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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Stupid People

Ohio City OKs Jail Time for Failing to Mow Lawn

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

CANTON, Ohio — Homeowners who don't mow their grass in this northeast Ohio city now face stiffer penalties — including possible jail time.


The city council unanimously passed a law Monday that makes a second high-grass violation a fourth-degree misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $250 and as many as 30 days in jail.

The previous law only made the first violation a minor misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $150 but no jail time. The new law is to take effect in 30 days.

"This is the type of action we need to take in order to clean up our neighborhoods and our city," Mayor William J. Healy II said.

The laws are an effort to reduce the roughly $250,000 the city spends to cut about 2,000 private lots each year and to address public complaints, Councilman Greg Hawk has said.

You have got to be kidding me! Can it really be so? What is the going rate of housing an inmate? Some how I don't think spending $3,000 on a jail stay will be a cost savings over just moving the lazy no gooder's lawn. Someone needs to rip the page out of the Great Falls playbook and send it over so they can see how to BILL the property owner at an outrageous amount for mowing the lawn, something like $500 not sure what the going rate is for the services of the weed enforcement Gestapo. Not to mention who is going to be mowing the lawn when the property owner is enjoying their vacation in the concrete resort?

I have to wonder where this politicians get their half-baked ideas on ways to save money. I could save money by not paying my car insurance, but you don't see me out courting the legal system and lining my pockets with cash that would eventually lead me into legal proceedings. There are so many ways to trim pork from budgets, but shifting the money to another department and calling it a cost savings is absolutely political road apples. We wonder why the economy is in shambles, could it possibly be because of improper use of tax dollars and ever increasing taxation? We should institute a policy that cuts politicians salaries every time they vote for 'cost saving' legislation that actually results in an increase in spending, maybe then would we see some accountability for their hair brained ideas.

4 comments:

Wrena said...

A 60 some year old woman was arrested in Utah last year for not watering her lawn. The dumbest thing was is there are watering restrictions around here and she could have only water 2 days a week, anyway. Finally this early this spring they made a plea agreament. Now I could see doing some thing serious about neighbors that don't dispose of there furnature or appliances or trash like the other citisens in the neighborhood! I HAVE 2 OF THOSE REAL CLOSE AND YES IT IS AN EYE SORE FAR LARGER THAN THIS OR NOT WATERING!

<3 Sierra said...

Did you hear about the guy who got charged with assault for throwing a hedgehog at a teenager? :P

Carin said...

I say just give them a hefty fine - that's what they do here. Like you say, if they're in jail then who is going to do the work. Ugh, politicians.

The J's said...

I think they don't have enough legit stuff to keep them busy!
a while back we had a letter to the editor complaining about all the "pretty yellow flowers" in people's lawns, and don't people know how easy it is to spray (eg dump all those chemicals on our lawns & environment)
She said "This town is so nice, it's a shame that people don't care to keep their lawns nice" I thought it was a pity she didn't have anything better to do!!