phantom tollbooths in Davis Sq. ...

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

apropos of nothing and not a serious proposal but I was thinking about sales taxes last night, the discussion of tolls on 93 south and something to do with all the border violence going on in the world these days. Suddenly I had this image of tollbooths/checkpoints on the roads entering Davis Sq. Weird but interesting to speculate on.

The growth in popularity of the sq. has brought higher rents and housing prices, higher prices in stores and bars and general gentrification. The city of Somerville and the property owners benefit but the residents don't. Would be interesting to have a toll that went to offset the costs of gentrification to people who actually live here.

Comments

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Would be interesting to have a toll that went to offset the costs of gentrification to people who actually live here.

Only if we wanted traffic to be more messed up in the Square than it already is!

[artic-monkeys.livejournal.com]

yes, local businesses are going work together to provide more parking and access to their businesses, this means more traffic and pollution for you. Resident communities need to stick together to ensure that you are not losing your parking spots, parks, or anything else that you consider to add the quality of living here. Most businesses are predatory and only care about making money. Business owners and commercial landlords are very aggressive and sharp. Especially if the rent is due and they owe back pay. The way I see it is ,that a local business should serve the community. Not the other way around. The local bakery should provide a service to the local community. Either bake a bunch a bread for everyone or pay a lot of taxes so that our home property taxes go down. check this out: These commercial developments may look like any other strip of chain stores, but not every town of 400 can lay claim to $3 million in annual sales-tax revenue -- $4 million in a good year. Sunset Valley passed the windfall directly on to its residents and business owners in 1995 by abolishing city property taxes. (http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A181032)