Today is voting day.

We haven’t covered any of the candidates other than reporting on the District 92 seat candidacy announcements of Greg Leding and Bill Ramsey.

You’re on your own with the primary elections. Sorry, we can’t do everything. The city council elections, however, will be covered here this fall for sure.

The one city-wide issue up for vote today that we neglected to mention is the proposed ordinance to allow the city to use its portion of the HMR tax on park maintenance as well as park development. In other words, some of our HMR money is already being used for developing new parks, but not for maintaining them. The city says the original ballot for this ordinance had an error and it was an accident when the word “maintenance” was left off, leaving them to look elsewhere for maintenance money. Now, officials say, they’re simply trying to correct a mistake and put those tax dollars towards something they should’ve already been funding so they can use the current maintenance money for other things. Voting YES won’t increase any taxes and won’t reduce the amount of A&P funding dollars, but there are some who are against it accusing the city of “doublespeak” and worrying that the maintenance money might eat up all the development money. Others are for it and say the choice is simple: “Make it easier to maintain all the parks in the city or hold those dollars for newer ones.”

Cast your votes today or forever hold your peace. Unless, of course, you don’t wanna. That’s fine, too. I guess.

What’s to do tonight?

Halestorm, Janus, and Jonathan Tyler & Northern Lights are at George’s. That sounds like a loud one.

If you’re a fan of Smoke & Barrel‘s board game tournaments, there’s another tonight. This time, it’s Scrabble. Or Reality Words With Friends. Whatever you call it, tonight’s the night if you’re a wordie.

Elsewhere, the McCleod/Burson Quartet is at Scarpino’s, Mary Oliver‘s at WAC and Jeff Fox is at JJ’s.

List:

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

JJ’s Grill n Chill: Jeff Fox

Herman’s Ribhouse: Jones’n Leah

Teatro Scarpino: McCleod/Burson Quartet

Walton Arts Center: Mary Oliver

George’s: Halestorm / Janus / Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights

Smoke & Barrel Tavern: Scrabble Tournament