Last week Mike Farina posted a detailed and thoughtful story about the Republicans precieved willingness to sacrifice youth programing for … well, I really don’t know why they wouldn’t be supportive of doing anything and everything to ensure that youth programing is not reduced or eliminated. Providing youth with positive and constructive outlets is a proven strategy to reduce gang activity and youth crime. Last week’s events might have seemed like posturing; a flexing of new political muscles intended to demonstrate their magnificent power in the majority. It was presumed that they would bend and ultimately agree to station a temporary trailer adjacent to the teen center to provide the town with the space they require to continue the level of programming they presently offer. After all, who’d vote against kids?
I, and many like me, were wrong. At last nights Zoning Board of Appeals meeting the proposal was defeated along party lines, the first partisan vote in 18 years! I understand the need for partisan posturing on the Board of Directors, but on the Zoning Board of Appeals? This trailer is essential to youth programming and helping to keep idle youth off the streets.
The Republican “Covenant” was filled with promises about accountability and quality-of-life issues, how can they justify their stonewalling of this proposal, which was not initiated by the Democrats (though it is supported by them), and cutting productive programing for Manchester’s youth?
Is that being accountable? Is that dedicating yourself to being a champion of quality-of-life issues?
The Democrats have always – and will continue to – stand in support of Manchester’s children, and will never play politics when the right decision is obvious.
February 2, 2008 at 5:01 pm
The local Republican attitude reminds me of a passage in Garrison Keillor’s 2004 book “Homegrown Democrat,” where he referred to the Republicans as the “Screw You Party.” If you’re not like us, if you don’t see things our way, well then screw you. The Screw You Republicans are running Manchester now. Youth Services is just the beginning. You can bet the ranch that somewhere in the next two years something in this Town that is important to you will be the recipient of a hearty “Screw You” from the Republican Majority.
February 2, 2008 at 9:08 pm
How ironic is that Mayor Spadaccini publicly ridicules Democrats for speaking at Board of Directors Meetings, and then the Republicans get Pelletier’s father to rail against this additional teen space at the ZBA? Talk about trying to co-opt public opinion! Odious behavior indeed, Mr. Mayor!
Your lack of accountability is astonishing: instead of dealing with the issue directly, in front of the Board of Directors, you politicize the Zoning Board of Appeals in order to do the dirty work for you. This has usurped public input, and has shown that the Republicans want to escape making difficult decisions whenever possible. By getting the ZBA to make the partisan decision for the Republican Board members, they have shown zero accountability to the voters.
Covenant broken yet again.
February 7, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Well, I had the opportunity to observe the Screw You party at work at the Spruce Street Block Watch last night. I got to see the president of the Block Watch verbally billy-clubbed by the Republican enforcer, Director Pelletier. Poor guy volunteers to help out his neighborhood and instead of supporting him the Screw You party treats him like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about and that he needs to sit down and shut up about the Fire House because that’s a Democratice idea, not a Republican idea, and when it comes to Democratic ideas – good or bad, screw you. That’s the way it works from here on out, folks. Either you agree with the Republicans and go along or screw you and, by the way, Cheri Pelletier is standing by with her brass knuckles on to make sure you get the message loud and clear.