New Albany is a state of mind … but whose? Since 2004, we’ve been observing the contemporary scene in this slowly awakening old river town. If it’s true that a pre-digital stopped clock is right twice a day, when will New Albany learn to tell time?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Ennui, come by honestly.
I've spent the morning rummaging through guttural vicissitudes, seeking to faithfully reenact the lingering consequences of council meeting attendance. Thus far, I have failed.
I suppose that makes this an open call for candidates.
If any council member was not insulted by the presentation of the board member from Georgetown, they weren't listening. A thinly veiled threat of a business boycott. The threat of bankruptcy. If Georgetown is that close to bankruptcy, they just as well go ahead and file the papers.
What no one mentioned last night was that the New Albany portion of the "new" $100 sewer bill is approx. $35.00. Up from $15-20. It's not New Albany's fault that Georgetown's sewer bills are so high and their citizens are struggling to pay them. Let's talk a little reality here.
I also found it hypocritical of Mr. Bush and Mr. Freiberger to stand up there and say that they represented all of Floyd County and that New Albany should cooperate. Where was that cooperation when two institutions that border New Albany, requested to be annexed into New Albany? The County said no, even though the County can't stop it after one year. All the county did was delay the inevitable for one year and, remember, the annexation was requested!
I hear ya on some of the latter comments there Hoosier, but when the lady said she doesn't even flush after every use now, my whole emotions changed. I thought about using the headline, if it's yellow, let it mellow. I guess the bottom line is whether or not the increase is actually legal, and according at least to Gtown's counsel, it's not. Who knows?
Based on the report in The Tribune, you'd think there's only one side to the issue. I understand that no one spoke to explain the facts and the council punted.
I do hope The Tribune reports all aspects of the coming discussions. Today's story was a "he said" story, without the "she said" that helps a voter understand the issues.
I will say this. New Albany voters will remember how the council deals with this. Let's all go to the next Georgetown town council meeting and ask them to pay for our cops - we're paying for their sewers.
What was left unsaid is that GEORGETOWN decides what to charge its residents - whether they have a job, are rich or poor - Georgetown decides how much to pass on to the properties. If New Albany can pay higher taxes or do without services to subsidize sewers (including G'town's), why doesn't Georgetown use its EDIT allotment to subsidize those ratepayers?
And if they absolutely can't pay the proper sewer rates, the city can borrow the money to pay its bills, then pay it back when they are running their own sewer system.
I just don't understand why I have to pay their bills. Whatever the rate increase is, Georgetown can control how long they have to pay it. It's $300 a year, on average. Only G'town can say how many years they'll have to pay it.
Not only EDIT funds, what of the "opportunity" cost of NA not having a enough capacity for growth, in part due to Georgetown still being on the system? I'm not sure how to calculate that, but it is a cost. We don't want your money, Georgetown, we want you off our system as you agreed to do!!!
I'm not unmindful of the plight of the citizens of Georgetown. However, just as we in New Albany have to pay for the "sins" of our preceding officials(and some current ones), so must the residents of Georgetown pay for the sins of theirs.
And remember, the NA portion of the proposed bill for Georgetown is ONLY around $35. It seems like everyone wants to make out that the whole $100 figure goes to New Albany. It doesn't.
Whether it is legal or not, I'm not qualified to say. Those who are trying to make this a moral issue are on shaky ground, at best.
Did I read that Floyd County government has agreed to give Georgetown over $1,000,000.00 toward their new sewage plant? If that is correct, don't tell me the citizens of New Albany are not helping! New Albany residents pay county taxes, too.
Duhhhhhh!!
ReplyDeleteIf any council member was not insulted by the presentation of the board member from Georgetown, they weren't listening. A thinly veiled threat of a business boycott. The threat of bankruptcy. If Georgetown is that close to bankruptcy, they just as well go ahead and file the papers.
ReplyDeleteWhat no one mentioned last night was that the New Albany portion of the "new" $100 sewer bill is approx. $35.00. Up from $15-20. It's not New Albany's fault that Georgetown's sewer bills are so high and their citizens are struggling to pay them. Let's talk a little reality here.
I also found it hypocritical of Mr. Bush and Mr. Freiberger to stand up there and say that they represented all of Floyd County and that New Albany should cooperate. Where was that cooperation when two institutions that border New Albany, requested to be annexed into New Albany? The County said no, even though the County can't stop it after one year. All the county did was delay the inevitable for one year and, remember, the annexation was requested!
From what I've read and heard, it seems that New Albany is just enforcing the contract agreed to by Georgetown some years back, correct?
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on some of the latter comments there Hoosier, but when the lady said she doesn't even flush after every use now, my whole emotions changed. I thought about using the headline, if it's yellow, let it mellow.
ReplyDeleteI guess the bottom line is whether or not the increase is actually legal, and according at least to Gtown's counsel, it's not. Who knows?
What about the New Albany taxpayers who've been subsidizing Georgetown's sewer rate with their EDIT funds in recent years?
ReplyDeleteEvery time that lady flushes her toilet, a New Albanian loses money.
Based on the report in The Tribune, you'd think there's only one side to the issue. I understand that no one spoke to explain the facts and the council punted.
ReplyDeleteI do hope The Tribune reports all aspects of the coming discussions. Today's story was a "he said" story, without the "she said" that helps a voter understand the issues.
I will say this. New Albany voters will remember how the council deals with this. Let's all go to the next Georgetown town council meeting and ask them to pay for our cops - we're paying for their sewers.
What was left unsaid is that GEORGETOWN decides what to charge its residents - whether they have a job, are rich or poor - Georgetown decides how much to pass on to the properties. If New Albany can pay higher taxes or do without services to subsidize sewers (including G'town's), why doesn't Georgetown use its EDIT allotment to subsidize those ratepayers?
And if they absolutely can't pay the proper sewer rates, the city can borrow the money to pay its bills, then pay it back when they are running their own sewer system.
I just don't understand why I have to pay their bills. Whatever the rate increase is, Georgetown can control how long they have to pay it. It's $300 a year, on average. Only G'town can say how many years they'll have to pay it.
Not only EDIT funds, what of the "opportunity" cost of NA not having a enough capacity for growth, in part due to Georgetown still being on the system? I'm not sure how to calculate that, but it is a cost. We don't want your money, Georgetown, we want you off our system as you agreed to do!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not unmindful of the plight of the citizens of Georgetown. However, just as we in New Albany have to pay for the "sins" of our preceding officials(and some current ones), so must the residents of Georgetown pay for the sins of theirs.
And remember, the NA portion of the proposed bill for Georgetown is ONLY around $35. It seems like everyone wants to make out that the whole $100 figure goes to New Albany. It doesn't.
Whether it is legal or not, I'm not qualified to say. Those who are trying to make this a moral issue are on shaky ground, at best.
I almost forgot.
ReplyDeleteDid I read that Floyd County government has agreed to give Georgetown over $1,000,000.00 toward their new sewage plant? If that is correct, don't tell me the citizens of New Albany are not helping! New Albany residents pay county taxes, too.