tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post1280711368486354352..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: Viva La Revolucion!Larry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-65716414167934453672015-09-01T09:10:06.370-04:002015-09-01T09:10:06.370-04:00Greyhairs, as you call us, are people too.Greyhairs, as you call us, are people too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-35007864687559499052015-08-29T14:00:33.137-04:002015-08-29T14:00:33.137-04:00How many can afford to live here?How many can afford to live here?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-74463609664230567052015-08-28T23:06:44.562-04:002015-08-28T23:06:44.562-04:00What does it mean to say "They [students] nee...<br />What does it mean to say "They [students] need to be respected as customers"? Are you saying, e.g., that landlords should "represent" their tenants? Is this really about giving business or property owners in Amherst the right to buy political influence, even if they don't live in Town? How many of the Amherst for all organizers and financial backers actually live in Amherst?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-5149531366164452812015-08-28T16:33:00.738-04:002015-08-28T16:33:00.738-04:00Yeah, the Yahoo group was created in 2003 in respo...Yeah, the Yahoo group was created in 2003 in response to the Charter Commission coming up with Mayor/Council/Town Manager. <br /><br />They were informed this morning by an Amherst For All steering committee member about the new threat to their existence, but thus far have not responded.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-33328187974323704582015-08-28T16:27:19.081-04:002015-08-28T16:27:19.081-04:00I agree with 1:46, TM is not accountable and regul...I agree with 1:46, TM is not accountable and regular citizens are locked out of their private "Yahoo Group" (an appropriate name if I ever heard one). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-20628097698307075672015-08-28T13:46:55.469-04:002015-08-28T13:46:55.469-04:00The issue isn't the median age in town; it'...The issue isn't the median age in town; it's that the town meeting form of government has become anything but truly representative. I would applaud reform that would finally put a "face" to the town's leadership.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-50402183045329228672015-08-28T12:03:17.310-04:002015-08-28T12:03:17.310-04:00Wonderful graphic design of logo on AmherstForAll....Wonderful graphic design of logo on AmherstForAll.org.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-27217853802063245602015-08-28T11:46:35.084-04:002015-08-28T11:46:35.084-04:00Are you saying that the college kids should run th...Are you saying that the college kids should run this town? The few college kids who run for Town Meeting rarely show up. Williams and Wilson are turning the downtown into a college community with little to offer us long-time residents once we have seen the current shows at Amherst Cinema and tried out the mediocre (at best) but very expensive restaurants. Thank god for the old Amherst College frats on the southern end of downtown for maintaining a tourist-friendly ambiance.<br /><br />I see in the Globe that Harvard wishes to glass in Harvard Square and plan to remove the "historic" chess tables. Amherst should buy their used chess tables to install here (perhaps in Kendrick Park) to alter the age-presence downtown!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-33131505019421666822015-08-28T11:20:28.609-04:002015-08-28T11:20:28.609-04:00I don't know why Vince would be upset. He'...I don't know why Vince would be upset. He'd be able to run for mayor, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-23973299281500450192015-08-28T10:48:05.360-04:002015-08-28T10:48:05.360-04:00They need to be respected as consumers. They are t...They need to be respected as consumers. They are the customers of the town's industry, but you are playing up the town meeting aspect when it's not really relevant. Get a mayor because you will get more efficient government is a better argument. After all, how many Smith students are on Northampton's city council? None.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-25709697509630315692015-08-28T08:09:50.310-04:002015-08-28T08:09:50.310-04:00People don't stay in hotels 7.5 months out of ...People don't stay in hotels 7.5 months out of the year (12).<br /><br />And excuse my simple math but I was taught after exceeding .5 you could round up.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-69219773205610761882015-08-28T06:10:27.513-04:002015-08-28T06:10:27.513-04:00You are right. It's populated by college age y...You are right. It's populated by college age youth, and their interests need to be considered, but most are not residents, so they are not under represented in town meeting any more than people staying in hotels.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-70581758677137796082015-08-27T22:10:32.150-04:002015-08-27T22:10:32.150-04:00Those greyhairs will still be there in four years ...Those greyhairs will still be there in four years (most of them). The 22s are transient. I'll agree with you that their needs have to be served--after all, even if those 22s are gone, there will be others in their place--but I also think you have to respect those who are permanently invested in the community.Bruce D Allennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-49749953855610477222015-08-27T21:47:02.971-04:002015-08-27T21:47:02.971-04:00We should revert to Open Town Meeting then: partic...We should revert to Open Town Meeting then: participatory democracy trumps the "representative" bull$#!+ Amherst now hasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-46702621017179832302015-08-27T21:39:46.311-04:002015-08-27T21:39:46.311-04:00Most of these students are still on their parents&...Most of these students are still on their parents' taxes and are thus residents of the towns where their parents live.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-45736468622955745942015-08-27T20:57:38.326-04:002015-08-27T20:57:38.326-04:00Like it of not 58% of Amherst is populated with &q...Like it of not 58% of Amherst is populated with "college aged youth."Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-90165191748302849812015-08-27T20:33:35.670-04:002015-08-27T20:33:35.670-04:00That's because you are calling students reside...That's because you are calling students residents, which almost all of them aren't. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-18496361806034770552015-08-27T20:07:36.419-04:002015-08-27T20:07:36.419-04:00Love the mayor idea! I personally dont think we ne...Love the mayor idea! I personally dont think we need a town manager and a mayor though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-9071617003322084512015-08-27T19:31:52.310-04:002015-08-27T19:31:52.310-04:00Take a look at any photo I have ever published of ...Take a look at any photo I have ever published of Towm Meeting crowd shot and then stand in town center next week and peruse the crowd. <br /><br />Then talk to me about age difference.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-71313152192687345972015-08-27T19:24:13.549-04:002015-08-27T19:24:13.549-04:00…or looking up from below? ;-)
But seriously, now...…or looking up from below? ;-)<br /><br />But seriously, now:<br /><br />Having "median age 22" means less than half the population is 23 or above, and less than half the population is 21 or below - and that's simply because UMass and the other college's undergraduate student population (almost all of whom are between 16 and 24 years old) overwhelm the remaining population of Amherst residents.<br /><br />While I agree that some reform to Town Meeting may still be in order, it's not because it's members are older than 22!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com