As you may or may not know, I am an advocate for the growth of the U and the revitilization of its surrounding areas.
Some may not see it that way. I was wondering what some of you thought if the recet razing of the buildings and the plans to build.
Of course the DD crew is totally against it. If it where up to them the U would sink into the earth so they can further their plans of Scranton becomeing an utopia for the dullards and socially retarded.
I really do not know what to think of it Tim ... to be quite honest with you ... I guess if I were to really sit and think about it I would have to say that I understand why some are agains it .. because they see with each property being taken over by the U ... the loss of tax dollars ... and with that loss they see their own property taxes being raised. I'm trying to understand all sides of this ... I'm not saying this is how I personally feel.
However I see how far that area has come ... I am up there on a daily basis ... and I see just how beautiful the area is becoming ... how very well maintained the property that they have is ... they are always out and about taking care of the grounds ... a lot of work goes into that place. I see security all over the place up there so it's pretty much a safe environment ... and well what I really feel it this ... they must be doing something right if the need for expansion is constantly there ... what they don't pay in taxes they do give in services ... they are actually good for the community ... hell without them we would have no habitat for humanity in Lackawanna County ... they took it over ... I am sure that there are many other services that are offered ... you have actually educated me to the fact that the Library was available to me ... that is something I never knew before ... I'm sure that if we really looked into it ... we would find many services that they provide to this community ... so ... I know that they provide the School District with in kind services in leiu of taxes ... Are they as bad as DD makes them out to be ... NO ... Do I somewhat understand where the DD gang is coming from ... I try.
I don't know if this makes sense!
__________________
I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
Also what the DD people forget to mention is how many tax paying scranton residents work at the U. I know that a few of my professors lived within walking distance. Also, the women in the library all lived in the city. There are many custodial, and maintance workers. They have many employees at the physical plant as well. Food services employees a bunch of nice older ladies that love being able to talk tot he students each day at luch and dinner time and the students love talking to them as well.
It is easy to look at this narrowly and start getting worked up into a frenzy. This SHED fellow seens to be a big enemy of the school. I don't understand that stance. Without the school, Scranton would be in serious trouble. They should be greatful of the school and for all it does for the Community.
Before I forget, It is the school in a lot of aspects that keeps people attached to Scranton the city. I know a lot of allumni that do not live nor do they have family in Scranton. However because of the school they still visit and contribute to the school and city.
I say let them have whatever they can afford. They maintain the properties and put up nice big brick buildings instead of dumpy slums. At the very least local construction guys get work out of the deal. As the school grows it pumps money into the local economy. The economic impact of those kids and what they spend in town is huge. I say let them have it.
Funny but don't the maniacs at DD always whine that "...no one would want to move to Scranton to buy a home..."? Also, given that these properties were not all very well maintained, wouln't it be even less likely that these properties would be purchased?
Look, I'm not the biggest fan of the University of Scranton (I think they push the elitist button a bit too much), but on balance I think they do far more good for the community than they do harm. This includes the fact that they do an excellent job of managing/maintaining their properties...something that isn't always true among every other property owner in Scranton.
__________________
Free Speech does't require a multi-paragrah disclaimer Mr. Pilchesky.
Red House and Stone House, although (not so distant) off-campus housing, were two really beautiful buildings. It broke my heart to see the rubble on Mulberry Street the other day. I think that area is to be used as green space.
As far as the other properties, if they were neglected properties or off campus houses where there was constant trouble, then raze the damned things. If the U can minimize on off-campus housing and have most (if not ultimately, all) students in dorms, the safety factor would raise considerably. The antics at some of the nightly house parties at off-campus housing are really dangerous. Long gone are the days when tossing a beer bottle through a window and jumping through a flaming hula hoop onto a slip-n-slide were the 'fun things to do'. Now it is nothing but excessive drinking, dangerous drugs and sex games.
I'm glad I don't have a child in college. By the time he gets there, the U will (hopefully) have all this $hit cleaned up.
Is there any evidence that the 19 properties were paying their taxes in full and on time to begin with? If they weren't, then Scranton's not really losing any revenue, since none was being collected in the first place.
It's progress, plain and simple. I swear, the University of Scranton could find the cure to cancer, solve global warming, discover unlimited pockets of oil, and bring about world peace, all in one day, but there'd still be people bitching about how someone's getting rich off of it, outraged that it's not them...
A simple call to the single tax office is all it would take and I'm sure pilcheski's already made that call. However, I think the reasoning behind the U purchasing these properties is due to the fact they are trying to clean up the off-campus housing.
I think it is a potential safety issue. They may raze the buildings now and just let them sit as a parking lot or green space, until they can purchase more properties down the road. They'll be developed -- wait and see.
Now all we have to do is get the U to stand up and pay some taxes on all these properties. And not just their parking lots and green space. C'mon Joe - get your $hit together and get on that willya'?
Here's a thought, What do you think.If a non-profit is going to take a property off the tax roll, they should have to pay the lost tax revenue for say the next 10 years. That way DD's can't bitch and the non-profits can improve the prpoerty.
I find it funny that the website of a guy who claims to be "protesting" by not paying his own taxes (and apparently has taken this stand for a couple years already) is complaining about lost tax revenue.
Make sure your own tax obligations are squared away before coming down on others for not meeting theirs.
Paul if there were ever a more fitting time to say it ... I can't think of it ... so here goes ... "Hello Pot ... this is Kettle"!
Paul's right ... how dare a guy who admits that he is not paying his taxes out of protest complain about properties being taken off of the tax rolls ...
He has enough to say when he finds out that someone running for office didn't pay their taxes ... but yet he makes the choice not to pay his own ...
And I have been thinking about this ... he claims that he won't pay his taxes ... that's why his house is in his wifes name ... well if the house were in his wife's name then the tax bill would be on her name ... so he isn't trashing his own credit by not paying ... he is trashing her credit ... Now I ask you all ... is this the way you would show love for your spouse?
__________________
I want everyone to stop and think about one thing ... Joe Pilchesky is not a lawyer ... he's just a guy playing a lawyer on the internet. Please don't trust your legal needs to this man.
Some women like furs, some like jewels, apparently he prefers to lavish the missus with the simpler things in life. And if she ain't complaining, he'll just keep pumping it all over her.
Ahhh, love is in the air ... (and in his left hand)
