There is no love lost between U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke and State Rep. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke. The latest dispute is about downtown redevelopment in their hometown of Nanticoke.A plan was presented to the city officials to remodel the Kanjorski Center and add a parking garage to the tune of $23 million. Many people have doubts about the project.
The Kanjorski Center, cited by city officials as an example of poor planning, does not have parking for its employees. Plans call for the $7.7 million garage to be built with federal transportation funding. Most of the $23 million project will be offset by government grants, the rest, by equity in the form of tax credits. U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, urged the municipal authority to get started on the project, telling the board the money is in place. But State Rep. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, cautioned the board not to rush into anything.He said $11 million of the $23 million is not a sure thing. The state's total $4 million contribution to federal grants is not a certainty, and $7 million in equity and other funding does not yet exist, he said.
A couple of thoughts. First of all how many people get something named after the while they are still around? Maybe it's a local thing as I went to the Daniel J. Flood Elementary School and have had relatives that lived in the Dan Flood Towers. The second and more important one is how long can this area live on pork? If the project makes economic sense then build it. But don't do it because you got an earmark in the transportation bill. Mr. Kanjorski said this is a free building because the federal government will cover the cost. Guess what Paul, we pay federal taxes in addition to local ones.
Yah,...they are all excited about the Nanticoke Project though.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I guess that's why they've been demolishing perfectly salvageable old buildings on Main Street? To build a $23 million parking garage for a building that, as far as I know, is currently unoccupied, with no new tenants on the horizon?
ReplyDeleteToo bad. There's little enough of our downtown left as it is.
Your title made me think we would be treated to an anime version of local politics, with the aging Kanjo taking on the upstart Yudi in the Kanjo Arena of Death, each beseeching the spirit of Jaro-Lin to come upon them and give them aid.