To the editor:
I have read that many people are upset with the City Commission and the County Commission. The complaints range from a Wal-Mart being let loose in west Lawrence, the destruction of prime farm land in North Lawrence, a South Lawrence Trafficway through wetlands ignoring our Indian neighbors' concerns, giving away tax dollars to a company that the mayor has a stake in and then a new tax that is supposed to be for existing infrastructure but will be used to pay for pet projects for special interest groups.
Probably the most frustrating part is they ignore the public outcry because they can. If we as a community continue to vote at 14 percent of the registered voters, they can do as they please, and they know it.
Stanley Weil,
Lawrence
Comments
Richard Heckler 6 years ago
On the current front as a taxpayer the following are also important when items of growth appear on the agendas of our decision making bodies. Exactly how is the World Company, each Chamber of Commerce Board member, city,countyand planning commissioner invested with: the real estate/development community Developers/Builders the new industrial park projects Existing industrial parks Housing Projects Retail Projects I would like this info disclosed for each agenda item under oath please. How many Chamber board members, county,city or planning commissioners,World Company or city staff are invested in Dicephera ? I would like this info disclosed under oath please. All of the above should be a matter of public record for reasons of transparency. For all sitting board members, elected officials and Chamber of Commerce officials who disagree I suggest resignation.
It is NOT the duty of the taxpayer or local government to maximize profits for speculators. This nonsense of Lawrence being "business unfriendly" is without foundation. That is a method of intimidation in order to distract citizens from the real purpose of development which is to generate NEW jobs and NEW economic growth that will not just pull dollars from elsewhere thus creating economic displacement.
Sure many of the city commissioners of the last 15 years or so have been screaming that Lawrence is business unfriendly:these same commissioners campaigns have also been largely funded by the chamber of commerce/ real estate/development community.
The projects developers present, must be friendly to taxpayers and should be able to prove without a reasonable doubt that projects are necessary and will in fact NOT create economic displacement. This where economic/retail studies and a Cost of Community Services Studies come in yet are resisted in a big way from the real estate/development community that which are currently well represented on our city,county and planning commissions.
Economic/retail studies, Cost of Community Services Studies,Traffic studies,Environmental Impact Studies are tools to protect the community as a whole. They should be performed with every new and rehab project for that very reason.
MattressMan 6 years ago
Exactly why would a private company such as the World Company need to disclose a thing? They may skew their articles (as you do your opinions) either pro or con on subjects but that is their right as a private company.
pomegranate 6 years ago
Why does a PECAN such as yourself keep bringing up Walmart in the things you have to say?That is a done deal and there are many, many people who ARE in favor of it, and we feel we DID elect the right people. The fact that you, buster, don't agree does not mean jack.... to some of us. Just continue on doing your usual ultra liberal, leftist, commie, pinko, communist things!
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 years ago
"Just continue on doing your usual ultra liberal, leftist, commie, pinko, communist things!"
And you just keep on being a mindless sheep.
jumpin_catfish 6 years ago
oh bother, its a blustery day in the 100 acre woods
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