Speakout: March 19, 2010

Union
I sure am getting sick of hearing city union reps crying about our mayor trying to save the taxpayers money. Most people are probably paying as much in taxes as their mortgage payment. I feel if private companies can take over in some areas of city work for cheaper and do as good a job, if not better, than so be it. Maybe we make it so they have to be Plattsburgh-based companies. Time to figure things out before new contracts are written. Let them strike, and we'll see how private companies can do. Who's running this city, the union or the mayor?

Waste
Recently a city crew was out front sweeping up leftovers from winter, dirt, pavement the plow pulled out, etc. They were the perfect example of a waste of taxpayer money. I could barely watch and not go out and tell them to get it in gear. Isn't there other things they could do? It's like picking up Christmas trees: if you can get one home, you can get rid of it. How about you bring your tree to one central location then the city gets rid of them. They're both just small examples of a much larger problem in the City of Plattsburgh.

Sitters
You know what the problem is with you working moms? You want kids, but you don't want to pay a baby-sitter, so you know what? Stay home with your kids. You deal with the diaper changing, the feeding, the potty training, the teething, the crankiness all day. You do it. You moms have it made sitting behind a desk. You try doing what we do all day. We day-care providers don't get paid enough to do your job. We can sit in our PJs all day if we want. We have no dress code; it don't mean we aren't doing our job.

Teamwork
This recession is hard on everyone. Some people more than others, granted, but it is hard on everyone. Taking pot shots at different groups doesn't help anyone. The thing that has helped the North Country down through the ages has been everyone helping everyone else. In other words, we succeed when others don't by working together. Not by jealousy. Not by this group shouldn't be complaining because and that group has it so much better than me, etc., but by pulling together. I'd like to see some articles about what people are doing to work together to help each other.

Recession
So what's everybody doing to make it through this recession? Going back to extended families? Switching to wood when the price of oil goes up? Shutting some rooms off and only heating some of them? Not buying new clothes? Mending old clothes? There have been articles about going to thrift stores and how well they're doing right now. Are you reducing, reusing and recycling some things that help you? Making your own holiday decorations for St. Pat's and Easter? Making some food from scratch that you used to buy elsewhere? What's everybody doing? Many of us would like to know.

Help
What can we all do to help each other make it through the recession? Have you asked yourself this? Have you done things to help people? I have had two friends hire me to work for them a little here and a little there. It may not seem like much, but it's a big help. People have passed on food and clothes they didn't need to me, and I've passed them on to others. I've loaned books out that deal with self-sufficiency, like making your own soap and so on. Maybe we can learn some new things to help others.

Show
So we are going to have a local presentation of the "Vagina Monologue." Why am I not surprised that Planned Parenthood plans to reap financial benefit from this public display?

NACS
NAC administrators claim there will be "no tax impact" from their proposed multi-million-dollar building project. That just isn't true. Even if this project doesn't increase your school tax bill this year, what about next year?

And what do you think will happen to your State tax bill? The money has to come from somewhere — there is no such thing as "free" money! Instead, let's ask the State to put more money into education, rather than pretty buildings! Get out and vote NO on this irresponsible project!!

Views
We are looking forward to seeing the new building that SUNY Plattsburgh is planning to put up next year on Cornelia Street at the corner of Draper Avenue. I'd like to ask the college to please remember its neighbors and the community when it's designed. In drawings, it appears that all the architectural features are on the campus side facing Hawkins Hall, and the sides facing the community along Cornelia Street and Draper Avenue resemble a plain wall. This seems backwards to me. Please be aware of the view coming down Cornelia Street and make it attractive, too. Thanks.

Spending
In a recent Press-Republican article on the NAC budget preparation, School Board members said that they are trying to keep spending costs down for next year. Then how do they justify cutting aid to student educational programs while they are at the same time asking the state to fund a huge multi-million-dollar building-renovation project? There is no "free" money. Of course, there will be a "tax impact" — state taxpayers will have to pay for this project; that's you and me! Let's ask the state to put money into educational programming, where it's needed, not into building renovations.

Project
After a little research on the NAC project, I found that NAC replaced the elementary building roof and heating system about eight years ago and the High School building roof and heating system about 15 years ago. Check it out!

Sewer
Could we take another look at why part of Tom Miller Road has public sewer and then it suddenly stops at Curtis Lumber? The people of this area have been petitioned and, many, if not most of us, have aging septic systems. Yet new areas are pursued, and heads are turned away when we ask for help in this matter. I'm looking forward to election day.

Professions
Let's get something straight, all professions are important and vital to the individuals doing them. There really is no need to harass one profession over another. If you are in the workforce doing a job and doing it to your best potential, then you are important. Let's leave the COs, teachers and whoever else has been in the barrel alone. You stand judgement about something you know nothing about. Shut up, do your job, and let others do theirs. If you don't have a job, just sit on your couch and continue collecting from the workforce — we're busy.

Extracurricular
After-school sports play an important role in the lives of many students, and they are a justifiable expense when budgets permit. The primary purpose of a school, however, is to provide education, not extracurricular activities. If local districts are considering cutting faculty positions without cutting sports programs first, then there is something very wrong with this picture.

Lights
Why is it that it is against the law for cars to have neon underbody lights on them or neon license plate holders? It is said that it is because the neon lights are a distraction to other drivers. Yet it is okay for State Police cars to have their very own multi-color light shows going on whenever they stop a vehicle. To me this is more of a distraction. It looks like whoever designed these police-car lights was thinking of going to a disco!

Parks
Let's do more than remember our state parks. Our state parks offer beautiful scenery and a sound track of wildlife that someday may be missing. It's a inexpensive day with friends and family to get out walking and exploring trails and historic landmarks. State parks offer a setting for hobbyists such as cycling, swimming, bird watching, fishing, running, ideal nature photos and painting. These parks were set up for our benefit, and now Paterson wants to remove what gives us a brief moment of relief from our hardship. What was one of the original ideas in having state parks?

Runners
Joggers and runners should be on sidewalks, not in the road, especially when it is dark out. Most don't wear reflective clothing so a car doesn't see them until they are right there. Someone is going to get hit. When cars are parked on narrow roads, moving motorists have to dodge in and out of them and also have to worry about people running out in front of them. Not all streets have sidewalks, but the city should be spending money to install them because this is a necessity!

Safety
Most college pedestrians have no regard for their safety or that of others. They know they have the right to walk in crosswalks as anyone does. Why is it that most don't even look in either direction when they cross? They don't look to see if there are any cars coming or how close the cars are before they cross. They just walk out right in front of cars. But if they get hit it would be the driver's fault. Rugar Street is a dangerous street for cars and pedestrians. It should be 20 mph the whole way.

Chairperson
So Rouses Point is looking for a chairperson for the July 4th parade. Today is March 8th, and the parade is less than 4 months away. Why are they only now looking for someone? It stands to reason that the planning should have started right after last year's parade. Did last year's chairperson back out at the last minute due to too many other irons in the fire?

Roads
I have a good idea: When the city workers are cleaning up the roads of winter's debris, how about if they have some tarmac with them and fill back in the potholes (they're sweeping out where the plow knocked the tarmac out to plow ¼ inch of snow). I like clear roads, but at what cost? Between the rust from the salt and the wear and tear from the holes, I'd rather drive in a little snow. If you want to revitalize downtown, fix those ski-slope roads there. Maybe I'll start going around with my video cam and document some of these things.

Band
In response to "Band": Perhaps you could say that if they had consistently had band lessons the last few years. That has not been the case. These students have been eager to learn and finally have a teacher who is there every day and excited about her job. Both the band and the teacher deserve congratulations on a concert well played. Hmm, did you ever wonder why band was really cut? I highly doubt it had anything to do with funding.

Bill
Bill Owens wants us to believe that jobs are his No. 1 priority. You were sworn in on a Friday and voted "yes" to the health-care reform bill on the Saturday. You must have been up all night reading all 2,000 pages of the bill. You did read the bill, Bill? Please tell me you read the bill, Bill! You have already sent out two surveys asking what our priorities are but no return envelope? Sounds like you're drinking the cool-aid, Bill. For what you are doing is not change; it's more of the shame.

Wages
Referencing Sunday's article about a union carpenter accepting unemployment instead of accepting a job at less than $23 per hour and demeaning those who may work for less. Sitting around "twiddling my thumbs" and receiving full unemployment allows the individual to admit "it sucks" for those who make minimum wage and therefore qualify for lower unemployment. What really "sucks" is that those minimum-wage earners must pay into a system to allow this person to have a paid vacation.

Unemployed
Kudos to the Press-Republican for putting a recent college graduate who is currently out of work on the front page. I have a college degree from Plattsburgh State, too, in economics/finance. I, too, have tens of thousands in student loans. I also have 15 years corporate experience and several years Fortune 500 experience, and I am underemployed. I moved back to Upstate New York after years in Connecticut to give my son a better life. Unfortunately it will probably be a life on welfare.

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