Hard to believe, honeybunch, but the calendar toined on Sundee, and it’s March! March! And, it came in like the calmest lamb. As usual we are havin’ a few days of spring-like weather around the burg, but that usually portends a cold snap, the likes o’ which we ain’t seen yet this year. Cobina is still keeping the snow shovel and her galoshes in the mud room, we’ve been here before. We ain’t seen a snowstorm yet this winter that is worth the name, and in years like this winter makes sure it gives us a taste of what could’ve been before it exits for nine months. Anybody who thinks the woist might be past ain’t lived in this neck o’ the woods very long.
As far as the matters political, things in these parts have been – or I should say continue to be – quiet. The local boys and girls are all occupied with the frolics that is the state primary, scheduled for April 28. By that time the begonias will be up, and the leaves will be ready to or have burst on the trees. It seems like setch a long way from now, but ole gals like us know better. Heck, read my openin’ line!
Still that don’t mean there any some machinations goin’ on. The budget-making process is ready to ramp up. Herroner and the mavens of the thoid floor have been parsing and adding and subtracting. The abacus up there is getting quite a work out.
Herroner will present the budget, and then a public hearing is set on the matter wherein the locals can speak on it. Then it goes into a six-week conclave by the City Council, where they look at it line by line and see effen changes can be made.
Sammy Bluejay reminded me that this is probably gonna be the last budget passed under the current charter, and that the entire process will look all-together different should the charter revisions pass. Under the current charter, effen the council wants to make a change in the budget, it takes a super-majority o’ nine of the 13 members to pass it. That has been a hurdle that few proposals have cleared over the last decade or two, forcing budgets to either go into effect by default, or the council members passing the budget whilst holding their noses.
Making the budget-amending process easier was one of the reason charter revision was taken on, and making changes in the new charter will be easier, but not with the same structure.
Tennyrate, we hafta see where this all goes when Mayor Rossi determines what her final proposal will be, and how it is vetted by the council. It’s always an interesting time o’ year.
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Nelly Nuthatch pernted out tha the City Council, meanwhile has determined it will forestall the voting on the new charter revisions until the general election come November. That was perty much what the rumor mill had, but it was perty much confirmed by Council Chairman Ron Quagliani in a series of queries that were posed to him by this papyrus.
So, the public will be informed of the new revision proposals through public forums. Those will be run by members of the former Charter Revision Commish. The question will then go to the voters in November. Like I said the last time, that will be some 15 months after the commish handed in its final report to the council. That’s a long time.
One of the problems concerning havin’ a special election, according to Nelly, was the cost. The city is lookin’ to save money, and putting on a special election would have cost tens of thousands, it could use elsewhere. There was a notion to try to tag it onto the April primary, but there seems to be statutory prohibitions against that. So, the next logical date was in November.
It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out. It’ll be the Presidential elections as well as Congressional, and State. The voters are gonna have quite a bit to do once they hit the polls that day. That’s for sure.
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We see that the city is moving ahead with a third year of sidewalk rehab. As an old-timer that hoofs it a lot, we’re glad to see that. When one determines to walk in neighborhoods around the town, it is important to keep one’s head looking straight. With frost-heaved sidewalks all over town, one false move and you’ll be on the business end of a concrete slab – face foist.
The city did some grinding of frost-heaves last year and that has helped quite a bit – at least in the areas that we’ve seen and walked. Still, people are wondering where their taxes are going for the betterment o’ the burg. This is one o’ them.
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The Wag was in t’other afternoon and noticed that Gov. Ned Lamont put a temporary halt to his idea to put tolls on the highways. He is blaming the legislature for dawdling, but he knows better. While it might make his fragile ego feel better to say so, the fack is the General Assembly has a perty good idea that the tolls will cause an uprising the likes of which we ain’t seen around here in a long time.
The “truck tolls only” mantra is not being bought by anyone. They know it’ll be the foist step toward yet another tax in this state; and, like most blue states, we’re bleeding people, especially young well-to-do people who are heading elsewhere.
Lamont is still holding onto his idea. He thinks it’s gonna be the most recent gold mine that’s gonna put the state in the black: like the lottery, the income tax, the various “fees” that aren’t taxes, and the like. They ain’t ever gonna admit that they just can’t stop spending other people’s money. Well, like Maggy Thatcher indicated, eventually you run out. We’re almost there.
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Iva Lootey, meanwhile, asked about our own member of Congress, the always lovely and vivacious Rosa DeLauro Greenberg. There was a time a couple years back that she was joined at the hip with the other chanteuse of the Capitol, Nancy Pelosi. It ain’t so anymore.
We did see Mrs. Greenberg recently catterwalling about something as she is wont to do, but it was something unusual. In the old days she was a go-to person. Maybe Adam Schiff took all the oxygen outta the room for the rest o’ the party.
We did notice that Rosa had a purple streak through her hair. Why? Only she knows, and she ain’t tellin’.
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Here we are in another month, and the properties on Beach Street are still going to seed – those that are up for sale. We happened by there in the gassamobuggy, and noted that the former Chick’s, Debonair and Captain’s Galley properties are beginning to look a bit tired and overgrown. Maybe it’s time somebody put the finger on the owners to get things in order. It certainly would help.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next , mitt luff und kizzez,