More Of The Same??

Crazy weather this past week. Nice and toasty, and cheap on the fuel bill. As an outdoors guy, this isn't what I'm really looking for. We had the "no snow" thing last year, and I was OK with that. But two years straight is gonna bankrupt some people. They don't call it WHITE GOLD for nothing. The outdoor recreation business is big money in these parts, but we need a little snow to grease the engine. You cant even go ice fishing with all the warm temps we've been seeing. I know a few fellows who went thru Pleasant Lake last week, and that's a good 90 miles North of us. Crazy weather, crazy times.

The City Council has been busy this past month. They've had their hands full working on the "Disruptive Property Ordinance", the Stormwater Utility roll out, and the NO SMOKING IN PARKS DAMMIT Ordinance. All have been met with plenty of skepticism. On the property ordinance issue, I'm kind of in the middle. This really targets a few local slum lords. These guys know very well what their tenants are up to. I've had a rental properties in my day and you know who's who in your building. The difference is that some people actually give a shit who they rent to, and some don't. Just because the place is a dump doesn't means its trouble. I've seen a few elderly folks in some rough places, but that's what they could afford, and they were happy to have a roof overhead. I've seen dirtbags in nice places, who terrorize the other tenants. So the common thread is the dirtbag, not the apartment, or the apartment owner. Of course Bangor Efficiency Apt's is another story all together. Who runs that crack house?? The Chief should run a patrol car thru that parking lot every 30 minutes.....No, its no secret how I feel on the stormwater issue. Nobody sees the real solution to this one but me I guess. If the city would simply tax the people within the watershed of the streams, who have had adverse impact on the water quality, this would be done with. I'm not sure who's being protected here. The mall owners? The Airport? The Air Force? The City??? Who exactly? I can assure you that the stormwater from my property does not flow into any of these "impaired" streams. The shear classification of these streams as impaired by the EPA is laughable. But, like good people, we smile, we bend over, we take it for the team. I'll be looking to sign that petition. This should be voted on by the citizens.....Lastly, the no smoking ordinancee. I'm not a smoker, or a rabid no smoking guy. I really have no dog in this fight. I think this is all really kind of silly, but if it keeps kids from inhaling second-hand smoke, I guess it's well intended. The sad reality of this is that we wont have cops at Hayford Park telling some smoker to stop pushing her kid on the swings. No, we wont. We'll have some new signs for sure. This ordinance is not worth the time it took to research. You would think that Norm Heitman works for free for god's sake. If someone is bothering you with smoke, how's about asking them to put it out, or move away from them. It still is a free country. What's it going to be next?

The Cross Insurance Center construction is moving along as planned. I was surprised to see Global Spectrum tap Mike Dyer to run the place. This guy is dead weight and was a min reason the auditorium was empty. Sure, he'll get the Y spring Fair, and maybe a flower or boat show in there, but that's about it. I hope the City's Hollywood Casino slush fund has 65 million bucks in it, or the cost of this white elephant is falling on property owners. With all the recent budget problems and cuts from Augusta, property taxes in Bangor will double in 4 years. Don't say I didn't warn you........

Till next time. Keep your chin up, and your hand on your wallet.