QUOTE(WinstonTheLastHuman @ Jun 19 2008, 07:49 PM)
Thank you.
Now if I understand everything correctly, F&M and NS are basically going to 'swap' land and bc NS had no reason to abandon their existing expansion plan, F&M is going to foot the bill to properly prep the land for build out. This is going to be expensive, does anyone have the figure?
Luckily for Fry, who may be in danger of draining the endowment with his empire-building, F&M wont have to pay for this either, for that is the job given to PA taxpayers! Two different state funds will pick up this tab-a 'green' initiative and PennDoT rails improvement fund.
The thing that gets me is that this isn't a must-do (like decaying bridges) this is nice-to-do (for F&M that is). Every dollar that is given to F&M is a dollar NOT spent on a real improvement issue. Remember, NS had every intention to expand on their land- if this occurs, it wont cost the tax payers anything (tax payers are paying for the land prep not the actual rail construction). As I indicated before, it is nice to have friends in Harrisburg!
Where do you think NS was going to get the funding to expand before this swap? That's right, from the same tax bucket. If it isn't labeled "green" it gets labeled "economic development". And heck it isn't even costing us a third of what the convention center will and at least NS pays taxes! So don't go after F&M or NS here, again, it goes back to the politicians. Go after them.
I guess what I am trying to say is that we were going to foot the bill regardless of the location. So why not move it to a secluded area with less impact on the public.
