Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

The place to control the spending …

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

by Brian Withnell

One of the things that I find frustrating beyond belief is the way our local government works. The Board of Supervisors [BOS] sets the budget, and they allocate how the money is to be spent, all except for the single largest budget item. That seems foolish to me, in that we have a system where the BOS can only put a cap on spending, but not actually say how the money gets spent. I know that is how things work in Virginia … it is the School Board [SB] that sets how the money gets spent in the schools. But what you have because of that bifurcation is the setting of the tax rate by those that have very little control over how the money gets spent. Not smart.

If we (the citizens of Loudoun) want to really have an effect upon the spending in the county, what we will have to do is not just gripe at the BOS, but get actively involved in the process of the SB … with the real issues of how to tell our elected officials where they need to start saving money. It does NOT make sense to tell the BOS to stop raising taxes without telling the SB what they ought to be doing with the money, and how they should provide for the increased student population. The BOS has very little control over how the money is spent, and ultimately, it is the SB that controls the cost and quality of the education our children receive (at least those in public schools).

Want to control spending? Go to the place were the money is spent and start working at making the spending frugal.

While it is a little late now, it seem truly stupid the way we pay for schools … through bonds. That way we get to pay more than twice as much for building a school as what it costs on paper. What does a frugal person do to keep their spending down first? Pay cash for everything, and borrow only for those things that cost more than a years income. If I carried credit card debt, I’d never be able to live on my income. We no longer can afford to borrow money to pay for anything, and we better pay off the debts we owe if we really want to save money.

Glen Caroline Sets the Record Straight

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Much has been written and discussed these past several days regarding this weeks LCRC meeting. With that discussion, comes a fair amount of misinformation, spin and curiosity from those who were not there, as well as those who were there, yet lacking the required background information to put  the events of that meeting in the proper context.  My friend, colleague and current LCRC Chair Glen Caroline, having chaired this meeting, has authored the following fair and accurate summation of this event.

G.Stone

There has been much back and forth on numerous blogs concerning what I believe to be some unfortunate events that occurred at our Jan. 26 Loudoun County Republican Committee (LCRC) meeting.  As LCRC Chair, allow me to offer some thoughts.

First, keep in mind, the story line out of the Loudoun County Republican Committee is a strong one.  We thumped our opponents in last year’s elections, and swept every statewide race and House of Delegate race in, or encompassing parts of, Loudoun County.  Our Jan. 26 meeting started off where it should have—focusing on our successes and recognizing some truly outstanding volunteers for their efforts.  I thank all who were involved in our efforts last year and feel we are strongly positioned for future victory.

Unfortunately, some in attendance—some LCRC members, some non-members who held proxies, and even one who is seeking to succeed me as Chair—decided that, rather than helping to make a difference, they were going to try and make a point.  Though, for the life of me and scores of others in attendance, I do not know what that point was.

I commend Mark Sell and the others who took hours of their time a year ago to review proposed revisions to our LCRC Bylaws.  Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our Committee’s control (weather, lack of super-quorum), our best attempts to vote on these revisions in 2009 did not materialize.  I was very pleased walking into to our Jan. 26 meeting that we had sufficient attendance to finally vote on these revisions, and finish the hard work that Mark and the others on the sub-committee started.

When the time came to vote on these revisions, Mark Sell, offered an obscure motion to, rather than vote on the bylaws revisions he himself supported and help draft as a whole, vote on them section-by-section.  Why a supporter of the changes who was integral in drafting them would call for such a motion, only Mark Sell knows. Clearly his motion was going to cause what could and should have been a three minute procedure, to devolve into a 90 minute procedure, replete with parliamentary torture, unnecessary roll call votes, and at times, less than courteous behavior.

I offered Mark the chance to withdraw his motion because I thought it appropriate to afford him that opportunity.  He declined.  Others offered Mark the opportunity to explain what his concerns were that led him to offer his motion how to proceed.  He declined.  Similarly, at a later time, I as Chair ruled a motion out of order, and was subjected to boos and catcalls.  Those of you who know me know that I could not have cared less about such reactions, as my skin is very thick.   However, for the sake of fairness, hearing that a few attendees disagreed with my ruling, I invited a motion to over-rule the Chair.  The motion made and was voted down—as was virtually every other motion made by these same individuals, thus sustaining my original ruling by a majority of the body.

As we went through the bylaws, section-by-section, under the steady hand of our Parliamentarian  John Millhiser (who, earlier and prior to Mark’s motion being made, had informed the Committee of the proposed revisions to the bylaws and their effect), the maker of the motion, Mark Sell, never once participated in the debate; the very debate he asked for.  Numerous motions were made for division, requiring a count of the “yeas” and “nays” and on every occasion less one, I accommodated the request.  While every one of the revisions to the bylaws passed by majority vote, two failed because they failed to achieve the required super-majority.  Perhaps these two failed because some in attendance decided to leave once they began witnessing the time-consuming and arduous process that was afoot.  Could that have been part of the strategy?

Dimitri Kesari, who is not an LCRC member, but held a valid proxy, was the primary architect calling for the numerous division votes.  I have seen Dimitri at very few LCRC meetings, as again, he is not a current member.  Nonetheless, he apparently chose to attend this meeting, to call for vote by division on nearly every vote pertaining to revisions of the bylaws that govern a Committee that he is not a member of.

As I noted earlier, not only was Mark Sell part of the sub-committee that reviewed and approved the revisions to our bylaws, but exactly two weeks earlier at our LCRC Executive Committee meeting at the Rust Library in Leesburg, I mentioned to the ExCom and to Mark that we would be voting to review the bylaws and asked him directly, as a member of the subcommittee responsible for the revisions, if he himself had or knew of any potential concerns with the proposed revisions to the bylaws.  He answered he had not.  Similarly, at multiple times during the previous year when I was hopeful the LCRC would have the opportunity to vote on the revisions to the bylaws, I asked Mark in person at our mutual place of employment that, if he had concerns, knew of concerns, or wanted to discuss these or similar matters, to simply let me know, so we could chat and address them in advance.  He did not take me up on my offer.

As the LCRC Chair, above is the factual recount of what occurred at the Jan. 26 LCRC meeting with a bit of historical background.   All I ask of those who were in attendance, or are inquiring as to what happened, is that you look at the facts, and draw your own conclusions as our Committee moves forward.

The only reason I recount this is because I and others are receiving numerous queries, every day from many, many attendees, who are concerned and very frustrated over the manner in which Mark Sell, Suzanne Volpe, and Dimitri Kesari chose to proceed, and who don’t fully understand what happened.  The only reason I am specifically referencing certain names herein is because people are asking me who these individuals were.

As I have always tried to do in my near two years as LCRC Chair, my preference would have been not to have been forced to engage in this type of fruitless exercise and instead focus on areas of commonality and mutual goals.  I did not seek, nor did I relish the manner in which this debate was conducted, and feel it was handled fairly and openly.  For me and the LCRC, these issues are resolved and the matter is now closed, allowing us to continue our work moving forward to expand and grow our Republican base of support so we can continue to elect Republicans to office in Loudoun County.

I remain humbled and honored to be the LCRC Chair.
Glen Caroline

Another Increase For LCPS

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

The school board doesn’t get it. The BOS doesn’t get it. The liberal spend all citizens don’t get it. Everyone is so worried that our “schools” will be inferior to everyone elses schools so we must spend more and have all the new gadgets, new architecture, new buses, new this and new that. Bullshit!

To all of you lame ass empty headed people out there that subscribe to this tripe I’ll tell you what. If YOU want it then YOU pay for it. You need 3 things for a good education and take one away and you have nothing.

First you need a good teacher wanting..no..passionate about teaching.
Second you need nothing but the truth in subject matter.
Third, and most important, you need a WILLING and RECEPTIVE mind.

With those 3 things you could hold class in a barn, a hospital, an old football stadium or even out in the woods. It ain’t the building or the environment. And if you really want to learn or as parents have your kids educated well, you don’t worry about the transportation issue. Good golly, get a grip!

Think of it this way. Imagine being able to go to trade school FREE with the promise that you could get any job you wanted. No sports schlorships with a risky chance of making it to the big shows. A real career that would be both satisfying and rewarding. Wouldn’t you do whatever it took to make that happen? Then make it happen. We do need common laborers in this country and an education is not necessary. Cut funding, re-use existing buildings standing vacant, pay teachers who want to teach MORE and grade them yearly on their students achievements, and parents; teach your children responsibility. The real world is out there and if they don’t do it on their own, I sure as hell don’t want to do it for them!

End sermon.

LCPS Wants Another Costly Program

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Loudoun County Public Schools is asking the community to fill out a survey seeking input on a new academy program in 2011.  LCPS has desired an advanced technology academy for years now, but it continues to get pushed back in the Capital Improvement Program, mostly because of the huge price tag.  According to the CIP, the academy facility will cost a whopping $95.6 million to build and furnish, with the annual operating impact (operations, maintenance, and debt service) starting at $13.4 million in the first year.  Think your tax bills are high now?  

The Loudoun County fiscal picture is so dire that no new capital projects were appropriated in the FY 2010 budget.  Many new school projects had to be deferred.  The county is close to exceeding its debt cap (thanks in part to the $240 million being paid for its share of the Dulles Rail Project), which would push bond interest rates higher that would have to be paid for with a property tax hike. 

LCPS already faces enormous new expenses with the opening of Tuscarora and Woodgrove high schools in 2010, followed by HS-7 in 2012.  The total annual operating impact for Tuscarora alone, according to the FY 2008 CIP, is $33 million per year, which means these new schools will add another $100 million to the current budget. 

The Advanced Technology Academy is not a necessity because Loudoun students can attend a similar program at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County for a tuition that is about the same as what LCPS would spend to educate them here.  The academy is clearly a “want”, not a “need”.  There are many other higher priority projects waiting to be funded.  The county does not have the financial resources to fund an elite academy anytime in the foreseeable future.  It is fiscal insanity to even consider such a costly program. 

The survey on the LCPS web site is open to all county residents, whether you have school-age children or not.  All Loudouners are encouraged to voice their opinions, as any new program will have a significant impact on their already crushing tax burden.

Sterling Town Hall Meeting on Gang Violence

Monday, June 29th, 2009

 Delegate Tom Rust has arranged for a Town Hall Meeting to discuss Gang Violence in Sterling . Our local elected officials need to hear from all  of us concerned about conditions in our communities brought about by the presence of Gangs and those Illegal Migrants engaged in unlawful activities.

 Please make some time to attend this important event.

(Sterling, VA) — Delegate Tom Rust announced a Town Hall Meeting on Gang Violence to be held in Sterling.  Rust will be joined by Congressman Frank Wolf, Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York and Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio in discussing state, local and federal efforts to combat gang violence.

“After speaking with many residents of Sterling, it is clear that people would like more information about what steps have been taken to stop criminal gangs,” said Rust.  ”I hope this will serve as an opportunity for the public to find out more about the steps their government is taking to combat gang violence, and to give their representatives feedback.  I am especially appreciative of Congressman Wolf, Chairman York and Supervisor Delgaudio for participating in this meeting.”

WHO:    Congressman Frank Wolf, Delegate Tom Rust, Chairman Scott York, Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio
WHAT:   Sterling Town Hall Meeting on Gang Violence
WHEN:   Wednesday, July 1, 2009
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Park View High School Auditorium
400 W Laurel Avenue
Sterling, VA 20164

WHY:      Community Meeting

For more information, please call (703) 437-9400 or email trust@tomrust.org.

Loudoun Neighborhood Agreement In The Press

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

The LNA garners more attention in the local media this week – and we have had some very positive signs with new people signing on to the Agreement. Hopefully we will have the whole site translated into Spanish before long. I think this bipartisan effort could turn out to do some real good in eastern Loudoun.

Story in Leesburg Today/Ashburn Today.

Letter to the editor printed in Leesburg Today/Ashburn Today and also the Easterner.

Thanks to everyone who is getting involved. There is a time when it’s appropriate to leave the big picture aside and focus on what is happening around us everyday, since that is where we all live.

Neighborhood Listens Project Just Launched

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

The Loudoun Neighborhood Agreement is a new joint project with my friends Ben Kelahan and Ricardo Cabellos. Both have impressive resumes as advocates for causes such as day laborer centers in Virginia. As a general rule, this places them both at the “Redskin Fan” level of people I am inclined to associate with. However since Ricardo’s parents had the integrity to name him after our 37th President, Ricardo Nixon, I agreed to get involved.

All joshing aside, the project came about when Ben, Ricardo and I were talking and realized that despite being on the opposite side of some big issues – such as illegal immigration – we shared similar views on smaller issues such as how we want our families to feel safe at home. From that common ground, we were able to expand to larger areas of common ground until we believed we had a sphere of agreement worth serious consideration.

Long story short, we agreed on a lot, and that is the basis of the LNA.

If I had to explain it in a paragraph I would say: My greatest concern as an advocate of immigration enforcement is the effect illegal immigration has in my neighborhood. And the factors in my neighborhood that concern me are chiefly the people who break the rules and make things worse for everyone. Yes, I care about the macro picture, I care about what is happening to our schools and the whole illegal employment mess – but in the end it’s the neighborhood issues that energize me to go door to door. If a person or family happens to be here illegally, but plays by the same rules as I do – maintains their property ok, does not turn it into a boarding house or heavy construction equipment lot, are not doing anything criminal – I will not take time out of my life to give them trouble. If we agree on having a safe, clean neighborhood, I consider them compatriots. I also have a lot of sympathy for people who are not illegal in any sense, but by virtue of their ethnicity feel lumped in with troublemakers. One thing that gratified me about the group when I was involved with Help Save Loudoun was we never allowed our message to demonize anyone because of their ethnicity, but the nature of the beast is the entire illegal immigration debate made people from Spanish-speaking countries feel put on the defensive. That is a big problem because in my neighborhood there are plenty of people of different nationalities who have the exact same standards as I do. We who care about neighborhood standards are walking past an open window if we do not make an effort to find common ground with our neighbors of all ethnicities.

The core of the LNA project is improved communication within our neighborhoods. I think just about everyone who lives in eastern Loudoun will agree that there is a huge open window. When a family of a different ethnic background moves in, is there open communication? Is it possible that no one ever told the person who owns the house that subdividing rooms and renting floor space by the month would evoke scorn and investigations? Yeah, I fully realize we have some really bad actors who flagrantly disobey the law, but I also think some people don’t know any better. If we could ameliorate the problem among the latter group, then the former would be easier to identify and possibly the feckless Loudoun County Zoning Administration authorities would have a better chance to actually do their job, as result of a smaller investigation workload.

In any case, with better communication within our neighborhoods, more residents would know the rules and it would be much harder for the Zoning Administration to continue to allow people to break them.

There is continued need to watch the illegal migration phenomenon and oppose what it is doing to our country. I will continue to do so. But as evidenced by the lack of concern over the Obama administration’s insane budget plans, macroeconomic idiocy takes a LOOONG time to translate into anything the average American cares about. Thus, Duncan Hunter’s one percent of the vote in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries.

In the short term, at the micro level, there are things we can fix, and by dropping the “immigration” issue altogether the Loudoun Neighborhood Agreement shifts focus 180 degrees by asking the question: Immigration status aside, what sort of neighborhoods do we want to live in?

I think it is safe to say that plenty of us would be on the same page, and could accomplish good things, if we would just make the effort to talk to each other.

UPDATE: Linked by Living in LoCo - thanks, Erica!

Arrests Made In Landsdowne Murders

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

According to the Loudoun Independent, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has made arrests in the murder of a local couple which occurred several weeks ago. There will be a news conference today at 2:00 pm.

I will be out of the house for a while but if I hear anything I will send Twitter updates (bottom right hand column here).

UPDATE:

Loudoun Independent has the best local coverage today.

Here is the Channel 7 report.

Downside is now everyone knows about the other wife I’ve been keeping over in Lansdowne.

UPDATE II: NBC 4 coverage. Stone is a lot more lucid than I in this one.

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com/video.

Act Now for Lower Taxes

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

As usual, school employees and frightened parents were out in full force at the budget public hearings, demanding full funding of the school budget and adoption of the unprecedented $1.29 tax rate.  The disproportionate showing was to be expected considering the vast networking resources Ed Hatrick has at his disposal.  The newest LCPS resource is the Connect-Ed phone messaging system which is supposed to be used to communicate with parents about emergency situations, school events and important issues affecting their child.  If you have a child in LCPS, you received a message from the principal encouraging you to attend Hatrick’s dog and pony show at your local high school touting all the great programs in his budget that are absolutely necessary, but may be cut if funding is reduced.  You also received a message from Wade Byard, LCPS public information officer, about the budget public hearings.  It was a misuse of taxpayer money.

Where were the majority of taxpayers who want substantially lower taxes?  You know, the ones who voted down the meals tax by 70% of the vote (despite promises that the money would be spent directly on schools) and approved the school bond referenda by historically slim margins last November.  Did they think someone else would show up?

Even though the county has announced that homeowners will get an average 3.2% property tax reduction – not much considering the average residential assessment went down by 14.6% – at the $1.29 rate, a TAG (www.loudountaxpayer.com) analysis of the assessment data found that over 30,000 homeowners, or one third of the county, will actually pay higher taxes at that rate.  That is because the change in assessments from 2008 to 2009 varied so wildly from neighborhood to neighborhood across the county.  In general, higher value homes, such as single family detached homes, held their value better (in the opinion of the county assessor) than townhomes and condos.  Those who already pay the most will be paying an even greater share in 2009!  Is this the county’s version of spreading the wealth around?

The county budget is fat.  Spending is now $300 million higher than what was needed to keep pace with growth and inflation since the FY 2000 budget.  See the TAG website for details.  There is no reason to raise the $1.14 tax rate.  Let’s face it, if the board does not get spending under control during this economic downturn, they never will.  When the real estate market rebounds, the out-of-control spending will resume, and the average tax bill will soon be 5 figures.

The FY 2010 budget will be adopted in a few weeks.  Time is running out.  Taxpayers need to show strong support for a lower tax rate by emailing their supervisors (BOS@Loudoun.Gov) and attending the budget input session, hosted by Susan Buckley, at the Cascades Library this Saturday, March 7 at 9am.

Connecting the Dots: Budget Deficits, School Spending and the Quality of Life in Loudoun

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

Budget Deficits and School Spending

 Our county budget deficit although painful, does present us with an opportunity to correct the disproportionate distribution of funding among the various agencies that make up Loudoun County Government.

 Presently there exists a disparity in the allocation of tax revenue amongst the various county agencies that if left as is, will continue to negatively affect the overall quality of life in Loudoun County.

Over the last decade or more, Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) has grown beyond its mission. Years of saying yes to all of those things that would be nice to have, layered amongst those things that are critical, has resulted in a school system that is simply too expensive to maintain in its present configuration. The time has come for fiscal responsibility. Concerned taxpayers more interested in the realities of our budget than propaganda from entrenched interest groups must get involved.

Including its debt service, the School system is some where in the area of seventy five to seventy eight percent of the counties total yearly expenditures. Their FY 2010 proposed budget is over Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven Million Dollars. To put this in context relative to the total budget, all thirty three remaining agencies are expected to operate on a proposed budget of about Three Hundred and Seventy Million Dollars. Based on their own budget presentation, LCPS spends Seventy percent of all local tax dollars collected.  

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors asked all agencies to provide spending reductions of five, ten and fifteen percent within their perspective agencies. LCPS under the direction of Dr. Hatrick prepared those scenarios as requested and then submitted a fourth proposal to the Board for a Zero percent reduction. This proposal yielded Twelve Million Dollars in reduced costs, against the backdrop of a Two Hundred Million Dollar deficit. Classifying this as disproportionate would be an understatement. This is in no way shared sacrifice on the part of that agency that commands the largest share of the budget. Again, they are approximately three quarters of our budget yet are coming to the table with Twelve Million Dollars.

  Dr. Hatrick’s proposal is unrealistic in the current economic climate. The LCPS proposal compounds our problems onto the next budget cycle while at the same time placing enormous stress on the other agencies that make up our County Government.

     

Quality of Life in Loudoun County

 

 Many of us remember the deteriorating conditions in Sterling Park and surrounding communities in the eastern part of the county making the news last summer. Reports of shootings, rapes and gang violence were common in the press.  Zoning infractions were on the rise. Illegal Aliens migrating to the eastern part of our county from other jurisdictions placed an additional burden on those county agencies required to provide order. County agencies and elected officials alike were struggling to find answers to an avalanche of citizen’s complaints. The Board of Supervisors convened emergency meetings at Parkview High School in an attempt to address residents concerns. 

 Our Sheriffs and Zoning Departments lacking the required resources to effectively deal with these issues at the time are now asked to reduce their budgets in the face of the current deficit. These are not the agencies where reductions in spending need to take place.

The proposed budget allowing Loudoun County Public Schools to avoid proportionate shared sacrifice is wrong, fiscally irresponsible and greatly contributes to the further degradation of the quality of life in our county.

Contact by email, phone, letter and fax every member of this Board of Supervisors. This is the time to demand that Dr. Hatrick come to the table with real reductions. Not only is it time for LCPS to make honest contributions towards our deficit, but embark on a path of real reform creating a school system operating within the confines of a much changed fiscal landscape.

  

Common Sense

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

It appears that the Town of Herndon had 3 legislative initiatives presented to the state.  All 3 died a woeful death.  The town is actively trying to curtail the problems it has inherited and this is how they are being treated.  I’m sure with our biased legislature (too many RINO’s) until the next house cleaning election comes along, we will remain to bite the proverbial bullet. 

I like them all but think #3 really has great meaning.  I personally have been involved in 2 accidents with NO liscense and a suspended liscense.  This is about safety and is common sense but it appears we don’t want to infringe on a criminals’ right to bad behavior-least not before he/she kills someone!

HB 2153 -  BPOL tax; allows towns to levy on any person, firm, etc., in business of renting real property                                        
Died in the House Finance Committee

HB 2017 -  Transient occupancy tax; Fairfax County limitations                     
Defeated in the House

HB 2021 – Driving without license; motor vehicle impounded if previously convicted of certain offenses     
Died in a subcommittee of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee

You can read what the town is doing here.

This I found on page 4:

Steve DeBenedittis – in Herndon 700 offenders were caught driving without a license – a significant threat to public safety. One offender got ticketed, then got bonded and returned to get another ticket for driving without a license.

 This is just common sense, folks. 

Small Town Press

Monday, January 26th, 2009

I just received my recent edition of “The Independent” newspaper.  Front page was historical inaugeration, largest crowd, great things gonna happen, blah, blah, blah.  Now back when, there were 3 local papers; the Easterner, the Loudoun Times and the Loudoun Times-Mirror.  The Mirror costs to get and the other 2 were free (advertisers paid for).  The only one I read was the Easterner because it seemed to carry all the news that the others did AND it didn’t show a slant or bias.

The Easterner was sold and I was disheartened.  I didn’t know how I was going to obtain “accurate” news within the county.  Well, John Geddie wasn’t one to lay down and retire and he started another paper called the Independent.  I had my accurate and unbiased reporting back.  At least until John Geddie died.  That was a tragic loss.  I always liked the way John ran a paper and I was not unfamiliar with his political leanings….but he kept them OUT of the paper.  It took less than a month before his son showed his bias and I guess the edict at the paper is “liberalism and bias first-screw objectivity”!  Needless to say that it is another propaganda rag for the left and, again, there is no source for unbiased news in Loudoun.

There seems to be a trend in this county.  We are turning Democrat and everyone in any position of importance is helping to further the cause.  Heck, we have a nit-wit governor bouncing around the countryside trying to curry political favors and position from a rabid administration (he did get Chairman of the DNC) instead of taking care of the citizens of Virginia (other than blowing a BILLION dollar surplus almost before he moved into the governor’s mansion) and the “esteemed” of this county fall all over themselves giving accolades to this guy for doing……what?

The O-bummer bandwagon is in full stride and the last of the good papers has hitched their team to his wagons.  Wave of things to continually come.  I just wonder if this is the way it was originally intended to be or if Big John is rolling over in his grave.  The living will never know.

Heaven County And Its Residents

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

I spent 4 years and many road miles, some of them being quite enjoyable on the motorcycle, looking for my new-and last-home.  We rated property on a 5 star basis with 5 being the highest rating and we (the boss and I) are very detailed in our endeavors.  Heaven County, and specifically this property came in as the only strong 4.  The property is 80% of what was wanted and the county was 100%.  Much of this had to do with the people.

I have met many individuals on our frequented trips to the property from the sheriff and some deputies to restaurant employees to general store proprietors.  All have been very friendly and I, being the lovable individual that I am, had no problem bringing anyone into an immediate calm.  They like being at-ease as much as I do.  They are very cordial and considerate (much has to do with Christian behavior) but, make no mistake, they are very leary of outsiders.  With true Southerners, it takes time before people really cozy up to you where they don’t believe that you are on a con.  I like that.  I was brought up that way and it has failed me but a few times in my long life.  Hey, you can’t get them all right.  My neighbor, whose wife is the daughter of the original landowners of the time, is still “feeling” me out which he will probably do for quite some time.  That’s fine by me because when these people cozy up there isn’t anything they won’t do for you.  It is like becoming a family member.

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Heaven County And Immigration

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Now I am going to continue talking about work and jobs and show how immigrants fit in….or in this case, not.  In Heaven County there are a limited number of jobs and competition is equal to what the economy can handle.  People don’t like losing their jobs and most businesses, which are small in size, don’t hire more than they can handle through thick and thin.  Remember, these people aren’t trying to be rich but just to make ends me with a little extra.

Most of Heaven County consists of small shops and a ton of fast-food or family restaurants.  You have all the necessity businesses (laundry, plumbing, electrical, roofing, vet doctors, MD’s, etc.) just like you would anywhere else.  What you don’t have is a building boom.  Some of these jobs are well paying and some of these jobs are lower paying.  Thing is, the locals take these positions that we are told “up here” nobody wants to do.  Really?  I would suspect that I would run across some recent immigrants working, say, fast-food.  Nope.  Taxi’s?  Nope.  How about hotel staff?  Not there.  Trash pick-up then.  Try again.  Well then, ACTivist.  Where have you seen the immigrants in Heaven County?  I can honestly say I haven’t run across one yet.  Everyone speaks great English (southern, not Yankee) and seems to be a long term American.  I know they must be there somewhere because I have seen spanish signs in both the Home Depot and Sonic.  Nowhere else though.  Seems there just isn’t a need for immigrants to fill those “low paying/no one will do the work” jobs. Matter of fact, I can’t recall seeing them in the city when I go there and I have frequented quite a few places.

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Heaven County-Work And Taxes

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

Where was I?  Oh yeh.  I was talking about going down a slippery slope.  Now we sometimes heed a warning from someone or something that we can rely on.  In this sense we never have to “experience” what we were warned againest and will be better off for it (boy, my dad would be proud of me now.  Seems I paid attention sometimes but I have ingrained this wisdom into my children……yeh, right!).  Then there are those people (me included) that can be thick-headed, blow off the warning as crap, and run headlong into dilemma.  Now it all depends on whether you have jumped into the mire head first or feet first.  Heaveen County didn’t heed all the warnings and jumped in feet first.  They are now sliding the slope but working their way out before hitting bottom.  This is what they are doing:

Heaven County noticed that its little Sterling Park had grown teeth.  Builders and land aquirers were starting to run the show at county meetings and the county was facing the threat of lawsuits if these peoples’ demands were not met (sound familiar?).  When the county showed its underbelly and conceided to these “few” demands, those builders and land aquirers sprouted wings and the bloom was on.  The county, now feeling duped, and seeing the monster that was taking shape suddenly “grew some” (and you know what I’m talking about here).  They decided to show who was in charge and initiated changes.

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