Commission should not approve a plan that will ruin our area
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will meet Monday to consider the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's funding plan for design, property acquisition and construction of the Mon-Fayette Expressway from Route 51 at Large into the city of Pittsburgh. We urge SPC to either postpone a decision on this proposal until opponents' analyses and alternatives are given a full public airing or to reject it right now.
The turnpike commission's funding plan is wildly optimistic and speculative. It makes rash assumptions about future state and federal revenues and will require robbing funds from road and bridge repair and mass transit for years to come. For example, seven new bond issues are proposed, which, in order to raise $2.5 billion, will create a total debt of nearly $5 billion, and the public will be paying this debt through 2061 -- almost 100 years after the road was originally proposed! Surely, Pennsylvania citizens can think of many more constructive ways to use $5 billion than on debt service for a few miles of toll road.
Many believe it is possible to redevelop and upgrade the existing network of roads in the near Mon Valley, providing truck access to development sites and easing commuter traffic, while spending less taxpayer money and serving more local communities than the Mon-Fayette Expressway will. A mass transit system also must be central to any regional transportation plan. The turnpike commission will never seriously consider the no-build option, so SPC and other agencies must demand "equal time" for the study of alternatives.
Pittsburghers in Duck Hollow, Hazelwood and Oakland don't want our neighborhoods chewed up for this project. If the expressway is approved, we face years of blighting disinvestment as in the East Street Valley (now I-279 north), followed by a huge construction project that will cut off our communities from the riverfront, increase noise and air pollution and slash the sales value and livability of all nearby houses. Should we be willing to give up big chunks of our city and the value of our hard-earned homes to accommodate this highway? Most of us say no.
We reject the argument that this boondoggle is a "done deal." There is still time for public agencies to examine its flaws and to insist on an economically, socially and environmentally sound transportation plan.
KATHY BOYKOWYCZ
Oakland Community Council
Oakland
Why should Israel budge?
Apparently Edmund R. Hanauer is so upset that we Jews stubbornly insist on surviving and thriving in our own land that he writes a commentary the main thrust of which encourages the Jewish state to commit suicide ("Don't Give Sharon Carte Blanche," Feb. 6 Midweek Perspectives).
The Jewish lands of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, which Israel liberated in 1967 in the Six Day War, are the obstacle to peace? If so, why did the Arabs go to war in 1967, when Jordan controlled these lands as well as "East" Jerusalem, the site of our holy Temple Mount, and Syria occupied the Golan Heights?
The Arabs wanted "West" Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and to drive the Jews into the sea. They still want this today; however, after five wars they realize Israel cannot be beaten militarily. They hope to accomplish through "peace" what they could not through war. Why is Arafat, the terrorist murderer of countless Jews, smuggling tons of weapons into Israel?
Once the Arab nations feel that the time is right, they will again go to war against the Jewish state. Until that time, they are using the bitter revanchist Arab occupiers of our liberated lands as their stalking horse.
The fact that we are considering giving the Arabs yet another opportunity to destroy the state of Israel and the Jews in it demonstrates that we are more frightened of George W. Bush than of the Burning Bush.
SARAH E. KADEN
Shadyside
Prohibitive regulations
I am the owner of Colonial Gardens Guest House, a 40-bed personal care home in Penn Township, Butler County. The state Department of Public Welfare licensing and regulatory management office is in the process of developing new regulations for personal care homes. While I believe that some changes are needed in the current regulations, these new proposed regulations will cause many good homes to go out of business.
The population that we serve is generally low- to middle-class people who are on a fixed income. The new regulations would cause us to have more staff than is required by skilled-care facilities. In addition, they would require us to employ a professional person to be on staff to "administer" medications. This cost alone will be so prohibitive that many homes could no longer afford to operate.
These regulations will cause our costs as owners and administrators to rise between $500 and $1,000 per month per resident. How can we offset these costs to fixed-income residents? We receive no money from the government to assist in the care of our residents. Where will all the low-income and fixed-income residents go? I honestly feel that no one in the licensing and regulatory management office much cares.
Each personal care home employs staff to care for its residents. If we are forced to close our doors, then the unemployment level will rise. In the past there was a push to get people off the welfare rolls. Many of our homes helped to answer that call. Now those welfare rolls could rise again.
Anyone who doesn't understand what we do is welcome to come and visit any of our homes. We are a "home," we love and care for our residents. We need assistance in contacting our legislators to once again request that the Department of Public Welfare show some common sense and develop some realistic regulations for personal care homes. We need to make it known that homes like ours are needed.
LINDA MUELLER
Penn Township
Unsophisticated city folk
I appreciated the letter from Maryam Shad ("Don't Mess With Kansas," Feb. 18), who wrote concerning Dan Majors' "snide attempt at humor" when he said, "Frankly, I didn't know they had the Internet in Kansas." She wisely points out that "there are 'hicks' everywhere."
I grew up in Kansas and came to the Pittsburgh area by way of Texas and Washington, D.C., nearly 60 years ago. I recall my shock at the provincialism I encountered. From my experience in Pittsburgh and other Eastern cities and my continued tie with "rural" America, I have observed that the country boy knows far more about the city than the city boy does about the country.
The growth of communications and transportation during the past century have made this possible. Long ago I concluded that there is no rube like a city rube.
ROBERT C. BUTLER
Hanover
Mourning Chuckles
We were truly saddened by the death of Chuckles, the Amazon River dolphin, at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium ("Smiler, Biter and Zoo Star for 3 Decades," Feb. 21). On a wintry day our two sons, then about 6 and 10, and I were alone in front of Chuckles' tank when he threw a ball out to us. We immediately threw it back, and this catch game went on for some minutes to the delight of the kids. We just wanted to describe our experience, which shows how intelligent and playful Chuckles was.
RADMILA RAIKOW
Highland Park
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