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Written by David Gould
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Thursday, 12 November 2009 08:36 |
New Bedford, MA, Opinion - Jack Spillane of the Standard Times wrote a timely ditty today regarding the many parking issues related to downtown. He is right on all counts except his description of Scott Downing. I see Mr. Dowing in another light. He represents the worst of the City of New Bedford department managers and IS the problem with New Bedford’s parking. I perceive him as a self absorbed arrogant dolt who to me is nothing more than a tax sucking bureaucrat who has managed to piss off the City Council and business owners. Broken meters, hovering meter fairies, missing signs and improperly given tickets have been a long term issue which no administration seems to want to deal with. A few years back, Stephen Turner, owner of the SoCo Magazine, wrote a scathing article and refused to ever hold a sales meeting in Downtown New Bedford ever again. Who can blame him? Recently I paid $90 for a parking ticket for which I wasn’t even aware of until I went to renew my license. Last week I received a ticket for parking in a signed 30 minute space. Not for staying too long but for “No Parking Here to Corner”. Essentially, my car was assumed to be an out of town sucker. Yup, I’m making a video and I have pictures.
It’s not often that I talk well of our city councilors, but this evening Debbie Coello will be doing the city a service by insisting that Scott Dowing hold himself accountable and appear before the council contrite with data in hand. She is right that the pervasive and unacceptable management of parking issues in downtown New Bedford and elsewhere in the city need to be readily addressed. In true no-account fashion, Scott Downing hid behind Mayor Lang’s coat tails the last time he was asked by the council to explain himself. The council knows New Bedford’s future hangs in the balance. This is no time for Mayor Lang to play protect the civil servant. It is time for him to step up and do the right thing. Fire Scott Downing and hire someone who will work with downtown and Acushnet Avenue instead of being the black robed and much hated parking tax beast. Parking needs to be well regulated for the sake of business owners and the city’s reputation.
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Comments
A congressman was seated next to a little girl on the airplane when he turned to her and said, 'Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.'
The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the total stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?'
'Oh, I don't know,' said the congressman. 'How about global warming or universal health care', and he smiles smugly.
OK, ' she said. 'Those could be interesting topics. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff - grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?'
The legislator, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea.'
To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss global warming or universal health care when you don't know shit?
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