Archive for the 'Hartford' Category
Regionalism in CT
This Sunday’s Courant contained an excellent editorial about regionalism as a possible strategy for addressing the financial challenges our numerous local governments face. It is a very helpful piece because it not only introduces & defines the idea, but also looks at pros & cons. Finally, the article cites other US metropolitan regions that are already making strides with this strategy and articulates first steps for Greater Hartford.
Town finances impact all of us (even renters) through property taxes. They are a hot button issue for the traditional pro-school and anti-tax groups that emerge every time a budget comes up for debate. There is always lots of rhetoric, and there is sometimes cooperation and compromise, but there are rarely constructive suggestions or discussions that address the underlying issues. Which is not surprising because the established rules of the game are that everything is local.
The Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog has written about the financial stresses that local governments face on a couple of occasions. One post focused on West Hartford’s ongoing budget situation, while the other was more general and looked at the difficult economics of running a town. We see financial trouble on the horizon at all levels of government. And like many others have not been sure how best to work within the rules.
Rather than continuing to beat each other up at a local level, another way to address the challenges is to team up at a state and/or regional level and try to work together. The Courant has stepped to the front by making an initial proposal that includes the following:
1. Launch a study at the state level to identify whether or not core services can be more efficiently delivered on a regional basis (with the focus on federal metropolitan areas rather than counties).
2. Begin dialogs about regionalism at the town level immediately, and launch a major education campaign if the state study shows meaningful savings are possible.
3. Create incentives at the state level to encourage towns to participate.
4. Consider enhancing the existing entities that already think on a regional level so they can play more of a leadership role.
Regionalism is a new arrow in our quiver as we all go through the local budget balancing process. It joins tax hikes, reduced services, begging for more state money, and increased efficiency as the primary tools for making sure that town revenue matches town expenses. And of the five, it seems most likely to make a meaningful long-term impact.
So give the editorial a quick read. Talk about it with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. And if it seems as promising to you as it does to us, tell your elected officials to reach out to their counterparts in other towns.
Picture Perfect Day: ING’s Hartford Marathon
Note: Non-real estate related post follows.
A few months ago, I posted a plea for running partners to help me train for ING’s Hartford Half Marathon. My wish was granted and I met some very nice ladies that I’ve trained with over the past few weeks.
Well, today was the big day. The weather was perfect and I was ready to go. And to make it an even better event, several of our grad school friends (Katherine, Becca, and Marlene) and Kyle’s sister (Allison) came to visit us and run in the race. Yay!
While it was early in the morning (6:45am), great skill and teamwork got us through the long lines for packet pickup at the XL Center quite quickly. Additionally, some stealth tactics got us into the speed line for t-shirt pickup and a hidden bathroom with essentially no waiting. I’m keeping those secret…
We headed out to the start line at Bushnell Park, joining the thousands of other runners. Off we went and jog, jog, jog- we all finished the race. Actually, out of the collective 17 half marathons that the 5 of us previously ran (Kyle does not run), we each finished with a personal best. I finished in 2:00:16. If only I had not eaten that extra Oreo last night, I could have finished in under 2 hours.
Quotes and Observations from Our Out-of-Town Friends…
Allison (Washington, D.C.)- “I love the sun! I liked the course and enjoyed the volume of people running. I wished the mile marker signs were a little larger and there weren’t so many turns at the end.” and “The support staff that carried our crap (Kyle) was much appreciated.”
Katherine (Chapel Hill, NC)- “What I particularly enjoy about the Hartford Half Marathon, other than great company, is the big steaming Starbucks I reward myself with at the end, which was really an inspiration at Mile 11.” and “People bring a lot of really cute puppy dogs to the park to participate in the festivities.”
Marlene (Boston, MA)- “I enjoyed the live bands - they helped motivate me throughout the run. The Riverfront part of the race was picturesque.” and “I appreciated the High Fives in Parkville.” and “Next time I will bring a cell phone and money, as my friends abandoned me after the race.” NOTE [from Amy]: There was a bit of miscommunication about where to meet up after the race that resulted in Marlene being lost for about 1.5 hours at Bushnell Park. She was eventually found and returned to her weekend hosts.
Rebecca (New York City)- “My favorite part of the race was the home stretch when I convinced at least 100 people to cheer for me. Thanks Hartford!”
Hartford’s West End Walking Tour, Saturday October 4th
If you enjoy architecture, Hartford history, or just spending time outside on a nice fall morning, you might want to participate in an upcoming architecture tour in Hartford’s West End neighborhood.
Behind the Facades: Architectural Heritage of the West End is sponsored by the Hartford Preservation Alliance and co-sponsored by WECA’s Architectural History & Resources Committee.
The walk will showcase the results of Hartford’s prominence as a state capitol and center of business and culture. Stops will include peeks inside some whimsical homes along the way.
The walking tour will take place on Saturday, October 4th from 10:00am-12:00pm, rain or shine. The cost is $10. Please meet at the UCONN Law School Parking Lot on Sherman Street.
Payment for the tour should be made by check to the Hartford Preservation Alliance and mailed to 56 Arbor Street, Suite 406, Hartford, CT 06106. You may also pay in-person by check on the day of the tour. Call the HPA at (860) 570-0331 or email them if you have further questions.
We hope to see you there!
