City Hall

I try not to go downtown, ever.  It is th seat of local government n as most of u know government always lacks, efficiency.  Today's xperience was no different.

N so it bgins with th parkin, th first meter was broken, caught in th coin feed was a coin.  Somebody tried to put in th wrong coin n it got stuck, so I moved to th nex one....put in about two dollars n walked to th county buildin.  When they first started th meters they were a nickle, now they only take quarters.

I have always complained about th parkin, they do it to make money, I think it is taxation without representation.  They used to have meter maids, females that walked around givin u a citation when your time xpired.  Then they would have to empty th machines.  They had to assign policeman to collect all those nickles to insure th girls were not robbed, or that she stole th money.  But now they have to provide benefits, maternal leave, security, minimum wage, uniforms, vacation time, sick leave n the list just keeps on growin.  In short noway can this make any revenue.  To make matters worse, no QA is ever done on th meters, so many people receive parkin tickets that they shouldnt have, its probably in th millions.
Th tickets dont get paid n there r no provisions for gettin th money.  So th city ends up in th red.

Imagine havin to count all those nickles, package them, gettin them to th bank.  Damn things r heavy.  U have to hire an armored truck. U have to hire a cashier, build a safe, provide security.  Not only does it not make money, it is a money losin idea.  Now it takes quarters, so it is heavier n th banks charges for handlin all that change.

It is a busy place, lots of cement obstacles to keep out any vehicles.  Th large floor tiles have since fallen off, it was never glued down right.  N th police meet u at th entrance, make u empty your pockets, run through th metal detector, while your blongins r xrayed.  They have about six officers for this very xpensive equipment to keep out any rabble rousers.

Now I get to th county department lead by Delia Briones only to wait in a long line.  I finally get to th clerk n request my copies, two birth certificates n one marriage license.

Th marriage license is $6.00 dollars, to this is added th Vitals Preservation Fee $1.00. Total $7.00.  (Vitals Preservation Fee) this is another tax without representation.  

Th two birth certificates, $40.00 dollars, copies $2.00, Vitals Preservation  Fee $2.00, certified copies $2.00.  One of the copies was signed with a marker, not legible n illegal in th state of Texas.  Then it reads, it is illegal to duplicate this copy.  Total cost $46.00.

Oh n then there was a Convenience Fee $1.31.  Another tax without representation.  

Th whole amount in American Dollars paid to this department, $54.31. What is worse it was not convenient, th process took over an hour.

They have no discounts for veterans or th disabled, if poor people dont have th money they dont get th information.  The air conditioner was not on.

I did recommend that they have some input computers for people to come in, swipe their drivers license, fill in th info on th screen, n have th clerks just verify.  This Im sure would speed things up.  It otherwise is th xact same process that they were usin 40 years ago.  What a bunch of morons!