The preliminary estimate for only a portion of the Shuffle is now up to $7.2 million. The $7.2 million includes $2.4 million for the BoE relocation and $4.8 million for the renovation of Town Hall.
This is far in excess of estimates Campbell provided in October of last year. Minutes of the RTM Finance and Budget Committee show Campbell stating "A study was conducted to determine the space requirements for the BOE and budget estimates were prepared by APC (A. Pappajohn Company) indicating that the cost to move the BOE to 35 Leroy would cost $1,598,801 and the cost to move the senior ctr. to Town Hall would cost $1,833,795."
The $7.2 million (and rising) price tag does not include demolition costs of the current Senior Center, nor the foregone costs of 35 Leroy, nor possible changes required by the Board of Ed because Superintendent Falcone needs at least 82 more square feet for his office.
All in, this looks like at least a $10 million project. Even the most ardent supporters of this project estimates about 400 members of the Senior Center. We doubt more than 100 come to the Center on any one day.
Why Campbell, Stevenson and Nielsen keep pushing this project is a mystery to us. It has disaster written all over it.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Why Did Himes Vote Against HR 2587?
HR 2587 is a bill that, "blocks the federal government's National Labor Relations Board from telling businesses where they can and can’t create new jobs." The bill came about since the NLRB is trying to block Boeing from building its new Dreamliner in non-unionized South Carolina. Presumably, the NLRB prefers Boeing build the plane in unionized Washington. The NLRB claims Boeing is illegally "retaliating" against the unions for striking, while Boeing claims no employee in Washington is losing his/her job, no employee is getting a pay cut, so there is no harm, hence, no retaliation. Boeing has admitted, one of the reasons for locating the new production facility in South Carolina was to mitigate the risk of production disruptions caused by strikes.
It seems rather simple to us. Boeing has the right to locate a plant where it desires and the NLRB's action has a chilling impact on Boeing, and all investors looking to build or expand production facilities in the US. Interestingly, if Boeing built the facility overseas the NLRB would have no jurisdiction. So in a perverse way, the NLRB is encouraging companies to move production out of the US.
HR2587 came up for vote on September 15, and Representative Himes voted against the bill.
We have not heard any explanation from Mr. Himes for his rationale. In fact we've heard very little from Mr. Himes for the past 30 days, other than a couple of recent suggestions on how we could get more from the Federal Government and how his office was ready to assist us in that endeavor.
We had relatively high hopes for Mr. Himes upon election. He seemed like a smart, moderate Democrat. Instead, like the President, he has shown himself to be a radical, implementing policies that make our economic situation worse.
It seems rather simple to us. Boeing has the right to locate a plant where it desires and the NLRB's action has a chilling impact on Boeing, and all investors looking to build or expand production facilities in the US. Interestingly, if Boeing built the facility overseas the NLRB would have no jurisdiction. So in a perverse way, the NLRB is encouraging companies to move production out of the US.
HR2587 came up for vote on September 15, and Representative Himes voted against the bill.
We have not heard any explanation from Mr. Himes for his rationale. In fact we've heard very little from Mr. Himes for the past 30 days, other than a couple of recent suggestions on how we could get more from the Federal Government and how his office was ready to assist us in that endeavor.
We had relatively high hopes for Mr. Himes upon election. He seemed like a smart, moderate Democrat. Instead, like the President, he has shown himself to be a radical, implementing policies that make our economic situation worse.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Plastic Ban Cowards
We're not sure which is worse. Bayne and Sullivan who actually support the plastic bag ban. Or Campbell and Stevenson who DON'T support it, yet voted in favor of sending this mis-guided ban to the RTM.
Maybe the winner is the Orwellian named Choose to Reuse, a vocal minority imposing their wishes on the majority by simple force of obnoxiousness.
Will paper bags be banned next? After all, according to Choose to Reuse, "Paper bags generate 70% more air and water pollutants than plastic bags." and they ask, "Paper or Plastic? Neither!" What next will Choose to Reuse force upon us. May we suggest a new name? Choose to Reuse, or Else.!
Congratulations to Jerry Nielsen. You really should speak up more. Maybe with DC gone as First Selectman, you will.
Maybe the winner is the Orwellian named Choose to Reuse, a vocal minority imposing their wishes on the majority by simple force of obnoxiousness.
Will paper bags be banned next? After all, according to Choose to Reuse, "Paper bags generate 70% more air and water pollutants than plastic bags." and they ask, "Paper or Plastic? Neither!" What next will Choose to Reuse force upon us. May we suggest a new name? Choose to Reuse, or Else.!
Congratulations to Jerry Nielsen. You really should speak up more. Maybe with DC gone as First Selectman, you will.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Dying Post Office
It seems to us the only possible salvation for the Post Office is privatization.
The NY Times reports this morning the Post Office is on the verge of shutting down due to lack of cash required for a $5.5 billion payment, due September 30, to fund future health care expenditures for retirees. In addition, in 2011 USPS is expected to lose over $9 billion, which would bring the five year losses to over $25 billion.
Conventional wisdom blames the Internet and email for the Post Office woes. Others blame unions and the high labor costs of the Post office, particularly relative to FedEx and UPS.
A recent article in the CT Post shows how Congress is also to blame.
The Post Office is attempting to close down two postal stations in Bridgeport. In fact, the Post Office wanted to shut both of these offices down two years ago. To the rescue is Jim Himes, pressuring the USPS to keep both open. Nothing unusual in this; most Congressman engage in this behavior. But when an organization can not respond to changes in the market, by adjusting its costs and product offering, it is almost certainly doomed. The only hope is extracting the Post Office from the grips of Congressional micro-management.
The Post Office doesn't have to die at the hands of email. UPS and FedEx both have thriving businesses, despite the growth of the Internet. The Post Office could as well, if the government would get out of the mail delivery business.
The NY Times reports this morning the Post Office is on the verge of shutting down due to lack of cash required for a $5.5 billion payment, due September 30, to fund future health care expenditures for retirees. In addition, in 2011 USPS is expected to lose over $9 billion, which would bring the five year losses to over $25 billion.
Conventional wisdom blames the Internet and email for the Post Office woes. Others blame unions and the high labor costs of the Post office, particularly relative to FedEx and UPS.
A recent article in the CT Post shows how Congress is also to blame.
The Post Office is attempting to close down two postal stations in Bridgeport. In fact, the Post Office wanted to shut both of these offices down two years ago. To the rescue is Jim Himes, pressuring the USPS to keep both open. Nothing unusual in this; most Congressman engage in this behavior. But when an organization can not respond to changes in the market, by adjusting its costs and product offering, it is almost certainly doomed. The only hope is extracting the Post Office from the grips of Congressional micro-management.
The Post Office doesn't have to die at the hands of email. UPS and FedEx both have thriving businesses, despite the growth of the Internet. The Post Office could as well, if the government would get out of the mail delivery business.
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