A Voice In Salem

CPA Is Here Whether We Like It Or Not

Committee creation is the critical part of the process.

Let me state clearly here, I did not not vote for the Community Preservation Act. To me it is a tax poorly disguised as community initiative. None of that matters now. The CPA passed, it is here and a fact of life in Salem. Sometime after the New Year a committee will have to be formed to administer the program. This committee will be established by ordnance or by-law. The ordnance or by-law will also define the term lengths for committee members. This will be done by the city council with input from the Mayor's office. This committee is required by statute to have a minimum of five members. Those five  must be "designated representatives of the following five municipal boards: the Conservation Commission, the Planning Board, the …

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A Voice In Salem

Tomorrow We Vote, Wednesday We Blister

No matter our choices tomorrow the debate will continue unabated.

"Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters" - Abraham Lincoln To vote, or not to vote? Do we face the fire, or turn away from it? It would seem that there aren't many who actually wrestle with that question. Most come down on one side or the other and live comfortably with their decision. There are a few I know who vote sporadically, but they would seem to be the exception. We are either the type to face the fire or we are not. The fact is we all pay for our decision with blisters. This election season seems to be one that has challenged the sensibilities of those that always vote, those that seldom vote and …

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William Legault

5:43 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

I implied nothing. I just reflected the content of the ads run by both the Tierney and Tisei campaigns. I do fell Romney was a good, but not great Governor. Having vetoed by a legislature that is 80% or more democratic is certainly more of a reflection of the legislature than the governor. Of course Obama made the final decision to take our Bin laden, but to presume he had any involvement in the …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: The Community Preservation Act

The following letter to the editor was sent in by Salem resident Sara Maurno

Smart homeowners know the best investment they can make is in the value of their properties, which is intrinsically linked the larger community. The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is exactly the kind of investment this city needs to make to maintain the revitalization we’ve enjoyed in recent years. After the forum hosted by the Mack Park Neighborhood Association last week, I’m very confident about supporting CPA (voting YES on question #4), which would add 1% to Salem property taxes to leverage state funds for parks, open spaces, historic preservation and affordable housing. The State would match the funds for between 25% and 50%. The tax would represent about $30/year (12.1 cents/day), and only from property owners who can afford it.   …

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A Voice In Salem

Halloween, Stormy Days And A Fare-Thee-Well

This week brought a mixed bag to the Witch City

  Halloween crowds October is in its last days. The final Saturday of the month brought good weather and large crowds. Hordes of visitors crowded downtown streets and stood in long lines outside of many shops and restaurants. It is always interesting to try and forecast how crowded the city will be on October weekends. There is no foolproof system. My method is to begin looking at traffic patterns on Thursday afternoons. If the traffic on a Thursday seems heavier than normal, it usually indicates the crowds are coming in early. Friday was very steady downtown, The numbers didn't overwhelm, but the tourists were out, about and spending money. Pointy hats, funky masks and painted faces were all about. Saturday was as busy a non-Halloween …

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A Voice In Salem

Historical Commission's Role Is More Hindrance Than Help

Should a city board tell you what color to paint your house?

  A few weeks back I attended a meeting of the Salem Historical Commission. My reason for going was simple — the fate of an old barn on what used to be the Ropes Estate on 18 Felt St. was up for discussion. The Ropes Estate was sold earlier in the year and broken up into separate lots. The house and garage have since been purchased by landscape architect, Michael Blier. Blier has been busy repairing and restoring the property as a home for his family.  The barn was purchased by James Treadwell, a noted advocate for historic preservation in Salem. He has been, for many years, a leading voice in Salem for restoration and rehabilitation. Many times over the years, when a developer or property owner proposed to demolish an older structure, he …

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Mack Donald

2:18 pm on Sunday, November 4, 2012

Are you nuts?   more ›

A Voice In Salem

Licensing Board Has Handle On Bangkok Paradise Issue

St. Pierre leads reasoned deliberations in pursuit of correct solutions.

  Anyone that reads message boards or newspaper comment threads is familiar with the "hang 'em high" mentality that comes with the territory. No matter the subject matter, hard-liners will insist that any and all infractions must be met with quick and severe discipline. Any other approach is seen as lily-livered or weak-kneed. Take the malefactor out back and tan his hide with a leather strap. The actions the Salem Licensing Board took against Bangkok Paradise last night will not come close to appeasing some of those homebound "knights of the keyboard" (thank you Ted Williams). That is because we do not govern by the QWERTY method. In a meeting that covered infractions from two separate incidents, Bangkok Paradise was issued both a written…

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A Voice In Salem

Salem Streets Can't Be A Battleground For Knuckleheads

Issues at Bangkok Paradise must be addressed properly.

  As I walked downtown yesterday morning, I was writing today's column in my head. The subject had been chosen and the direction and tone selected. Then I turned on my iMac and looked at Salem Patch. Plans were changed as soon as I saw the headline concerning the events of early Saturday morning on Washington Street. Before continuing, be advised that I know the folks who own Bangkok Paradise personally. Some time back I worked with one of them at McCue Corporation at Shetland Park. I know him as a family man who has always worked a legitimate job for a legitimate income. There are many rumors concerning Bangkok Paradise. While I have my opinion, the fact is that I cannot attest to the reality of those rumors. There is one reality I am …

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Sonny Crockett

9:04 am on Sunday, October 7, 2012

Keep the peace. Great idea. With all those establishments you mentioned, and yes, many more "kids" now that Salem State is back. To keep all that peace, you need more police officers. To put more officers on the streets, you need more money in the police budget. Sorry you "don't want to hear" that, but it is a fact. Also, cops do not make "$100 an hour" on details. Sometimes they should for …   more ›

Are You Better Off Than Four Years Ago?

Massachusetts home sales are up and unemployment below national average.

Exactly four years ago this month, the bottom dropped out of the U.S. economy.  Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2008. The next day, the Federal Reserve announced a bailout of AIG. Bad news continued to pile up almost daily, with the stock market collapsing and millions of jobs vanishing. No single factor will define such a complex process as selection of a president, but none might be greater than the simple question: Are you better off than four years ago? In Massachusetts, the state unemployment rate in August was 6.3 percent, up from 6.2 percent in July. Unemployment in the Commonwealth peaked at 8.7 percent in August of 2009. Nationwide, unemployment was at 8.1 percent in August 2012. Sales of single family homes in …

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Anne Sweeney

6:39 pm on Saturday, March 30, 2013

No   more ›

New Judicial Center — Second Rate Work for First Rate Money

Flooding, falling ice, faulty welds and overgrown weeds are not a good omen.

  We live in a city full of old and venerable buildings. Many have stood the test of time and now stand as testament to history. There are structures in Salem that have endured from the seventeenth century and from each succeeding century since. The House of the Seven Gables goes back to 1668. The Derby House was built in 1762. Old Town Hall dates back to 1816-17. Each of those buildings have two things in common. The first is they were built to last. Care was taken in their design and construction so as to ensure they would withstand the ravages of time. Secondly, later in their history, someone stepped forward with the intent of furthering their existence for future generations. On the middle stretch of Federal Street we have four …

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William Legault

10:38 am on Saturday, September 29, 2012

Just though I should post an update on this. Yesterday morning there was a five man crew, all in yellow slickers removing weeds from the landscaped area around the courthouse. As I walked by this morning every weed, from the smallest to the tallest had been removed from the Federal Street corner all the way up to the area at the top of the overpass.   more ›