David at Blue Mass Group posts here about this Boston Globe article. The light at the end of the tunnel? We'll see.
What do you think about employment. The President is talking about a jobs bill. Needed or not?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Bay State bucks national trend. Unemployment declines
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32 comments:
For everyone's sake, I hope the worst is over. If they do a second jobs bill, let's hope it focuses on job creation. Let's build roads and bridges and buy things like technology for schools.
There is too much regulation over small businesses. Did anyone notice the guy at the SB meeting who already owns an auto body shop in an industrial area. It took him a year and a half to get approval to be able to buy cars, fix them up and sell them to suplement his auto body repair business. Give me a break! Our town officials have NO right to wonder why so many people ignore proper protocol and just do what they are going to do. Some of our egotistical town officials paralyze the general public when they start with their hoop jumping, cartwheel requirements and the entire economy suffers.
Did anyone else notice the hairdresser on Cove rd who was denied by the Zoning Board. This woman has about a half dozen eldery ladies come have their hair done on three days per week. I know this because my Mom and Grandmother go there. The hairdresser was denied her application. This was an example of town politics at its worst. It is these same egotistical clowns who wonder why they can't convince the general public to support unlimited tax overrides.
Is the Zoning Board elected or appointed? Who on that board is up for re-election, re-appointment?
That Board is appointed by the Select Board.
The Zoning Board is appointed. Mr. Tougas is up for appointment.
Wasn't Mike Watson talking about how it is imperative for the Select Board to regain the trust of the public? Let's watch and see how he feels about re-appointing Mr. Tougas.
Mr. Cressman has been charged with the task of evaluating various town departments. I hope his research and recommendations to the Select Board will take into account the many complaints and lawsuits by town residents against town officials who use their positions and egos to intimidate, refuse and harass tax paying citizens who are just trying to comply with regulations. I have been through the building process myself and found one particular dept. was not there to help me at all. Rather than feeling as though I was being assisted through the process, a subordinate was told not to give me the information I needed even though it was public information regarding depth guidelines for well drilling. Without that information how is one to know if one is in compliance or not? This type of treatment by town officials runs throughout the town and I agree that a lot of people would rather take the chance of not getting a permit rather than having to go through a very lengthy and painful process.
some of those zoning board members seem really really pushy to me
The reason it has dropped is because people have stopped looking for work, lost their benefits and have dropped out of the accounting system for employment purposes. In short, they are no longer counting these people so the number of unemployed have gone down.
The idea of borrowing more money to spend our way out of a deficeit is ludicrous. More of the same Obamanomics will just get us deeper in the hole. God bless this country we'll need it!
Mike Watson also spoke about helping small businesses by sending state legislators a letter requesting a review of what qualifies as a small business for the ten percent property tax exemption. Yet it takes a year and a half for the poor guy with the auto body shop to get a license for expanding his business. This is happenning under Watson's watch. Step up Mike and start making sure small businesses can get a fair shake in this town. Certain people from the old boy network are still exerting a stranglehold on the citizens of Dartmouth. It is time to complete the old boy network purge.
Is anyone else asking for appointment to the Zoning Board??
That's a cheap shot at Watson. He motioned Monday for the board to send a letter regarding the business tax exemption. My guess--it will be done and reported when done. Give the guy a break. Afterall, its a state law. If you are such a concerned citizen, write Montigny/Quinn yourself. They are the ones with the authority.
It didn't come across as a cheap shot to me. More like someone wants Watson to stop blowing smoke and get to the bottom of why Mom and Pop Shops have such difficulty getting through the red tape in this town. He did state that he thinks small businesses are the lifeblood of the community yet said nothing when that auto body guy's lawyer(why did he need a lawyer?) said that the process had taken a year and a half. Frankly, I was dissappointed with the entire Select Board for not apologizing to the businessman and asking for his honest opinion about what went wrong.
We need to stop catering to these Big Box retailers and focus any incentives toward small business. There is a line that needs to be drawn when we need permits for "opening soon" signs.
anon 7:40 (as if you are really anon)- isn't Crssman conducting a review of town departments? Won't that get to the bottom of this?
What's wrong with Mr. Tougas?
How could Watson have been accussed of blowing smoke on an issue that is less than 5 days old? Like the blogger yesterday, I bet we get an answer when one is found. Certainly state government won't give you legislation in 5 days. Did you see the Governor's news conference. Looks like the state house is taking the next six weeks off for the holidays. What's up with that?
Easy money, no work??
Yes, Mr. Cressman has been charged with a review. The question is what does the review include? Is it just to streamline departments or is it a full review of all the problems with departments including the treatment of citizens who must deal with various departments and the process involved. It is no secret that certain departments have numerous complaints and legal problems.
By the way, I'm not talking about state legislation. I'm talking about town officials who abuse their positions. While the Select Board is reviewing departments, shouldn't this be a part of that review?
As far as what's wrong with Tougas? Just ask the auto body guy and the hairdresser on Cove Rd.
Mr. Watson has put himself out there as someone who cares about small businesses. The guy who had to wait a year and a half to expand his business plan (a plan that was a no-brainer) should have been a wake up call to him that there are other problems besides having to go to various rooms in town hall to conduct business.
I commend Mr. Watson for taking the lead in contacting the state about the tax exemption. However, if he is sincere about wanting to help small businesses in Dartmouth, something needs to be done from within and Mr. Watson should act upon his words. Is Watson simply a blowhard or is he willing to ruffle some feathers when needed.
What is a blowhard?
Random House College Dictionary---
blowhard. noun, slang, an exceptionally boastful or talkative person.
To Anonymous 9:51 and others, maybe anyone who has had problems with any department, department head or staff member, officials, both elected or appointed, and any town employee in general ought to make his or her complaint known to Mr. Cressman.
Call -- email is better; one has a paper trail as evidence of one's concern and notification - - him up with your issuse(s) and problem town/official staff.
Call up the Selectmen's Office and ask for his email address. They will give it to you.
This is the only way he will know just what is on residents' minds, and the only way he will know how residents are treated by those in charge of or working for our town.
I know this could well result in emails galore for Mr. Cressman if every resident complained, I'm sure. But isn't this the time to take some action?
We finally have an individual leading and governing our town who has no ties with any of the good old boys or their politics. He owes no one anything and has no allegiance to anyone, and he has no special interest or agenda. This is the fresh start we need to take back our town and guarantee that our officials act in our best interest.
If you complain on this blog, then take the time to complain and make your complaints and issues known to the one individual who can do something about it: Mr. Cressman. He can only do so much on his own. He is no mind reader, and he must be made aware of the issues, problems, and complaints the residents of Dartmouth have regarding the people who work for and serve us. That's the key phrase, folks, "work for and serve US." Plus, in most instances, WE ELECT THEM. More importantly, for many in our town government, it is we, the resident/taxpayer WHO PAY THEM.
In this account, I fully support
9:51's question: is it a review of the efficiency of the department or is it also a review of the department heads and staff that we, the public, must deal with on a daily basis, the latter, though I would think would be the subject of personnel evaluations. However, if the individual deals with the public, it should be brought to the attention of the executive administrator when and if there is a problem with that individual.
I don't see why that couldn't extend to anyone serving voluntarily on a board, as well. Why should a board give any one individual any difficulties to deal with that may or may not be reasonable?
But, nonetheless, this is our opportunity to be heard and to advise our executive administrator about our concerns and issues. Public relaations, or "customer service" as the Select Board refers to it, is apparently sadly lacking in many instances, from what I am reading. Let your voices be heard.
12:47pm... the attackers on this blog will never be heard because they will never follow your advice. For a very simple reason- they will hide anonymously on the blog. Cowardly writing behind their computer screens is there only way. If they stood up and spoke/wrote publicly, their identity would be revealed. See, these people are great at throwing daggars, but lack the will to stand up in front of the town. So, in my view, they will never volunteer to serve, they will always seek to cause trouble and halt progress of any kind. I agree with you 100%. Folks, if you don't like something, stand up, identify yourself, and speak.
This town will never have the trust and confidence of the voters because even though two prime examples(auto body guy and hairdresser) of the poor treatment of citizens have been presented, the response is to call the people who shine the light on it names.
What progress is being halted by simple observations of televised public meetings?
I think the jist of this entire conversation is that we can talk about supporting small businesses all day long but if you watch the public meetings, the evidence shows otherwise.
Excuse me 3:32pm... What response have you received by town government? All I said was speak up and tell people in government what you think. I am not the government.
The people in government should be well aware of the problem. Mr. Cressman, Mr. Watson(the self-proclaimed small business advocate) along with the rest of the Select Board, was present at the meeting with the auto body guy. After all, it was a Select Board meeting. It is the Select Board that appoints the Zoning Board. Tougas is up next for re-appointment. Put him out to pasture. This would be the best way to send the needed message.
Is anyone else asking for appointment to the Zoning Board?
Who is the "auto body guy"? Is that like Clark Kent as Superman?
Why can't FinCom meetings be televised? They are as important, if not more so, than many of the meetings that are televised, and yet they are excluded from being so.
This is an area that needs to be looked into. The town is doing us a great disservice by keeping these meetings "public" only if we can attend them. Televising them would eliminate the spread of any misinformation and give residents insight into just where their money is going to. Televising FinCom meetings follows the path of transparency, accountability, and responsibility that we fought for in our government just a few short years ago.
I hardly doubt any member of FinCom would object to meetings being televised. There are no shrinking violets on the Committee as we all know. No one shies away from speaking up, as is witnessed at TM, SB, and SC meetings when FinCom attends their meetings, which, by the way, ARE all televised.
We should not have to read about what transpired at the meeting in the newspaper the next day.
There is no excuse for not televising these meetings. The only obstacle that I can see is that the current room FinCom meets in is too small for DCTV's equipment. That can easily be remedied, I would think: find a bigger room. The town has solved problems far larger than that one poses.
Sorry Anonymous.. Poll the FinCom... they don't want them televised.
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