Reflections in Ramsey took note. This franchise fee chicken-shit has been kicking around from time to time since Gamac times. A few years back it reached a Charter Commission debate. The do-nothing Charter Commission did nothing despite a proposed "Niska Amendment" to the Charter being proposed which would have curtailed the nonsense. Being on the Charter Commission then, and wanting it to do something was a frestration to the extent I got out of it as a waste of time since proaction was not in the cards.
Is the story that Ramsey already has reached some statutory limit on the general levy rate, taxing as much that way as they can, or what? Wanting to spend more than it should? If road maintenance is not made and kept a general fund responsibility, then the spending is irresponsible and should be curtailed.
If road upkeep is not being met from general funds, why not? All the hand-waving rhetoric can be marshaled to obscure that simple truth. BOTTOM LINE: A time when action could have happened was passed up, do-nothing prevailed, and now it looks as if a franchise fee will happen, no matter how the Reflector bleats about being shorn in a new way. Bless the Council and bless the Charter Commission.
