Letters

Published on April 06, 2007

Try enforcing Lincoln Avenue's speed limit

To the Bulletin:

I've been reading the articles about problems with traffic on Lincoln Avenue since the first attempt by the street's residents to close it off 20 years ago. Thankfully, someone remembered that it was a public way, cared for by the taxpayers, and the street remained open.

The traffic and speed problems there are no different than on most other streets in town. Now I'm not sure what bullet Phil Jackson thinks the town dodged on Lincoln Avenue, but any runner who spends time on East Pleasant or Strong streets knows what it's like to dodge the UMass crowd driving into work at speeds well in excess of the posted limits.

The problem would be best addressed by using the tools already available: strict enforcement of the speed limits.

In my youth I spent a lot of time traveling on Route 10 from Westfield to the Northampton/Amherst area. There was a stretch of road that ran through Southampton and was posted at 30-35 mph. The locals decided they didn't want vehicles racing through there, so the local police department set up the radar guns on an almost daily basis for what seemed like months. That was about 35 years ago, and to this day most drivers will check their speeds on that section of road.

Now I realize that folks today are far too busy to concern themselves with things like speed limits, but enforcing them seems a bit more logical than expensive remote-control gates or shifting the traffic load to another street.

So let's put those radar guns to use. Don't just sit there and be a presence, pull them over, line 'em up, make 'em wait and write out some tickets. Lots of them. A week or two and the message will be clear.

Paul Bazanchuk
Amherst

Parking fines encourage turnover of customers

To the Bulletin:

Regarding Phil Garrow's March 30 letter expressing his concerns surrounding the parking policies of the town, it is difficult to understand his issues. While it is true that parking fines have increased over the past two years, this increase had broad-based support from the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, the Parking Task Force and the Select Board.

They are not meant to be punitive or revenue-producing, but to more strongly encourage a moderate turnover of downtown customers to make the best use of available resources for the most people. The revenue is an inevitable, though unreliable, by-product of violations. In fact, a truly successful program would only get its funding in nickels, dimes and quarters.

No reasonable person, including those on the Select Board, could harbor the delusion of balancing the entire budget using parking fines. However, like all other enterprise funds, the Transportation Fund (encompassing transit, parking and senior/disabled van services) is expected to be self-supporting.

So, when the Amherst Cinema Center proposed extending the duration of meter times at the Amity Street lot from two to three hours, it was only responsible for the Select Board to ensure this action was revenue-neutral. It makes total sense to provide theatergoers with parking for the full duration of a film, but others use that parking lot as well. Extended time might make it more difficult to even find a space. All options should be explored and unintended consequences avoided.

One suggestion to ensure the Transportation Fund budget remains balanced is to extend enforcement hours at the Amity lot till 8 p.m., consistent with hours at other town lots. This would have the added benefit of making the Amity lot more available to Cinema and Jones Library patrons during evening hours, and could reasonably be considered by policymakers in the future. This might discourage some who drop in a dime at 5:45 and stay until last call.

Alan Powell
Amherst

Let's keep dialogue civil, and let's save money

To the Bulletin:

Let's keep our dialogue civil, constructive and open-minded, and let's save some money.

First, I value our willingness to engage each other on all issues that concern us. I value our diversity of viewpoints. I value frankness and directness in expression. I find name-calling, derision, clever cynical wordsmithing, character assault and personal criticism to be distinctly unproductive. Let's monitor ourselves and create the environment where that sort of expression in not tolerated.

Second, most of us have a wide spectrum of insurance. At a time of looming global warming, peak oil, negative savings rates and a severely inflated housing market, it would be prudent to save money. I am not at all satisfied that we are struggling to figure out how to get by. We should be saving.

I will probably vote against the override. Not because I do not value our children's education, and other services we offer, but because I believe we need to stop living paycheck to paycheck hoping things will improve. Hoping that UMass will give us a half million dollars, hoping that new economic development will increase our revenues several million dollars.

I would rather prepare for conditions to worsen than hope that conditions improve. If the override monies were to be put into reserve and rebuild our savings, I would be far more inclined to support it. It may be a cliche to say that crisis is opportunity, but I think so. Let's be creative and conservative. Find low-cost solutions, broaden our tax base, conserve our resources and save money.

Robert Greeney
Amherst

How Select Board can be more transparent

To the Bulletin:

Last week's Select Board election article unintentionally embarrassed me. It appeared to attribute to me the information that one member of the board had spoken repeatedly in an override discussion lasting 135 minutes. Actually, several board members spoke repeatedly.

For at least 24 years, the Select Board and many other town bodies have lacked a process to deal efficiently with town business. That worsened with the proliferation of emails plus the Open Meeting Law. As starters, to remedy this situation:

1) Comply with the transparent intent of the Open Meeting Law by creating a "Vox Pop" forum Web site to which all comments and suggestions by members of town boards and committees as well as the general public would be included. Each such Internet posting could start with a summary statement of no more than 50 words followed by any additional click-on text, up to 300 words.

2) Any town department could require that "non-routine" requests for information be put in writing and addressed to the Town Manager for approval.

3) Meetings of town boards and committees need to start on time and last no longer than 21/2 hours unless then extended by approval of two-thirds of members.

Alan Root
Amherst

Charter schools aren't 'looting public schools'

To the Bulletin:

Regional School Committee Vice Chair Michael Hussin needs to change his Charter School Monologues, as state officials dismissed a long time ago the economic argument Mr. Hussin laments with the inflammatory charge that charter schools are "looting the public schools."

Charter schools ARE public schools, accepting any child tuition-free, thus making them an alternative to underperforming public schools or expensive private schools.

Last year, 22,000 children educated in state charter schools (with 16,000 on a waiting list) cost taxpayers an average of $10,000 each, while the 2,000 local students who attend Amherst regional schools each cost taxpayers $13,000.

That's perhaps why Amherst (comprising 77 percent of the four-town region) has the second highest tax burden in western Massachusetts. And if a $2.5 million override does pass May 1, Amherst will supersede longtime tax champion Longmeadow.

If the entire regional public school system had been outsourced to a half-dozen charter schools last year it would have saved local taxpayers $6 million.

If I attend Sunday mass at St. Brigid's and contribute $10 to the collection basket but then suddenly decide to go to the Newman Center service instead (and make the contribution there) the bishop in Springfield is unconcerned, since the money is simply redirected and the church's bottom line remains the same.

People involved in education should consider the kids first and foremost. Elaine Brighty, the Regional School Committee chair, seems to understand that, and hopes Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School will "be a really good school for the kids."

PVCIC will not simply be a really good school & we're going to be great!

Larry Kelley
Amherst

Hubley was dedicated to town, environment

To the Bulletin:

I greatly appreciate the people who run for election to serve on town boards and who work on town committees. Not only are those jobs demanding, time-consuming and unremunerative, but rarely do we citizens take time to say, "Thank you." Here I do want to thank all the people who volunteer time and energy to run and to serve.

I particularly want to thank Robie Hubley, who has served Amherst well during his years on our Select Board. His dedication to the town and the environment will continue to add to the quality of life in the valley.

I much regret that someone with a can of black spray paint, and an even blacker heart, chose to cast a shadow over our town by vandalizing Hubley's election signs last Monday night. That action vandalized us all.

Ann Levinger
Amherst

Weiss thanks Hubley and welcomes Brewer

To the Bulletin:

I'd like to express my thanks and my appreciation to the voters of Amherst who took the time to cast their votes for all our town offices. I also want to thank you, the voters, for allowing me three more years to be a part of town government. I feel honored to continue to serve our town as we struggle through what is now a seven-year (and counting) financial crisis. I remain committed to meeting the problems of our town head on - financial, social and political.

I also want to thank Robie Hubley for his three and a half years on the Select Board. Robie dedicated many of his waking hours to our town. His commitment to truth and the welfare of all serves as a model for everyone in public service.

I'd also like to congratulate Alisa Brewer on her election and welcome her to the board. I know that Alisa is a very hard-working public servant and I look forward to her enthusiastic energy. I see this as a time to roll up our sleeves and work together towards keeping Amherst a town we're all proud to live in.

Gerry Weiss
Amherst Select Board