X

Democratic party swayed by I-98 advocates, say YESeleven organizers

Posted 1/11/12

To the Editor: The Democratic Party in St. Lawrence Co. has been hijacked by rooftop highway advocates. The highway is a part of the party platform and is the litmus test for political candidates. We …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Democratic party swayed by I-98 advocates, say YESeleven organizers

Posted

To the Editor:

The Democratic Party in St. Lawrence Co. has been hijacked by rooftop highway advocates. The highway is a part of the party platform and is the litmus test for political candidates. We don’t believe that the rank and file know this but it has come to be in the last few years.

Most democrats think their party stands for the common good, people’s rights, protecting the environment, etc. but the hierarchy of our party here is focused on wheeling and dealing power and money in rooftop promotion.

Public money is being misspent as worthy programs are either being reduced or cut entirely. The promise of jobs and a better economy is a sham and runs contrary to common sense when all is considered.

A brand new road would take at least 6,000 acres of land. Whose land might that be? What about all the businesses along Routes 37 and 11?

What happens to them as traffic is diverted away from our main economic corridors? Just consider RT-81 and how it has not benefited the communities along it. How many local jobs would be available when big companies from outside our area come to do the work? I know that jobs are a big selling point for the promoters but we’re being led astray on that one.

RT-11 upgrades to a rural expressway would create far more local jobs than the rooftop would. These upgrades are shovel-ready, would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 750 million dollars (not billions) but are being held up because of the power of the rooftoppers.

Creating a whole new traffic corridor through our lightly populated area would be an eventual disaster for the local economy.

There has been no real in-depth discussion on this very important component.

The democratic leaders have created a stampede towards this boondoggle and look out to anyone who dares to stand in their way.

This is not the democratic process and our party here in the county needs to get the message from all of us.

John Danis and John Casserly

YESeleven.org