Milton Residents Enjoy New Sidewalks
Meet Mr. Resident. The Resident Family moved to Milton about five years ago from Madison. He and the Mrs. wanted to raise their children in a smaller town. On pleasant weather days, you would see Mr. Resident riding his bicycle slowly in the street behind the Little Residents on their small bikes. They would race to the corner, wait for dad, cross the street. Race to the next corner, wait for dad, cross the street.
This spring, the City of Milton installed sidewalks in front of the Resident’s home. Some would argue that the street where the Residents live does not need sidewalks, and taxpayer money would be better spent elsewhere. There is very little traffic on their street and even fewer people walking through their neighborhood. But, sometimes, in the spirit of being fair to all, common sense doesn’t win.
Be that as it may…
The day the bright yellow “Caution” tape came down from the dry concrete on their street, the Little Residents donned their bike helmets, climbed upon their two-wheeled vehicles, and rode up and down their new sidewalk until the sun went down. And Mr. Resident smiled contentedly from his driveway where he finished up some projects while his children played… safely… without him.
I don’t know Mr. Resident’s personal feelings about how his (or my) tax dollars should be spent. I don't know if he signed the petition against the sidewalk when neighbors came around. But, I know what joy looks like on a child’s face.
So, when the City Fathers tell me I must have sidewalks whether I want/need them or not, I would like to think I’d choose to look for the bright side. And when I see it (as I did this weekend watching those kids), I could be happy my tax money bought that.
Jun 4, 2008 at 4:52 p.m.
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last word: cheer (opps!)
Jun 4, 2008 at 4:49 p.m.
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My my MC Hammer, aren't we a black hole for optimism. To cheer you up I would like to point out a few misnomers in your comment. The City did not "jam sidewalks down your throat", they installed them in your terrace. Also, you never owned the land the sidewalk was installed on. Therefore, your statement about your yard becoming smaller is incorrect also. As for the money you "had to spend" to snow blow your new sidewalk, that was your choice. If you are "not happy", it is not the City's fault, but your own! Since you have chose to make events you you have no control over into evil actions by others meant to chip away at your happiness, then I can only assume you are also using the "300' of sidewalk" as an over-exaggeration to prove your point, create the need for a expensive snow blower, or add to the dramatic drain this is to your life. I would like to point out to you that the average lot size is 90x110. That means one of three things:
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1) You are exaggerating like I explained. Cheer up! stating the actual size of your lot reduces the work by 1/3!
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2) You live on a peninsula. OK, you got me there.
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3) You have a unusually large lot. If this is the case also cheer up! You have more yard than most, so your pessimistic view of losing yard to a sidewalk is null for more than the reason I listed above. Also, if you can afford to buy larger than normal lot, pay the taxes on said lot, and mow said lot, then you have no problem paying for the new snow blower to clear our new sidewalk. Cheer up here too! At least you have the means to buy such a nice snow blower. Others may not, now that you have a better look about life, why not chear someone else up after the next snow storm. Help someone that truly has a reason to whine by sharing your chear!
Jun 4, 2008 at 10:28 a.m.
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::Rose picks up rose-colored glasses that Hammer has tossed to the floor, polishes the lenses, offers them to next commenter::
Jun 3, 2008 at 10:18 a.m.
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I cant say for milton, but in Janesville, tax dollars do not pay for neighborhood sidewalks... property owners pay for them.. on top of their taxes! So when they jammed sidewalks down my throat, I for one was NOT happy. yes I have kids, and there are a lot of kids in the neighborhood. they all still play in the street, and now my yard is smaller and I had to spend another $700 on a snowblower to remove the snow from my 300' of new white sidewalks!
Jun 3, 2008 at 7:22 a.m.
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Amen, ray53511.
Jun 2, 2008 at 6:50 p.m.
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very well put. Jus remember folks to check and keep checkin as your backing up since the kids are ridin in new terrority so we don't have a reapeat of last week's tragic mishap in Newark.
Jun 2, 2008 at 5:26 p.m.
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Have the kids busted out the chalk for sidewalk art?
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