Nov 22, 2012

Open Thanksgiving Letter to Charlie Dent

Congressman Dent,
Today I learned from Scott Kraus's informative article in The Morning Call, that you have joined the Cranberry Caucus. Although I thank you for your attentive attitude toward local business, I would like to add a few points of information not discussed in the article. Most of Ocean Spray's employees will follow the company from New Jersey, not providing many new local jobs. New Jersey didn't fight the relocation with much vigor, because the discharge from the juice process is particularly potent, providing an unwanted challenge to their waste water systems. On the other hand, bottling companies have been coming to the Lehigh Valley, because of Allentown's abundant supply of water, and capacity to treat sewage, as distributed through the Lehigh County Authority. As you know, Mayor Pawlowski is eager to lease these systems for fifty years, despite widespread public opposition. In this regard, Ocean Spray is but one more customer for a private water company. Will such a company safeguard both the supply of water, and it's waste treatment, with as much scrutiny and concern as the current public oversight? In the past few years the bottling industry has become a concern to those advocates concerned with the quantity of our drinking water. The Mayor's plan is beyond an Allentown issue; It affects the entire region, which should be involved in the deliberation.
My best wishes for your holiday,
  Michael Molovinsky

2 comments:

  1. What a great take on the MC story. Thank you. Yes, Ocean Spray will do what Olympus did; bring all the New jersey workers (LonGisland in the latter's case). Not the worst thing, but not much for the 'planners' to take credit for.

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  2. Good work Michael.
    Unfortunately this line of thinking is too deep for most on either side of this important issue to follow.
    Boops on the left of us ----- boops on the right of us.
    All looking for simple solutions in a complex world.

    I'm gunna go have a glass of water.

    ReplyDelete

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