Do You Know What This Is?

North Haven Welcomes P.C. Richard & Son

But I have to wonder who will be able to shop there, given our economic straits.

Strangely, we've had a vigorous debate about the ability of residents to afford their tax increase for next year's budget, but the shopping plazas on Universal Drive are always hopping, and all of the restaurants are packed on evenings and weekends, so far as I can tell.

Here is a short piece on the opening.

Arizona, Immigration, Backlash

A majority of Americans may support the recent Arizona immigration law, but that's not making things easy on the state.

Apparently, tourism has been suffering significantly, and it is beyond telling that the RNC has opted NOT to hold its 2012 convention in Phoenix, but rather in Tampa.

Elena Kagan's Nomination

I spent several weeks last summer watching every minute of the hearings for Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. Looks like I'll pass my summer in a similar fashion this year.

It seems that I, like everyone else (her friends included), know very little about Ms. Kagan's temperament, legal philosophy, and Constitutional leanings. I'll admit that makes me very nervous.

One thing I do know is that the opposition is engaging in the kind of selective memory and judgment that is par for the course for all politicians, but especially for their side.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Is a Referendum a Poll?

In today's North Haven Citizen* article Mike Freda's words speak for themselves . . . or rather they don't.

“I support this budget if people want to retain their services,” Freda said. “But if the budget is voted down, then I have no problem going back to the drawing board.”

“I want the people to tell me what they want,” Freda added.

Is that leadership?

I said it before, and here you have specific evidence. Mr. Freda is not standing behind his budget. He has made it clear that he will expend zero political capital on its behalf.

As a matter of fact, he talks about it as though it were a dip-stick, a test of the waters. Should we treat the vote on the budget as a weather vane, just to see which way the wind is blowing?

Does anyone think this approach improves the odds that his budget will pass?

I am stuck with my original position (which I've explained here and at North Haven Way): I will vote "yes." But it is disturbing in the least to see Mr. Freda and his team put forth a budget they don't feel passionately about.

I am highly disappointed and more than a little irked.

* The original post incorrectly cited the source as the New Haven Register.

North Haven News is Great

I would just like to say that http://www.northhavennews.com/ is awesome.

Passing the Budget

Passing this budget next week (05/18/2010) will maintain our current level of services, not least of which being all day kindergarten, high school electives, middle school teams, leaf collection, bulk pick-up, the pool, the library, et al.

I see no other option. A reduction in the tax increase means a reduction in town services means a reduction in town value so far as I can figure it. Saying "no" probably feels justified and satisfying, but it does not resolve any of this town's issues, or the state's, or the country's.

I urge all parents of school age children and all residents who enjoy the quality of our community to turn out and vote "yes" on this upcoming referendum. Voting "no" will only lead to chaos in terms of writing a budget somewhere between bad and worse.

Ann Rocco (I apologize for having misspelled her name during my blogging last night) made an excellent point from the other side of this argument last night. She said that if the mill rate goes up, it is not likely to come back down. I don't disagree with her and I don't enjoy having to concede that point. However, I would interject likewise that lost services that this town has historically enjoyed will also never return if cut. It's one thing to add paramedics. It's quite another to return to leaf pick up if we lose that town service and somehow contract out for it. I am of the unpopular opinion that we will then have less, not more, control over the cost of providing such a service. I don't want to be guilty of adopting a "wait and see" attitude, like our First Selectman.

A Tragic Turn of Events

http://nhregister.com/articles/2010/05/11/news/doc4be8e2d54f120318899233.txt

Certainly all heartfelt condolences and sympathies go to the Vanacore family, their friends and neighbors in this circumstance. I do not know the family, but this is a loss that all of us can feel.