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After the Heaths joined the multitude of Mainers who have successfully fought the maps, the Westbrook couple finally did refinance their house in December, a year after they first tried. |
Nancy Health says it’s only fair for the government to reimburse the $700 the couple paid to a surveyor to document that their house was too elevated to be in a flood zone. |
“If someone is erroneously placed in a flood zone and they have to appeal and go through this crazy song and dance, they should be reimbursed,” Heath said. |
The Heaths’ case was relatively straightforward. But winning an appeal in a more complicated case can cost several thousand dollars, said James Nadeau, the Portland surveyor and certified flood plain manager who did the job for the Heaths. |
Baker of the Maine State Planning Office said she understands the frustration of having to pay out of pocket to correct a federal flood plain map. But she isn’t sure reimbursing home-owners is the best solution to the problem. |
There is no specific money set aside in the House bill to cover the costs of reimbursing homeowners who file successful map appeals. That would have to be allocated separately each year by Congress. |
That’s the idea behind the flood insurance program overhaul on which the Senate is working. The House bill would spend about $92 million to improve maps nationwide, while the Senate bill ups that ante to $400 million. |
Opponents of the House reimbursement provision fear money for improving maps would get eaten up by the requirement to reimburse homeowners who file flood plain appeals. |
In 2009, FEMA came out with new flood maps for York and Cumberland counties, only to have to withdraw them in 2010 for more work after acknowledging numerous errors. |
“I would rather see the FEMA money spent on making the map better up front,” said Larry Larson, executive director of the national Association of State Flood Plain Managers, based in Wisconsin. |
FEMA declined comment on the pending flood insurance legislation and the issue of reimbursing property owners for a successful appeal. |
Maine’s two Republican senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, say they would like to see homeowners reimbursed if possible — but not at the expense of producing more accurate maps. |
Collins says she wants more information about how much reimbursing individual home-owners would cost nationwide — and whether enough money would be available for improved maps — before she agrees to the House proposal. But there has been no estimate of how much money the House reimbursement proposal would cost nationwi... |
“The best way to avoid unnecessary and costly mistakes is for FEMA to produce accurate maps in the first place,” Collins said. |
But Lisa Duffy, a Massachusetts woman whose family owns a second home in Naples on a small lake called Brandy Pond, was frustrated and out $500 after she won her flood zone appeal in 2010. |
Duffy said their home sits up on a hill and is in no danger of flooding even in the fiercest storm. |
Volkswagen's iconic Beetle's days could be numbered. |
For Volkswagen that vehicle, I would argue, is Beetle. Though its role has gradually diminished over the years, it set the standard for what a Volkswagen car should be: fun to drive, affordable and reliable. |
A lot has changed since Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal of 2015, including a company-wide shift toward bigger vehicles and electrification, both of which are antithetical to VW’s previous mission. |
Today, the final nail in the coffin of the old Volkswagen might have been nailed home. The Beetle appears to have a date with the exterminator. I’ll fill you in on that and a whole lot more in this Monday edition of the Daily Drive-Thru. |
The major headline from the Volkswagen brand’s annual session over the weekend was that the Beetle’s days appear to be nearing an end. When asked about the future of the iconic coupe, which is built on an aging platform, brand board member Arno Antlitz insinuated that, despite its emotional appeal, the Beetle isn’t lik... |
This isn’t a surprise, given the model’s lackluster sales or the swirling rumors about its grim future. In fact, it might not even be the last of the Beetle, with Volkswagen promising 30 new EV models by 2025. However, whether this is simply the end of the Beetle as we know it or goodbye once and for all, it is an indi... |
Get the rest of my thoughts on the Beetle’s death here. |
Treat your family right with one of these five class-leading minivans. |
Minivans have fallen decidedly out of style. I’m not sure it would be accurate to say they were ever in style, but they were certainly more popular among the mommy-daddy set than they are today. They’ve since taken a backseat to midsize SUVs and crossovers but, as boss-man Christian Wardlaw will so passionately argue, ... |
We’ve picked the newest vehicle in this bunch, the Chrysler Pacifica, as the best minivan of 2017, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only one worth considering. We’ve put together a list of five minivans that we feel are worthy of the Daily News Autos endorsement. |
See our list of recommended minivans here. |
Crossovers might be all the rage these days, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a nice full-size SUV to make an impression on us. With a new Premier trim package, a pair of new paint options and some upgrades to improve comfort and infotainment, the 2017 Chevy Tahoe proves that there’s still a place in this wor... |
Major props go out to whoever installed this guard rail because it certainly did the job it was intended to do here. A European rally racer was a little overzealous heading around this sharp curve and very nearly paid or it with his life. |
Fortunately for the driver, the guard rail held its ground and hugged the car tightly to the ledge, preventing it from tumbling downhill at least long enough for him to escape and avoid the painful death that awaits the next guy who doesn’t approach the turn more cautiously. |
As you might recall, the Chron recently announced that, in an effort “to provide a better reading experience for Sunday print subscribers and to differentiate it from our website,” certain items that appear in the print and e-edition Sunday Chronicle would not appear on their website until the following Tuesday. |
America’s wild horse saga becomes The saga of America’s wild horses online. My obsession with the minute changes the headlines get when (as you’ll see, generally the non-sports) stories go online continues! I cannot see any SEO reason to change them as they do, anyone else have any ideas? |
Student protests vs. fiscal reality becomes Student protests impressive; results may not be when it hits the information superhighway. Maybe a length thing? Is that it? |
Brown is free to stake out the middle ground becomes Brown heads for middle as GOP rivals go right in cyberspace. |
Venture capitalist sets sights on SF mayor’s race is Entrepreneur eyes San Francisco mayor’s race on SFGate. Another thing that’s annoying about these different headlines is that if you search for the print one, you don’t always find the article. Which, I know, TREMENDOUS INCONVENIENCE for the online writer seeking to ... |
Matier & Ross Taser fight gives chief big dose of SF politics transforms into San Francisco’s shifting alliances on Tasers. |
Willie’s World If Newsom runs, his big worry is who gets his job becomes If he runs, Newsom worries who will get his job seriously you guys it’s just weird, these changes. |
Archives|PENN IN BATTLE TODAY.; Will Face Ursinus in Opening of Its Forty-ninth Football Season. |
PENN IN BATTLE TODAY.; Will Face Ursinus in Opening of Its Forty-ninth Football Season. |
I own a 2008 Honda Fit Sport, which was the second-generation, though the first generation of the car to appear in the U.S. The car is set for a refresh in 2020 and I’ll be honest, I’m feeling kind of paternal about it, after seeing new spy video. |
Motor1 has a whole discussion about how the car’s styling might be “polarizing,” but honestly anyone who cares about styling in a Honda Fit is kidding themselves a bit. This is a car that starts at $16,190 currently. That will surely go up a bit with the new generation, but not by much. |
What do you get with the Honda Fit? You get an econobox that basically drives forever. And, sure, you can argue that even econoboxes deserve to have some thought put into styling, but, honestly, I couldn’t care less. My Fit’s front end recently got dislodged, and the rear end has always been scuffed up, so I had to get... |
The gains in downforce, though, just incredible. |
Anyway, the biggest question with the new Fit is whether there’ll be a fully-electrified version, which would make a lot of sense. The biggest thing I feel, though, is pride. Here is a new version of my own small car, a bulwark against the prevailing winds of the day, its own small statement, that reason and sense may ... |
More Like Honda (Didn't Quite) Fit, Amirite? |
When Does Your Car Become an Old Car? |
Fedora hats, retro shades and even a dhoti skirt, here’s how Ranveer Singh took on the month of May with his wardrobe experimentation. |
Actor Ranveer Singh is one person who always makes news when he steps out — not always for where he goes or who he accompanies, but, for what he wears. Quirky caps, print-on-print suits, capes, skirts and whatnot, the actor has tried it all. His sense of style can be described as quirky at the least and whacky, at best... |
The actor wore a yellow sleeveless T-shirt, white pants and pink shoes to the opening of a restaurant in Mumbai. Are you feeling the hip-hop vibe? |
When he doesn’t add his signature dose of quirk to his clothes, he makes sure that the accessories do all the talking. Take for example, the square-framed futuristic shades in a Lego-yellow hue. |
What does one even call a billowing all-black ensemble? The actor donned a flared skirt/dhoti like drape, a button-down shirt, a formal jacket, and a hat while heading to the airport. And here, he decided to ditch colour and top the look off with shades to match. After having completed the shooting schedule of his late... |
The actor had his swagger level at 999 in this photo as he got ready to zoom off. Taking athleisure to a whole new level, Singh teamed this grey hoodie with a black tee and swagster sunnies. Take that, fashionazis! |
The fedora is a hot favourite with the actor, who is often seen donning the headgear with panache. And what’s giving us the retro feels? Those caramel brown shades! |
Are Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh living together? |
What do I need to know about taxes and retirement? |
What if I hold the stocks in a 401(k) or IRA? |
I didn't sell fund shares - why do I have a tax bill? |
What are the best accounts for my investments? |
What investments are best in IRAs and 401(k)s? |
Which investments are better for taxable accounts? |
Put as much money as you can into tax-sheltered retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and IRAs. That's because the investments in those accounts grow tax-free until retirement - meaning you'll wind up with way more money in your old age than you would have otherwise. |
You'll also save taxes on money you contribute (if you choose a traditional 401(k) or IRA), or on money you withdraw (if you choose a Roth 401(k) or Roth IRA). |
NEXT: How are stocks taxed? |
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton delivers his "state of the city" address at the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Danbury Luncheon Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. |
Mark Boughton is molding himself as the anti-Lowell P. Weicker Jr. |
The longtime Danbury mayor — trying to separate himself from a pack of Republicans with gubernatorial ambitions — wants to abolish the state income tax ushered in by Weicker a quarter-century ago. |
Connecticut has a spending problem, not a revenue problem, said Boughton, who blamed the income tax for the exodus of residents and businesses to other states. Since it came onto the books, he said, the state has lost $13.7 billion in net adjusted gross income. |
Boughton would offset lost income-tax revenue with a downsizing of state government and regionalization of some municipal services. |
Boughton’s Reaganesque vision of tax cuts spurring economic growth coincides with an impasse between Republicans and Democrats over how to close a $5 billion, two-year state budget deficit. |
The concept quickly drew plaudits and skepticism during a recent rollout by Boughton, who is raising money for a presumptive run for governor in 2018, in what would be his third shot at the state’s top office. The income tax accounts for $9 billion of the $15 billion in annual tax revenue collected by the state. |
A former Republican who ascended to the governor’s office under the banner of A Connecticut Party, Weicker signed the income tax into law in 1991 with support from Democrats. Connecticut became the 41st state to levy an income tax, with the top marginal rate now at 7 percent for single filers with annual incomes over $... |
Weicker, a former U.S. senator and ex-Greenwich first selectman, said his immediate successor vowed to do the same as Boughton proposes. |
But Boughton’s stock among conservatives, led by CNBC’s Larry Kudlow, appeared to be on the uptick with his call to repeal the state income tax. The one-time Ronald Reagan budget guru and Redding resident tweeted “Right On!” at Boughton Monday night. |
On top of the income tax, Kudlow said, taxes on corporations, property and inheritance, as well as regulations, make Connecticut one of the least competitive states. |
S.E. Cupp, the conservative CNN talking head, also took notice of Boughton’s proposal. |
“Yaaaassss, @MayorMark,” she tweeted Tuesday. |
Boughton can use the additional exposure in a logjam of Republicans with gubernatorial hopes, which includes Tim Herbst, Trumbull’s first selectman; Peter Lumaj, the GOP’s 2014 nominee for secretary of the state; and Dave Walker, the former comptroller general under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. |
Also on that list are Mark Lauretti, the longtime Shelton mayor; Prasad Srinivasan, a state representative from Glastonbury; Steve Obsitnik, a Westport businessman; Toni Boucher, a state senator from Wilton; and Joe Visconti, a former West Hartford councilman. |
Themis Klarides and Len Fasano, the GOP leaders of the state House and Senate, haven’t ruled out running. Neither has Fasano’s predecessor, Fairfield’s John McKinney. |
Connecticut’s Republican Party boss from 2011 to 2015, Jerry Labriola Jr., said it takes courage to propose wholesale changes the way Boughton has. |
“It’s bold, and not many candidates are willing to take bold positions,” Labriola said. |
Looking to be the heir apparent to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who is not running for re-election, several Democrats are raising money for presumptive bids for the state’s top office. They include state Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, Middletown Mayor Dan Drew, former Consumer Protection Commissioner Jo... |
Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and state Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr. haven’t shut the door, either. |
Lembo, the chief fiscal guardian of the state, declined to comment through a spokeswoman. |
Should Boughton go from exploratory phase to a full-fledged candidate, he said, he will unveil a framework for eliminating the income tax and recalibrating state government. |
But Boughton’s skeptics say that until the mayor fleshes out his proposal, it’s a leap of faith. |
Wearables company Jawbone has unveiled a new design with a new strap for its UP2 fitness trackers and 10 new colours for the UP2 and UP3, further expanding its portfolio of fashion-focussed activity trackers. |
Crafted by leading industrial designer Yves Behar, Jawbone’s new UP activity trackers are designed for 24/7 wear and can be accessorised with jewellery or watches on the wrist. Previously only offered in Black Diamond and Light Grey Hex with classic flat straps, the UP2 is now available in six new colours,. These inclu... |
Meanwhile UP3, Jawbone’s advanced multi-sensor tracker, is now available in four additional colours, including Indigo Twist, Ruby Cross, Sand Twist and Teal Cross, as well as the previously available colours. Other additions include a free over-the-air firmware update with new features including Passive Heart Rate moni... |
While Resting Heart Rate is one of the best indicators of overall heart health, the addition of Passive Heart Rate throughout the day gives users a more complete picture of their heart health. Passive Heart Rate is taken periodically throughout the day when the user is still, and provides insight into how daily influen... |
The UP3 tracker by Jawbone will be available in 4 new colours for £129.99 on Jawbone.com and Amazon.com from mid-September. The UP2 tracker by Jawbone will be available from late September for £89.99 on Jawbone.com and Amazon.com. |
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Doctors were shocked when they looked into a woman's uterus searching for an orange-size tumor but found something that resembled a giant rock instead. |
Surgeons ended up removing a 56-pound (23-kilogram) tumor from the 54-year-old woman. It was 19 inches (50 centimeters) across. |
"At first sight, one could see it was going to be a big tumor, but not that big," said Dr. Oscar Lopez, leader of the surgical team that operated on the woman at Gandulfo Hospital in the city of Lomas de Zamora. |
"We were totally shocked," Lopez added Thursday in discussing the procedure that was conducted earlier this year. |
Stunning perhaps, but not the biggest. News stories and medical reports say that was a 303-pound (137.6-kilogram) ovarian cyst removed in 1991 in California, and other growths exceeding 100 pounds (45.5 kilograms) have been reported. |
A biopsy determined the growth removed at Gandulfo Hospital was a sarcoma, a malignant tumor, and the patient is being monitored by doctors after spending five days in the hospital following the surgery. |
The woman, a housewife, who prefers to remain anonymous, weighed 343 pounds (140 kilograms) at the time of the surgery, which lasted four hours and involved eight surgeons - about double the time and staff usually needed. |
Lopez said the woman had felt a constant growth in her abdomen for a year and a half, but just thought she was gaining weight. |
Finally, she consulted doctors and it was determined she needed surgery, and the tumor was removed a couple of months ago, he said. |
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