Limerick Township Budget Woes

I’m going to tell you people the same thing I told West Pottsgrove.  Do you think ahead much?  Did anybody think to talk to Coventry Mall officials about crime stats?  You could have gotten a ball park number to work with. 

All this development comes with a price.  These townships do not have the infrastructure in place to handle massive development projects.  Retail operations are police intensive people.  Do you read the police botter in The Mercury much?  There are constantly people being arrested at the mall for shoplifting.

Sorry, can’t jump on the pity-party bandwagon with all y’all.  Pottstown continues to get skirted with developement despite being hub of this area.  There are plenty of brownfield sites, close to 422, that could be developed into shopping and entertainment venues.  Easy access on and off the highway.  Pottstown has a larger infrastructure already in place and would be able to handle developement more easily.

Don’t give me that bologna about nobody will come into Pottstown for anything either.  Any events on High Street draw thousands of people.  If there is something worth doing, people will come into town to participate. 

All along Industrial Highway and in the Keystone Opportunity Zone there are areas ripe for development. 

Look at Bethlehem, PA and what they are doing with the old Bethlehem Steel site.  We have an old Bethlehem Steel site and other areas that could benefit from brownfield development.  Somebody needs to promote economic development in this town and it is NOT getting done.

What will it take to get the leadership in this town to work toward economic development?  Somebody better step up!

Today’s Chuckle

http://www.mistyhof.com/articles/corporate-americagot-to-love-it

A very funny story about corporate America.  For those of us who work or worked corporate jobs this is so true it’s hilarious!  Enjoy!

More Toll Roads Proposed By Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Evidently 422 isn’t the only local limited access highway being eyed for tolls.  The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is also looking at 476 (Blue Route), I-95 and the Schuylkill Expressway.

My thoughts…this is a bad idea.  It will congest traffic even further and push people to use surface streets and roads like 724 and Ridge Pike.

We are already paying a gasoline tax, amongst other taxes too numerous to mention.  People in this area aren’t “rich” either so where they get off thinking that is beyond me.  This greed and need to continue taxing people to death has to stop.  Let’s have some creative, outside the box thinking for a change.  This is a knee-jerk reaction that is not well thought out.

Even with EZ Pass, toll booths back up traffic.  You still have to slow down.  Getting to King of Prussia in the morning is already a hour long nightmare on most days

We should look at attracting business and industry to the population centers that already exist and substantially reduce our carbon footprint if we really care about the big picture.

Scranton Mayor Enters Race For PA Governor

Ed Rendell has served his two terms as our governor so now it is someone else’s turn to lead Pennsylvania.  This list of those seeking to be elected to Pennsylvania’s highest office continues to grow.

Chris Doherty plans to kick off his campaign at noon today in the Electric City.  Scranton has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts during Doherty’s tenure as mayor with millions of dollars in redevelopment money pouring into the city.  One example would be an urban renewal project in center city known as 500 Lackawanna Avenue.

Scranton has also come into the national spotlight as the setting for the very popular NBC sitcom “The Office”.  Scranton has been trying to capitalize on being the home of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.  There is an Office Convention and fan tours are held in Scranton.

Along with Doherty, other democractic candidates include Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, Philadelphia businessman John Knox, PA Auditor General Jack Wagner and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. 

Republican candidates include PA Attorney General Tom Corbett and US Representative Jim Gerlach from the PA 6th District.

If anybody from the Scranton area has any insight on Chris Doherty, a comment to educate those of us not from the Wyoming Valley would be appreciated.

The primary election will be spring 2010.