Thursday, February 16, 2012

Goodbye Utica . . .

Utica continues its history of self-destruction . . . Council changes direction, supports Arterial plan
Councilman Joseph Marino, D-4, who sponsored the most recent legislation, said he hopes the state gets the message.
 “It’s saying, ‘We do in fact support the project,” Marino said. “We do in fact support investment in this area.”
Even investment that continues a 50 year pattern of destruction, apparently.

So . . . What becomes of the issues raised last year? The visual and psychological barrier of a wall separating the Brewery and Arts Districts and preventing synergies between them does not go away. The effect of cutting off Sunset Avenue -- a major North-South thoroughfare in Utica -- does not go away. The effects of severing Lincoln Ave from Court St, routing Lincoln Ave over Roberts St., and eliminating a right turn off westbound Court onto the arterial, do not go away. Removal of scores of properties from potentially contributing to the tax rolls does not go away.

The "devil is in the details" as they say, and this new, youthful Common Council -- whom the public had desperately hoped would inject vitality into the body -- has shown itself to be too lazy to address the details: the changes to the UTICA street system, traffic patterns, potential tax base, and the effects thereof.

Being "decisive" is easy if one does not care. Being deliberative requires effort.

Instead of youthful vigor, Utica gets operatives of the elites who have pulled the strings from behind the scenes for the last 30 years.
But the council unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday saying they are supportive of the current plan
Unanimous?  This blogger has been on the receiving end of numerous e-mails urging attendance at Council meetings on this issue . . . but received nothing in over a month.

Mr. Zecca, you have some 'splaining to do.


Goodbye Utica . . . Between lazy, know-nothing newbies and old would-be power brokers, there is no hope for you.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

How is Zecca going to explain the fact that he apparently sold Utica out to the power brokers? I knew this was coming. It's not surprising at all if you think about it. There hasen't been a politician running this city in the past 30 years who's had the backbone to stand up for the citizens of this once proud city which has now, due to corruption, stupidity, & ineptitude turned Utica into a mini Detroit.

Me, I'm selling my home & getting out. Let the Roefaro's, the Zecca's, & the rest of that crowd have Utica. The worst has yet to come. And it's not worth fighting for. The average Joe doesn't stand a chance against the stink that pervades the political arena in this city & county.

Anonymous said...

The sad truth is that the area does seem incapable of governing itself. The negative demographics of old age, poor education level and an economy ranked near the bottom of the heap in terms of wealth and income,cannot be overcome. We elect who we are.

D Naegele said...

Every election campaign period brings new hope. Sadly those hopes are dashed as quickly as they materialize when the candidates take office and the reality sets in that they are simply newer versions of the same ignorant,corrupt and self serving breed that has run Utica into the ground for years.

Thanks Strikeslip for keeping us informed with factual and well researched material, and also for your dedicated service to the area in your hours of volunteer service on committees and such. Kudos my friend.

Frustrated With Hacks said...

So has Mr. Zecca sent you an email covering his....bases, like he did last time you took him to task for being a flip-flopper?

You let him off the hook surprisingly quickly back then when it was clear the Council had a spine made of cooked spaghetti.