The 'Snow Police'

[JeffreyLebowski]

why is this news? this is the case for practically every town/city.

if faced with a choice of higher property taxes all year versus having to shovel their own sidewalks for the 2-3 blizzards we get in an average winter, I'd imagine most people would vote for having to shovel.

That's just it. It's not the businesses sidewalk. It's the city's.

It's amazing how many people just accept that they should do whatever the government tells them to do.
In cities like New York with sky high taxes as it is, you'd think they'd be able to afford snow shoveleres. Hell they have how many thousands of homeless. Put those people to work.

 

[GoPackGo]

That's just it. It's not the businesses sidewalk. It's the city's.

It's amazing how many people just accept that they should do whatever the government tells them to do.
In cities like New York with sky high taxes as it is, you'd think they'd be able to afford snow shoveleres. Hell they have how many thousands of homeless. Put those people to work.

Gives true meaning to "Will Work For Food" Signs.

 

[nageov3t]

That's just it. It's not the businesses sidewalk. It's the city's.

It's amazing how many people just accept that they should do whatever the government tells them to do.
In cities like New York with sky high taxes as it is, you'd think they'd be able to afford snow shoveleres. Hell they have how many thousands of homeless. Put those people to work.

a couple bad blizzards can completely break a city's budget from plows and salt, employing an army of shovelers would just add to the problem.

 

[Genx87]

I want people to think about this before responding.

The govt puts a public sidewalk on private property and requires the person who owns that property to maintain it to the govts liking without compensation. If they dont maintain it to the govts liking the private property owner is fined.

No lemming responses either. Just because many jump off the cliff doesnt make it right.

 

[BeauJangles]

I want people to think about this before responding.

The govt puts a public sidewalk on private property and requires the person who owns that property to maintain it to the govts liking without compensation. If they dont maintain it to the govts liking the private property owner is fined.

No lemming responses either. Just because many jump off the cliff doesnt make it right.

Would you rather:

(a) Pay significantly higher taxes and have to wait for someone else to come and clean your sidewalk

or

(b) Be inconvenienced slightly, but be able to clear your sidewalk when you need it clear, and have lower taxes?

It's a no-brainer. I've lived in cold-weather cities my entire life and I can promise you that a city-administered clearing program would be such an epic failure. Not to mention the fact that I've never, ever, heard of a city actually levying a fine for not clearing your sidewalk.

No offense (oh wait, yes offense), but some people are capable of thinking beyond the disgusting me-first, I won't do anything beyond the bare minimum that is required of me and I expect to be waited on hand and foot by everyone else attitude that seems to permeate our society.

Here's an even bigger shocker for you: When we're out of town, our neighbors usually shovel our walk and driveway for us, without asking, for no compensation. Amazing!

 

[Genx87]

Would you rather:

(a) Pay significantly higher taxes and have to wait for someone else to come and clean your sidewalk

or

(b) Be inconvenienced slightly, but be able to clear your sidewalk when you need it clear, and have lower taxes?

It's a no-brainer. I've lived in cold-weather cities my entire life and I can promise you that a city-administered clearing program would be such an epic failure. Not to mention the fact that I've never, ever, heard of a city actually levying a fine for not clearing your sidewalk.

No offense (oh wait, yes offense), but some people are capable of thinking beyond the disgusting me-first, I won't do anything beyond the bare minimum that is required of me and I expect to be waited on hand and foot by everyone else attitude that seems to permeate our society.

Here's an even bigger shocker for you: When we're out of town, our neighbors usually shovel our walk and driveway for us, without asking, for no compensation. Amazing!

It isnt my sidewalk, it is the publics. That is a big difference. If I actually owned said sidewalk I agree, it is a no brainer. However this is a public sidewalk on private property that is required to be maintained or risk being fined. This is nothing like neighbors helping neighbors.

 

[PingSpike]

What the OP whines about is an extremely common practice, almost universal. Would he prefer that the government hire many more workers and bump up his tax bill so that he won't be inconvenienced by having to shovel the walk on his property?

In many states you continue to own the property underneath the sidewalk, the government merely has an easement across it. The property owner, by ordinance, is responsible for shoveling and otherwise maintaining the sidewalk.

OP misplaced rage is really misdirected rage at a minor burden of being part of a modern society.

Agreed. This idea is such a fabulous money saver for the city government I think they should make clearing of the street adjacent to the road frontage of a property the responsibility of the property owner as well. Then we can slash the road crew budget down and get those taxes lowered so there's more money available for the city events like classical music festivals and subsidized housing.

 

[theeedude]

I guess your pure "small government" ideology doesn't work in the real world, so they decided to go with the next best thing. Of course they could have engaged in your verbal masturbation while the sidewalks remained unpassable, but they decided "small government" was not worth it. You can call them lemmings, or you can do some self reflection, but either way I don't think this rule is going anywhere.

 

[BoberFett]

Small government wouldn't have put in sidewalks to begin with, so fail as usual senseamp.

 

[theeedude]

Small government wouldn't have put in sidewalks to begin with, so fail as usual senseamp.

Fail as usual small government.

 

[BeauJangles]

It isnt my sidewalk, it is the publics. That is a big difference. If I actually owned said sidewalk I agree, it is a no brainer. However this is a public sidewalk on private property that is required to be maintained or risk being fined. This is nothing like neighbors helping neighbors.

If my sidewalk doesn't get cleared, who loses out? For the most part, it's my neighbors, myself, and my immediate community. The city doesn't lose out. Other communities don't lose out. Only my neighborhood and I have to deal with it.

With that thinking in mind, I'd much rather spend the 10 minutes it takes to clear the sidewalk rather than sit on my ass and wait for the government to do it for me. I'd also rather not pay for that service and, considering that snow removal budgets are already axed to the bone, I'd much rather the city spend money on regular plowing.

The arrangement is not a big deal at all. It's not an inconvenience, it gets the job done, it's more cost-effective than any other solution, and it ensures that I can leave my house when I want to, not when someone else deems that my street has been slated for sidewalk clearing.

Again, in 25 years of living in snow-world, I have never, ever, ever, heard of anyone ever getting fined by the city for not clearing their sidewalk.

 

[GoPackGo]

If my sidewalk doesn't get cleared, who loses out? For the most part, it's my neighbors, myself, and my immediate community. The city doesn't lose out. Other communities don't lose out. Only my neighborhood and I have to deal with it.

With that thinking in mind, I'd much rather spend the 10 minutes it takes to clear the sidewalk rather than sit on my ass and wait for the government to do it for me. I'd also rather not pay for that service and, considering that snow removal budgets are already axed to the bone, I'd much rather the city spend money on regular plowing.

The arrangement is not a big deal at all. It's not an inconvenience, it gets the job done, it's more cost-effective than any other solution, and it ensures that I can leave my house when I want to, not when someone else deems that my street has been slated for sidewalk clearing.

Again, in 25 years of living in snow-world, I have never, ever, ever, heard of anyone ever getting fined by the city for not clearing their sidewalk.

I think you missed the point of what he was trying to say.

 

[Throckmorton]

Actually, in some places, the city does charge businesses a "frontage" fee to maintain public landscaping/walkways/roadways along which those businesses are built.

I'm not a big fan of either method.

Property taxes should be sufficient for residences. Businesses should be wise enough to know that it behoves them to make their place of business accessible to customers. A 4 hour time window is really rather silly, though.

This is stupid. If just one individual doesn't clear the snow and ice, every pedestrian has to go out on the street. A fine won't fix that.

The city should be clearing snow and taxing to pay for it.

 

[Throckmorton]

Small government wouldn't have put in sidewalks to begin with, so fail as usual senseamp.

This is the most ridiculous statement I've ever seen on this forum

 

[drebo]

tommo123: Yes. Part of your responsibility as a property owner is to make arrangements for care of your property while you are gone.

drebo: My apologies, I didn't realize you were from California. Now I understand.

Yes, because the sidewalks are your own property.

And because it never, ever snows anywhere ever in California. Mmmhmm.

 

[her209]

Yes, because the sidewalks are your own property.

And because it never, ever snows anywhere ever in California. Mmmhmm.

Why should people living in sunny southern California have their "road maintenance" taxes diverted to pay for sidewalk clearing services for people who chose to live where it snows in California?

 

[Genx87]

Why should people living in sunny southern California have their "road maintenance" taxes diverted to pay for sidewalk clearing services for people who chose to live where it snows in California?

Isnt that like asking why should people in Sunny California have their taxes diverted for road construction in the north?

 

[Genx87]

If my sidewalk doesn't get cleared, who loses out? For the most part, it's my neighbors, myself, and my immediate community. The city doesn't lose out. Other communities don't lose out. Only my neighborhood and I have to deal with it.

With that thinking in mind, I'd much rather spend the 10 minutes it takes to clear the sidewalk rather than sit on my ass and wait for the government to do it for me. I'd also rather not pay for that service and, considering that snow removal budgets are already axed to the bone, I'd much rather the city spend money on regular plowing.

The arrangement is not a big deal at all. It's not an inconvenience, it gets the job done, it's more cost-effective than any other solution, and it ensures that I can leave my house when I want to, not when someone else deems that my street has been slated for sidewalk clearing.

Again, in 25 years of living in snow-world, I have never, ever, ever, heard of anyone ever getting fined by the city for not clearing their sidewalk.

My point which really has nothing to do with who loses out. Is the govt places a roadway on private property and requires said property owner to maintain it to the govts liking without compensation and the risk of being fined. In essence the govt is enslaving those property owners to do the work the govt should be doing. I have lived in snow country for 33 years. I have never understood how people put up with the current practice. The reason why I will never buy a home with a public sidewalk.

 

[theeedude]

My point which really has nothing to do with who loses out. Is the govt places a roadway on private property and requires said property owner to maintain it to the govts liking without compensation and the risk of being fined. In essence the govt is enslaving those property owners to do the work the govt should be doing. I have lived in snow country for 33 years. I have never understood how people put up with the current practice. The reason why I will never buy a home with a public sidewalk.

Noone is forcing you to buy one. But if you do, you accept the rules that come with the home.

 

[BeauJangles]

My point which really has nothing to do with who loses out. Is the govt places a roadway on private property and requires said property owner to maintain it to the govts liking without compensation and the risk of being fined. In essence the govt is enslaving those property owners to do the work the govt should be doing. I have lived in snow country for 33 years. I have never understood how people put up with the current practice. The reason why I will never buy a home with a public sidewalk.

And, if your town voted to change it's bylaws I bet you'd be the first in line bitching about the increased taxes.

 

[umbrella39]

Yet Another Patranus Troll and Run Fail Thread

GAFL

 

[drebo]

Why should people living in sunny southern California have their "road maintenance" taxes diverted to pay for sidewalk clearing services for people who chose to live where it snows in California?

People living in southern California don't pay gasoline or property taxes in municipalities in places where it snows in California.

Yes, there is a state property tax and a state gasoline tax. But those aren't the taxes we're talking about here. There are local property and gasoline taxes, which are what need to be used for these purposes...afterall, that's why those taxes were invented.

 

[Mursilis]

It isnt my sidewalk, it is the publics. That is a big difference. If I actually owned said sidewalk I agree, it is a no brainer. However this is a public sidewalk on private property that is required to be maintained or risk being fined. This is nothing like neighbors helping neighbors.

In a way, it is, since you also "own" the sidewalk, since you're also a member of the "public".

 

[Genx87]

And, if your town voted to change it's bylaws I bet you'd be the first in line bitching about the increased taxes.

I would honestly rather pay higher taxes and have them done by the city than have people forced to do it or be fined. It is a public roadway. It should be financed and maintained by the public.

 

[Genx87]

In a way, it is, since you also "own" the sidewalk, since you're also a member of the "public".

Silly