Rail activist Paul Marin has already persuaded the LVEDC, where he chairs the transportation committee, to kick in $100,000 of the $250,000 cost for a local passenger rail study. He's looking to Lehigh and Northampton County for the rest, $75,000 each.Lehigh County Commissioner Dean N. Browning explains that the $75 thousand being sought there is "part of the 2009 budget that is currently being reviewed by the Board of Commissioners." A vote on their final budget will occur on October 22.
Here in the People's Republic of Northampton County, things are a little different. Its 2009 budget is still under wraps, and will stay that way until the end of the week. Its budget hearings start later and end later.
Well, Marin wants his money now. Advocates plan to pack Northampton County Council on Thursday to railroad their $75 thousand request down our throats.
In an email, I received this advice. "[W]e can't trust the county to do the right thing unless someone is paying attention. We must fill the seats and train all eyes and ears on them. Bring your family, bring your friends. You don't have to say a thing but you do have to be there."
I tried checking Northampton County Council's agenda to see if this request is even listed, but the last meeting posted is for September 18.
Earth to Northampton County Hangmen: Posting an agenda is meaningless unless it is done before the meeting.
I believe Marin and friends should stand in line like everyone else. But if they want to get on the express train, I have some advice. They should all go out and buy green T-shirts, spraypaint AFSCME all over each one of them and claim that Northampton County Executive John Stoffa opposes their request. It would really help if they brought a noose and gave Stoffa the finger once or twice.
If they follow these simple instructions, Northampton County Council will not only fund their request, but will demand that someone resign as well.
4 comments:
the suggestion that rail would gentrify the downtowns is absurd. any middleclass commuter, rail or bus, would live in the suburbs as they do now. marin himself moved from nyc to emmaus. the marin's only live in center city allentown now as a component of her job. allentown suffered from the construction of route 78, i'm not certain it will suffer from a rail link, but i am certain that the ties and jackets will not live downtown. perhaps rather than get 150k more, the lvedc should save the 250k. i'm not bothered so much by the concept, but the tactics being used bother me. the timing is wrong, to say the least. i wish he had used his energy as a lanta board member to advocate for the merchants.
Michael
I do believe that rail just might have the ability to restore some life to the donwtown area in the valley. I don't know what effect it would have on Allentown but I do believe South Bethlehem and Easton would improve and move forward with gentrefication of their communities. I had occassion about a year ago to be at my brother-in-law's home in Queenstown,MD. The local paper had an article on Silver Spring, MD and how rail and developers had brought that community back to life with new townhouses and a very upscale mall. The young buyers and older empty nesters were moving in. I must admit that I have not seen additional information on it recently but I will tell you that developers were looking for areas around trains to develop. I do believe rail transportation is essential for the valley the big question, given the economics of the moment, is when can we do it?
Why would Dirtinger and the crew want to tip their hand before the meeting... This is the same old, same old. Business as usual in NC.
They know what is good for you better than you do... that's why they were put there because they are better and smarter than all of us unwashed masses. We would just bore them and prolong their meeting.
Maybe Queen Ann will dane to hear them if they name a train coach car after her.
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