I paid a visit to my brother Tim last week. After having crack (read: a "Heartbreaker" crepe from The Skinny Pancake) for lunch, I brought him back to his house. On his fridge, I saw a poster printed by Burlington Telecom. On it are photos of street signs for 205 various streets in Burlington. I was fasicnated by the poster, so much so that my brother gave it to me. I steadfastly refused (a la Jerry Seinfeld and the gravity pen), but took it after Tim assured me that he could get another copy of the poster.
As I sit here wasting my afternoon until the Super Bowl kicks off, I'm using Google Maps to look up many of the street names. The two streets I lived on in Burlington (Cayuga Ct. and Nottingham Ln.) are both depicted. They're listed in alphabetical order, the exception being Faith, Hope and Charity Streets in the New North End, which are listed consecutively.
As a horse racing fan, I smiled at the inclusion of Saratoga Av. (I'm strongly considering getting DEL MAR as a plate when it's time to renew my registration.) Both Pine Place and Pine Street are depicted. Both DeForest Heights and DeForest Rd. (Hill Section - had to Google that one) are depicted.
Lots of lovely ladies in Burlington (Catherine St, Caroline St, Sandra Circle, Holly Lane, Janet Circle, Margaret St, Lori Lane, Tracy Drive, even Venus Avenue.)
Lots of greenery as well (Birch Court, Ivy Lane, Fern St, and Village Green - the only time I've ever seen "green" as a street suffix.)
If you want to make your room feel a little more homey, swing by BT's office on Church Street. Hopefully, they have plenty more posters lying around.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Burlington's annual hostage negotiations
Or, as they're more commonly known, the school budget vote.
Yes, it's time again for Burlington's annual exercise in guilt inducement and extortion. A rite of passage in which one of America's most corrupt unions demands more money from middle-class Burlingtonians. And if they don't get it on the first try, they'll just keep begging until the weak voter base gives in.
I don't want anybody to think that this is an easy blog to write. My mother works in the Burlington schools, and recently received a significant raise, which she desperately needed as she struggles to support herself as a Chittenden County homeowner. Expenses such as raises for people who make $9 an hour living in the Northeast are completely necessary, and if I were still a Burlington taxpayer, I wouldn't have a problem footing the bill for that specific expense.
But some of the proposals are just downright goofy. Check out this gem, as published in Wednesday's edition of the Burlington Free Press:
Wait...what? Did all the local television and radio stations shut down when I wasn't looking? Usually, they tell people if school is closed FOR FREE. Yet the BSD wants to pay so that people don't have to engage themselves in the cumbersome task of turning on a radio or television? Come the fuck on.
All told, the total budget increase would be 7.5%. I didn't get a 7.5% raise this year. I appreciate teachers, but they need to understand that's it's hard for everybody these days. I do love how they try to cry poor to a city of working-class people who pay skyrocketing property taxes to fund education in other Vermont towns. As I say every year, not only do I encourage the bourgeoisie of Burlington to vote "no", but to continue to vote "no" until staff salaries and the costs of educating the students become two separate budgets with two separate votes.
Yes, it's time again for Burlington's annual exercise in guilt inducement and extortion. A rite of passage in which one of America's most corrupt unions demands more money from middle-class Burlingtonians. And if they don't get it on the first try, they'll just keep begging until the weak voter base gives in.
I don't want anybody to think that this is an easy blog to write. My mother works in the Burlington schools, and recently received a significant raise, which she desperately needed as she struggles to support herself as a Chittenden County homeowner. Expenses such as raises for people who make $9 an hour living in the Northeast are completely necessary, and if I were still a Burlington taxpayer, I wouldn't have a problem footing the bill for that specific expense.
But some of the proposals are just downright goofy. Check out this gem, as published in Wednesday's edition of the Burlington Free Press:
Funding requests include money for a call alert system that the district has decided to implement in early 2008. The automated system will alert parents via e-mail, cell phone or land line of snow days or unexpected early release from school.
Wait...what? Did all the local television and radio stations shut down when I wasn't looking? Usually, they tell people if school is closed FOR FREE. Yet the BSD wants to pay so that people don't have to engage themselves in the cumbersome task of turning on a radio or television? Come the fuck on.
All told, the total budget increase would be 7.5%. I didn't get a 7.5% raise this year. I appreciate teachers, but they need to understand that's it's hard for everybody these days. I do love how they try to cry poor to a city of working-class people who pay skyrocketing property taxes to fund education in other Vermont towns. As I say every year, not only do I encourage the bourgeoisie of Burlington to vote "no", but to continue to vote "no" until staff salaries and the costs of educating the students become two separate budgets with two separate votes.
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