With the blizzard of 2010 behind us, or as some called it, “snowmagedon”, I pause to consider the cost of snow removal.
Here in the District of Columbia, we’ve well exhausted our 6.2 million dollar budget for snow removal. Most citizens are also pretty tired of shoveling out their places. I think if you had a shovel and went around looking for work, you’d be easily making some money.
As you can see from the snow piled up behind me, there is no shortage of snow in our neighborhood.
It made me think of my Canadian friend’s cousin, who was an entrepreneurial 14-year-old. He decided after several years of building a reputation for shoveling snow, that he would take it to the next level. He made annual snow removal contracts with his clients and agreed to shovel no matter how much, or how little, snow there was in a winter. As luck had it, the first year he did it, it didn’t snow and he didn’t have to shovel at all. He would not be so lucky this year. We have snow in 49 states at the moment!
I thought I’d also throw in this picture of James in the DC winter wonderland. Like most people in DC, we are just ready for the slush to go away.
Cheers,
Miel
i'm from the midwest and simply can't believe how incompetent the DC area DOTs are in plowing. anyhoo…
my wife just relayed that a friend's neighbor offered the entire neighborhood subdivision to shovel their driveways for $100 each. Everyone took up the offer. in return the neighbor hired a couple of day laborers from the street corner and had them shovel the driveways. Now these driveways are literally less than a car's length long. now they also shoveled the tiny porches and decks, too. $100 to me is a lot when they could all have easily just gone to the street corner and gotten a day laborer themselves, or silly me shovel the 6ft of driveway themselves.
Huge problem in Minnesota. We have had a rough winter and the budgets were used up weeks ago. Currently snowing another few inches tonight and will continue into tomorrow night.
We can't catch a break here!
Tim – Yeah, if you ask me, it is better to skip the gym and shovel it yourself!
Cheers,
Miel
P.S. More snow coming to DC today!
@David, I'm from MN, and you all just have gotten babied and soft (I blame getting the dome for this). I remember growing up and we had crazy snow all the time. why do you think the twin cities came up with the "skywalk", and why scandinavians decided to plant themselves there?
Great picture – more a case of Dual Income, No Legs? :)
Monevator – LOL! Thanks for a laugh, love your comment!
The snow is still slowly melting around here. Looking forward to the nasty snow being gone one day, and spring will finally be here!
Cheers,
Miel