How many times will the Village Board and Administration chant their Mantra of Pedestrian Friendly --- when Shorewood's business districts are anything but ?

How many times will the Village Board and Administration express their encouragement for business development in Shorewood, while potential customers dare not try to traverse the mounds of snow and ice separating the streets from the storefronts ?

Along the 4400 block of Oakland Avenue, if you want to patronize a business, try to get a parking spot close to the corner, because that is the only place you can access the sidewalks !

Not that the shopowners have been lax in their efforts to make a passage for their customers.  For my two storefronts on Oakland, we have shoveled paths several times to the street --- only to have them plowed over.  Today, when I tried to move the boulders of snow and ice that the plows left on the parkway --- my shovel literally broke from the weight of the snow. (see pictures below)

I know that the mundane task of trying to make commerce viable along Oakland and Capitol is not as sexy as the Sunrise development sounded --- but hey Board Members and Administration Officials --- the businesses that are here now could use your support to STAY in Business !

Kind of like the $700 billion for Wallstreet --- and nothing for Mainstreet.  Our Village Board would fit right in with the geniuses in Congress !!!

Especially now with the infamous Shorewood Curbs (a customer of mine told me today that her mother almost broke her neck on a Shorewood Curb a couple of days ago) --- how about getting the parkways clear of snow and ice in the business districts.

An all too familiar sight was one I witnessed this afternoon in front of Joe's barbershop at 4417 N Oakland.

A gentleman (probably in his fifties) was driving his father (looked to be about 80) to Joe's for a haircut ..... after circling around to try to find a space to let his father out, he made a U Turn on Oakland to try to nab one where there was "almost" a passage through the snow mounds, and no Shorewood Curb to negotiate.

After a rather clumsy attempt at a U Turn, several back and forth manuevers, and getting yelled at by a passing police officer --- the gentleman helped his father negotiate the parkway to go get his haircut.  I hope they were able to get back over the snow afterwards without injury to the old gentleman.

 THIS IS A PATH WE HAVE CLEARED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE STREET. NOW AGAIN PLOWED IN, I BROKE MY SHOVEL ON ONE OF THE ICE BOULDERS ................ ALSO THIS IS THE WHERE THE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE SNOW AND ICE TO GET TO HIS HAIRCUT

 NOTICE SEVERAL PATHS HAVE BEEN CLEARED TO THE STREET, ONLY TO BE PLOWED IN AGAIN

HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON --- COUNTRY IN A RECESSION --- AND SHOREWOOD'S SHOPPING DISTRICT IS AN ARTIC WASTELAND !!!

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?               YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME !

Drivers and workers for Waste Management in the Milwaukee area were on strike due to Waste Management making offers that attacked the benefits they had won in previous contracts.

With the current credit and financial crisis, and the threat of hiring Permanent Replacment Workers by Waste Management --- the striking workers were left with no choice but to capitulate and accept a junk contract from Waste Managment.

The five-year contract cuts back on wages and healthcare benefits and establishes a new 401k program for the workers.

BTW retired workers will also be affected, as the new 401K program that Waste Management insisted upon will cut benefits for current retirees.

Have you ever  wondered what the constant pounding that the Middle Class is taking from all sides --- Factory Relocations to Foreign Countries, Diminished Health Care Benefits, Lower Wages, Privatizing of Public Services to Companies that will pay a Fraction of the current wages, Union Busting Techniques such as those used by Waste Management --- means to you ?

 If you are a Teacher, don't hold your breath waiting for better wages --- the Middle Class is running dry.

 If you are a Doctor or Dentist, you will see fewer patients as the Middle Class can't afford your rates or the Insurance Company Co-pays.

If you are an Engineer --- don't be surprised if you can't find work at local manufacturers --- those factories are gone, and if not they are outsourcing your work overseas on the internet --- or bringing in Cheap Foreign Engineers --- because they can't find enough qualified Engineers here (wink, wink immigration laws)

 If you are a Shopkeeper --- when your Customers have less money --- they go to Wal Mart and buy goods from Chinese factories.

If you are a Police Officer --- your job prospects will look good in the short term, as the differnence in the "haves" and "have nots" grows --- but don't get too comfortable, a lot of folks will do your work for a lot less --- and the 'haves" can live in cheaper tax districts in Gated Communities with Rent a Cops who make a fraction of your pay and get no benefits.

 Hopefully I think the point is made ...........

A vibrant Middle Class is what Makes Life Good in the USA !!

When Shorewood's contract with Waste Management comes up for renewal --- maybe we can find a company that respects their workers and compensates them fairly.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?  YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME !!

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