Saturday, January 10, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's Just a Phase
Boxer
Boxer at Essen Haus Dogfest
Wisconsin River
Early morning - June 5, 2011
Deception Point
Between Whidbey Island and the mainland
The Madeline
Madeline Island Ferry Line
Subscribe To
Posts
Comments
William Ambrose Mayberry - Another of My Great-Great Grandfathers (And that's a Union uniform)
My New Book Blog
Syra J. Branson 1825-1892, My Great-Great Grandfather
Pumba
Our Humane Society Sweetheart
Map of New Amsterdam
My ancestor Cornelis Melyn was patroon of New Amsterdam
Where does the name Monona come from, and what does it mean?
ReplyDeleteFrom the Wisconsin Historical Society.
ReplyDeleteTerm: Monona [origin of place name]
Definition: "Wild rice" (Potawami) In 1849, Frank Hudson, a surveyor, suggested third lake he called Monona, said to signify "beautiful." In 1855 on February 14 th legislature passed a bill legalizing the name. "The word Monona I have sought in a good many Indian vocabularies without success, yet I trust Mr. Hudson had reason to say that its import is beautiful" (James Davie Butler) "Tchee-ha-bo-kee-xa(or ha)-kay-ta-la" Winnebago word meaning "tepee lake," obtained by Oliver Lemere from Henry White, an Indian whose father once resided in the vicinity of Madison.
[Source: A. Skinner in Milwaukee Public Museum Bulletin. v. 6 p. 399 James A. Butler in Wisconsin History Collections, v. 10, p.67\ See article on Lake Monona by C.E. Brown in Wisconsin Archaeologist N.S. vol 1., p. 122]
I think you missed this one so I post again:
ReplyDeleteWhy are you running again-what do you hope to accomplish that you have NOT been able to over the last...few... years.
"I think you missed this one so I post again: Why are you running again-what do you hope to accomplish that you have NOT been able to over the last...few... years."
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't miss it, I just haven't had time to put together a complete answer. Mostly I want to continue to do the same things: supporting services, esp. library, parks, and roads. Help to keep the Monona drive project going. The biggest undone thing that occurs to me is city-wide implementation of sustainable practices.
And, you know a lot of the job is simply doing the work, being prepared, and trying to provide thoughtful input when the unanticipated arises.
Will the property tax assessment for 2009 reflect the decrease in property values of our homes? Those of us who are retired and have lost retirement income will find it more difficult to pay our property tax this year!
ReplyDeletePolitically, can the council and mayor deal with a decline in property tax revenue?
"Property tax assessment" question. This phrase actually conflates two separate items: your property assessment and your tax bill.
ReplyDeleteProperty assessments are required to reflect the fair market value on January 1. (Thus, if major changes are made during the year they are not reflected until next year). Property assessments are meant to ensure fairness between property owners.
The city's portion of the property tax bill (about 25%) is based on how much the city spends and what other revenues the city receives (fees, penalties, shared revenue, etc.). The city levy sets a mill rate, or the amount of taxation per thousand dollars of value.
The relation of the assessment to the tax bill is not direct. If your assessment goes up or down in the same amount as the overall amount of assessments, then the effect on your tax bill of a change in your assessment is neutral.
Generally, the only way to lower property taxes would be to reduce services and probably in a very significant way.
That being said, the debt levy will go down in the next city budget by about $200,000, which will give the city a fighting chance to hold the line on the levy or possibly even reduce it.
I hope this explanation is not to obtuse, but understanding the relation between assessments and property taxes is a bit complicated.
When will the first phase of Monona Drive construction begin?
ReplyDeleteIf the value of your property goes down more than your neighbors' property, you'll pay less than they will, but it doesn't mean you'll pay less in dollars, necessarily. If we all paid less money because all our property values went down then the city would have less money to work with. It doesn't work that way. The city needs a certain amount of money to keep running.
ReplyDeleteAs Doug said, the assessments are made to ensure fairness between property owners. It's not about whether your property value went up or down, but where it is in relation to others'. Those with more valuable properties than their neighbors will pay more. Those whose properties are more valuable than the year before won't necessarily pay more, as it depends on what happens to everyone else's property.
(My intent was to try to make assessments more clear. I think I failed.)
Phase 1 starts in late summer 2009. Most of the work will behind the curb doing utility work and reconfiguring parking lots. The road will be rebuilt beginning in Spring 2010.
ReplyDeletePhase 2 is scheduled for 2011. The public info meeting is on the city's web page (click on plans link).
Hey Doug...here's a random Monona question and, as a bonus, it is about traffic engineering! Perhaps you could ask Sunny Schubert for help on it.
ReplyDeleteWhy is there no overhead left turn arrow northbound on Monona Drive at Broadway? There is only one on the left hand stoplight array. However, southbound on Monona Drive at Broadway there IS an overhead left turn arrow. The left turn lane northbound (coming off the Beltline) is often brought to a halt by the first person in the left turn line failing to see the left turn arrow. Perhaps this could be remedied in the Monona Drive reconstruction. Thanks!
Does the city or Green Valley have any type of program that will allow for relatively easy disposal of old televisions or PCs? I know the city of Madison has a sticker program.
ReplyDeleteSo, why don't we have ice skating in Monona again this year? Was just skating at Olbrich, and they've created various skating areas by flooding things the old fashioned way. Very similar to the skating areas created at Vilas, Tenney, etc. Tenney even has a spigot for flooding the lagoon, so that the work crews clear the ice, they pour more water on it, and presto, new ice surface to skate on.
ReplyDeleteIs there a serious impediment to doing something similar at either Winnequah or Waterman? The parks dept came through Waterman with their gigantic snow-removal machine back in Dec, and haven't done anything since. They cleared some snow off of the lagoon, but it appears that there's no available water supply to make it smoother / skatable?
Is it equipment? Manpower? Knowledge? I'm sure that Madison would be able to give us some pointers... Do we need to take up a collection for a snowblower? What clears the sidewalks, shoveling by hand?
Thanks!
"Why is there no overhead left turn arrow northbound on Monona Drive at Broadway?"
ReplyDeleteHang up the cell phone and pay attention!
There IS now an overhead left-turn arrow. Has been up for a couple months or so.
I had a lengthy converstaion with a friend at DOT about this and - snap! - months later the new turn arrow appeared. Coincidence or magically delicious?
The setup may still seem a bit off because there is no median on the north side of the intersection, so even the new light is farther to the right than a driver typically expects. Plus, the intersection is slightly cattywampus, as my dad used to say.
"Does the city or Green Valley have any type of program that will allow for relatively easy disposal of old televisions or PCs? I know the city of Madison has a sticker program."
ReplyDeleteStumped me. Not sure if this would just be a 'large item pickup' that requires a call to city hall or not. I have an email in to city staff.
The latest cap times article cap times about Bob strikes me as interesting.
ReplyDeleteHere is the question:
What is a the difference between a progressive alder person in Monona versus a Conservative alder person?
I am confused about the discussion over at the cap times.
HP
Founder, Chickens for Change
"So, why don't we have ice skating in Monona again this year?"
ReplyDeleteActually, we do. The latest word from the city admin.:
"The public works crew headed by Mark have cleared the snow from the ice on the lagoon (as of last week) and began spraying water on it to smooth the surface, the snow Friday and some equipment failure have slowed down the process a little. Work will continue this week."
Doug: The experiment at Waterman failed. Apparently it would not hold water. The lagoon presents challenges.
"The latest cap times article cap times about Bob strikes me as interesting.
ReplyDeleteHere is the question:
What is a the difference between a progressive alder person in Monona versus a Conservative alder person?
I am confused about the discussion over at the cap times."
One, I broke my own to never engage in the Cap Times forums; they quickly head into the negative.
As for conservative versus progressive, I'll let others offer their views before I offer mine.
And how about you HP, what do you think?
How about me?
ReplyDeleteWell, it is just that Chad seemed to have such a clear picture of the difference in his quotes to the cap times and seemed to imply this was a bad thing. Yet, there was no clear picture that came to my mind about what really was conserative vs progressive around city council issues.
Sure-Stoplfer was conserative-that was clear. Jack the Knife
What have you or Chad done that was progressive or Wiswell that was Conserative? The roundabout, sidewalks, business smoking ban?
Chad has worked on the bus issue, that does not make him a progressive.
You did fight for the trailer park folks in the face of a large developer, WJB and Fighting Bob would be proud. I will give you that one.
However, they would be turn in their grave over some other issues.
It seems most of differences over what the city shoudld look like are not Progressive vs. Conserative.
They are just differences about the vision and direction each of you have for the city.
Wiswell and Veseret strike me more as a southern democrats-but time will tell. I do not know enough about Busse.
Sorry to prattle on, but I think the differences are laregely overplayed and generally are not about conserative vs. progresive.
Domestic partner health insurance, implementing sustainability (how much of a priority is it), and eco-city resolution would be three more progressive/conservative kinds of issues.
ReplyDeleteI agree that many local issues are not conervative/progressive.
Funny, my impression was that the *reaction* to Chad's comments implied that being called a conservative was a bad thing.
"Funny, my impression was that the *reaction* to Chad's comments implied that being called a conservative was a bad thing."
ReplyDeleteMy point was that-
I do not know if it was good thing OR a bad thing until I know more.
When folks (no offense to Chad) categorize candidates-I wait-wanting to hear more.
HP
"As Doug said, the assessments are made to ensure fairness between property owners. It's not about whether your property value went up or down, but where it is in relation to others'."
ReplyDelete"(My intent was to try to make assessments more clear. I think I failed.)"
First, sorry for the delay in posting this comment. I missed it in my email.
Your explanantion is actually quite good. You sound suspiciously like someone who knows what they are talking about....
Doug: Did you ever hear back from the city or recycling company regarding recycling old PCs or televisions?
ReplyDeleteRight now, they will be picked by Green Valley (the city's solid waste contractor) as either regular garbage or as a large-item pickup. They do NOT get recycled.
ReplyDeleteFrom the city PW Director:
"I have spoken with Dan Rokicki, Operations Supervisor, of Green Valley Disposal concerning the disposal of TVs and computer monitors. This is what he told me:
If the TV/monitor can fit in the trash receptacle, then the resident can dispose of it with the regular refuse.
If the TV/monitor is large, the resident can arrange for a large item pickup and then Green Valley will pick up that way.
Either way, the items end up in the landfill. Both contractually and operationally, Green Valley currently has no means to recycle these items."
I have suggested that the city also find out if there is a way GV could recycle them and what the cost would be - or some other way that residents could take them somewhere to recycle them. No interest in this idea.
As the original WSJ article said:
"If you live outside of Madison or don't want to buy a sticker, there are two private companies that offer collection of old electronics for a fee.
• File 13 E-Waste Solutions, 405 Investment Court, Verona. Phone: 866-913-6038. Web site: www.file13usa.com.
• 1-800-Got Junk, P.O. Box 260196, Madison