ok

this might be hard to believe but not all conversations are between and about people of the non-trans variety, and it might be occasionally useful to have a special word or prefix to refer to them. crazy!

Bay State Brewery maybe? I know it has "brewery" in the name but it's a big place attached to an ice arena so there's always kids there and running around. the food selection is decent and there are board games etc for you to borrow.

it looks like at least two un-lidded bins were put on the curb - what did you think was going to happen to their contents if they get knocked over or it gets windy?

gonna be wild when you read up on the Pledge of Allegiance

I thought this rule changed recently too but I can't find any info online applying specifically to Worcester. I just tear off and throw out any greasy bits and recycle the clean bits.

but, in general: when in doubt, throw it out. if the recycling stream is too contaminated then it gets burned or dumped into a landfill instead of properly recycled.

this would do the opposite of anger and frustrate me

"not thriving before"? really? Green Island is one of the few places where Worcester feels like a real city. I'm down there 4-5 times a month for lunch, dinner, drinks, or shopping.

I'd be interested in seeing a comparison between Worcester and surrounding towns which lists miles of public road, snow-removal budget, and citizen satisfaction. my gut says things are worse here because the ratio of plowed miles to available dollars is higher, but that's just a guess.

spot on. in addition to the health and environmental hazards involved with oil-tank removal and disposal, there's the other issues of sourcing and permitting. there are good reasons why this is not cheap to do and why it's best to not just hire some plumber you found on Angie's List.

you mean to tell me that Kate Toomey and Chief Sargent might not have been honest with us when they said there's no racism in the police department?

the ballpark is revitalizing these places right out of business

if rent increases are disconnected from the CPA as you imply, then why mention them at all here?

good. I like having nicer outdoor spaces and more affordable-housing options, and I like having a say in where specifically my tax money goes to.

a triple-decker assessed at $700K will only need to raise rents by ~$4/month per unit to pay for the CPA.

our kid started swimming lessons at Worcester Fitness when he was 2 or so. the coaches are friendly and the locker rooms are clean enough.

because cars go flying up my street at 10+mph over the speed limit and I don't feel at all bad about making them have to slow down.

on the one hand, you could pay like $50 a year (or $0, if you are exempt) and get free money from the state in order to improve parks and make housing more affordable. on the other hand, you could discuss your $4/mo surcharge using catchphrases like "a tax on a tax" as if that's not how all taxes everywhere already work. good arguments on both sides if you ask me!

then there's no direct financial impact to you, though I'm guessing your landlord will try to use this to justify yet another rent increase. (don't fall for it; the owner of a triple-decker worth $700K will only see their tax bill go up by something like $147 per year)

the benefits would be: nicer outdoor spaces, better historical preservation efforts, and more affordable housing. it's not a general slush fund; the money can only be spent on certain types of things. and as another reply to my comment mentioned, Worcester residents are already putting money into this fund (via surcharges on real-estate transactions) but never taking any money out of it (since we haven't signed on as a CPA community).

I'm voting yes on Q5. it'll cost me an extra $53 next year. I'll gladly pay $53 for better parks and more accessible housing.

sources:

https://www.communitypreservation.org/about

https://www.communitypreservation.org/funding

take the assessed value of your house, subtract $100K from it, and calculate what the property tax would be on that reduced value. pay 1.5% of that number into a special state fund, from which Worcester can withdraw as much as its residents pay in and use it to improve parks, recreational spaces, and affordable housing.