobs eliminated. I do. It will affect their families big time and my best wishes for other employment are with them.

But don't blame me for straight talk. If this mayor spent less time dancing on the head of a budget pin and lying about who to blame for this financial shipwreck, you wouldn't need me to lay it out in terms we can all understand. And the bottom line is even at a flat mil rate, the city's tax take will hurt my family, offer me nothing in improved services, and make me take something from my children to pay for it. It makes me mad as hell.

I've sat through hours and hours of testimony in this budget process, and done so for years - and what I heard would made the hair stand up on the back of my neck while I contemplated the downside of going postal on the dimwits, spinners and status quo pushers who paraded in front of the finance committee. Most of them provided paperwork justifying their department expense that was juvenile, incomplete and took at most 5 minutes to fill out. Even finance committee members were appalled. There wasn't a cut to be found - oh, except LCI which offered $10,700.

Since March, the mayor and alders have known the heroic increase in PILOT was a phony number built on hope and a lot of spit. The mayor called for everybody to be citizen lobbyists trying to force the legislature to do something for which they had no money.

Here's the bottom line: The city employs more than 5,100 people - way more than it needs to and the people who run this city know it, have known it and have actively refused to admit it. The chickens are roosting - it's time for the rooster to pony up or get out.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 8, 2008 4:57 PM

People (rescheduled to)NEXT WEDS!!!!
6:00

We need to fill that room even more than last night call everyone you know that lives in this city!! If you rent or own a home let that see you their and let them know you care!!! Start calling people today!!!!

Posted by: Name Withheld | May 8, 2008 5:35 PM

All the city needs to do to fix this crisis:

1. Seriously crack down on speeders so that the city is more walkable and livable. Anyone caught speeding should be issued a special $1000 ticket. That will also help close the budget gap slightly. Forget about burglaries, they do much less harm than people getting run over while trying to cross the street. Put a traffic cop on every corner instead.

2. Install bike lanes and bicycle signage throughout the entire city. They are very cheap, and all that money people save on gas will go directly into local rents, coffers of restaurant owners, etc. A bike lane costs a few dozen dollars per house and raises land values by thousands, if not more. It's more about perception than reality.

3. Stop charging such ridiculously high building permitting fees. Then developers would be more inclined to realize exactly how valuable the land is here. We are at the intersection of several major transit corridors and have one of the most walkable downtowns in the United States. The fact that the city charges so much for permit fees is a disincentive for anyone to expand their business here.

4. Create incentives for people to do well in school. Give local students $100 for every good grade they get.

The result:

Within a year or two, yuppies and high-tech companies will flood into the city, stabilizing real estate values and driving up tax revenues. The entire city will start looking like East Rock, but with even greater income diversity.

Note:

Given that gas may hit $15 per gallon next year, the above scenario may happen anyways.

Posted by: nfjanette | May 8, 2008 11:23 PM

1. Seriously crack down on speeders so that the city is more walkable and livable. Anyone caught speeding should be issued a special $1000 ticket. That will also help close the budget gap slightly. Forget about burglaries, they do much less harm than people getting run over while trying to cross the street. Put a traffic cop on every corner instead.

I'm with you, but I've been told that since speeding fines do not go into the city coffers, there is little incentive to pursue increased traffic violation enforcement. We should lobby for a change in this law/rule/policy, which would lead to potentially huge amounts of revenue as well as a decline in the insanely dangerous driving.

Posted by: eastshoreguy | May 9, 2008 8:49 AM

Andy, Andy, Andy - Do you even realize that the finance meeting was not a public hearing? Why didnt the group just host an event in one of their homes and invite some of the legislators in to discuss?

Stop your grandstanding. I understand your campaign for mayor may not be going well but relax and just go out and peddle some more sub-prime loans and offer the profits up to close budget gaps.

i for one can handle a small bump in taxes if I know that I will actually get my trees trimmed and the phone answered when I call the police. I really have concerns when the amendments come in at the last minute and these yo-yos vote on ramifications to the city budget without really thinking things through and the impact it has.

Case in point was last year. The cut the mill rate by 1. Would the gap be as big a problem this year if they had kept it were it was instead of an amendment at the last moment just to say they cut the mill rate?

Now that makes me angry.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 9, 2008 9:17 AM

eastshoreguy
goodness you must work for the city! Or be some how involved. First TAXES ARE GOING UP by 12% in some areas!! YA 12%!! These cuts did not stop the FAZE IN!

At the previous meeting on April 29th NHCAN was told that there were NO PEOPLE at the hearing to fight the issues. Well people should not have to come....we elect rep's (Alderpersons) to be our voices at the meetings. And that just does not seem to work! It was not Grandstanding it was SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE REPRESENTING THERE OWN PERSONAL THINGS AND NOT REPRESENTING THE BROKE TAX PAYERS!!!!

Although it was nice to hear them say tax cuts and cut spending for the first time in a while

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 9, 2008 9:48 AM

East Shore Guy

First of all I am not a candidate for anything. Second, public hearing or private meeting what ever. The point is, that people were asked to come out and voice their concerns. Many of them had to make arrangement from work, babysitters etc. In the end they were turned away.

The right thing to have done would be for the Alderman or who ever was hold in the meeting to at least sit and hear the informally. Were you there? You are just a mouth piece. Some of us do real work. The fact that you say you can handle a 12% tax increase is good for you, not so good for the majority of the people in the city. Stop hiding Behind: East Shore guy" I think you are a fake and are being told what to say and when.

My name is posted live at 612 Chapel Street. I will talk to any one any time. You are just a scared little nobody hiding behind a fictions name

Posted by: eastshoreguy | May 9, 2008 10:18 AM

Andy, Andy, Andy - Do you even realize that the finance meeting was not a public hearing? Why didnt the group just host an event in one of their homes and invite some of the legislators in to discuss?

Stop your grandstanding. I understand your campaign for mayor may not be going well but relax and just go out and peddle some more sub-prime loans and offer the profits up to close budget gaps.

i for one can handle a small bump in taxes if I know that I will actually get my trees trimmed and the phone answered when I call the police. I really have concerns when the amendments come in at the last minute and these yo-yos vote on ramifications to the city budget without really thinking things through and the impact it has.

Case in point was last year. The cut the mill rate by 1. Would the gap be as big a problem this year if they had kept it were it was instead of an amendment at the last moment just to say they cut the mill rate?

Now that makes me angry.

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 9, 2008 2:43 PM

East Shore guy

I figured out why you have such an attitude, especially when you talk about me writing sub-prime mortgages. You know what I am talking about. I will not embarrass you on line.
Lets stick to the points.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 9, 2008 3:37 PM

eastshoreguy Thank goodness you can handle it, again you must work for the city!!! I can not and most can not!!!! Andy did not arrange this "grandstand" it was me and NHCAN and several others that are sick and tired of the games. All the PR crap that misinforms the regular joe. How many people in this city do not no that there taxes are going to be jumping up again and again times 4 more years!!!!! The SPENDING MUST STOP. So back off Andy for fighting for the little guy!

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 9, 2008 4:20 PM

Cedarhillresident

Thanks for the support. One of the main reasons I am so mad is because Jeffery called me and asked if I could get some people out, as I know he did a lot of others as well. I emailed my list, and spoke in front of two groups that day and finised each talk with a plea for them to come out and listen and talk if they wanted too.

I expressed how important getting involved was. At least 20 of my own people showed up, and I was terribly embarrassed. This is the kind of thing that turns people off. Sure, let's get involved, and then no one listens anyhow.

Let me say another totally unrelated thing. I write for the Grand news, a small but effective and informational little paper for the East Side. I am doing a story on the transfer station so called new authority that is being set up. The more I dig the more I find out how this is just the wool being pulled over the residents eyes.

I have tried calling the budget director for some answers. I have called 5 times. I have called the cities auditors, no one wants to talk. Something smells bad here, and if I find out this Mayor is cooking the books he will pay for it. Regardless if I am writing a story or if I am a resident, we have the right to know.

Demand from your elected officials to tell you what is going on.
Listen, I will give credit where it is due. Carl Goldfield was a gentleman and forthcoming when I interviewed him. As for the rest of theses officials, they listen to only one king and we all know who that is.

Posted by: Darnell | May 9, 2008 6:56 PM

East Shore Guy: the aldermen did not cute the mil rate last year, they cut the raise that the mayor proposed, it still went up, but by one point less.

Andy.. Good for you, its about time more folks actually are getting angry. I've been this way for several years now, every time I look at my paycheck, or get a tax bill. Stay mad.

Posted by: real deal | May 9, 2008 11:12 PM

I am writing all taxpayers,also I call out a plea for help from our government,please mr.attorney general help us,our mayor is corrupt any company that wants to privatize is corrupt,please look at all the companies aramark is doing business with you will find lots of kickbacks.we the custodians opened our cantract not to long ago around 2003,we paid more for insurance more for dues,we gave up a raise also since then we have been saving thousands off dollars covering work,I would love to see any worker in any company to do your fellow workers eight hours worth of work for just two hours in overtime,any proffesion,where is all the saved money going ?aramark !where is it ?and you tell me there is no kickbacks,the same day our mayor announced we have to make cuts,he hired three assistant zoning board jobs but he is going to layoff people,there has been a fifty percent drop in all costruction,why is the mayor hiring for these positions?I truely hope people start to see the mayor for what he really is!he is a corrupt city official!why did he want aramark so bad?there was already supervisors,there is still supervisors,and there is all those aramark managers an army of them the city is paying to do the same work of our supervisors,but aramark also has control of all that money,the custodians have been under cutbacks since 2003,saving millions to date where is all that money going?in all the greedy politicians pockets,they want to save money start with aramark then the mayor should go the mayor did not build all the schools you and I built the schools we pay ,and if I have to pay a mayors salery,I will only vote for a mayor that is against privatization,privfatization equals corruption they keep cuting and cuting but they do not tell the taxpayer the savings go to these private company,before anyone says anything look into where your money goes,the money the custodians have been saving are going to aramark and the mayor back then threatened us with layoffs he never told us all the money was getting split between then political corruption is what happens when one person is in charge for to long.mr.mayo has some good points but he is also corrupt he has an interest in clarks cleaning,in case you dont know they are sent to a newly constructed building and clean it,but after that the custodians clean after there mess,there crapy waxing please mr mayor come clean and admit your mistakes you will probably be forgiven,residents of new haven please help your fellow taxpayer the mayor wants a management company for his own gain its a way to hide money any money they save is thears not ours,so would you like to see more residents without jobs?are would you like for the custodians money being saved millions to date go back to the city where it belongs because we can and have been saving lots and lots of money the problem is the mayor and aramark doing with what the mayor says to do they share it,the mayor thinks he is the ceo of a company,the city of new haven,I want to leave off on a quote from an aramark manager (I will bring in mexicans from philly get rid of everyone)these people are self centered they are getting rich off of us,millions and millions into the pockets of all aramark and there vendors,the politions they bought and of course our very own mayor and superintendent,they watch the middle class suffer while they get rich,its no accident that the same companies are used by aramark they all need to be looked into please jodi rell please rosa delouro,please mr blumenthol help us fight white collar crime its right here in new haven help us without aramark the millions we save go right to the children,the parents the custodians are fighting for your rights we helped food service watch how much better withour aramark starting july lets hope the mayor didnt make any deals with another company the time to self govern is here we promise to save tax dollars,its so easy stop stealing our money mr mayor you are a criminal.the real deal

Posted by: eastshoreguy | May 12, 2008 8:50 AM

cedarhill, let me clarify for the record. I said I can handel a small bump in taxes, doesn't mean I want my taxes to go up, but i realize that they will its all a matter of how much they increase.

My fear is losing a public service like garbage pickup every two weeks or something or perhaps having our police patrols cut that scares me.

Cedarhill I don't know you but you are very impassioned and thats refreshing. Its clear you care about your neighborhood and are well informed (better than I) as to what is going on downtown. These are only my thoughts and goingons of a another new haven resident.

PS - I read where they are increasing charging for bulk pickup of trash. Anyone know more?

Posted by: eastshoreguy | May 12, 2008 8:54 AM

Whatever Andy. Your blogs give the appearance of grandstanding, but if you say its true outrage so be it.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | May 12, 2008 10:01 AM

eastshoreguy
I have but that question to a few people this weekend and I have got a few answers...
Yes the are cutting free bulk trash pick up... but my question is...
They are cutting bulk trash.....but we are selling the dang thing....does that mean we get more money for the sale because we just made bulk trash another commodity on top for recycling

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 12, 2008 3:45 PM

I am glad for one very important thing here. We all have opinions and are not afraid to express them. EastShore Guy, my apologies if you take my passion for anything less than genuine concern. I appreciate your words.

We have all said a lot on this issue, and that is good public spirited debate.

Now let's hope it gets through to the right people.

Posted by: eastshoreguy | May 13, 2008 7:35 AM

Andy now that is something both you and I can agree on.