Last night, as I went into Northampton County's overbudget parking deck on my way to a County Council meeting, I noticed something strange. All kinds of Beemers, Mercedes and Big-Ass SUVs were there, many of them in spots reserved for the handicapped. I found out why when I got into the star chamber. It was the NIMBY crowd from Upper Mount Bethel Township. They came to make sure that the County pulled out of a possible agreement with Immigration officials that would pave the way for a privately-run, 2250-bed detention center for illegals. This is not your typical slate belt crowd. For one thing, most of them still have their teeth. For another, some of them still have a New York accent. These are the folks who moved into $600,000 McMansions in two exclusive developments that happen to be pretty close to the site of this proposed detention center. "Not in my back yard," were the exact words used by one of them, John Altieri, who complained he didn't move here for this kind of nonsense.
This proposed detention center, which would be owned by prison giant GEO, would produce 500 permanent and 350 construction jobs in an area that was economically depressed before we went into recession. That might not matter much to people who hop into their luxury sedans for the daily commute into the Big Apple, but it means something to those looking for a job. A hoosegow might also consume too much water, or expose residents to unnecessary risks.
One thing is clear. It's too early in this process for someone to say Yes or No to this center.
But that's what happened. The Northampton County Bulldog, identified as the public face of the Privatize Gracedale movement, is unwilling to tangle with the Beemers and Mercedes from within his own Council District. Unlike Napoleon and the American Army, Ron Angle is unwilling to fight a war on two fronts, especially as Upper Mount Bethel Supervisors go into hiding and he ends up being identified as the face of Prison Town.
Although he'll deny this, he cut bait. He backed away from a project that I'm sure he supports because he fears it will cost him votes in an election year. He sponsored and even read a resolution in which the County goes into reverse gear on any agreement with Immigration.
I seriously doubt he helped himself.
Speakers railed against Prison Town for 1 1/2 hours. Angle addressed one of their leaders, a woman who insinuated that Angle had been paid or offered a consulting job with GEO.
"I tried to call you. Your number is not in the book."
"That's right," replied Miss Snob.
"Well my number is in the book. You can call me anytime."
"No thank you," replied Miss Snob.
Even though he reversed course and did exactly what they wanted, he's still a cunterman in her eyes. He's a multi-millionaire, but in her eyes, he's still poor white trash. He might have been the brightest person in that room last night, but in her eyes, he's an uneducated oaf. And while he's spent countless hours trying to bring jobs to the slate belt, she's been spending her money in New York City. In fact, next election day, most of these complainers will climb into their Big-Ass SUVs and head into Manhattan with little regard the locals.
The sole member of Council to refuse to reverse himself is Bruce Gilbert. He voted four weeks ago to enable Upper Mount Bethel Township to decide whether they wanted that detention center. It was a first step, requested by Supervisors who appeared at the meeting. Gilbert saw no reason to rescind some generic agreement that every other County already has with Immigration.
Now the McMansions are safe, but the slate belt will continue to have high unemployment and it's increasingly unlikely that GEO is willing to go through a buzzsaw when two other Counties are begging them to do business.
Both The Morning Call and Express Times have detailed, and far more objective, accounts.
42 comments:
Bernie honest assessment. who in your opinion has more of a sincere case. Gracedale family members and supporters who fear for the future or the Upper Mt. Bethel crowd who fear for their community.
On a sincerity level, where do you place it?
On a sincerity level, I'd give the nod to Upper Mount Bethel. They are scared and may be right to be scared. But I think it is premature to reach any conclusions, either pro or con.
good for Bruce.
The slate belt desperately needs jobs. how regretable.
Bangor Area School District also in retreat mode after initial gush over this proposed jail and the windfall tax revenue it would see without an increase in students. Poll of school board members now shows them divided nearly down the middle. Public pressure mounting early in the process plus the ACLU initiative looking to sway the potential voters of UMBT.
Bernie-
Permission to Post:
There is something to be said about exiting gracefully. No one will accuse Karen Beyer of such a trait. Within days of her exit from Harrisburg, 131st District voters this week received yet another mailer (at taxpayer dollars?).
Well apparently Angle has snow balls too..Any sign of heat they begin to melt..Funny..
Without county backing is the deal DOA? If the zoning permits a facility of this nature what happens now? Will this be Beth. Twsp. all over again..like the county treatment center/Atiyeh project? It costs tax payer money/lawyer fees to fight off zoning challenges.
The negative energy in the hall at the GEO presentation last week was palpable and I think Ron felt it as much as anyone. It was overwhelming. Democracy in action..no need to consult tea leaves to gauge the pulse of the electorate on this one.
Despite countless descriptions of Ron Angle and his motivations, his spineless actions last night are what ultimately defines him. He may not be a racist and a crook and a forger. But he's a typical finger-in-the-wind politician.
A-ti-ca! A-ti-ca! Now... Upper...Mount... Bethel... Just imagine when this corrupt GEO company builds-forces this Prison down the throats of Upper Mount Bethel, this Township will now be on the map a major prison town. Lovely. All because a bunch of people running the County and Township are clueless as to what they do. All to create a few do the deal with the devil jobs. Just great. Typical Pennsyltucky decision making.
Kudos to Bruce Gilbert for not backing down. I'm already tired of the flock mentality exercised by the other new council members. Really glad he's willing to look at situations objectively.
This will be the election issues that undoes Ron. I can see the mailers now:
-Flip flopper
-Sells out to businesses that make money off of illegal immigration
2011 won't be a good year for Ron.
"Without county backing is the deal DOA? If the zoning permits a facility of this nature what happens now?"
Nothing, unless thee is an agreement,
"Without county backing is the deal DOA? If the zoning permits a facility of this nature what happens now?"
Nothing, unless thee is an agreement,
"2011 won't be a good year for Ron."
Dream on.
Ok, so a few hundred people were against this and Angle can't get out of it fast enough, because it may affect his re election?
Yet there are at least 10000 people against the sale of Gracedale and he has dug in for the long haul.
This has nothing to do with votes, this has everything to do with money. The sale of Gracedale will save a tax increase which will hit Angle in the pocket book the most!!
The building of the prison although it will provide more jobs than the amount of people that are against it will take Angles financial backers away which will again hurt him in the pocket book.
Angle wants this prison built more than anyone, but if he makes it appear that he doesn't maybe he can fool the people. Why would he want it built you ask?
Ron owns hundreds of acres of land in that area. A new prison will require new roads to be built possibly on his land which means money in his pocket. Not to mention the fact that the new roads would make his land more accessible for dividing up and selling. Money in his pocket.
I will not be the least bit surprised when they build this prison in the slate belt, as I believe it will happen. It is just a matter of "getting (paying off) the right people (paying off) on board."
It is time we wake up people and see Angle for what he is!!!!
What happened to the vaunted bulldog? It isn't like a bulldog to tuck tail and run? I think he needs a new nickname.
What happened to the Ron Angle that fights for what he believes in no matter the cost?
Something smells fishy here!!!!
1:24 is right. Angle's most consistent trait is pursuit of more money. There's no shame in that. His political activities have always been engaged in for personal financial interests in the school district and the county. He's a major land owner and has the right. What many see as "flip-flops" are really consistent shifting to achieve the same end: more money. All the "Bulldog" stuff is Bernie's bullshit. He's a Bulldog when it comes to his own money. And again, I don't think there's anything wrong with that in a capitalist democracy. Any statements by Ron regarding the will of his constituents is laughably disingenuous. They are the things politicians must say to keep their positions. He's done a good job of it. Ron likely cares not about any one of them. But that's OK. The system functions best when motivated by transparent self-interest. In this regard, Ron's perfectly transparent.
PS: I've voted for the obnoxious bastard several times and likely would again. Now there's a ringing endorsement.
anon 1:24, according to the morning call, angle owns the adjoining parcels on both sides of the proposed detention center. although this may be a coincidence, he should have never been involved in the proposal in in the first place.
Rather cynical view, dude. Angle has actually pretty much lost interest in acquiring more money. He's won that game. He's now more interested in cigars and cows.
MM, Angle Does NOT own the parcels that adjoin this facility. He does own land located near the facility and it is not even on the same road. It is NOT contiguous. I have even checked the records. I have written this before. I have asked him about that and he has told me it is farm land and the corn doesn't know whether there is a detention center or not. He believes it would have no affect on the value of this farmland. And though he did not have to, he abstained from the first vote on this matter.
"Yet there are at least 10000 people against the sale of Gracedale"
Who said that? 10,000 people signed a petition. It does noy mean they oppose the sale. They may just want to decide the question. They may have even signed to get people out of their face.
Nobody likes the sale of Gracedale. But as people drop the hysteria and listen to the facts, they realize it is the best thing for the residents and the indigent.
MM, I went back and read what Jenna wrote. She did state he has property on both sides. I suppose that is technically accurate. But it creates the impression that the land is right next to the detention center, and it is not. I can understand how you have the impression you have, but Ange'
s land is not contiguous. Nor is any of it needed for an entrance or an easement.
"Angle has actually pretty much lost interest in acquiring more money."
Balderdash. That's what rich guys say to guys who have none to make them feel better. Rich guys get and stay rich by consistent avarice. It's what makes the world go 'round.
Bernie go on the web site GEO rap sheet,this should tell voters all they need to know about GEO,formerly named Wackenhut!
I am well aware of GEO's problems, but would like to know whether proportionally, GEO's problems are greater than a publicly run detention center. I'd also like to know if there is capacity for water and sewer on the land. I'd also like to know whether 500 detention jobs will be created permanently I'd like to see the data showing that every one of these jobs results in four more jobs in the community. It is premature to be for or against this.
Bernie, I commend you for a pretty objective post. Personally, having watched Angle since his days of taking a drill to some file cabinet as a Bangor school board member and then on to NorCo council, I have often found myself with contradictory opinions of the man. I often agree with where he was/is going, but just as often shake my head and have serious objections to his tactics. I recently watched "Nixon Revealed" and wonder......
anyway, you wrote:
"The Northampton County Bulldog...is unwilling to tangle with the Beemers and Mercedes from within his own Council District....
Although he'll deny this, he cut bait. He backed away from a project that I'm sure he supports because he fears it will cost him votes"
I am sorry to point out the below, (as I have my own issues with some aspects of how the proposed Atiyeh Treatment Center has proceded over the past few years in Bethlehem Township), but I do see a contradiction in Angle born out of his own self-preservation.
Angle in the Express-Times in the face of opposition to a facility in someone else's community (Bethlehem Township), rather than his own: '“This is the United States of America. This is not Nicaragua or Venezuela. … You people are pitiful and need to get your act together,” he shouted as (BT Zoning Hearing) board members were leaving.'
Lighthouse,
I think it's too soon to have an opinion about whether this is a good or bad thing.
But there is little doubt in my mind that Angle supports this detention center. The slate belt is in very bad shape economically. It needs all the help it can get, and I don't think Angle will lose much sleep over allegations of abuse, which do occur at every prison.
Angle is one of the many people who have tried to get industries in there to replace the rag mills. He's been doing it for years. But here's his problem. He's already taking a lot of heat over Gracedale, and this is another issue within his own district. He would still be willing to push for it, but has been pretty much been left high and dry by everyone else. Supervisors, school board members will all maintain neutrality or may even be opposed. So Angle was out there all by his lonesome, and backed off.
I liked Brice Gilbert's vote, to be honest. He refused to change course. He gave the people his best judgment, and is unwilling to be swayed by the pitchforks.
As far as Ron's tactics are concerned, there is little doubt that he turns people off, especially the ones in those McMansions. But I'll take one Ron Angle, with all his flaws, over any other County legislator.
Thanks for the observations. I've disabled anonymous comments over this weekend. People who want to launch attacks will identify themselves, which should pretty much eliminate them.
Did everyone see how fast Angle back peddled on this one? The only why he hasn't back peddaled on Gracedale is because they are out of his district. He continues to prove that he is not a leader in this county.
And you continue to prove you are an anonymous coward.
Here's what GEO's website has to say about it's economic development. I think it's a sad, scary day for this country if the only jobs we can create are those watching people who have committed crimes so have lost all of their rights and freedoms. Seriously, isn't anyone else concerned about the greater implication of this?
"A partnership with GEO provides an extensive array of economic opportunities in each of the communities we serve, through the creation of jobs, support of income and tax revenues.
To date, GEO has a workforce of over 17,000 employees company-wide. The inception of a new facility accounts for the job creation from anywhere between 100 to over 500 jobs – depending on the facility’s size. And since our facilities are managed via contract, we can ensure employees a steady career. This creation of stable employment stimulates consumer spending, attracts new business enterprises, and bolsters a community’s economic status.
In many instances, a GEO facility is the largest business within its community, and can have a significant influence on its economic framework. A GEO facility not only benefits the community with employment opportunities within its walls, but outside as well, through employment of local vendors supplying various goods and services, payment of sales and property taxes, payment of utility services, and infrastructure enhancements."
Simple question. Was Bill White's column about GEO and Angle's revisionist history of his role and positions accurate? If not what specific facts were erroneous?
As for the person who touts his tireless dedication to bringing economic development to the Slate Belt, wasn't he the one who killed the only Bond project intended for the Slate Belt due once again to a personal grudge? Although less than perfect, a by-pass road for 512 next to an industrial/commercial development would certaintly have brought jobs and been the first step in alleviating traffic congestion. The entire County benefited from the Bond projects except for the Slate Belt thanks to him.
I wasn't there, but consider Bill a very trustworthy source when it comes to facts. Bill depicted GEO opponents as crazed lunatics, very much like the mob in a Frankenstein movie. And that idiotic road was a waste of taxpayer dollars intended to benefit one and only one person - campaign contributor Nolan Perin. McClure and Dertinger both flat out lied about that road. When running for office, they promised to kill it. Once in office, they sucked up to Perin. It is not ngle who killed that road project, but 5 members of Council who were sick and tired of Perin and his games.
So then this generally trustworthy source was correct in describing the actions of the man of principle immune from all political winds as having performed a triple flip flop.
How can this be so? The capacity for self-delusion is endless it would seem.
And if the citizens of Upper Mt. Bethel to whom he professes indifference wanted the detention center would he then have been more than happy to take all the credit for trying too ram the non-competitive resolution he sponsored through Council?
Of course he would being guided by that selfless inner compass of what is good for others.
Angle is far less concerned about votes than most pols, but he does have his limits. When U Mount Bethel officials lave him out there by himself, and he's already fighting n anoher front, it makes all the sense in the world for him to back off. You criticize him for doing that, but you'd be criticizing him if he didn't too. That's because of your own political agenda, which is to get rid of Angle.
Using your military metaphor of fighting on two fronts, he recognized that he could not foist GEO on the township,announced an advance to the rear, minimized his central involvement in the hasty and unseemly selling of the idea to Council and then declared that he was never in favor of the idea in the first place.
Classic angle pretzel logic and distortion of history. And yes, the added touch, blame Upper Mount Bethel officials for the embarassment he visited upon himself. Read: Appendix to Profiles in Courage.
You'll have to try it in the next election and see if anyone care. My guess is they don't and will see this as the usual attempt to find nothing right in what Angles does.
Correct me if I'm wrong ,however isn't due process 180 days?
December
January
February
March
April
May
Ron will be to involved with his court proceedings to run for re-election, no?
In case you haven't noticed, everybody knows Ron Angle. Everybody has made up their mind about him. What you are doing is banging your head against a wall. But keep it up.
Hey everyone
I'm giving Bernie a break for
about 7 days
I will be vacationing
and have vowed not to use the
"fancy thinking machine"
I won't be back until the 1st
FREE ADVICE
To whom it may concern:
I would suggest having one of those TV tearjerker movie Thanksgivings at home
this year, you never know where you will be breaking bread next year.
Happy Thanksgiving
even to you BO
As an outside observer, I fail to see how a project that produces 500permanent jobs for a region is bad. Do the residents think they will have to learn spanish? Do they expect an escape a day? The benefits seem to far outweigh any negatives.
Comparing this to Gracedale is ludicris. The only people wanting to "save Gracedale" are the union ones trying to save their jobs. If Gracedale is sold, it won't close and no residents would be affected.
Post a Comment