Too much government intruding in our lives, on our bodies, in our homes, and in our pursuit of liberty and happiness:
The notion of private property ownership is a myth in our society:
In October, the city’s 311 nonemergency number started getting a flood of calls complaining about homes in South Austin’s Fairview neighborhood. Over several days, the anonymous caller or callers gave the city 35 different tips about houses with possible code violations. After city inspectors followed up, they issued violation notices to 76 homeowners in the neighborhood, telling them they must apply for permits for improvements such as garage conversions and carports.
Those who fail to correct the problem could be criminally charged and fined up to $2,000 per day or have their utilities disconnected, according to recent letters sent to homeowners that gave them a March 26 deadline to comply.
The homeowners say they’re upset by the violation letters and want more time to figure out how to negotiate the city bureaucracy to get into compliance.
“I’m worried about the fines,” said John Anguiano, 77, who lives on Heartwood Drive, and got a violation notice for a garage conversion he did about 1975. “I’m old, retired and sick, and it’s a pain to deal with this.”
First of all — to the anonymous caller(s) who called to rat out their neighbors: I hope your home burns to the ground while you’re away protesting at what ever movement an uptight asswipe like you is out protesting today.
Secondly — are you freak’n kidding me? Why do we let our government get away with robbing us like this? From the smallest HOAs to City Councils, from state legislatures to the Federal government — WHY DO WE LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS?
The Answer:
Vote them all out, and demand smaller and less government from those with whom we replace them.
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Voting in candidates who pledge smaller and less involved government? Really? You mean like Reagan? You’re more naive that I imagined.
That’s about as likely to occur as you quitting your job tomorrow to save the corporation you work for a few thousand dollars.
Save your money. Buy an island. Be your own government. Then you can focus all that contempt on yourself that you now hold for others.
Shamu called. He’s hungry, you son of a bitch.
something similar happened to my parents and I in our southeast Houston neighborhood.About..3yrs ago. Some person got a deed restriction violation over his company vehicle/service van. He got ticketed and fined. So he went around taking pictures of all the service vehicles and other vehicles that we’re not supposed to have according the deed restrictions. [which BTW were written when the community was started 30+ FUCKING YEARS AGO when the place was white collar bankers and shit. Now its ALL blue collar.] So anyway. we couldn’t store my pops cube truck at the storage yard up the street. not enough security and if it got broken into while parked there..well about 100k in parts and crap on the truck. So my father had to raid his retirement and buy a new car. To drive 70miles[total] back and forth from the shop every day. It REALLY sucks when he’s on call. What does my father do? He’s a plumber..he has been in the industry since he was about 14 working as an assistant/helper at his uncle’s shop in Syracuse, NY.
So if I ever find out who the asshat who started that chain reaction was..I’m going to rip off his head and use it..as a soccer ball. BTW we and the community committee tried to get the restrictions changed. only one problem..you need at least a 75% vote from the home OWNERS. Why is this a problem? Well, because most people around here rent..and most of the owners..are from out of state; so no one knows Who they are or, WHERE they are.
Oh and another one..they city goes around and tickets anyone parking in their own driveway. I kid you not. if it’s a multi vehicle home..if you park your vehicles side by side AND behind one another. [as in 3-4 vehicles in the driveway] they give you tickets for those vehicles that sit on the lower half of the driveway because they block the sidewalk and it ‘endangers and inconveniences the children walking’. They have patrols that go through to write tickets periodically. most of the neighbors have gone back to ignoring that little tyrannical rule. So NOW you either are per force, having to clean out your garage, throw stuff away and/or pay for storage..so you can get vehicles into the garage. OR..you can park in the street..which is of course..a navigation hazard for other vehicles. Which with the way the young and ethnical [I live in what is now a predominantly a hispanic and black neighborhood] idiots around here drive..is a risk to your vehicle..and your insurance rates. Ain’t government grand?
End of Rant.
Been out of pocket lately, Robbie.
This makes me want to holler out loud.
It’s a damn shame that Austin has turned into another liberal state enforcement haven that openly penalizes homeowners for making low impact, inexpensive, unaesthetic improvements to their lives.
Way to go liberals. Kick the poor in the ass one more time.