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The principles that rule this blog

Principles that will govern my thoughts as I express them here (from my opening statement):


  • Freedom of the individual should be as total as possible, limited only by the fact that nobody should be free to cause physical injury to another, or to deprive another person of his freedoms.
  • Government is necessary primarily to provide those services that private enterprise won't, or won't at a price that people can afford.
  • No person has a right to have his own beliefs on religious, moral, political, or other controversial issues imposed on others who do not share those beliefs.

I believe that Abraham Lincoln expressed it very well:

“The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do, at all, or cannot
so well do, for themselves — in their separate, individual capacities.”


Comments will be invited, and I will attempt to reply to any comments that are offered in a serious and non-abusive manner. However, I will not tolerate abusive or profane language (my reasoning is that this is my blog, and so I can control it; I wouldn't interfere with your using such language on your own!)

If anyone finds an opinion that I express to be contrary to my principles, they are welcome to point this out. I hope that I can make a rational case for my comments. Because, in fact, one label I'll happily accept is rationalist.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Zoning and people

Tuesday I went to a meeting of a group which was addressed by the head of the local planning board, which is in the process of rewriting the County's zoning regulations. One thing that struck me was that he mentioned that 44% of the County's land is zoned for single-family homes (and 33% is reserved for agricultural purposes!) And he remarked that this figure is unlikely ever to be decreased, because of protests that would ensue. It really seems that the County is listening only to land owners and not to the people in general. I suppose that one could argue that these are the people who are paying the property taxes that support the County. But I think that in a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people" those of us who merely rent our habitations should count as well. And those people who work in the County but cannot affort do live there ought to be considered, although, of course, they are not County voters.

Why is it that only the land-owning public is listened to? The "taxpayer" issue is part of it, of course. But it also seems to be that they are the vocal ones. There is a man named Robin Ficker, who continually runs for whatever office is being contested on a "property tax relief" platform. But there seems to be no comparable advocate for the little people who rent, and will never own real estate.

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