Day one of the new Charter Commission in Amherst and, ahhh, just what I expected.
Thoughtful voices of members Gage, Weiss and Stein allowing our elected representatives to hash out a plan on their own, while some of the others, abdicating a responsibility they marketed to us voters – turn their backs on us, at once pushing for a paid study.
They fool no one. Studies report that which they are paid to do. They are always for centralization of power and marginalization of the average resident. Look at how the Amherst BID and our elected officials already hide behind the Maoist “Master Plan” of mixed-use developments (code for rich out-of-town student apartments, above an ATM machine in the stunningly lit lobby, oh, and it looks like we will be buying them a parking garage soon).
I can just hear it now, coming from our future appointed leader, “I’m sorry, Homeowner Dave, the ‘Master Plan’ we bought from a Philadelphia consulting firm has taken away your options. Sorry Dave.” We can have our own “Philadelphia Story” right here.
Robert Vigderman
Amherst