SCARING PEOPLE INTO INACTION

DEAR READERS:

I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT TO BE IN OPPOSITION TO PROGRESS HISTORY BEGINS EVERY MORNING. IT ISN'T ENOUGH THAT FOR MOST PEOPLE HISTORY BEGINS THE DAY THEY WERE BORN, (UNLESS YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT, THAN HISTORY BEGAN ON JANUARY 17, 2001). I APPARENTLY AM OF THE RARE BREED THAT BELIEVES THERE WAS A HISTORY EVEN BEFORE I WAS BORN (OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO). I BRING THIS UP AS A STARTING POINT AFTER SEEING AND READING OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS THE UPROAR OVER THE PROPOSED PEEKSKILL DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROPOSITION (BROAD STREET TO BANK STREET.....MAIN STREET TO PARK STREET). SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN TWO HIT PIECES IN THE PAPERS DESIGNED TO INFLAME THE POPULACE WITH SCARE TACTICS IN ORDER TO HALT THIS DEVELOPMENT. AND SCARE THE POPULACE THEY DID. THERE IS A NEFARIOUS PLOT TO SCARE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT THE EVIL REPUBLICANS ON THE PEEKSKILL CITY COUNCIL ARE GOING TO TAKE THERE BUSINEES AND HOMES THROUGH THE USE OF EMINENT DOMAIN. THEY WILL BE THROWN ON THE STREET WITH NO WAY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES. ON TOP OF THAT, THEY ARE GOING TO INSURE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE SICK BY TAKING AWAY THE PEEKSKILL HEALTH CENTER. I WATCHED THE PEOPLE OF PEEKSKILL BERATE THE COUNCIL OVER THESE UNFOUNDED FEARS.

LAST ELECTION CYCLE, THE DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR OFFICE USED AS ONE OF THEIR MAIN PLANKS THE SAME DEVLOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN PEEKSKILL. THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO PROMINENT ARTICLES IN THE RUN UP TO THE ELECTION ON HOW THE EASTERN ENTRANCE TO PEEEKSKILL NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED. SO THE FIRST QUESTION ONE MUST ASK IS IF THAT DEVLOPMENT WAS SO GOOD BEFORE THE ELECTION, WHY IS IT SO TERRIBLE NOW? EASY ANSWER IS THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING IT. SO NOW THERE IS A STUDY BEING DONE ON THIS AREA TO SEE WHAT MUST BE DONE INCLUDING A BLIGHT STUDY. THIS IS WHAT HAS SCARED PEOPLE, THIS STUDY, SHOULD IT CONCLUDE THAT PARTS OF THE AREA ARE BLIGHTED, WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO USE EMINENT DOMAIN. NOW LAST ELECTION CYCLE THIS SCARE TACTIC WAS USE BY THE OPPOSTION REGARDING THE RIVERFRONT DEVLOPMENT. YET, NO EMINENT DOMAIN HAS BEEN USED TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FOWARD.

NOW YOU WHO READ ME REGULARLY KNOW MY POSITION ON EMINENT DOMAIN AND THE SUPREME COURT DICISSION EXPANDING THE GROUNDS GOVERNMENT CAN USE. ANY MAYOR WOULD BE DERILIC IF HE OR SHE DID NOT KEEP ALL THEIR LEGAL OPTIONS OPEN. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THEY WOULD USE THIS OPTION. HAVING THE RIGHT TO DO SOMETHING DOES NOT MEAN IT IS RIGHT TO DO. SO FAR THE MAYOR HAS SAID HE HAS NO PLANS TO USE EMINENT DOMAIN, AND AS HISTORY HAS PROVEN, HE IS A MAN OF HIS WORD. UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE I WILL TAKE HIM AT IT. SHOULD THE LAST ELECTION HAVE COME OUT DIFFERENT, THE NEW MAYOR WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME STUDIES, AS NOT TO DO SO, WOULD BE A DISSERVICE. SO RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU HAVE IS AN OPPOSTION THAT IS USING SCARE TACTICS TO PUT POLITICS OVER THE BEST INTERESTS OF PEEKSKILL.

RIGHT NOW I WILL RESERVE JUDGEMENT UNTIL THESE STUDIES ARE COMPLETE. IT WOULD BE BEST FOR THOSE IN OPPOSTION TO REFRAIN FROM THIS DEMONIZING UNTIL THEN. SCARING PEOPLE IS A NASTY WAY OF STOPPING PROGRESS. IT LOWERS THOSE WHO USE IT, AND BREEDS CONTEMPT FOR GOVERNMENT. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO GETS CREDIT, AS LONG AS THE CITY BENIFITS.

BAZZO 05/23/06

democratic primary for congress update:
peekskill resident and democratic candidate DARREN RIGGER has won the putnam county convention. JOHN HALL came in second. town of cortlant resident BEN SHULDINER AND yorktown councilman JAMES MARTORANO tied for third...worth noting, money leader JUDY ADYELOTT came in last.

A.J.B. 05/24/06 democratic primary for congress update:
the orange county convention:
JOHN HALL was first, peekskill resdident DARREN RIGGER and yorktown councilman JAMES MARTORANO tied for second, cortlant resident BEN SHULDINER came in third, finally again
JUDY ADYELOTT came in last. show you in this election where you stand on the great isssues before us counts more than money
A.J.B 05/25/06

democrat primary for congress update:
the westchestercounty convention:
yorktown councilman JAMES MARTORANO first, peekskill resident DARREN RIGGER second, JUDY ADYELOTT third, JOHN HALL fourth and cortlant resident BEN SHULDINER fifth. peekskill resident DARREN RIGGER seem to have consistantly strong showings, keep an eye on him.
A.J.B.
05/26/06