The Damn Tax

Let me preface this blog by stating that I have been a resident of the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania  for twenty out of the past twenty-six years of my life. In that time I have seen the city laps into a state of dissolution and depression. I have paid a wage tax since I was fourteen to the city for working with-in its limits and have held a job within the city from that age until this very day. My Parents and many other family members have paid property taxes because they live with-in the city. Moreover, I was educated from Elementary school through higher education in the city of Scranton at Marywood University.

 I use the police force, fire and EMS departments, not to mention their hospitals. I use their crumbling road system and partake in being a patron to their many businesses, most especially at Northern Light Espresso Bar. I use the county courthouse, located there, to locate records and I attend La Festa, First Firday, Arts on Fire, The Saint Patrick's Day Parade, and the Santa Parade all held with in down town Scranton. (I do enjoy all of these, although I have stopped participating in the Parade day since kids screaming for Santa and the many Drunks of St. Patty's day are not appealing to me at my current age.) In short I am a Scrantoian, whether I like it or not.

Therefore it is only right that I take a side in the controversial debate over the commuter tax, planned to be imposed to support the cities depressed pension funds, by standing for the tax rather than against it. As stated above I am a commuter to the city. I work in the boundary of the city and live in Clark's Summit, a suburb of the city. As well my partner and parents work within the city as well. (My Father now resides out side of Scranton.) We would all be subject to paying the tax.
As the tax is 0.75% of the yearly amount one makes at their job, it is not a heavy price to pay. Granted this tax is for the pension (I am not for them and think they are outdated and a drain on the the economy as a whole. As an aspiring teacher, I am entitled to one, but would for-go it and switch to a 401K in order to help the State economy.) of the uniformed and non- uniformed employees of the city. (This I am not happy with and would like to see the money go toward the debt of the city rather than into the police and fire and non uniformed employees. However, I don't get a choice in how the money is spent.) With this being stated, I argue for the tax to support the city.

First, those who pound their fists and say "No Taxation without representation." Bit me! Hard! Don't use historical sayings without knowing the historical content behind it, you ignorant idiot. I am a student of history and would never use that saying in this context or circumstance. It is used by uneducated people of this area and for ill purposes. As a resident of the COMMONWEALTH (Yes, we are NOT a state but a commonwealth.) of PENNSYLVANIA, you DO have representation in terms of how your taxes are spent. If you would bother to read the articles and know where this commuter tax came from, you would know that this act was enacted in the late 80's / early 90's by the STATE representatives to be used by cities with distressed pension funds. Therefore it is with pleasure I say, if you have a problem blame your STATE representatives during that time period in which the bill was enacted in the state legislature. You are represented and have always been so. Take your stupid wishy- washy knowledge of history and go home. You're drunk!

Secondly, for those saying "I don't have a choice in the matter." Hark! Pray tell, Look that way. What do you see? I see a choice on the horizon. Here is your choice as an individual and business. If you do not like the tax, find a job or location else where. Don't work within the city limits. Teach the city a lesson by moving your business or finding another job. Its your right.  Now, I hear you. "Kyle then where will we go?" and, unto you I say. I don't care. If you bitch and moan about working in the city because of an .75 % tax, work in Carbondale, Wilkes-Barre, Hazelton, Kingston, Pittston, Dunmore, Dickson City. OR, work in Wayne, Pike, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Bradford, Schuykill, Carbon or Monroe counties to avoid the tax. You have a choice. Though it is not what you would like, it is a choice.

 That leads me to the opening paragraphs. As a commuter I use, or have the option to use, the fire, EMS, police and non-uniformed employees and their facilities. As a commuter you do to. So, if you don't want to pay for the tax, let me throw out this option. DON'T USE THE FACILITIES OR THE EMPLOYEES! Lets add that into the ordinance and call it a day. If you get mugged and don't want to pay the tax, don't call the police. Go after the bastard yourself. See how far you get. If your business catches on fire, don't call the fire department to put it out. Let that shit burn! If you, god forbid, get into a car accident and get hurt, don't call EMS and fire. In fact don't go to the local hospitals, all of which are located within the city. Go to Marion... nope that closed, or Mid-Valley... that has no ER, oh Wayne Memorial that one will take you. Or Wilkes-Barre General, nurses are on strike though. You'll have to drive to Wayne or Luzerne counties to use the facilities there.

As well, if you think the tax is not for you, maybe you should protest by not going into Scranton. Though you should think of the small business owners you would be hurting. If you don't want to go into the city to boycott the tax, you better hope you don't get a call for jury duty, or need to get a copy of a will, birth certificate, deed, marriage certificate or death certificate. As the city is the county seat of government, it would be hard to get that stuff anywhere else.

Furthermore, if it was not for the City of Scranton, about half the people in the greater Scranton area would not have a job. Think about it, if the city did not exist where would you be? Carbondale? Maybe Wilkes-Barre?

While I understand the tax is not popular, most especially because it taxes residents outside the city limits and the revenue would support the pension funds, I feel that some people should stop and realize what is behind the entire tax. This tax is not a tax by itself but is part of a package deal. Along with negotiating with the unions over pension reform, selling off city assets, such as the sewer authority, city refuse collection etc. etc. I ask that people start to read the articles more and urge the residents of the city to get out and vote for change. (The current percentage of voter turn out is around 30%.)

At the end of the day I know people do not typically make a lot of money in the Scranton area. However, the residents of this area should remember the tax is not even a full percent of their pay check. A small price to pay to help a city that hold the majority of jobs in this area. Again, my stance is not popular outside the city, but I feel it is the right stance to take and if someone won't say it, well then I guess I will.

The first time home buyer

As and avid watcher of HGTV I have always wanted to do home repair and decorating. (In case you did not know I am the male Martha Steward, minus the time served.) I've always wanted my own home and, for years, had dreamed of the splendid things I would do to the home. I had ideas just sitting in the far nether regions of my brain culminating into grad ideas. Large windows, new bathroom and kitchen with garnet counter tops, a deck or patio. Land scaping, green lush lawn and wonderful neighbors. My idea was like living with the Cleavers in 1950. I just didn't have pearls, a whiskey sour and pot roast waiting from Jim after a hard day at the office. More like pizza and Snapple. I also did not have a weird little kid getting in trouble and and audience laughing in the background. (That would be weird, could it be Schizophrenia?) I also did not have a crew of carpenters and t.v. budget to complete the home repairs but that did not matter, I had an idea!

  Last year, an opportunity presented itself. As a person who not only does not hear opportunity knocking, no Banging Profusely on the door, I would not recognize what it looked, sounded like or smelt like even if I had a picture that was scratch and sniff and a voice recording. I usually see chances as they fly by, waiving and smiling sometimes throwing the finger as a loving gesture. To say the least I am aloof. However, a family member came to Jim and I asking if we would like to buy a house for a great rate and it would help another family member in the process. We both agreed to tour the property. So I dusted off my "Home inspectors" hat and big boy pants and away we went.

  With reservations I toured the property unsure about the idea. (It is amazing how reserved you will become when being serious about an idea as large as buying a house.) I saw the property and loved the area. The house needed work, but was in decent shape. After talking about it a few hundred times in a small amount of time, we agreed to buying the property. How hard could it be? People do it all the time.

Needless to say it took us over three months and many trips to the bank later to obtain a mortgage. Let me just say, I am beyond surprised they did not ask for a blood, stool or DNA sample! I have had to fill out applications that entailed addendum for our school loans (Yes we have that many that there are not enough spaces to hold the loans for school. By the way they give you 8.) tax information for the last three years, bank account information, how much we pay monthly for bills and much more. we did obtain a loan after our loan officer missed the dead line to turn our app in and filling out another application. Hurdle One complete.

The words "I've always wanted to buy a old property and fix it up." have started haunting me like Sandra Bullocks decision to do the "Speed" movies. I've always scoffed at Jim's idea of hiring someone to complete the home projects. My dad would never let anyone do a project. In fact, he did all the home repairs in the house when I was growing up. It looked easy! I helped. Then again... he was a carpenter and I mostly held the flash light and tried only the  "minimal risk of dying" things while the project was being completed.

 Jim and I have recently started renovating our home. We had started with family helping us along with the bathroom. It started innocently with the bathroom, at first with paint and a new floor. Easy they said. We can do it in a weekend; they were sure! Then lighting fixtures and faucets, oh a new vanity as well. Then it was the pipes. Dry wall, closet needed to be widened, electric and water hookup for the washer and dryer needed to go in. The new door and shower head. It wound up taking close to a month. One room! Thank god for family with knowledge of plumbing and electrical. I would have burned it down. It would have been easier.

  As we move deeper and deeper into renovation we have picked up some tricks and learned how to do some things. Yet we are far from masters of home repair. (I am far from Bob Velia. I can't wear flannel and wont grow a beard.) We have gotten smart and hired professionals to do the electric but the waiting game for when they can get here to do it is a little overwhelming. I started throwing darts at the calendar to guess when they will come. We have gone ahead and ripped down the sheet rock, wallpaper, ceiling, attic stairs doors and wood work out of the upstairs bedroom and sitting room. We've decided to start small in case you were wondering. We've rented a dumpster and piled it high. We now understand it is much harder to do the work yourself. However, it is satisfying to do the work yourself and even though the house is covered in dust and looks like a bomb went off  upstairs, we know that we can do what we really need to and with help and guidance finish what we started. The Lowes people are nice in the morning and will help you more, by lunch they get mean. Just an FYI.

While watching HGTV, I think there should be a disclaimer with every episode. "Warning: This is easier than it appears. We have competent, sane, cheap and professional workers who know what they are doing. We have tons of cash to cover all projects and if you plain a budget, add $400-$600 to everything you buy even it's duct tape, no matter what and add three weeks to do each project, even if it is to paint. You will pick an unhealthy addiction to the lawn and garden department and fight with your partner about paint colors and which toilet paper roll holder you want. P.S. don't try this at home." I have learned you need a huge bank account to go with loft ambitions. The sky light, paved drive way, new appliances, and pools will not happen. The land scaping will look like you have done it and your neighbors will say so. The towel holders will fall off the wall even if you glue it. The ceiling fan will wobble and the new doors will have to be nailed together after you cut them while using a saw yourself for the first time. Contractors will not show up on time and will laugh at you if you try to haggle with them. Apparently, $20 an hour is not enough.

As first time home buyers I would advocate talking with others who have been through it and ask a million questions. However, the best experience can be had by first hand events.(You need to have your partner drop huge globs of pant on your back while you are getting paint on your brush and have a large piece of plaster almost hit you in the head as you are taring down the ceiling. It just makes sense.) The lofty ideas are still there... to a point. They have just been scaled back a bit... you know nonexistent.  We do after all live on a poppers budget. I would also suggest watching the movie "Money Pit" because it is as close to the real thing as you can get. If you are not seeing Smurfs, you're not doing it right!

Immigration Reform

In the news recently, you may have noticed the influx of aliens crossing our southern borders to reach our country. The land of the free. (Free hot meal, blanket, place to stay and immunizations HOPEFULLY!) There have been many children sent into our country hoping for better treatment and possible naturalization due to upheaval in central America. The news coverage has shown thousands of children in Red Cross shelters sleeping on cots and floors in detention centers. (Classy, I know.) They come from central America (Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.) looking to avoid the upheaval there in their home countries and seek political asylum in the U.S.

As if the U.S. needs another problem on its hands, this problem seems to come at a time when Congress wont act to pass legislation and the president does not have enough votes to force through Immigration Reform. The towns and cities, especially in Texas, are becoming over crowded with aliens and emergency aid from organizations like Red Cross are strapped themselves. ( I think they know better than to go to Arizona. I am certain they know the Governor would probably shoot the kids herself with her rifle. She is after all, a gun tooting Republican.) Let alone the legal system itself is being weighed down with its duties to process and get these aliens before a judge to render a judgement. President Obama is taking Executive authority to move money and resources as well as beefing up border security. (A little too late though, if you ask me.) This is only a band-aid to a more severe problem. As more and more aliens enter the U.S., its cities and organizations are quickly becoming overwhelmed and it has become necessary to ship aliens further into the U.S. to accommodate their ever growing numbers.With travel comes more fears such as disease.

How insane is it that there is no plan for something like this?!? You would think that Congress would have an emergency plan to accommodate a large number of people seeking asylum in the event of war or famine. Turns out we don't. What is worse, most of these people were not screened for disease. How do we know if these aliens have TB, Measles, Whooping Cough or some other disease? This shit show that has happened is hastily getting out of hand. What measures are there to protect the U.S citizens from the spread of disease? Scabies is another possible situation we might have to deal with. I am not sure about you, but I would not want to be scratching my ass for a while, only to find out it was scabies.

What is more, it is interesting to see that the Bush era laws, that are still in place, are what is allowing refugees to seek asylum in the U.S. I feel badly for the children, I do. However, the influx is happening too fast for our current systems and laws to help them effectively. So far it has been a disaster. I do not see why we can not simply turn them away, for now. Granted their countries are in turmoil. I get it. Yet, it is not the responsibility of the U.S to help the world, maybe in such emergency events. So why do we do it every time? We face our own problems here at home. (For Christ's sake, we cant even get our budget balanced. How are we to help others out if we can't get our own house in order first?)

I hope this crises teaches the Congress that they should act, and soon, to reform immigration legislation! The Dream Act did not pass. Ok, let that be that and start a new on a bill that can have bipartisan support and can pass both houses. (Yes, Mr. Republican, I am also speaking to you as well as your deranged cousin the Tea Party.) Would that not make sense?



Attached is a link to Cnn's show "Cross Fire." As I believe in letting both sides talk, I think this clip comes close to that belief of hearing both sides of the stroy. I believe you will find some similarities between this blog and that clip.

http://crossfire.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06/26/what-should-u-s-do-with-undocumented-kids/

Figures!!!

As of lately I have been noticing that people are increasingly dissatisfied with their figure, waste size, what have you. (God knows I am not excluded from this, but I am generally happy with the way I look. I know I am not Brad Pitt circa 1998, but I am also not overweight either.) I have been noticing that friends of mine have been posting fitness/ exercise and diet goals. You know the kind. You have to work out an area of the body until you can't feel it any longer or do a billion sit ups, P-90X , fat to fit, slim and stupid, skinny and hungry... ok that last couple I may have made up. However, I am wondering if its all worth it. Why do we try so hard to to be skinny instead of fit? When did it come to waste size and figure rather than personality and charisma? Does anyone else see anything wrong with this?

I have friends that struggle with weight. I see them constantly battling with themselves to loose weight and I truly feel for them. (I trust it is for health reasons rather than vanity.) I really feel for them and I try to encourage them to meet their goals and give positive feed back. I would like to caution though, that once they realize how hard it is, some do give up, others stick with it for a longer period and then there are those who not only meet their goal but exceed it and look amazing. (I have known some people to establish this routine and become very vain and egotistical. I have to stop and take a side bar.....I HATE THOSE PEOPLE. Wonderful to get that out. Damn good looking and in-shape people make me want to vomit.) There is no shame in failing at this. I have never asked but always wondered why people throw themselves into a fitness routine that causes stress in order to looses weight. OR, to diet.

 I tried dieting before. Not worth it. I know why skinny people are so angry, its because they're hungry. (Give that skinny bitch over there a hamburger please, she's getting mean again.) Dieting is the worst thing anyone can do. You literally tell your body, "Hey I know you're use to eating all this crap, but guess what, you are going to survive on wheat thins and salad for the next month." Then reality kicks in fifteen seconds later and you find yourself face first in Betty Crocker's gooie chocolaty warm center of a whole pan of brownies your mom made you to celebrate the fact that you're finally going on a diet. Thanks mom and shitty body. Those cravings really help, especially late at night. Ever get up at three am and find yourself staring at the fridge wondering where your life went wrong? When you diet you stress your body. When you get stressed you tend to fall back into bad habits. Ie: eating at three am. (This is me.) Then you feel bad you fell back into a habit and you become more stressed and give up or entrench yourself more in your habit. It's like plying super Mario brothers for the first time and only having one life. You know the game is not going to be much fun. (God damn Princess Peach better stop getting her ass kidnapped. Next time that bitch better find her own way out. Equal rights, equal fights.)

Exercising is another kick in the groin. I do go to the gym, just to be clear. However, I am by no means a jug head. I see these super beefy guys in the gym waddling around with their jugs of water and I wonder why would you want to look like your shoulders ate your neck. If you are going to go to the gym, go because you want to be healthy and feel good, not because you want to look like a Greek God. (Where does one get a trident or thunder bolt anyways?) I go to the gym because I want to be healthy and feel good about myself. For the people who want to loose weight and throw themselves into a hardcore routine where they wear themselves out in the first two weeks. On week three they look like they could be cast for walk on role in the "Walking Dead."You know these people, you see them at work and on the streets. They hate life and cant lift their arms above their waste.

My advice, loose weight and go to the gym if you want to. Stop worrying about how you look and have fun. So what if you're fat or husky, or curvy or if you have a few more minutes of sand in that hour glass.( I have a few more but you get the point.) Learn to love that sweet ass of yours! Va va voom!  Make a goal to be healthier and to make yourself feel good, be fit or fat, slim or muscular. Don't diet or exercise because someone says you should, or because its what you think everyone thinks you should do. You should do the things that make you happy, and if that's going to a carnival and eating your own weight in funnel cake or corn dogs, that's cool. You only live once and why make yourself miserable by killing yourself when you could be happy and satisfied with who you are.