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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, September 27, 2012

There Go Our Parks

According to Philadelphia Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky, that little league field you like so much might soon be a condo. A center city playground could soon be a playground. Here's why.
House Bill 2224 would allow political leaders to get rid of certain types of public parks any time they felt it was for the best - and "best" could mean whatever they wanted it to mean.

So they could sell off a park if, say, their borough needed cash to pay for a new firehouse. Or if a favorite developer needed a lucrative site to build townhouses. Or if they thought a strip mall would make better use of the land than a baseball diamond would.
This bill has already been passed, unanimously, in the State House. The Senate is expected to vote on it imminently.

Whatever you do, don't tell Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, or he's be auctioning off Harry Trexler's statue quicker than you can drink a glass of Allentown water.

Blogger's Note: My thanks to Ron Beitler, for making me aware of this story. Beitler, incidentally, was just shot down as a member of Lower Macungie's Parks and Recreation Board. He apparently reads too much.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bernie
This means someone can sell off
Lehigh Parkway for development.
What damage could be done to
communities everywhere. Who is sponsor of this bill? Never heard a word about this in the newspaper.

Anonymous said...

The SCOTUS Eminent Domain expansion birds are coming home to roost. Thank SCOTUS liberals. Who needs parks and private property anyway? First they came for private owners. Then, they came for the Little League field ...

Scott Alderfer said...

Hold yer horses, Anonymous friend. HB 2224 was introduced by Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-100), who serves part of Lancaster County. The sponsors of this bill are Republicans by a 5 to 1 margin. And are you really blaming this bill on the Supreme Court of the United States? And the minority liberals on that court? More than likely, this bill is about politicians wanting to reclaim dedicated open space that their realtor buddies are lusting over for development. Why else would this bill remove the Orphans Court from reviewing hardship cases in which a municipality or county might want to sell dedicated land for a legitimate extenuating circumstance? The only conspiracy that I smell here is with backdoor money deals, not with SCOTUS.

Bernie O'Hare said...

It passed unanimously, so I would call it a bipartisan failure inspired by a Republican-led house.

Anonymous said...

It all started at SCOTUS. Local pols are all one party - greedy incumbent with contempt for taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

It's just the free market at work...what could ever be wrong with that?

Bernie O'Hare said...

It's not the free market, but greed. Under the common law, restrictions on conveyances can limit the uses to which property can be put. This will abolish that, making charitable giving under our free markets less likely. A system that has been in lace since the days of William the Conqueror will be eradicated in favor of small town mayors and their developer buddies.

Anonymous said...

Before you know it, O'hare and his family of goats will be grazing at the airport in Chicago. So much for the park and ride.

Anonymous said...

Won't happen as long as men like Poresky have the courage to stand up and fight for Allentowns parks.
This man has done more to protect Cedar Beach Park and the Little Lehigh Parkway than ten Friends of Allentowns Parks.

Anonymous said...

Time to break out the Spandex, Bernie, and show up at some meetings...

Anonymous said...

Screw parks. Enjoy hockey.

Anonymous said...

As an Allentonian, this is the scariest fucking thing I can imagine.

Anonymous said...

Tell the bald dude that a five hair comb over just ain't doing it.

Anonymous said...

Hey kids, let's build a dog park along the creek on some wetlands while the adults are away at the meeting.

Captain Obvious Picard said...

There is a radical political fringe that feels, there should be no public parks or land. They equate that to communism. Look out all you hunters and anglers---your Maxist havens will be taken back into the rightful hands of an elite few soon enough.

Anonymous said...

This isn't right or left. Its the political class vs the citizenry. Politicians get pensions for fucking us. Then, they name a park or some other thing after the unethical slobs. They are all of one party. The incumbent party. Its why they are more detested than al Qaeda. They earn it every day.

Anonymous said...

Should please Armstrong.

Anonymous said...



Another way to eliminate local control over issues. The next time you see Rep. $immons ask him why he thinks it's a good idea to thwart local control.

Anonymous said...

WOW. There goes Allentowns parks!

Anonymous said...

Look at how many acres of parkland Allentown has. More than any other three municipalities combined. They should sell off some of that land before selling the water company.

Anonymous said...

IIn with 8:33 sell some of the Allentown Parks.