“KPD Shows True Colors with Parking Meter Proposal & What to Do About it”
Keene Police Chief Ken Meola tipped his hand recently with his proposal to switch from the parking meters littering beautiful downtown Keene that many know and detest to a new system of kiosks.” Each unit will replace several meters and unlike meters in other cities, thees do not require the user to place a receipt on the dash.
Please forgive my inexact numbers. I write this from my jail cell and do not have source material in front of me. I’m going by my memory of recent Keene Sentinel pieces on the subject.
Considering, if I recall correctly, that KPD rakes in over $300,000 per year from the current system, one might wonder what the motivation is to change a system that is “working.” (Though I have heard rumor that the Parking Division actually runs in the red. I would love to have this confirmed or denied. Regardless, that information doesn’t change the point of this post.) (more…)
Last night at a council meeting, Keene’s city council voted unanimously to continue prohibiting local bars from advertising their drink specials in a way that would be visible outside their business. Based on the comments of one city councilor, they don’t want anyone to think that Keene “condones” drinking. I would like to know how many of the city councilors are active consumers of alcohol.
Seems to me that the city really doesn’t want businesses to come to this area. They seem to do everything they can to restrict their freedom to offer goods and services to willing customers. Recently, they jacked up property tax valuations by 30-40% on many commercial properties in town. That will result in higher prices for customers in addition to businesses on the edge of profitability going under.
The city council has chosen death over living free. If they keep this up, Keene will end up like Berlin – a dying town.
UPDATE: Apparently people in Claremont were upset I called it a dying town. I’m glad to see there is life there. Does anyone deny that Berlin is dying?
A power-mad city council committee voted down bar owners’ who want to be able to advertise their drink specials outside their establishments. Of course, this isn’t the only absurd, micro-managing rule these “councilors” force down the throats of peaceful business owners. It is in the news though, because a state law has repealed these ordinances across NH, but unfortunately has an opt-out provision.
Several people worried that signs outside bars would give the impression the city is a place where drinking is condoned and is a large part of the local culture.
Just pretend like drinking doesn’t happen in Keene and no one will know! Ludicrous. Unfortunately, no one showed up to testify in favor of repealing the prohibition. One “councilor” used this as his excuse to support the prohibition. Most productive people are working or relaxing after work, perhaps with an alcoholic beverage. Plus, we know what happens when someone tries to enjoy a drink at a boring council meeting.
That said, it would be nice if someone would take an interest in alerting liberty lovers to opportunities like this to speak out in favor of freedom. I didn’t find out until the night before, and I work during council meetings. 🙁
The Civil Disobedience Evolution Fund‘s Jason Talley talks with Code Pink‘s Medea Benjamin. This video drips with cognitive dissonance, as a nice woman who is committed to peace around the world is shown the violence that is part-and-parcel of the system in which she believes. I hope she continues to think about what Talley.TV shares:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxfHh9fH5j4
