LiberTEA served up Asiana Style

FreeRacine has invited all of our readers to enjoy a friendly meet up at Asian (Corner of 6th and Park), next Friday July 24th..Denis will be "Guest Bartender", Lookng to discuss support of the Chun's new Pantry store on 6th St. (Right across from Asiana). Looking forward to many of our members joining in and trying out some of the great Korean food items "Sue" has to offer.

BTW the food great!!!

City Employees get EXTRA Liberty!!

Introducing our 2nd Guest Blogger. Jody Harding Writes:

Well, friends, our ever-vigilant City Council has come up with a new and inventive way to stick it to the Citizens of Racine. Proposed Ordinance No. 16-09 would allow the city to GIVE parcels of land to city employees for the purpose of building a house. That’s right, I said give. As in no cost, including no closing costs or fees. Ownership free and clear.

But wait, it gets better. In addition to not paying for the property – which the taxpayers have paid to purchase (possibly a small expense if the property was donated or foreclosed), vacate, and clean – they are also excused from any City of Racine property taxes for a period of five years.

And what do they have to do to receive this boon? They are required to build a house on the property of approximately the same size and quality as other houses nearby. The house must then be their “legal residence” for five years from the date they received the property, and they cannot rent out any part of it – also for the five years. (Of course, if they live in the new house and rent out their OLD house, that’s okay.) After the five years is up, the owners can sell the property, rent it or anything else they want to do with it. It’s entirely theirs. And YOU helped, by paying for the land and taxes. Don’t you feel proud?

As stated in the ordinance, “The primary purpose of this ordinance is to improve existing neighborhoods in greatest need within the City of Racine, by encouraging City, County and RUSD employees to build homes in the City. Other purposes include increasing the value of properties eligible to participate in the program offered by this ordinance and increasing the value of other properties in the neighborhoods where participating properties are located.” Bless those city employees, they sure must be some quality folks. Nobody lets ME own property in a neighborhood unless I PAY for it.

I could not find a direct link to the ordinance on-line, perhaps because it is still a proposal, but you may read it in the Minutes from the City Council meeting held July 7^th (http://legistar.racinenet.org/meetings/2009/7/3448_M_Common_Council_09-07-07_Meeting_Minutes.pdf) beginning on page 49.

This is OUR money, my friends, and the City Council plans to hand it out to a favored few at a time when the rest of us are staggering under an outrageous tax burden, and many of us have lost jobs or had our hours and/or incomes reduced. This is just one more way our City Government is “improving” Racine for you and me. Thanks, Guys.

Historical Liberty Beats City Hall, Unanimously!

Many of you have read about the City proposal to create an "Historic Preservation District" on the City's south Side from 8th to Dekovan and Lake Michigan to approximately Park Ave.

Several members of LiberTEA Racine and other citizens were in attendance at the "Landmarks Preservation". We listened to the members provide Documented complaints, as well as personal testimonial, and each member spoke his or her opinion and thought process. It seemed as if several of them had felt it was either a matter of "poor communication" or too large of a district originally proposed. Yet upon a study of the affected properties in what would be a smaller area the number of people who verbally spoke up at the open meeting last month were also overwhelmingly opposed to the idea.

The audience today was presented with a list of those who spoke, and the residence of those who spoke. However the property owners who may have been affected, but don't actually use those property for a primary residence.

Todays attendees were also allowed to offer commentary after the initial arguments made by the commitee members. Initially the call was to "table" the idea. But upon public urging....OK It was me...The Motion was changed to "Receive and File" the motion. It was seconded and then voted in favor of Unanimously!!

The mystery of who the "somebody" was that started this process was narrowed down somewhat, the mystery is still ongoing.....But that "Somebody" is going to be Pissed!!

I appreciate the committee allowing us to attend. I must add one additional comment to the members who suggested it was communication problem...I believe the people heard loud and Clear! No more Govt. thanks anyway!!