No Surprise Here

Journal story concerning the paving of the roads. Suggested by council are income tax increases, charging residents for street lighting and a bond vote. All will increase the costs for residents of this city. What else is new as to revenue generation from council? None of the members are capable of thinking outside the "tax the people" box to gain additional revenue. Current council is no different nor any more ingenious than past councils. Seems the criteria for thinking as a council member is to suggest nothing other than raising taxes on the people here.

How long have we been talking about replacing dissolved companies and replacing them with new job/revenue opportunities? Decades. As a matter of fact, since the 70's when we started to lose the paper mills and AK started the downsizing. I saw it happen. You saw it happen and the inept city leaders saw it happen, yet, here we are, in 2020, with no importance placed on serious job creation. Nothing but business as usual which is highlighted by sitting on their rear ends behind the council desk and putting in their time as council members, accomplishing nothing in their term. We elect lazy, do nothing, worthless council people to hold office to sit on their hands and always think inside the box in a nice safe manner. This thinking leads to what we have today. A stagnant city going nowhere which has been the case since the 70's. A few minor accomplishments in decades does not translate into progressive success. This is why the surrounding communities have left Middletown far behind.

It is a shame we can't field some viable candidates who would be willing to crack the mold and mimic surrounding successful cities in order to rebuild this town from decades of decay, complacency and absolute indifference toward making this a more vibrant city. Until we do, we will get nothing for our votes. People like the Mulligans act the part but have merely provided lip service and occupied a council seat with nothing to show for it. We citizens accepted Larry Mulligan's city mantra/MMF spewing nonsense while actually doing nothing for the city for 12 years before we got smart and threw him out. The new breed council people like Vitori and Nenni seem to be more interested in using their council seats to improve the downtown area and to hell with the rest of the city. Tunnel vision thinking from both of them. I see no value added senario from their council occupancy. Condrey seems to have the right ideas at times. Seems to indicate a dissenting voice for the people once in a while. Of course, council members like Joe Mulligan object as it goes against traditional thinking and failed results. No better than Larry was. As a matter of fact, we get nothing from Joe, just like before, but the voters actually elected him again! Incredible. The man is a tree stump as to ideas or viable suggestions.

They have talked about raising your taxes before to fund street repairs. It is the only game in town for them. They are not capable of thinking beyond raising your taxes. They are not smart people. If they were, they would have been working on advertising to the private and public sectors, that there were opportunities in Middletown decades ago and set up business initiatives on a pro-rated scale to help startups to become successful. They would have provided land options for building new company occupancy. They would have been working toward making this town more inviting as to appearance. The investors they have attracted, have all been failed business people who have not honored the contracts or been able to obtain funding. The city has a history of dealing with false actors who pose as business people with funding. This city attracts people like the person who bought the old library on First Ave. Have you seen any progress since the purchase? I have read about grand ideas of a coffee house and a business meeting destination but has anything materialized other than talk? And how long ago did this guy purchase the library and the story in the Journal published? How about the old Grau experience with the Manchester? Nothing for decades on that building and not a buyer in sight. Nothing but talk. Nothing but empty buildings and stagnation from past and current councils on building this city. Is it any wonder people who live here don't care about their city anymore? Sad to see from a person who has been here since 1948.

And, once again, we have mentioned in the Journal that council is considering a 0.25% addition to the city income tax for road repair. Didn't we discuss, years ago, the city promise to improve the roads with the last city tax increase of 0.25% back in 2012 I believe? Heck, that was the game played back in the 90's with Gilleland at the Road Repair Committee meetings on the fourth floor of the city building. Still have meeting notes and pass outs from that debacle. In 2020, do we have any more confidence that the city will actually repair the roads with this new attempt to tax you? City leaders continue to play the game of promising more lane mile improvement, after jacking the taxes up on the people, but, in your honest opinion, have they done so? Have you gotten what you expected for your tax money?

This latest addition to your city taxes will take the level to 2.00%. Don't be surprised if they attempt to throw in the street lighting charge to the citizens in the mix at the same time.

They only know one revenue generator and that is your wallet. No mention of ramping up economic development in decades other than idle talk with no real diverse job opportunities so the people can absorb their assault on your finances. After all, raising taxes and letting you pay the bill is much easier than the over bearing burden of seeking out potential employers to locate to town. Companies have the money, not the people. They haven't learned that. Apparently, that is too much to ask from our city government and has been for decades. Fairly worthless public servants IMO. They need to stick to the public sector where they can hide and under perform while not having to rely on merit performances to retain their jobs as does occur in the private sector.

If this community weren't so apathetic, it would be outraged at their city government. Such a shame.