Lawrence taxes
The Lawrence city council approved the tax rate for the city on December 3rd. The increase of 2.5% had been approved in June but the specific amount that property owners and businesses would pay was yet to be decided. This is the way it is customarily done prior to entering the new year.
The amount equivalent to the 2.5% increase is divided into two rates. For property owners the rate increased from $15.03 per thousand to $15.61. For Business/Industry/Personal Property the tax rate went from $33.62 per thousand to $33.70. Remember that this is not the sale value of your property but the assessed value by the city. Look at your tax bill and multiply that rate for each $1,000.
The good news is that property values in Lawrence are increasing. Only condominiums continue to lose value.
The tax rate vote passed 6 to 2. Voting NO for this rate were Marc Laplante and Sandy Almonte. Roger Twomey was absent.
La Mega
I am beginning to think it’s a boycott from someone at La Mega radio station because it goes off the air too often – when I’m there. I am a regular on Mondays with Carmen Chalas of “Micrófono Abierto” (Open Mic) and sometimes audience members call the studio line to advice us that the station is off the air for several minutes at a time.
Last Monday, as soon as the show started, the calls began pouring in and did not go back on the air until 11 o’clock, just when she ended her time slot. Coincidence?
The end result is that I wasted my time going there; Carmen continued to play her sponsors’ commercials in case it was suddenly restored and she still has to pay for that hour. If it was purposely done, it was very disrespectful to the audience.
Guaranteed Mayoral Seat?
During a recent conversation with Ronald Martin, we analyzed the possibilities of members of the Lawrence City Council becoming mayors of the city. Ronnie is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to Lawrence history!
He went down the list since the City Charter was changed and it became obvious that being a city councilor doesn’t necessarily open the door to the mayor’s office. Dan Rivera is the third one to succeed at that promotion; only the Sullivan brothers had done it. Kevin was an alderman under the old system of government when he was elected and his brother Michael more recently. In between we had Mary Claire Kennedy, Patricia Dowling and William Lantigua who made a name for themselves in other areas dealing with the public.
We thought this list is complete but if anyone believes we missed a mayoral candidate, who had been a city councilor, please let me know. Through the years: David Abdoo, Nilka Alvarez, Israel Reyes, Nunzio DiMarca, Marcos Devers, Julia Silverio, Dan Halloran, Joseph Quartarone, Jose Santiago, Richard Lawrence, Richard Consoli, Lenny Degnan, Carlos Matos, and Patrick Blanchette tried it.
Perhaps being a city councilor is a detriment because citizens have had the opportunity to know how they think and their priorities.
Manners, manners, manners…
Last week, we attended the Christmas Party sponsored by the radio program “Así Canta Puerto Rico” on WCCM 1110 AM on Sunday mornings. It was held at the Relief’s In, Lawrence and it was full to capacity with an estimated 400 friends. The food was plentiful and great!
It was a fun night among friends looking forward to the highlight of the evening: Puerto Rican Pianist Luis Manuel Tirado. What a delightful concert he gave us!
But it wasn’t so pleasant listening to him over the chatter of the audience. There was a moment in which he said that it is difficult playing the piano while people are talking. None of them listened!
Next to our table was a woman following the rhythm of the music by bouncing her extended belly. She would also whistled loudly each time someone’s name was called. That happened over 50 times. My friends Fifi García and Daisy Gomez were even closer to her and Fifi did a good job at distracting me.
Luis David Hiraldo and Maria Ortiz did a wonderful job organizing the evening and I hope they bring Mr. Tirado back for a concert (even with no dinner) to truly enjoy what he has to offer. I promise to stay at the door to keep the cheap element out.
The best way to learn appropriate behavior is simply by watching what everyone else does; and remember that when a pianist is playing, he and the audience deserve respect and attention. Good manners dictate we shut up.
By the way, Henry’s Jewelry had donated a diamond watch for the raffle and we want to congratulate the winner Manuela Segura.
Phones aboard the plane
Speaking of good manners, I’ve been watching people walking down the streets holding a telephone conversation, angrily shouting, swearing and all sorts of insults as if they were alone. In churches, concerts, listening to speakers, so they regularly ask the public to put their cell phones to vibrate or shut them off. No wonder if they receive a call – so important – they cannot ignore and must respond from where they are seating. That already happens in public places and buses, there is no consideration for others.
The rules have changed and the Federal Aviation Administration now allows the use of electronic equipment at any time of the flight. What a good idea! We are no longer separated from the people we really care about like Facebook.
Imagine you are in flight and your seatmate announces to his or her friends where they are going, when they plan to return, check on the children that they are behaving, let someone know the gate and arrival time, calls work to tell the boss that someone suddenly died in the family and had to leave in a rush, etc. When you least expect it, there is tremendous excitement in the cabin. The pilot may be screaming that they are running out of fuel and passengers would not be able to hear it.
So the airlines have decided to establish their own rules and allow for text messages and other uses, but not loud conversation. We’ll see arguments in flight next time we travel because there is always someone who cites the ‘new rule.’
