ann arbor is overrated. » Blog Archive

Tiers in Heaven

A “tiered” structure for anything doesn’t usually bode well, unless it’s a wedding cake. A2’s new water rates are no exception. Under the new plan, consumers who use more water will be charged a higher rate - a “consumer” being anything from a retired couple in one of those lovely old homes on Washtenaw to a family of four to five students sharing a house. Five students living in separate apartments, where they will likely use more resources, will collectively pay less under the new plan.

13 Responses to “Tiers in Heaven”

Good point about the students but I’m all for the idea of luxury tax. Unfortunately the only proven way to keep people from wasting water is making it cost-prohibitive. The idiots dumping perfectly good water on their lawns are the ones that ought to be paying through the nose.
posted by Steven B. Cherry on December 16th, 2003 at 4:30 pm
A lot of landlords seem to include water in rents… such increased costs will doubtless get passed along to tenants.
posted by Brandon on December 16th, 2003 at 4:52 pm
We’ll have to think twice about those daily showers!
posted by no one on December 16th, 2003 at 5:40 pm
Slow day I guess. If your gonna post about water rates, I have a feeling this whole world just might be over-rated to you. Cheers!
posted by Dan on December 16th, 2003 at 7:07 pm
This is a daily-updated site about Ann Arbor! Of course there’s gonna be a slow day now and then.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on December 16th, 2003 at 11:58 pm
C’mon. News in Ann Arbor is defined by slow days.
Personal favorite: Above the fold, Ann Arbor News front page about a year and a half ago- “Last Night’s Storm ‘A Wild One’ Says Local Man”
(Photo of man on porch with branch lying at his feet).
posted by js on December 17th, 2003 at 11:04 am
We should try to find the dumbest headline in the AA News over the past 10 years and vote on which one is the dumbest. I volunteer to build/host the quiz.
posted by Steven B. Cherry on December 17th, 2003 at 1:42 pm
poll/quiz whatever.
posted by Steven B. Cherry on December 17th, 2003 at 1:43 pm
My favorite headline from the Ithaca Journal during 1988-90 was (front page, above the fold, across multiple columns): Lizard Stuns Brooktondale.
posted by Larry Kestenbaum on December 17th, 2003 at 2:03 pm
Sounds like a good idea, Steven. I’m sure there’s no shortage of good headlines that could be considered for the title.
posted by Boris on December 17th, 2003 at 8:08 pm
I’ve always been fond of these.
posted by ann arbor is overrated on December 17th, 2003 at 8:41 pm
Oh, and Romenesko has been getting some really funny letters from reporters on the worst assignment they’ve ever gotten. I like this one:

Here is a classic tale from The Cincinnati Post, where I worked for 19 years … After his wife reported she was unable to buy any fresh string beans at the grocery store, the ME concluded there was a shortage and assigned a reporter to investigate.
The reporter checked with growers, produce distributors, retailers,
etc. and found there was no string bean shortage. The disbelieving ME did not buy the reporter’s conclusion and again told him to dig into the string bean shortage and come up with a story.
The enterprising reporter left the office and was quickly back with his quarry. He placed a bushel basket of string beans on the ME’s desk. That was the end of the story on the great string bean shortage.

posted by ann arbor is overrated on December 17th, 2003 at 9:36 pm
Headline over letter to the editor in my local paper today:

“Try and kill him fast to save tax dollars ”
posted by Anna on December 18th, 2003 at 1:43 pm