Conflicted About Recent Request for $12M in State Funding for the Uht

 "City of Erie Requests $12M in State Funding for the Uht" Yes, this is the type of headline appearing this week in the local paper that makes you do the proverbial double-take. As in "WHAT????" $12 million for improvements to an already beautiful ballpark. And, then when you realize it's state money, oh well, that's not so bad. Of course, when you consider again that you are a taxpayer in this state...Okay so maybe those weren't your reactions, but they certainly were mine.

And then there is this bit from the story in the paper, "The planned improvements at the ballpark, which is managed by the Convention Center Authority, include new enclosures; expanded concessions; a team store; elevated decks and the expansion of corridors at the stadium; an exterior marquee; a larger children's area; and new lighting and walkways. 'Uht Park needs all of these improvements,' said Roger Richards, a Convention Center Authority board member who heads its Strategic Planning Committee."

Alright, I don't know about you, but I'm not sure any of that stuff is really "needed." I mean I was at the park at least a half dozen times last year and I never remember thinking, "Wow, I wish there were more concessions (maybe more variety) or a better exterior marquee."

Those were my initial thoughts at least. Digging a little deeper, apparently Erie Insurance is building or has built a five-level parking garage somewhere in the area, at a cost of $11.2 million, which the city has submitted as the majority of the matching funds required to get the funding from the state. The Convention Center Authority has pledged to put up the other $800,000. So, basically, for the a total of $800,000, the Convention Center Authority, with the backing from the city, is hoping to get $12.8 million in improvement money for Uht Part from the PA State government (as well as use of the parking garage I'm assuming, so maybe we throw another $11.2 million on top of that). I guess that is a good deal for us, although why the taxpayers of PA are funding improvements at a ballpark that only serves Erie (as well as the teams, primarily the Seawolves, that play there) is beyond me. A lot of the conflicts associated with municipal funding of stadiums utilized by privately owned teams are addressed in Gregg Easterbrook's wonderful book about football - The King of Sports. I can't recommend this book more if you are fan, like I am, of all things football, but sometimes find yourself questioning, "why?"

Anyhow, I guess I hope we get the money because if we don't some other equally, or even more, nefarious project somewhere else in the state likely will, but seriously....ah well, I guess I should just shut up and enjoy the Uht!
 

Incoming weather

The weather map for the next several hours certainly looks ominous...

Erie Leaf Bag Issues

I haven't seen anything about this in Erie's "mainstream" media, but, word-of-mouth around my neighborhood is that area outlets have run out of the green leaf bags you're supposed to put your leaves in if you live in the City of Erie. I also found one local blogger who posted on this problem. It seems we had the exact same problem almost three years ago to the day, and I blogged about it then.

I'll start out by asking, does anyone know where I can get some more bags, as I'm down to like two and my oak leaves are just starting to fall? I think we avoided the shortage that last few years because of shorter raking seasons due to inclement weather. I remember years when the snow fell before my maples were even all down, not to mention the oaks. Well, this year the weather has been wonderful for raking and people have been taking advantage of it. I guess one option is raking the leaves into the street, which is actually illegal. The city seems to discourage this practice up front at least, but I have never heard of anyone being fined for it. Then, there is the burning route and my neighbor has a burn barrel....

But, I'd really just like to bag them. It's supposed to be another nice week. The problem, of course, is that I need to get more bags. Now, as I said in my previous post, I appreciate what the city is trying to do with the biodegradable bags and all, but they need to come up with a contingency plan for when the bags run out. Part of the problem is the very nature of the bags, which start to disintegrate within a year, so it is impossible to stock up on them. And they are fairly expensive, so you hate to buy too many and then find them biodegrading in your garage the next year. Because of the weather, predicting leaf volume is a very inexact science.

I jokingly (I think I was joking, sorry Joe) suggested we all take our leaves up to the mayor's front lawn. Maybe we could we could dress up like Indians or something.... but my wife insists it's not his fault. I am going to put a call (or e-mail) down to City Hall, however, and at least suggest they make some sort of public pronouncement and give people an idea of what they'd like them to do with their leaves; or at least give us some assurance that more bags will be in before next weekend. As I said before, I assume they have some sort of contract or contact with what is apparently the only company that manufactures the bags we're supposed to use.

Anyhow, in the greater scheme of things, this is probably a very small problem, but one that should be addressed at least, as, according to Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, addressing small problems is a great way to start solving your larger problems. Gladwell specifically detailed how New York City started its turnaround by addressing graffiti in the subways. Letting people know you care about the little things seems to go a long way towards getting them to cooperate and help you fix the big things.

That's all.

Ralph

WSJ Article on GE Transportation

I guess anyone who read this article a few weeks back wasn't too surprised by yesterday's news. The locomotive market is apparently pretty weak right now, but similar to what was said in the Erie paper today, there is some hope for a few years out.

ERE Tire Plant: Alternative viewpoint

It was nice to hear from someone aside from K.E.E.P. for a change regarding this tires-to-energy plant or whatever you want to call it. In today's ETN, Victor E. Gatto, owner and COO Erie Renewable Energy (ERE), the firm proposing to build this thing at the old Hammermill site, writes an editorial defending the safety of the plant - as it relates to pollution. In my view, these guys have been inept at public relations from the start, but at least this is a well-written, easy to read article that makes some good points. I'm not going to get into all of them, but it quantifies some of the pollution this thing will emit - and makes it sound like a pretty small amount. It also provides a reference of an energy plant near Bethlehem, which is apparently turning tires into energy. Of course, it doesn't get into too many details about how similar this plant is to the proposed Erie plant, or how many tires are being gassified per day vs. plans for Erie, etc...

And that's indicative of the shortcomings of this article (although I will say again, it is better than anything else I've seen come out of ER, so far.) It's written by the guy planning to build the plant, so it's very one-sided. That said, the stuff coming out of the Green Party people at K.E.E.P. has been fairly one-sided as well. So, I guess this is the ETN's version of fair and balanced reporting.

Anyhow, typical of the way ERE handles things, they've contracted some guy to do an air pollution study - obviously, there were paying him - and what do you know? He found no problems and minimal impact on the environment. Well, no duh. Granted, he may very well be a valid source, but when presented as such, by the owner of the company that wants to build the plant - well, it just doesn't appear to hold water.

The bottom line is that I would like more information on this whole thing, before it is decided if it's built or not. Honestly, everything coming out of the people against it seems like radical hippie, off the cuff, blathering, while that stuff in favor is all coming from the company that wants to build the plant. Can we get a truly independent researcher in here?

Quote of the day

So I just got done reading the ETN's cover story on this local political activist and his alleged arson case. Apparently the guy torched his house to get the insurance money, but the insurer has refused to pay, alleging arson - with good reason. For example, there was a gas can found on the front porch. The activist guy is trying to blame other people... Anyhow, the Erie District Attorney is also apparently really bad at closing out arson cases. In 2007, for example, it received 44 reports on arson and cleared four of the cases. That's like the one-third of the PA statewide clearance rate.

Well, the D.A.'s lead detective on arson cases, identified in the story as "Detective Gray," when talking about his overwhelming workload, is quoted as saying, he had to put some cases, "on the back burner." Talk about a misplaced metaphor.

Cheers.

Ralph

Flat Tires

Loved the quote in today's paper along the lines of "first the snow, then the winds, when are the locusts coming?" It was included in some article about how bad the potholes are around town - and they're bad. I've been enveloped by a few craters already, and I think the roads have only started to show them in the past week. I can't say for sure of the potholes had anything to do with it, but yesterday, I got two flat tires on two cars, almost simultaneously. Here's how it went down:

I've been working out of Starbucks, Borders, etc. for almost a week now, as the wind storms knocked out my phone lines last week and they have yet to be restored, so I have no DSL - and an Internet connection is pretty vital to my business (technology newsletter publisher). Before I left yesterday morning, I noticed the perhaps the pressure in the drivers' side rear tire was low, but let it go and figured I'd check it later. I ended driving farther than I usually do, as I wanted to try out the coffee/art shop on Presque Isle. Great atmosphere and Internet connection, but no cell phone service, I drove up to Borders. Leaving Borders around five, I noticed again that the tire looked low. But then I also noticed I was parked in a hole, so I dismissed it. I'm driving down Peach Street when my phone rings. My wife says she has a flat in a parking lot at 11th and French, down by my daughter's dance studio. As soon as I hang up, I woman behind me at a light starts honking her horn and sticks her head out the window to yell that my tire is going flat. I'm about two blocks from home. I thank her (she really was a big help) and drive home to drop off the car. I grab my mother-in-law's van, who is at the house watching the baby, and head down to change the tire on the van.

Now, several things worked out well in this scenario, if you can believe it. That woman (who really was a big help) telling me about the flat caused me to stop home, which enabled me to change my clothes. This was important because changing the van tire really was a bitch. I practically needed to stand on the wrench to loosen the lugnuts, and the spare was practically corroded onto its placeholder. Anyhow, it took me at least and hour to execute the change and then put air in the spare, but we managed to get home safely. Where, of course, my other flat was waiting. Had a much easier time with that change, part of the reason being no doubt that I was in my driveway and could work at my liesure.

So, I'm currently driving around with two mini-tires on my vehicles just waiting to shipwreck in another pothole.

Cheers.

Ralph

Newspaper Demise

No, this is not another post ripping on the Erie-Times... although, from what I've seen lately, the Times, like most other print newspapers is probably hurting. I think I read something a month ago about some layoff/early retirement packages being offered to a certain percentage of the staff. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I came across an article on the more general state of the newspaper industry, which detailed how much newspaper advertisting, in particular, classified advertising, was down, and how this was putting print papers across the country in jeopardy. The article did say, however, that smaller town papers were doing better than large metropolitan dailies.

Having worked for a few small town papers back in the day, I have always maintained an interest in the "community newspaper." Even back in the early '90s, we realized our main competition was national/international news outlets - and this was before the Internet. So, at the time, we countered by covering as much local as possible. After all, when I worked in Greenville, PA, papers were about the only source of local news, as the closest TV station was across the stateline in Youngstown... So, you can imagine my shock, when I happened to be passing through Greenville on Saturday, picked up a copy of the Record-Argus, and found the whole thing filled with AP articles. I mean the whole thing. Did they fire the editorial staff because it was too expensive? Were they all just on XMas vacation? I couldn't even find a name on the masthead to contact.

I have no idea what the purpose is of a rag filled with AP copy - maybe just a wrapper for some local advertising - but I was truly dismayed by this development. A piece of my past had suddenly disappeared. Unless I find out that issue was an anamoly, I can never again dream about going back to the simpler days of covering high school wrestling matches, or sitting in the sun enjoying a spring afternoon track meet, taking in the local gossip, and preparing my evening copy in my head....

I wonder if the people of Greenville feel the same way. Do they feel they've lost a piece of their identity? Yes, I'll admit (gulp) that the Sharon Herald did a pretty good job of covering Greenville even when I was there and maybe there was only room for one paper in Mercer County. But still, the Record-Argus is gone? Say it ain't so. My clips, two years of my life, headed for oblivion.

Anyway, we made it to the wrestling tournament we were taking my son to. I saw some people from my past newspaper work there, but didn't have the heart to approach any of them. We then had a wonderful lunch down the road in Sharon at the original (and best) Quaker Steak & Lube, and drove back to Erie. I must admit, however, that I feel like a small piece of me is missing...

Ralph

Whistleblower - lipstick on a pig

Talk about putting lipstick on a pig. Did you see the story in today's ETN about St. V's agreeing to pay $1.9 million to the federal government for what amounts to Medicare fraud. By no means am I saying what St. V's did was right. Apparently, from 2001-2003, Vincent was jacking up the prices of certain procedures so they'd fall under this "outlier" category and then getting Medicare to reimburse them. (More details are in the print version of the story than the online one I've linked to, unless it's been updated). So, St. V's was basically ripping off the federal government, although they won't admit to it. (The $1.9 million payout just to "put something behind them" - I'm paraphrasing, admits enough.)

It was action brought by New Jersey-based "independent hospital consultant" Anthony Kite that brought on the payment. In press coverage, Kite is classified as a whistleblower- yeah, right. I'll agree, he blew the whistle on St. Vincent's and about eight other hospitals performing similar fraud, but Kite wasn't even employed by St. Vincent. No, Mr. Kite could be more accurately described as an extortionist.

First of all, Kite is from New Jersey, so that should tell you something (and I felt this way about NJ people long before the Sopranos made it fashionable). Second, when I Googled his name, I didn't find any listing for a hospital consulting business. I did find several stories about extortion schemes similar to the one he pulled on Vincent, including some published by his apparent employer - the law firm of Phillips and Cohen.

Here's how it works: Kite is the front man, who likely has connections and knows how to discover which hospitals have been pulling this scam on Medicare (lots of scamming going on here). So, he threatens to sue and expose the hospital, which settles with Phillips and Cohen, which pulls a nice commission from the deal. The rest goes to the federal government, and everybody is happy, except for the taxpayers, who have overpaid this hospital first and are now contributing to the ever-accumulating wealth of this law firm. Then again, if it wasn't for the meddling law firm (shades of Scooby Doo here. "They would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for.....'), the federal government probably would have recouped nothing. So, I guess we can give them some due, but to call Kite a "whistleblower" is to put him in the same class with people who have taken serious personal risks and in some cases paid a hefty price to expose wrongdoings.

Maybe "extortionist"' is too strong of a term. Let's just call him a mercenary and leave it at that.

Ralph

Prep Guidance Department Takes Hit

A know that SI columnist Peter King meant well in yesterday's MMQB column, when we awarded Bob Sanders the "Good Guy of the Week." However, he seems to slam Prep's guidance department with his comments about Sanders not even knowing what the SAT was. I went to Prep, albeit a few years before Sanders, and while the guidance department wasn't world class, it did take an interest in students' futures. I don't know if there were budget cuts in the years after I left, but I fiind it hard to believe that no one tried to help a talented guy like Sanders lay out his future plans.



Anyhow, congrats to Sanders for starting his Chasing Dreams foundation. Sounds like a good thing. I just feel bad for Prep's guidance dept, as King makes it sound like they were sleeping on the job.



Ralph

Maybe not...

Maybe I was being a bit too easy on ole' Judge Joyce. Perhaps he did strong arm Erie Insurance into forking over the cash....

Joyce Innocent

No, this isn't a scoop.

I have no insights into how the jury is voting, but the more I think about it, I don't see how they can justly convict this guy. Did he take over $400,000 from Erie Insurance based on trumped up claims? Almost certainly. Did Erie Insurance care? No. So, how is this a crime? Who is the victim? Granted, you could probably look at this as some type of bribery, but that's not what Joyce is charged with. And if it is bribery, Erie Insurance should be charged too.

I think someone from Erie Insurance testified to the effect that they wanted to settle with Joyce quickly because of his track record ruling in favor of insurance companies. Now, $400,000-plus seems like a pretty expensive settlement for this reason. I mean what kind of cases was Joyce hearing that involved Erie Insurance? And how often did these cases occur that Erie Insurance couldn't wait the time it would have taken to follow-up on Joyce's claim with more care.

Certainly, something sounds fishy, but is this sort of deal illegal? To me, it sounds like Erie Insurance felt it was making a business investment, much like lobbyists invest in our governmental representatives.

When Joyce is found innocent, the question I'd like to see answered is "how did this thing get brought to trial?" In other words, "who's responsible?" And when we figure that out, the responsible party should be made to reimburse the taxpayers for the court costs. The same holds true for the Fillippi trial, which was also seemed a bit frivilous for my taste.

Of course, that all said, both trials have been highly entertaining to follow. Maybe, there's some value to taxpayers in a bread and circuses sort of way.

Ralph

Joyce Trial

This trial of the former Judge Joyce is truly a classic. You've got all sorts of high-drama elements coming together:

• a high-profile former district judge, who was also known as a man about town
• a spurned ex-girlfriend with a vendetta
• an insurance company that admittedly paid him off quickly so as not to lose access to his mostly favorable rulings
• is Greg Rubino involved in this as well?

Anyhow, things are coming to ahead, and based on today's article in the paper, if I as on the jury, I think Mike Joyce would be cooked. Here's the testimony I found most damning: (It comes from Dr. William Welch, the chief neurosurgeon at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, who was testifying for the prosecution.)

From the Times article:

"Joyce’s activities, especially the long hours he spent piloting a personal
plane, do not support Joyce’s claim to the insurers that he suffered
life-changing pain and cognitive problems after the crash, he said. Joyce’s
'actions suggest this is not a highly disabled person,' Welch said.

Joyce’s multiple flights in 2002, the 95 score he received on his pilot’s
test and his clean Federal Aviation Administration physical all indicate he was
'highly functioning,' Welch said. 'If you are saying you are having arm
weakness, numbness, and shaking, you would have trouble operating the controls.
Anyone having significant neurological difficulties would not pilot anything. It
is unconscionable.'"

That makes sense. Really, if someone was as worried as Joyce says he was about physical problems, and stuff, like his back, suddenly stopping working, what the hell was he doing flying a plane? It makes no sense. Of course, maybe he's just psychotic, which I guess in itself isn't criminal...

Oh well, there was a lot more evidence presented than what I have just written, but, based on that alone, I'd say something is fishy.

Ralph

Erie Golf Course Could Be Open Next Year

This is great news for the golfer in me. I'm still not sure I get the financial logistics behind it, but I love playing golf on the hill up there. And there is that beautfully rennovated clubhosue and bar with the picture window looking north toward the lake.

But, here's the chronology of events in regards to the money spend on that place. You tell me who is going to end up footing the $2 million bill for the improvements that were made.

1. City of Erie builds golf course on land it go pretty cheap. By the 2000s, the course is considered a money loser because of lack of irrigation and tricky set up that causes right-handed golfers who slice (the majority of average and below average golfers) to hit an inordinate number of balls into the woods.
2. Millcreek builds golf course and learning center on old Harper Road Dump/Superfund site. I don't know what Millcreek paid to do this and how much money came in grants, but they did a great job turning a wasteland into a pretty decent golf facility, and from what I understand it has been fairly profitable, mainly due to the range, which is nice and fairly conveniently located for people living on the west side of the city, western Millcreek, and Fairview - in other words, probably the majority of golfers in Erie County.
3. Erie, under the direction of Mayor Rick Filippi and right-hand man Jimmy Casella decides to spend like $4-5 million on improvements on Erie. How they expect to earn this money back is beyond a casual observer like myself, but apparently, Council buys off on it, and the plan is passed.
4. Somehow, the investment gets cut down to like $2.5 million or less, and the city goes through with the first two phases of its planned development at Erie.
5. A few holes are shutdown, leading to a couple pretty lean seasons that presumably cause Erie Golf Course to lose even more money than it usually does, but the new course finally opens to great fanfare.
6. The course is nice, but apparently, at least according the Mayor Sinnott, is still losing money, so after he gets elected, he shuts it down and tries to sell it.
7. Of course, then the notorious deed restriction comes to light and Erie can't sell the course to real estate developers whose market is tanking anyhow.
8. Erie remains closed for a couple years. The City makes its debt payments on the course, and pays maitenance fees so they don't lose it as a usable golf course.
9. Finally, Millcreek comes to the rescue because their course is getting destroyed by this airport runway project and gets the County to agree to pay Erie like $2 million from this casino fund, which will pay off the City's debt on the course. Apparently, this money is compensation for the land the Airport is seizing from Millcreek in the name of progress.

So, everyone is happy, right. I guess. But, what about Brian McGowen and the Summit boys. Is this really responsible spending of the gaming revenue? As I said, I'm in favor of it, because I like to golf up there and as a result will likely get my share of the $2 million worth. But, what if I didn't golf? Is the land the Airport Authority purchasing from Millcreek really worth $2 million? I guess that is really what it comes down to.

Anyhow, I'll be interested to see how this ends up. Maybe it will all go smoothly, but if so, why? I mean, related to MTR and gaming money especially, we''ve seen quite a few stinks raised over less than $2 million.

Ralph

The wacky MTR ride

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

County Attempts to Embarrass Dunlavey

This is classic. The article starts out all nice, with Roger Taft, the lawyer for the County being polite and deferential. "Erie County and the ECGRA do not have a clear understanding as to why this Honorable Court invalidated (county ordinances) which authorized the organization of ECGRA, in its entirety, if that was the intention of the Court," Taft wrote.

However, as you work your way through the article, you see that Taft is merely (as one of my business partners likes to say) "kissing Judge Dunlavey before fucking him." The article later goes on to say, "Taft's order 'questions whether the term 'unrestricted' gaming revenue was erroneously inserted (by Dunlavey) in place of 'restricted' gaming revenue" in some sections." In other words, he's questioning whether Dunlavey completely screwed up and wrote the opposite of what he meant to write! Whoops!, Wouldn't that be an error?

Of course, this is likely just a rhetorical ploy being used by Taft to publicize how ridiculous the County feels Dunlavey's ruling is. As if to say, "This ruling is so outrageous, we just assumed you got it backwards and you meant to say this when you wrote that. We understand, you're a busy guy and all..."

Condescending mo'fuckers. I hope Dunlavey's throws them all in Gitmo!


Ralph

Smokestack Lightning-The Continuing Saga Of Erie's Tires-To-Energy Plant

This has been building for some time, I think there is a dichotomy developing in viewpoint of the environmentalists/Green Party people fighting this tires-to-energy plant being proposed for the lower East side of Erie. On one side, you have the environmentalists' goal of creating alternative energy sources to oil. On the other side, you have environmentalists fighting a plant that promises to create an alternative energy source.

Two pieces in today's Erie Times illustrate this dichotomy beautifully. On page 1, you've got this big brouhaha about the plant's zoning approval getting overturned on a technicality. Of course, the environmentalists are all in favor of this. Then on the letters page, you have this fascinating letter by a Millcreek resident who used to work for the Dept. of Energy. He blames Reagan for canceling a number of government-sponsored energy development initiatives and leaving us in our current oil-dependent state.

The letter writer states: "By the early '80s, we had developed viable research and development programs into renewable energy sources, such as solar heating and cooling, solar electrification, wind energy, hydrogen, fuel cell technology and even into harnessing the power inherent in tidal action. In the nonrenewable area, we focused on developing coal liquefaction and gasification technologies, clean coal technology, electric car technology, tar sands extraction, improved nuclear power and many others."

Hmmm... is gasification green or not green? It seems to me like there are a lot of people out there that want something for nothing. They clamor for alternative energy sources, but then complain when somebody tries to do something innovative in this area. Now, I'm not saying that this tires-to-energy plant is a good thing, but as I've said before, there is still a lot about it that we don't know. I still haven't seen any good examples of existing plants that use the gassification technology these RewewErie guys, or whatever their name is, are talking about. The bottom line is that I think we need more information on how this plant will affect the environment. The BOTTOM LINE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS SHOULD BE: IS THIS PLANT GOING TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER CURRENT MEANS OF PRODUCING ENERGY? Can we get some info on that? Yes, it may cause some pollution, but in the overall picture, will it be causing less damage to the environment than the current means of producing the same amount of energy, as well disposing of the same amount of tires. To me, recycling tires into useful energy sounds like a good thing, if the emissions/pollution can be controlled. Can we give these guys a chance to prove that they can do this?

Thanks.

Ralph

Super Tuesday

Hilliary's strong Super Tuesday showing means she's not as dead-and-buried as I projected earlier. She did get creamed in the African American vote, apparently, but word is that she carries the Hispanic vote. Either way, with McCain now leading the Republican race, I think we're going to get a decent president out of the whole process. Hiliary was more impressive, more under control and calm, in a speech I saw her give to her supporters last night. That's a good sign. She didn't look like she was panicking.

In the meantime, there's quite a bit of panicking I think to be done around here, especially with this gambling/airport runway money. We can only hope that Judge Dunlavey sees things the County's way in his upcoming ruling on how this gambling revenue can be spent. From what I've read, despite the fact that their dealings stink of underhanded collusion, the Summit boys have themselves a pretty good case. It all depends on how Judge Mike interprets the law.

One thing working in the County's favor may be that having been a former interregator at Gitmo, Dunleavy is obviously not afraid to interpret the law the right way.

Cheers.

Ralph

Commenting on deleted Corry Pub post

Shit, I was just doing a Google to locate my blog on an alternate computer and came across this post, which really takes me to task.

(Here's my comment, which I attempted to post on the linked to site, but for some reason I wasn't allowed to because comments on that blog are restricted to team members. Seems like an ironic policy for a blog that is basically ripping on me for deleting a comment I never even saw, but hey, it's a free world)
Sorry - I never saw the comment that the anonymous person has posted here. My colleague at the blog, Dr.D - a former Corry employee like myself made the original post. I think basically what he posted is accurate - or at least moreso than the story Corry tells, but hell, everybody lies a little... (and Brutus is an honorable man.)
Anyways, after Dr.D posted it, we both decided that it might appear a bit unprofessional, so we made a decision to take it down.
I guess it's back up now- as I'm including this link that has the original post plus the comments. Please feel free to comment, but I don't really appreciate snide, behind the back, peronal attacks. I really had no idea that anyone had even read this post and honsetly never saw the comment.
I am all about encouraging open, honest discussion.
Cheers.
Ralph

Erie Airport Runway

Curious juxtaposition today of the two Times-News editorials. On top was this one calling for $80 million in government funding to extend the runway at the Erie Airport. Below it was this article complaining that the state is wasting $.5 million polling taxpayers to find out their opinions. What's that old saying about the forrest and the trees?

We've had some discussion here about whether this runway extension is really worth the money, and another blogger has asked for a cost-justification study on the matter. The airport Web site actually has a special section on the runway extension project. There, I was able to find the FAA's 2005 report that explains why the runway extension would have no significant impact on the environment and surrounding area.

This is great, and this study seems to be the charter that the Airport Authority is using to push the project ahead. However, there is a line item in the report regarding funding: "Prior to any funding decision concerning the proposed project, determination under 49 U.S.C. § 44502(b) that the airport development is reasonably necessary for use in air commerce or in the interests of national defense." It seems to me like this could be the hold-up that the Times is blaming the FAA for. After all, have we indeed determined the necessity of this project? I don't recall seeing many detailed arguments saying why the extension is "necessary" for air commerce and national defense." Maybe that's all the stuff Phil English is doing behind the scenes...

One thing I can say from reading the report, is that the necessity of the project has apparently evolved from being driven by a desire to increase passenger traffic, to a desire to increase cargo traffic. The whole extension seems to be based around being able to fly DC-9 jets in and out of Erie. But, I guess with passenger traffic dropping from over 180,000 in 2005 to around 160,000 in 2006, there doesn't seem to be much necessity for accomodating increasing passenger traffic. This trend apparently was obvious as far back as 2005, because the report makes mention of changing the "critical aircraft design" for the runway extension from accomodating DC-9 passenger jets to DC-9 cargo jets.

So great, now we just need to determine what that cargo is and where it will be coming from, in order to cost-justify an investment of $80 million, minus, of course, whatever investment is being made for national security purposes. Apparently Erie Aviation has done some research on this topic. Maybe I just missed it when they published their findings. However, I suspect with the runway project at such a critical juncture, as reported in the Times today, some of the cost -justifcation findings will be showing up in the news again. I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Cheers.

Ralph