NewsLanc.Com

    Providing Lancaster City & County with an Alternative Source for Local News and Commentary  _________________________________________________________
 April 28, 2007                                Publisher: NewsLanc.com LLC                              Volume 1, Number 30
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Many Losers, And One Winner - -
Congratulations Dale High!

Now that the Convention Center seems likely, many losers and one major winner are apparent. Clearly the Lancaster City taxpayers are the biggest losers. They have in whole or in part guaranteed at least &3036;36 million in debt, approximately $4,000 per household!

The second big loser is the Steinman legacy. A reputation for good work and community leadership was tarnished as a result of the monopoly newspapers' bias and bullying tactics.

The third losers are the merchants. Unlike upscale condominiums, the convention center will obstruct the essential revitalization process whereby young professionals and 'empty nesters' move downtown.

The big winner is the High Group of companies. They made money on the project's planning stage, they will earn money on the construction, they will also receive a percentage of future hotel operational revenue and revenues from concessions, and will likely come to own at least half of the hotel itself.


'Smart' Sunday News Exclusive

Kudos to the Sunday News for its April 15 front page article entitled, "Non-taxing times." Associate editor Gil Smart is to be commended for researching and writing about such an important subject.

Tax exemption of properties is like a spreading cancer, first eating away at the city of Lancaster and later its suburbs.

The City suffers from an accident of history, the incorporating of too limited amount of the region within its boundaries. The result is devastating.

Also, city government likely would be more accountable if the city included a larger share of suburbia.
Intell Photo Bad Taste,
Incites Massacres

The April 19 Intelligencer Journal published a front page, four column photo of a defiant Cho Seung-Hui with arms outstretched and brandishing two pistols. The photo was mailed to the media by Cho between his shooting sprees at Virginia Tech University.

The Intell's and other unthinking editors across the country (including the New York Times!) play right into the hands of mentally ill individuals like Cho, promising to make them celebrities, portraying them as big and powerful men. Worse yet, it encourages others who are mentally deranged to commit copy cat crimes!

Break free from the monopoly press!
Visit www.NewsLanc.com daily.


$anta's Helper Arrives in Faux Trolley;
Promises Still More Gifts and BIG Surprise

Accompanied by Senator Gibson Armstrong, $anta's jolly helper expressed pleasure about how past gifts were being used for the Convention Center, the Lancaster Museum of Art and an expanding Transit Center.

The helper then received a new "wish list" from Mayor Rick Gray that includes another parking garage and a row of high end condos at Queen and Lemon Streets.

Our visitor even suggested the mayor should add an urban supermarket to the city's wish list.

$anta's helper beamed at requests for the African Freedom Quest Theater and Interactive Wax Museum.

"There is still more to come," promised the jolly emissary (a/k/a Secretary for the Department of Community and Economic Development Dennis Yablonsky) as he waved from his trolley as it lifted into the sky.

And, sure enough, down fluttered a promissory note on which was scrawled:
"Merry Christmas to all. Expect a 1% sales tax increase in your stocking."

Art Morris New City Appointee to CC Project

The appointment of former Lancaster mayor Art Morris as a City representative to the Convention Center Authority Board is most welcome, as are county appointees R. B. Campbell and Tom LeCrone.

If the project is indeed to move ahead despite objections by most taxpayers to their financial risk, it is best that there be people like Morris on the board with experience, expertise and proven competence, not City appointees easily manipulated by vested interests.

Morris may emerge as the future chairman despite being a minority member of the board. This would be appropriate, since City residents have so much ($4,000 per household) at risk.

139 days left until County
appointees become majority on
Convention Center Board.