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Letter
to the Editor , Dailylocal.com
October 11,
2002
By NEIL H. HEINEMAN,
Guest
Columnist
I would like to comment on your editorial, "Can we learn from history of
development? (DLN, Oct. 2). Your wish that that the negative points of
development will be considered in the years to come and turned into beneficial
ones is a worthwhile but unreachable goal under the onslaught of development.
If you add up the total money brought in by development and the amount of
political power they represent, you will realize that there will be no
legislative solutions coming from the state or federal government to stop or
even deter development.
On the local government level are lawyers, engineers, zoning officers, and
building officers. On the county government level, you have massive expenses
incurred by the planning commissions and other agencies which enlarge yearly to
accommodate the increase in population. Area-wide you have the developers, real
estate agents, banks, lawyers, engineers, land planners, water and sewer
companies, building suppliers, contractors, etc.
All of these interests are making huge amounts of money fueled by development.
Your own newspapers have benefited by the huge increase in population. When you
add up all the money (political power) the development arena provides, you can
see what an enormous lobby is created.
Due to the cost of achieving a state or federal office, politicians need every
cent they can accumulate in order to win said office. The money is supplied by
donations from these same entities. I do not believe that anyone is naïve enough
to believe that a politician is going to consistently vote against the issues
that benefit those who put him in office.
Your mention in the same editorial the Cornog Quarry fiasco. It fully
illustrates my point.
You have several politicians jumping on the bandwagon after the fact. They know
that the decision is made and will not be reversed so they have a wonderful
opportunity to make political hay. Isn't it funny that their voices are so loud
now when it is so close to elections?
The Philadelphia Suburban Water Co. is a hugely powerful entity in the state. It
has a direct connection to all those entities mentioned in the above paragraph
and is backed, either overtly or covertly, by the same. The decision will not be
overturned and will probably never even be seriously discussed. We have a lame
duck governor who will not take on the issue. If he won't touch it, you can bet
that no one will.
There is not one employee who does not benefit either directly or indirectly
from development. Most people don't even recognize their connection.
Development is a two-edged sword. Chester County businesses would die without it
and the land is dying because of it. Do not expect any changes soon.
The writer lives in Sadsbury.
©Daily Local
News 2003
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