Im a “tree hugger” so I agree one hundred percent with you.
I actually (as a preteem) went out and knocked down his company sign at his newly built shopping center he was trying to get tenants into once because he built his center on this creek I loved.
When growing up my mom who is half indian told me he was the devil’s son and tears up the land of my ancestors and I hated him even more and would tell him that he has no right to claim any land, the land was not to be owned.
I still kinda agree with that, but, you know, large populations need structure so I guess “buying and selling” land is necessary.
I still hate it though, this beautiful farm is being torn up thats been there years before I was born near my house and I got watery eyed about it and my dad didnt give a crap he just started talking about all the competition all the centers are going to have in the area bc of it and whatnot.
:'C
Im a “tree hugger” so I agree one hundred percent with you.
I actually (as a preteem) went out and knocked down his company sign at his newly built shopping center he was trying to get tenants into once because he built his center on this creek I loved.
When growing up my mom who is half indian told me he was the devil’s son and tears up the land of my ancestors and I hated him even more and would tell him that he has no right to claim any land, the land was not to be owned.
I still kinda agree with that, but, you know, large populations need structure so I guess “buying and selling” land is necessary.
I still hate it though, this beautiful farm is being torn up thats been there years before I was born near my house and I got watery eyed about it and my dad didnt give a crap he just started talking about all the competition all the centers are going to have in the area bc of it and whatnot.
:'C[/quote]
It is sad. What really bothers me is all the half empty strip malls around and they keep bribing the zoning boards to rezone areas to commercial so they can build more unneeded and soon to be abandoned strip malls.
I realize with a growing population we need to develop areas but I don’t like the way we are doing it.
While I don’t disagree there are bad decisions being made to suggest zoning boards are being bribed is just silly. I have worked for several local governments around the country and I have never seen this type of behavior.
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haha that’s funny.
as for abandoned strip malls those’re some of the best places to skate. especially if there’s recessed/ramped loading docks out back. absolut session heaven.
All the housing developments and condos that have gone up over the last few years so idiot speculators could flip them has been a much bigger problem than commercial developments. In many areas vacancies are now at all time highs.
While I don’t disagree there are bad decisions being made to suggest zoning boards are being bribed is just silly. I have worked for several local governments around the country and I have never seen this type of behavior.
haha that’s funny.
as for abandoned strip malls those’re some of the best places to skate. especially if there’s recessed/ramped loading docks out back. absolut session heaven.
Yeah and I fly a black helicopter too.[/quote]
call it whatever you want. i know a business owner who rolls right on through our fine zoning board beaurocracy. and btw his landscaping company does all of the board member’s houses.
i know the owner of a greasy spoon in my town that’s been in business 15 years without a hood over their stove. and btw the health inspector does his crossword puzzle there every morning over gratis pancakes and gets a piece each month from the all cash till.
it’s just business. perhaps that’s why you’re naive.
[quote]TheWookie wrote:
…
While I don’t disagree there are bad decisions being made to suggest zoning boards are being bribed is just silly. I have worked for several local governments around the country and I have never seen this type of behavior.
[/quote]
Sounds like you were not fortunate enough to get the bribes.
Whatever dude. I’m not saying ppl don’t vote for what they think is in their best interest or there aren’t crooked politicians, but to say bribe taking is common place is the naive point of view. I see corruption in many places in gov’t - I used to coordinate a multi-billion (yes, billion) dollar budget of Federal transportation funds - so trust me, I have seen corruption. However, it really isn’t as common as ppl seem to think.[/quote]
Come to Rhode Island and tell me that. Our former capitol city (Providence) mayor, Buddy Cianci, is currently serving time in Federal prison for conspiracy. He was initially indicted on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. 8 other people, including members of his staff, were also convicted. Our former Governer, Ed DiPrete also served time for racketeering, bribery, and extortion.
At least half the state (which isn’t much) is run by, or associated with, organized crime. I honestly can’t think of a single person I know in this state who doesn’t “know a guy” (or “has a friend who knows a guy”) for at least half a dozen different sticky situations (parking or speeding tickets, zoning, building permits/inspections, etc…). The funny part is, everybody knows it, it’s not really hidden, it’s just sort of accepted because things run better that way.
[quote]TheWookie wrote:
Zap Branigan wrote:
TheWookie wrote:
…
While I don’t disagree there are bad decisions being made to suggest zoning boards are being bribed is just silly. I have worked for several local governments around the country and I have never seen this type of behavior.
Sounds like you were not fortunate enough to get the bribes.
I’ve been offered playoff tickets, free meals, consulting contracts, jobs, etc. Haven’t taken them. Believe it or not there are more than a few ppl with ethics.
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The rumor mill has it that one of the members of our zoning board was offered a full ride scholarship for his kid to get a yes vote for rezoning.
He said no and the developer failed yet again. Each time they vote he gets further away from getting what he wants. It would have been a horrible thing. The roads could not handle it with no way of expanding the roads, a new treatment plant would have had to be built, new school etc.
Some developers are good and actually take these things into account.
Fine line between entertaining a client or potential client and expecting preferential treatment.
If I take a customer golfing, I enjoy it as much as he does, and I appreciate the 3 hr. opportunity to bond and pitch him on my company. If he asks me to take him golfing, at a resort, and he brings his wife, then I expect preferential treatment, all other things being equal. It’s a dilemna. If you don’t play you get shut our of a lot of contracts, especially if the procurement people have a hand out.
Much more common in the private side then in the government.
Back on point. I don’t care for whole foods. A little expensive for me. I like the farmers market. This spring we joined a local co-op. Falt rate and you get a bushel of veggies each week. I know the food is good and the price is better then what we would spend at a store.
Whatever dude. I’m not saying ppl don’t vote for what they think is in their best interest or there aren’t crooked politicians, but to say bribe taking is common place is the naive point of view. I see corruption in many places in gov’t - I used to coordinate a multi-billion (yes, billion) dollar budget of Federal transportation funds - so trust me, I have seen corruption. However, it really isn’t as common as ppl seem to think.[/quote]
naive ? no . i’m the one who sees it where i live. you’re the one walking through it unaware. and further, pretending it doesn’t exist and thrive and trying to convince others of this is more than a bit disingenous.
you are either ignorant or applying political english here. your “pooh-pooh” attitude and sweep it under the rug demeaner has me leaning toward political spin. and with the way you just dressed yourself up in multi-billion bling, i wouldn’t be surprised if you’re one of the worst offenders.
Whatever dude. I’m not saying ppl don’t vote for what they think is in their best interest or there aren’t crooked politicians, but to say bribe taking is common place is the naive point of view. I see corruption in many places in gov’t - I used to coordinate a multi-billion (yes, billion) dollar budget of Federal transportation funds - so trust me, I have seen corruption. However, it really isn’t as common as ppl seem to think.
naive ? no . i’m the one who sees it where i live. you’re the one walking through it unaware. and further, pretending it doesn’t exist and thrive and trying to convince others of this is more than a bit disingenous.
you are either ignorant or applying political english here. your “pooh-pooh” attitude and sweep it under the rug demeaner has me leaning toward political spin. and with the way you just dressed yourself up in multi-billion bling, i wouldn’t be surprised if you’re one of the worst offenders.
Nice. I generally avoid politics on this site and you just reminded me why. [/quote]
zap made a comment about a very real situation which you immediatley discounted as imaginary. doesn’t seem like you’re avoiding.
Whatever dude. I’m not saying ppl don’t vote for what they think is in their best interest or there aren’t crooked politicians, but to say bribe taking is common place is the naive point of view. I see corruption in many places in gov’t - I used to coordinate a multi-billion (yes, billion) dollar budget of Federal transportation funds - so trust me, I have seen corruption. However, it really isn’t as common as ppl seem to think.
naive ? no . i’m the one who sees it where i live. you’re the one walking through it unaware. and further, pretending it doesn’t exist and thrive and trying to convince others of this is more than a bit disingenous.
you are either ignorant or applying political english here. your “pooh-pooh” attitude and sweep it under the rug demeaner has me leaning toward political spin. and with the way you just dressed yourself up in multi-billion bling, i wouldn’t be surprised if you’re one of the worst offenders.
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You are the crookedest of the crooked. They are getting a nice room ready for you in Federal Pound Me in the Ass Jail.
I know Zap well enough to say he can defend himself. If he perceived my comments as being dismissive I would apologize to him. The only thing I discounted was the blanket generalizations that planning boards are on the take. I’ll have to re-read his follow-up, but I thought he said the bribe was not taken but rumored to have been offered. With respect to my mentioning the value of the program I coordinated, my only point was I have seen a lot of money funneled from the Feds to local govt, and corruption isn’t as prevalent as some people would believe. I’d put incompetence much higher on the rung as far as what problems we have in govt.
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ok.
it’s not about zap’s feelings. the point is your dismissal that bribery is a real and has real impact. you cannot dismiss that like it doesn’t exist. like it’s not a problem. like it doesn’t effect people.
you made some good points above. but you don’t need to discount the problem of bribery to make them. you can have both. because you haven’t seen it at a federal glass-house level doesn’t mean it’s not alive and with the local cucharachas. i agree incompetence is possibly a larger problem and allows bribery, in all of it’s forms, to happen.