When politicians like our Mayor run for office, do they view their statements as worthy of documentation? Is it okay to change viewpoint according to the audience of the moment?
I am referencing the double-speak of the Mayor on the Crystal Spring project. He agreed that criticism of him, concerning his campaign pledge, was based on what he said, and what a reasonable person would conclude. Now he’s doing the political walk-back and seems to be stating that people who remind him of what he said are actively reminding the community of what he said that won him the position of Mayor to begin with. But that this is not what he really meant.
Mr. Mayor… What?
Your future seems to be in the project development community, and I don’t mean that in a good way.
Aren’t these signs of a larger problem? Are the words of our leaders here for the moment, written on an etch-a-sketch? If words don’t matter, what are we, the community, left with? Do we end up with a life-cycle bill to forever clean up the mess that thoughtless narrow self-serving developers and their proponents impose on us?
Look, project implications are not isolated, they are connected, integrated and cumulative. The proposed projects for our area, including Crystal Spring, impact such areas as (but not limited to) public facilities, roads, water usage, public services and the environment. Now, just for one example, throw into the mix the current discussion about limiting new residential development because of the long-term impact of increased population on our schools.
This hodge-podge of impacts cannot be adequately evaluated one by one, or through conversation, or by the use of a simple computer spreadsheet. They must be assessed using the tools of technology for computer simulation and modeling.
How will this help? It can help define the scope of a proposed project, build models to generate data on the linkages of project components and impacts, develop scenarios looking at alternatives, and deliver findings to help advise the community and decision-makers. If we don’t use these tools we are tying both arms behind our backs and giving developers carte blanch with the future of our community.
So what are we actually doing? Well, it looks like we just keep on rolling right along doing business as usual. The old way.
eastport defined 