Collect the taxes
If Methuen is so hard off financially, why aren't the mayor and city tax collector aggressively going after residents who are now and have been delinquent in paying property taxes, whether it's residential or commercial? The same goes for people who are delinquent in their water and sewer bills. You can't tell me that in a city with more than 44,000 people, everyone is paying their property taxes and water bills on time!
Standardize penalties
I dislike reading the wide range of possible penalties for specific criminal charges. For example: $2,000 to $500,000 and two to eight years in prison for charges such as menacing assault, also identified as a misdemeanor, and criminal mischief. Charges that will most likely end up in probation or slap-on-the-hand verdict, depending on whether you are Mr. Doe or Mr. Warbucks. Penalties for criminal charges must be standardized and enforced to ensure justice for all.
Happy New Year
We want to wish one and all a Happy New Year and hopefully a better next than past.
The real enemy
According to news media, it took the White House six days to respond to the riots in Tehran and four days to respond to the attempted Christmas airline bombing. But it only took the Obama administration a few hours to respond to the latest criticism by Dick Cheney. You wonder what the administration perceives as the greater threat to our country — terrorists or Cheney?
Health reform dead
Thanks to the Republicans working on behalf of the big-money insurance and drug companies and abetted by the spineless Democrats, health care reform is dead in this country once again. The gutted bill we got in a futile attempt to appease opponents is basically the status quo with a few tiny improvements around the edges. Only now, our broken privatized "system" is official policy. All you people who wrote in opposing reform better hope you don't lose your job or get sick.
Who's in control
I think this extreme cold over the entire world is God's way of showing the environmentalists who's in control. They are absolutely nuts and those who follow them are crazier.
Parking ban
Now that the City of Lawrence has a new mayor and some new members of the City Council the time has come to change the winter parking ban from alternate side parking to a total off-street parking ban from Dec. 1 through March 31. This move would save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars as they would be able to plow the streets (both sides) in one night and not have to return a second night to do the other side. It works now in Methuen and it used to work in Lawrence until it was changed.
Held accountable
Well it was refreshing to see the judge not buy the garbage state Sen. Galluccio was trying to sell him regarding his toothpaste being the reason he flunked several breathalyzer tests while under house arrest. The judge quickly revoked his one-year suspended sentence and sent him directly to the House of Correction where he belongs. I and others, mainly normal working stiffs, have been sentenced for DUIs not half as bad as his where there was personal injury to others. I applaud the judge and hope others will follow suit. Politicians need to be held equally accountable as us laymen.
Station decoration
It was nice to see the paintings and murals on the various fire stations around the area. Especially Lawrence. It make us feel good about the fire departments — that is, all except Haverhill. Maybe Haverhill needs time and a half to decorate?
