Features

__________________________________________________________________

TheSomervilleNews.com Comments of the Week – 2/1

Response to A deal we can live with

Me says:

Way to stand up for your constituents, and shoot high with ‘something you can live with’
Politicians, striving for excellence :/

Ward7Somervile says:

IMO, getting a deal that the constituents (both the firefighters and the other non-firefighter taxpayers) can live with was the best possible outcome unless you were just hoping that the mayor could magically lay a golden egg or wanted him to ignore the arbitration decision.

nicks says:

Not only is Somerville the most densely populated city, it is made up mainly of old, wood frame buildings, that due to its’ small geographic size are located very close to one another. One large fire without enough manpower to battle it could be devastating.

__________________________________________________________________

TheSomervilleNews.com polls of the week – 2/1

Last week’s polls concerned your views on whether or not you think is the most cost-effective option is to pay the $10M to repair Somerville High School or to build a new high school and whether or not you support a proposed bill that would require local city and town assessors be state-certified or state-licensed.

__________________________________________________________________

TheSomervilleNews.com Comments of the Week – 1/25

Response to City plans face-lift for Foss Park

Lance C says:

This is long overdue. Also maybe we can have another pedestrian overhead walkway added. This park has been an eyesore for years. The Som Y has been a longtime fixture in the city and a private-public partnership would assure the property was properly maintained.

Winter Hill Barney says:

I’m not sure a new fitness facility is something that the city should be spending money on at all, frankly. There are several decent private options, plus the facilities available to students at the public schools.
But it there is a groundswell of support for a new building, PLEASE at least don’t build it in Foss Park. It IS the largest open public space in the city? Why make it smaller? Move it up the hill a bit, along Broadway.

Libertarian says:

Want to make Foss Park safer and more attractive? Get MS-13 out of east somerville. Spending more money on a public property without fixing the root cause of its ruin is a sure-fire way to destruction.
Look up Pruitt-Igoe on wikipedia/google. There are many lessons to learn from this and other public properties that have had considerable funding put in place to provide a nicer place for people to ruin.

daphne c says:

When the city took over vets skating rink, they took away public skating hours during non school hours. When the city took over dilboy, they began charging for use of the pool. I used to be in favor of local control, but it hasn’t really enhanced the life of our citizens, from what I’ve seen.

__________________________________________________________________

TheSomervilleNews.com poll of the week – 1/25

Last week’s poll concerned your views on whether or not you support the idea of having a YMCA built at Foss Park.

__________________________________________________________________

TheSomervilleNews.com Comments of the Week – 1/18

Response to Winter commences

Ward7Somervile says:

It would nice if the city would write a few (hundred) more snow removal tickets.

EnforceSnowRemoval says:

I second Ward7Somerville’s opinion. The city needs to step up the enforcement. Not only do they need to issue more tickets, but make them much more expensive. The fine is only $25!! For the lazy homeowners and landlords (which there seem to be many), paying a $25 fine is better than removing it themselves and cheaper than paying someone to do it themselves. The fine needs to be much more expensive than the price of snow removal. I’d say start it $150 per event at least!

Rex Ryan says:

You people are calling for the city to write even more fees/fines and tickets?!?! What is wrong with you? That’s all this city does now is ticket/fine and increase property taxes. I always wondered how we could have the mayor, representatives, governor and president that we have – now I know why. A lot of the voters in this city must have munched on a lot lead paint as kids. More fees/tickets?!?!? Unreal.
We haven’t had any snow – we may not get any this winter. And if it does snow why should I shovel my sidewalk? I don’t own it. The city does. If I want to take preventative measures on the sidewalk and lay down my own ice/snow melting concrete system – do ya think the city will let me? No. They won’t because it’s not my sidewalk. It’s their sidewalk. We pay property taxes and all sorts of ham-fisted other taxes disguised as fees for the city to provide services – let them invest in a sidewalk plow and do those as well.
And Bus stops? I’m not clearing any bus stops – the T is supposed to clear the bus stops. What do we pay fares for as it certainly is not for good service.
What does the city and the T have in common? Bloated unions and lousy service… and increasing fees.

__________________________________________________________________

TheSomervilleNews.com polls of the week – 1/18

Last week’s poll concerned your views on whether or not you are in favor of having a question on the November 2012 Ballot that would require teachers’ effectiveness rather than seniority, be the prime consideration in the hiring and firing process.