Wednesday, January 30, 2008

City Council to Destroy Town Square

In what has to be the dumbest fucking idea I have heard in a long time, the City Council will begin charging for parking in Town Square. News flash to all the small shops: YOU ARE FUCKED. This is only going to cause people to stop coming to the stores. Thankfully, the proposal by Councilman Piotr Gajewski (who by the way comes off as a total asshole--I guess that happens when you are an ex-commi) was rejected. In case you weren't following, he actually wanted to charge for parking until 10 pm and 7 days a week. Never mind that THERE IS NO GARAGE IN MOCO THAT DOES THAT. So what will happen? Some people will continue to go to Town Square but more will park in the West End neighborhood. (that should piss people off) The shops will start hurting. And my guess is that MoCo will take back the library in order to ensure free parking for the users of it. And another thing, IF the Rockville tax payer really is paying for the current parking (and yeah we are) is the City going to give a tax rebate based on the amount they get from the parking fees? Hell, why not end all debate. Put this up for a referendum vote. That's right, put the question on the next ballot and let the people decide. Oh that won't happen sorry readers (what few of you there are) Mr. Gajewski doesn't believe in democracy I forgot.

There may be more later but till then please give me your thoughts.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Down by the River takes on Rockville

As some people may know had they read my last post, I am now residing in Rockville. This is a bit of a homecoming for me as I grew up basically across MD 28 ( my grandparents still live there) and up MD28 a bit ( my parents still live THERE) That said I hope to keep up the blog. I hope to more or less cover the same topics but more centered on what's going on in Rockville.
This is not all bad for East County. First and foremost damn few people read this blog so who cares. Second, a lot of what happens up here effects the rest of the county. Even the Land Rockville Forgot (ok I thought that was a funny description of East County) All that said I would like to give my thoughts to the parking situation in the new Rockville town square. It's really very simple. Keep it free. Silver Spring is learning this the hard way. We are rather lucky to have quite a few small, family owned stores in town square. If the city charges for parking the people that visit these stores will stop going. The stores can't survive without their customers and guess what Rockville--there goes your tax base. Honestly what the hell are you thinking? You are saying that you believe you will get more money in parking fees than you collect in taxes levied on the businesses? Now, I very well may not know the whole story here but that's what it looks like on first glance. That should mean something to the Council. At least I should hope. By the way as a point of reference, I remember when Town Square was a dump, the best new thing to come in there was the Regal, Fallsgrove was a WORKING farm and MD28 was one lane each way....my how things have changed