Thursday, May 29, 2008

Playing By the Rules in NYM - Not

This story is real troubling because the implications go far, far beyond a manufacturer and some jobs.

In February, New York Mills refused to change zoning that would have allowed a manufacturer to come to the Village and expand. The manufacturer then sued the Village, but now the Village leaders voted to NOT defend the law suit.

This is a "slippery slope" folks. What is the point of having a law on the books if it won't be enforced?

What this tells the public is that "the privileged" -- be they friends of bureaucrats or wealthy individuals/companies/not-for-profits with unlimited resources to tie others up in court -- don't need to follow the rules that everyone else does.

Zoning ordinances are not rocket science. They are there to protect community values. If community values change and the ordinances are no longer felt to be relevant, they can be changed by following an orderly process. But ignoring them is disorder . . . it's unpredictable . . . and in the long run, it drives people and businesses away because people and businesses look for predictability when deciding to invest in a community.

What is happening in the Mills is symptomatic of a sickness that seems to have gripped our Oneida/Herkimer Counties region: Government does not follow its own rules!

Many people will simply throw up their hands in disgust and say, "You can't fight city hall."

Is it any wonder why so many people simply leave the region?

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