My little burg made the New Yorker magazine

[piece-itpete]

This makes me think of the water being shut off in Detroit.

When does early retirement and double dipping become fair game? Here city taxes are a percentage. So "it's inflation" doesn't wash.

Pete

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

Bob the link does not work.

Beats me why that site won't link directly. If you hit the search for this title on that linked page it will take you to it.

[MikeG22]

Originally Posted by Dondilion

Employees of municipalities have to face the reality...the money just is not there.

It is difficult to get a parley. My condolence to Mr. Pham's family and love ones.

Hehe they tried subbing out and privatizing where I work, let me tell ya how that worked out. 15 years ago three large suburban housing developments were being built, ~1300 homes between single family homes and condos. Instead of beefing up the municipal services they installed a water system and sewer plant to handle the homes and the HOAs paid a private company to run the system.

In the last five years the town has had to bring the municipal workers in to take over the systems which were abandoned by the private companies. The facilities were left in major disarray with major public health and DEC violations. It will take the town decades to pay off the bonds floated to take care of the mess left behind. I was there to witness a water tank with damaged vent stack screens being drained and sanitized because there were mice and birds floating dead on top.

Here's the kicker as well, last year it snowed 41" in 48 hours. The private companies that cared for the roads in these developments only had full size pickups with 7' plows. Since they could not keep up they just up and quit. It took the town to come in with a loader to get people out of their driveways. Next board meeting hundreds of people were there petitioning for dedication of the roads to the town.

The repubs in this area were solely responsible for the privatizing of these developments. I'm so sick of the right's insistent bitching about unions and municipal worker cost. I'll show them some photos of what happens when you privatize these services that would make many folks puke. Some costs simply are what they are.

[bobabode]

What a clusterf**k Mike. That's terrible.

[piece-itpete]

The GOP built and ran these developments?

Pete

[nailer]

Both sides of the aisle agree that it's the government's job to bailout the private sector.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

The GOP built and ran these developments?

Pete

I suspect they were the majority on the city or county government that approved the developments Pete.

[MikeG22]

Originally Posted by bobabode

I suspect they were the majority on the city or county government that approved the developments Pete.

County, and local boards of two towns, exactly. Not even majority, only. The entire town board and county zoning board. Funny the last decade has been left majority and we fight more over our union contract then ever so go figure.

On the local level left-right means much less but the ideology is still there. The right wants you to make no money and the left want to take any money you make.

[bobabode]

I know which way I'd jump given the choice. At least with the left there will SS and Medicare at the end of the journey.

BTW Mike, I have the utmost respect for municipal workers. I'm one of the guys pulling permits at the counter in the Bldg. Dept.

[MikeG22]

Imagine you brought home the money you make instead of 65% of it... Might be able to save for retirement as opposed to relying on the government to do it for ya.