The Richardson City Council recently voted to hold a bond election on May 8, 2010. The bond program proposed by the City contains $66 million of improvements across Richardson for street construction, parks and recreation facilities, municipal public buildings, and neighborhood vitality projects.
If approved, the bond program would have a great impact on our neighborhood. Specifically, this bond program would result in the following happening in Northrich:
- A neighborhood park,
- Several street reconstructions,
- Several alley reconstructions, and
- Improvements to many of the sidewalks in the portion of our neighborhood east of Custer.
As you can see, this bond program would have a great impact on the quality and vitality of the Northrich neighborhood and we urge everyone in our neighborhood to get out and vote on May 8! More information can be found here (including a map of proposed improvements):
City of Richardson 2010 Bon Election Details
You are correct; it will have a great impact on the quality and vitality of Northrich. It will worsen it by allowing the spending of taxpayer fund recklessly. But not because of the proposed park, that would be good. Rather than looking at what your neighborhood is getting, look at the bond package in total. Over $2.8 million for road on the UTD campus for students and faculty, not for Richardson resident. Financing $3.3 million in salaries are also included in the bond. How dumb is that? Close to $4 million for the Galatyn Overpass extension for the primary benefit of an investor in the mayors company. The list goes on. A new park in your neighborhood would be good for your neighborhood. A park size of only 1-2 with a cost of almost $800,000? Where will the land come from? Whose property will be condemned? We need to start spending more wisely, not the continuation of throwing good money down the tubes.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly disappointing when our Neighborhood Association gets used by politicians to push their agenda. If we vote for these bond issues, we will be voting ourselves more than a 10% tax increase for God knows how long. The RISD has a bond election in the pipeline. So does the County, so does the Hospital District, so does the College District. When the prices of labor and materials are declining, why are we being asked to pay more to maintain what we already have? Baiting our neighborhood into voting for more debt to do these park, alley, street and sidewalk projects is pitiful. We need to redirect focus from giving away money to developers, throwing parties, and growing government and start spending our money wisely. Otherwise we will get taxed to death. If you think we should pay more for the same bad fiscal planning, then vote for the tax increase. I won't be. This has to stop somewhere.
ReplyDeleteYou're serious! So, let me get this straight. If we don't approve of the $66 Million in bond initiatives and the wasteful government spending, we don't get the streets, alleys, and sidewalks maintained? Something is wrong with this picture.
ReplyDeleteNeighbors,
ReplyDeleteOffices will pay more taxes than houses or a park. To be sure the offices have great tenants, I have suggested that Custer Road be widened to match Custer Parkway to the North (4 lanes divided by landscaped median).
I have also asked that the entry signs say "North Richardson." The original name was given by the homebuilder in this area. When our home was christened "Northrich," the builder was renowned for its efficiency. Later on, the developer became infamous for shortcutting to increase profits.
And now our neighborhood and school are stuck with a disrespectful nickname. Northrich students are taught the importance of using proper names everday. Shouldn't the school and neighborhood follow the kids' example?
Folks, We live in North Richardson! Let's not give another 50 years of life to a mistake many have learned to love. Let the new tombstones show full respect for those who passed before.
David B. Street
Mr Street, I think that if you had lived here for as many years historically as you speak, your knowledge would be better. Northrich is not a disrespectful name and you do not really know the history behind it. That is victim talk and at the very least, inconsequential.
ReplyDeleteNorthrich students respect and disrespect what they are taught by the adults. If YOU disrespect the name, then so shall they.
If you are for this bond, then I would want to see the research you have put into learning about the process and validity of the data you have collected. If you have really done your homework, you might have a different answer.
If you want to widen Custer, whose property would you want to have taken away? What if your neighbor likes his home on Custer and does not want to have it taken away from him or her so you could have a wider street? What is your place to decide that for someone else.
Bonds are permanent tax increases. Have you ever heard of a taxing authority taking back a tax increase the citizens offered in a bond election?
More taxes are not going to increase the value of the neighborhood. The current economy is unstable and this is a bad time to enable a fiscally irresponsible council and staff by putting more monies in their hands to abuse.
Learn about the budget process and ordinances and make a few pointed public information requests and you will then be in the know as those before you have done. It is a disrespect to your neighbors to blindly lead with out knowledge!
What do you mean Northrich would get a neighborhood park?
ReplyDeleteDid you just write that "Offices pay more than houses or parks"? Man you really gotta do some studying on the tax base here. Ever heard of economic development agreements, or 380 grants, or tax abatements or TIF zones, or CMAQ matches, or defined benefit plans? All of these take tax monies out of your pockets and put it in the hands of others and then you get to look at the pretties that other people own and you get to look at and subsidize. And just how will the pretty offices have good tenants if you widen Custer?
ReplyDeleteChill Folks.
ReplyDeleteI just want a fair vote. I'm told the Neighborhood Association vote on the signage is all that matters to the Big Spending Council. And if you're not a member, you'll have to pay $15.00 to the Mayorhood Assn. to place your vote. Is that good enough for anyone?
I don't seriously expect to stop the bonds either, though that used to be what I really wanted. So, I watched as our money has been wasted in all the other neighborhoods. Shall we act like the Governor and be the only ones left out on principle?
In reality, taxes will have to go up to address problems in our aging City. Doing away with the Neighborhood Integrity Program will not be enough. And mere window dressing may not be as crazy or inconsequential as it first seems. But if that's the first form of significant reinvestment (as it is) bring it on and make it really great.
As for tax abatements on new offices, that property north of City Hall is extremely valuable now. No tax abatements should be needed. That's exactly the reason they will be granted, unless someone else steps up.
I've decided to just try and get as much of the wasted money as I can for our neighborhood.
As for the disrespectful name, I find that my beloved neighbors have adopted the degradation of it into their identities. So much so that they teach their children that a worn out nickname is good enough for their home.
Those who really love the cute, old name don't live here, like the Mayor. They like the feeling of superiority they find in using the word. I'll be. Northrich is just another, albeit less damaging, N-word.
Just Go Vote Somehow! And let me know if you ever hear anything about any of this from the School District.
David B. Street
Go check out this and tell me we need more bond monies in their pockets
ReplyDeletehttp://graphics.dc-tm.com/cmp1.pdf
http://graphics.dc-tm.com/cmp2.pdf
http://graphics.dc-tm.com/cmp3.pdf
VOTE NO for this bond. To vote for this and succumb to the inappropriate, illogical and immoral behaviors is beyond comprehension. Would you jump off the cliff just because the council and staff want to jump off a cliff?
You had someone fighting for your rights in the city. She won in court against them. See the opinion of the second highest court in the state:
http://graphics.dc-tm.com/hubertvrichardson.pdf
Talk to your own neighbor and you will learn the truth.
Good information go to www.CORupdates.com
ReplyDelete