Paramedics Posturing

http://nhregister.com/articles/2009/04/27/news/metro/b1-nhselectmen-mon.txt

The ballot wording for the proposed paramedic program has been called into question.   I agree that it seems politically motivated, but I strongly encourage all town residents to vote in favor of the measure.  (I'm still on the fence regarding the budget measure.)

Having a paramedic program of our own can only profit the health and well-being of town residents.  This is another one of those things that people just need to find a way to invest in.  Our taxes may go up, but if what we receive is in some cases invaluable, how do we say "no"?

Instead of simply seeing our taxes as a number that comes out of our collective wallets, we need to begin thinking more long term.  How might such a service save lives and money?  How does it improve the perceived quality of the town and, hence, property values?  What price can we put on peace of mind?

Bulk Pickup

I have nothing but the greatest respect for the men and women who serve the town side of the budget, but perhaps it is time we re-visited the necessity of bulk trash pick up occuring EVERY WEEK in North Haven.

Now, I don't want anyone to lose his/her job, and I have nothing but sympathy for the fact that town side sanitation workers have not received a raise since 2006, but for the entire time I've lived here I have felt that being able to have a refrigerator picked up from my front lawn each and every week was excessive.  It should be more than possible that each of the four regions of the town (Green Acres, Montowese, Clintonville, Ridge Road) could be assigned a week in the month - first, second, third, fourth.

I have no idea how much money this would save the town, but it would be a start toward tightening our collective belts, maintaining great benefits of living here, and easing budget tensions.

Or am I entirely off track?

Paradigm Shift

Without getting into the politics and personalities involved on the national stage, I think America is entering into a new phase of the Social Contract.  For the last nearly 30 years we have been satisfied with the notions of unfettered private ambition and limited government regulation.  Recent events are foring us as a society and as a nation to reconsider the social fabric and the fundamental responsibilities of citizens and institutions.

My great hope is that in the years ahead we will see:

- a return to fiscal sanity, achieved through corporate pay caps and regulation.

- a return to safe banking, wherein risky ventures are detached from institutional saving and lending.

- a true universal health care system for all Americans, in which we recognize that the ongoing health of the citizenry is at least as vital as the health of roads and other infrastructure.

- the de-politicizing of the Washington bureaucracy so that government can spend more time solving and debating problems and LESS time trying simply to win the next election cycle.

- a re-working of the electoral college and primary systems.

- a huge shift in favor or renewable energy and green technology.

- a full and fair accounting of torture, domestic wire tapping, and enemy detention - in such a manner that the guilty are prosecuted and these crimes are not repeated in a succeeding generation or administration.

- a vigorous effort to increase the quality and availability of broadband internet access.

- high speed rail and other 21st Century technologies to improve transit and trade.

Here's a Start of Something

I am experimenting with being a blogger.  Something I have never done before.  I have been outspoken on other blogs, and I have often been an avid reader of blogs and news all my digital, adult life.

I hope this site will serve as a place for moderate voices in the community to discuss solutions and efforts in this community to make North Haven an even better place to live and raise a family.  I love a good debate, but I am not as interested as other bloggers in choosing a political side and bludgeoning my neighbors.

Let me know what you think.  I will be only too happy to get back to you!

Thank you in advance.