banannie

Feel free to skip this post if the topic isn’t of interest- which means pretty much all of you. Original posts are here and here.

So now there’s a petition to stop the OTW facility. It’s a public petition and people have posted comments under their names, but I won’t link to it here. Forgive me if I speak of it in general terms. (I do have to live here after all!)

It looks like roughly half of the people signing the petition have added a comment. There are a few over the top fear-based comments, but many are reasonable and make some good arguments against it based on traffic & financial reasons. Based on those arguments I’m starting to lean against the facility.

However, I don’t buy that it will make home values go down- if the blighted sections of Route 22 haven’t done that I doubt this will. I don’t think it would affect the nature of the town. The fact is that Route 22 already attracts people from all over the area to shop and dine and break the occasional law. Anyone who drives that road knows that. Anyone who reads the police reports or drives past Town Hall on Wednesday nights when court is in session knows that, too.

The thing is- this is a very small town, surrounded by larger ones with larger problems. We’re a bit spoiled that way. But we have a major highway right down our center, and that’s a fact. Anyone who moved here expecting an idyllic atmosphere had to have blinders on. It’s a nice, friendly town, full of great people, good schools, busy neighborhoods, and McMansions. And car dealerships and strip malls. And a pool hall (apparently the pool hall closed- didn’t even realize it, huh) and a bowling alley and a bunch of liquor licenses. And up to a few years ago a strip club.

I understand the desire to keep your town safe and desirable. No one wants to worry about gangs recruiting our kids, no one wants to worry about our home values diving. But I gotta ask if some of the people fighting this are the same ones who vote down the school budget year after year. If you’re concerned about the kids, and home values, that’s where we risk losing both.

First, hi to all the neighbors stopping by via searches! I’m glad you’re taking the time to do some research. If you’d like to read my original post on this topic click through here.

So I went to the special meeting where the NJSEA presented their proposal to build an off-track wagering facility here in town. I had another commitment so I arrived late, but I heard enough, both from the NJSEA guy and the crowd.

In a nutshell, he was very good at spinning things in a positive way, but the crowd was having none of it.

I was a little sad to see some of the vehemence in the arguments against the facility. I honestly don’t think most of the fears are justified. Some town in New Jersey is going to get this thing, and the tax benefits (and yes, the traffic, but I can’t imagine it would add a noticeable difference to our already over-crowded highway traffic.)

But in the end- my response is pretty apathetic. I don’t really care if they build it, I don’t really care if they don’t. I just hope something goes there once Saturn leaves. It’s a good location so I’m sure something will- perhaps another car dealership, furniture store, or even a strip mall (rolling my eyes a little here.)

So I’m bowing out of the discussion, saving my limited righteous indignation for other things.