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Don’t Forget to Vote in School Board Elections

Many of us forget about School Board Elections.

They are in a strange time of year, the middle of May, as many of us are thinking more about our summer plans, rather then critical questions of local government spending. School board elections, as local elections, are poorly covered by the news, and often are uninteresting. You may no longer attend high school, and you may not have kids in school. Yet those are not good reasons for not voting.

School Board Elections, School Budget Vote, and Library Budget Vote are all important things to vote on for several reasons including:

  • Low turn out, local elections mean your vote can change results easily.
  • Your decision hits your pocketbook directly, especially if pay property taxes.
  • Only chance to directly comment on government spending — should we invest more in our public schools or further increase the crushing tax burden on working folk?

None of us have perfect information. Many years when I vote in school board elections, I don’t even know whose running for school board, and leave those ballots blank. If your concerned about government spending and waste, or think schools and the students being educated are getting cut too much, then either vote Yes or No. It’s that simple.

Don’t Forget to Vote!

Math of Gas Prices

I thought some Excel spreadsheets might be of use to you. Obviously, there is a lot besides the cost of gasoline in owning an automobile, but we as a society have a fixation on gas prices, and they seem to effect out behavior a lot.

The Cost to Drive calculator can help you with specific trips.

The cost per mile.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$1.50 $0.10 $0.09 $0.08 $0.07 $0.07 $0.06 $0.06 $0.05 $0.05 $0.05
$2.00 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.10 $0.09 $0.08 $0.07 $0.07 $0.06 $0.06
$2.50 $0.17 $0.15 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.10 $0.09 $0.09 $0.08 $0.08
$3.00 $0.20 $0.18 $0.16 $0.14 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.10 $0.10 $0.09
$3.50 $0.23 $0.21 $0.18 $0.17 $0.15 $0.14 $0.13 $0.12 $0.11 $0.11
$4.00 $0.27 $0.24 $0.21 $0.19 $0.17 $0.16 $0.15 $0.14 $0.13 $0.12
$4.50 $0.30 $0.26 $0.24 $0.21 $0.20 $0.18 $0.17 $0.16 $0.15 $0.14
$5.00 $0.33 $0.29 $0.26 $0.24 $0.22 $0.20 $0.19 $0.17 $0.16 $0.15

One Car

The cost per 100 miles.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$1.50 $10.00 $8.82 $7.89 $7.14 $6.52 $6.00 $5.56 $5.17 $4.84 $4.55
$2.00 $13.33 $11.76 $10.53 $9.52 $8.70 $8.00 $7.41 $6.90 $6.45 $6.06
$2.50 $16.67 $14.71 $13.16 $11.90 $10.87 $10.00 $9.26 $8.62 $8.06 $7.58
$3.00 $20.00 $17.65 $15.79 $14.29 $13.04 $12.00 $11.11 $10.34 $9.68 $9.09
$3.50 $23.33 $20.59 $18.42 $16.67 $15.22 $14.00 $12.96 $12.07 $11.29 $10.61
$4.00 $26.67 $23.53 $21.05 $19.05 $17.39 $16.00 $14.81 $13.79 $12.90 $12.12
$4.50 $30.00 $26.47 $23.68 $21.43 $19.57 $18.00 $16.67 $15.52 $14.52 $13.64
$5.00 $33.33 $29.41 $26.32 $23.81 $21.74 $20.00 $18.52 $17.24 $16.13 $15.15

Patroon Island Bridge

The cost per 500 miles.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
price 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$1.50 $50.00 $44.12 $39.47 $35.71 $32.61 $30.00 $27.78 $25.86 $24.19 $22.73
$2.00 $66.67 $58.82 $52.63 $47.62 $43.48 $40.00 $37.04 $34.48 $32.26 $30.30
$2.50 $83.33 $73.53 $65.79 $59.52 $54.35 $50.00 $46.30 $43.10 $40.32 $37.88
$3.00 $100.00 $88.24 $78.95 $71.43 $65.22 $60.00 $55.56 $51.72 $48.39 $45.45
$3.50 $116.67 $102.94 $92.11 $83.33 $76.09 $70.00 $64.81 $60.34 $56.45 $53.03
$4.00 $133.33 $117.65 $105.26 $95.24 $86.96 $80.00 $74.07 $68.97 $64.52 $60.61
$4.50 $150.00 $132.35 $118.42 $107.14 $97.83 $90.00 $83.33 $77.59 $72.58 $68.18
$5.00 $166.67 $147.06 $131.58 $119.05 $108.70 $100.00 $92.59 $86.21 $80.65 $75.76

Lines of Road

The impact of a change in gas prices.

miles per gallon 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33
$0.10 $3.33 $2.94 $2.63 $2.38 $2.17 $2.00 $1.85 $1.72 $1.61 $1.52
$0.20 $6.67 $5.88 $5.26 $4.76 $4.35 $4.00 $3.70 $3.45 $3.23 $3.03
$0.30 $10.00 $8.82 $7.89 $7.14 $6.52 $6.00 $5.56 $5.17 $4.84 $4.55
$0.40 $13.33 $11.76 $10.53 $9.52 $8.70 $8.00 $7.41 $6.90 $6.45 $6.06
$0.50 $16.67 $14.71 $13.16 $11.90 $10.87 $10.00 $9.26 $8.62 $8.06 $7.58
$0.60 $20.00 $17.65 $15.79 $14.29 $13.04 $12.00 $11.11 $10.34 $9.68 $9.09
$0.70 $23.33 $20.59 $18.42 $16.67 $15.22 $14.00 $12.96 $12.07 $11.29 $10.61
$0.80 $26.67 $23.53 $21.05 $19.05 $17.39 $16.00 $14.81 $13.79 $12.90 $12.12
$0.90 $30.00 $26.47 $23.68 $21.43 $19.57 $18.00 $16.67 $15.52 $14.52 $13.64
$1.00 $33.33 $29.41 $26.32 $23.81 $21.74 $20.00 $18.52 $17.24 $16.13 $15.15
$1.10 $36.67 $32.35 $28.95 $26.19 $23.91 $22.00 $20.37 $18.97 $17.74 $16.67
$1.20 $40.00 $35.29 $31.58 $28.57 $26.09 $24.00 $22.22 $20.69 $19.35 $18.18
$1.30 $43.33 $38.24 $34.21 $30.95 $28.26 $26.00 $24.07 $22.41 $20.97 $19.70
$1.40 $46.67 $41.18 $36.84 $33.33 $30.43 $28.00 $25.93 $24.14 $22.58 $21.21
$1.50 $50.00 $44.12 $39.47 $35.71 $32.61 $30.00 $27.78 $25.86 $24.19 $22.73

How’s Your Luck? Hike to Good Luck Lake or Bad Luck Pond.

In the Adirondack Park there is a Bad Luck Mountain and Bad Luck Pond, along with a Good Luck Mountain and Good Luck Cliffs. I have only been to later, but maybe sometime I will get a chance to visit the much more remote Bad Luck Pond as described by CNY Hiking.

In Good Luck Lake

If you are not feeling particularly lucky, consider visiting Big Bad Luck Pond, off of NY 28, roughly halfway between Northville and Indian Lake. It’s a little too far to carry a kayak back into, but it is a 3 mile hike from the trailhead to the pond, passing over the col of Bell Mountain, and several other small ponds. There are some designated campsites near the lake, and it’s below Bad Luck Mountain.

Old Catharine Creek Canal

Alternatively, if your feeling lucky, consider visiting Good Luck Lake. Located north of Caroga Lake on NY 10, there are 12 paddle-in or hike-to campsites along the lake, which is located below Good Luck Mountain. It is a delightful paddle on in, but if you go, make sure to visit Good Luck Cliffs and Good Luck Mountain above it.

Deer grazed vs deer protected areas in the Wildflower Gardens ?

Edge of the hollow

Good Luck Cliffs