October 02, 2009

D4 Debate

Today on the Gary Rosen Radio Show between 11 and noon 830 AM on your radio dial and on the net. I am calling in to ask Councilor Haller and her opponent, Grace Ross, how they feel about the Philadelphia Plan?

FLASH FORWARD

The questions was asked by Gary.

Barbara responded by saying that it only applied to existing businesses. Our fault, we need to do a better job explaining the concept. Although it would be apply to existing businesses, it is not limited to them. The hope is not only to we encourage current businesses to expand but that we attract new businesses. Barbara, however, quickly followed up and said she would vote lowest residential and would not shift any of the tax burden on the backs of the residents.

Grace seemed to like the idea, although she needed to know morebut she also said that we need to really look at the whole tax system and did not commit to the lowest residential tax rate at this time.

7 comments:

chris said...

Thanks for the summary Bill. Wasn't able to listen (internet radio blocked at work). I like Haller, she seems to really want the best for the city, but we need people in office who will work to lower taxes for all. The lowest residential rate is not working for residents. The only way to lower residents taxes is to increase the tax base and 15% business tax base is just scary. What are Haller's plans to address this?

Bill Randell said...

It has just become the knee jerk reaction for all local politicians that you need to say "lowest residential tax rate" in order to get elected.

Anonymous said...

It is sad that someone in D4 will face D-feat in November...

Harry T
Worcester,MA

Jahn said...

Will our Chamber of Commerce be headed over to Copenhagen in 2013 to lobby for the Olympics at the newly created Olympics Vilaage high atop Airport Hill?

Can you Bobsled, ski, and pole vault if there's a fog cover?

JSF said...

Someone really needs to come up with a "Jobs for Worcester" program that includes a "balanced tax rate".

Does anyone know what the unemployment rate in Worcester is?

Jahn said...

I just listening to Kate Toomey on Blute right now.

Says we have to grow revenue by bringing more bizz into the city........HUH????? "Mrs. Lowest Residentail Tax Rate"........the lack of logic never fails to amaze me.

Says absentee "Out of town Landlords" have to be targeted (paraphrasing here). BIll do you feel a target on your back? Then just drops the subject. What about out of town absentee landlords..???..how about In town absentee LL's. And oooh.....how about all of her teacher pals who teach in Worc school and either live out of town and/or send their kids to St Jonhs or St Peter/marain.

It never ceases to amaze me how some of you guys who I consider to be reasonably intelligent folks even lend an ear to the charade of the incumbents. How many times are you going to listen to campaign blabber before you realize it's all a crock of bovine fecal matter and a waste of time?

Now I hear tehre's going to be a debate tonight or something like that over at teh old Worc center Mall.......did I hear that right.........??????........tlak about symbolism..........a Worc political debate in a structure that signifies all of what's wrong with Worc. Time to raze a few current city councilors.

This Is why i say you guys are are naive when you even botehr to invite most all of our current crop of city councilors to a debate OR TALk/up OR forum or whatever. THE PROBLEM IS THE INCUMBENTS IN MOST CASES.
I am headed over to WRKO now i cannot take thsi baloney any longer

Jahn said...

If these firefighters can take a 20+ ton truck to Dunky or to Auto Zone or to Quizno's than why cant they take it out and patch sidewalks/streets ....repair pools.........keep downtown clean......etc.

Rather than having 2 trucks parked in Park ave station why not have one up in the elm park area and one down in the webster Sq area........doing city work...it spreads out the trucks out in the hoods wehere they are needed......plus it always nice to have public safety guys out on the street..........kind alike police details .the bad guys aint going to be kicking in any doors when the boys in blue are nearby......right?????



BTW, i saw a city patching crew last week in what is a bad intersection with no police detail or even a flagman............very dangerous situation with traffic trying to negoiate traffic lights ,oterh vehicles and city equipmen tand men in the street.

If it was private crew, there would have been 2 detail cops. This makes no sense to me. Great way to generate more Injured on Duty cases or even more tragic a lawssuit brought by the widow of a city worked who gets mowed down while on patching duty...........the argument being the city failed to provide minumum needed safety on the job site.