Billings Communist Council Strikes Again

Just when you thought our City Council couldn't possibly squeeze another dime out of local homeowners, the People's Republic of Billings is at it again.  This time, they want to implement a new sidewalk policy that would crack down on "trippers".

What is a tripper?  No, it's not the offspring of former Three's Company character Jack Tripper.  It has nothing to do with hippies at the Burning Man Festival.  A tripper occurs when the edge of your sidewalk starts to raise up and creates a bump.

According to our City Council, these trippers pose a safety threat for pedestrians, cyclist, skateboarders and people in wheelchairs.  When, and if, the policy goes into effect, homeowners will have 30 days to make repairs to the sidewalks in front of their property.

After 30 days, the City will be able to access the cost of those repairs to your property tax bill.  Here's where it gets crazy.  The cost of those repairs are estimated around $4,000 and must be paid within a year.  They say that only 20-30 homeowners will be affected each year.  However, that number could rise if we have another snowy winter.

Keep in mind, the City pays to willingly install speed bumps all over town.  The way we see it, these trippers are merely pedestrian speed bumps that make our sidewalks safer.  We've all seen those kids on skateboards and bikes flying down the sidewalk at high speed, we're just trying to slow them down and protect them from injury.