Thursday, January 26, 2012
going to turn this into a political blog now
I think i am going to write political commentary on my blog. i believe i have a lot to say and now will not need to capitalize
Race is over
the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled i do not have a district. I am out of the race.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Providing "Revenue Neutral" funding for progress
I am a grant specialist. Some say I am the best in the business. I know public funding steams like the back of my hand. The story goes that every time someone has a problem with funding something I say "I think there's a grant for that"....normally there is. If you know what your doing you will find that is the case. There are grants for all kinds of things, parks, buildings, festivals...you name it...someone is funding it.
Those days are rapidly coming to an end. There soon will be another way to get grants that will end up being "Merit Based" and will be determined by what you do. "What You Do?" not who you know. I will tell you the who you know funding model gets old after a while.
I remember having opposed the route 422 tolling and having the Mayor of Reading come down to talk to me. We discussed alternate revenue models. I explained the concept of capturing the increment on state taxes to fund transportation. I call it "but for funding." funding that would not exist except for the project. A revenue stream that would not exist "but for " the project.
"but for" funding is revenue neutral...because it would not exist without the project. So they keep state tax revenue the same and you get all or a portion of what is generated.
Not my idea originally...but I like it!!
Those days are rapidly coming to an end. There soon will be another way to get grants that will end up being "Merit Based" and will be determined by what you do. "What You Do?" not who you know. I will tell you the who you know funding model gets old after a while.
I remember having opposed the route 422 tolling and having the Mayor of Reading come down to talk to me. We discussed alternate revenue models. I explained the concept of capturing the increment on state taxes to fund transportation. I call it "but for funding." funding that would not exist except for the project. A revenue stream that would not exist "but for " the project.
"but for" funding is revenue neutral...because it would not exist without the project. So they keep state tax revenue the same and you get all or a portion of what is generated.
Not my idea originally...but I like it!!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Brownfield Remediation
I am currently the manager of 2 brownfield remediation projects located on the Phoenixville Steel Site. I have worked through the plans to develop both sites. I am aware how the Commonwealth needs to be involved with the project to ensure that the project is a success.
Many of the towns in the in the 45th district have brownfield problems, including the City of Coatesville, Downingtown and others i am sure. The role of a state rep in the brownfield process is more than people think. The state has to be receptive to the project but by the same token the locals have to be realistic with their expectations. A state rep needs to know how to look at a project and know what it takes to get the job done.
I completed a brownfield project in Downingtown called the O'Brien project which is now Main Street Village. I live there. It was the first CERCLA (Superfund) site cleaned up to statewide health (which is called sometime PRISTINE). I know how problematic these sites can be for a municipality. As a state representative you need to be able to marshall the resources to get the project done. You also need to be able to understand, as a representative for the commonwealth, what projects have a good chance of succeeding and which projects will tie up scarce resources for a long period of time. Resources are scarce your state representative needs to understand the issues relating to economic development.
Many of the towns in the in the 45th district have brownfield problems, including the City of Coatesville, Downingtown and others i am sure. The role of a state rep in the brownfield process is more than people think. The state has to be receptive to the project but by the same token the locals have to be realistic with their expectations. A state rep needs to know how to look at a project and know what it takes to get the job done.
I completed a brownfield project in Downingtown called the O'Brien project which is now Main Street Village. I live there. It was the first CERCLA (Superfund) site cleaned up to statewide health (which is called sometime PRISTINE). I know how problematic these sites can be for a municipality. As a state representative you need to be able to marshall the resources to get the project done. You also need to be able to understand, as a representative for the commonwealth, what projects have a good chance of succeeding and which projects will tie up scarce resources for a long period of time. Resources are scarce your state representative needs to understand the issues relating to economic development.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The 45th District Needs Help
A reoccurring theme continues to present itself as I attend meetings in the 45th District. The political subdivisions are struggling financially. One of the issues facing the boroughs, townships and the city is the incapacity to deal with state agencies involved with capital projects. It is eye opening. This is my speciality. I can make a difference.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
My Green Background 1971-1980
Because of my age...I was green before green was green. To create a sense of content. When i was young they sprayed DDT in the neighborhoods to kill mosquitos.
My first job was for the AFL-CIO in the Industrial Union Department,. the old CIO. I was given the title of intern and assigned to Sheldon Samuels, a legend in the field of occupational safety and health. i learned plenty from Shelly as he taught me about enviornmental hazards in the workforce. I created and directed a national education program for executives of international unions.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was only a few months old and we were all learning about what was and what was not good. Up to that time, corporation data was trusted as the standard. What was and what was not toxic was never put into a form that could be identified and a standard enforced in the work place. It was new...everyone was feeling their way around and I was at the forefront of a new movement. It ended up today to be the Green Movement. Back in college I had green sticker on my 67 Camero that said ECOLOGY NOW, but I really did not do much except talk about it.
Much of my work was staying on top environmental regulations which were promulgated in the Federal Register. I read the Register everyday and identified an inconsistency in the list when the Threshold Limit Values (TLV's) of Toxic Substances were published. This is a list of toxic substances which had never before been listed and identified as toxic in the work place. This was at the advent of environmental regulations and before that it was more of "anything goes".
What I found initially was that the list that was previously printed in the Federal Register which was the preliminary listings differed from the second list. When the final list came out it was larger than the first list. I thought it would be good to check what the new toxins were and report to Shelly. What I found was that there were new substances on the list but there were also some left off the list. I identified 20 or so benzene compounds that were not on the second list but on the first list. I told Shelly.
Next thing you know I am a hero. I got to have lunch with Shelly and the Assistant Secretary at EPA at Trader Vic's. He told me when he was made aware of the problem he wanted to meet the conscientious young man who made this discovery. I got a $10 dollar a week raise.
In the late 70's I directed the Weatherization Program in Washington County Pennsylvania. through the program we provided weatherization assistance including energy saving devices, insulation and storm windows to low income people at 150% of poverty.
My first job was for the AFL-CIO in the Industrial Union Department,. the old CIO. I was given the title of intern and assigned to Sheldon Samuels, a legend in the field of occupational safety and health. i learned plenty from Shelly as he taught me about enviornmental hazards in the workforce. I created and directed a national education program for executives of international unions.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was only a few months old and we were all learning about what was and what was not good. Up to that time, corporation data was trusted as the standard. What was and what was not toxic was never put into a form that could be identified and a standard enforced in the work place. It was new...everyone was feeling their way around and I was at the forefront of a new movement. It ended up today to be the Green Movement. Back in college I had green sticker on my 67 Camero that said ECOLOGY NOW, but I really did not do much except talk about it.
Much of my work was staying on top environmental regulations which were promulgated in the Federal Register. I read the Register everyday and identified an inconsistency in the list when the Threshold Limit Values (TLV's) of Toxic Substances were published. This is a list of toxic substances which had never before been listed and identified as toxic in the work place. This was at the advent of environmental regulations and before that it was more of "anything goes".
What I found initially was that the list that was previously printed in the Federal Register which was the preliminary listings differed from the second list. When the final list came out it was larger than the first list. I thought it would be good to check what the new toxins were and report to Shelly. What I found was that there were new substances on the list but there were also some left off the list. I identified 20 or so benzene compounds that were not on the second list but on the first list. I told Shelly.
Next thing you know I am a hero. I got to have lunch with Shelly and the Assistant Secretary at EPA at Trader Vic's. He told me when he was made aware of the problem he wanted to meet the conscientious young man who made this discovery. I got a $10 dollar a week raise.
In the late 70's I directed the Weatherization Program in Washington County Pennsylvania. through the program we provided weatherization assistance including energy saving devices, insulation and storm windows to low income people at 150% of poverty.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Plans for success in Review
$4,000,000....that is a lot of money. Could your school district use 4 million extra dollars per year? That is what was gleaned through the revitalization of Phoenixville. $150,000,000 in Assessed Value was created through the revitalization effort. Those numbers reflect the years 2002 to 2010. Our assessed value for billing purposes in 2011 was $737,929,436. Just remember that those numbers are not a true reflection of the market valuation which is more like 73.5% or $1,010,170,344 for 2011
I started the revitalization in 2003. All this is possible if you have the right plan.
The town was always promised revitalization but it never happened until I arrived. Oh, I know that some people will try to perpetuate the big lie and say that i had nothing to do with it. I even had one former merchant that complained we did not have a plan. The plan was posted on the website but she refused to acknowledge it and kept repeating the lie. You will never stop people like that. Recently in an article in the Philadelphia Business Journal business business people were openly complaining that I no longer was working on the commercial development in the borough. So it would seem that i had something to do with it, more than something really, I led the revitalization.
I created a proper atmosphere for development. People bought buildings, restored them and rented them out to new stores that needed to have a building that was not a construction project. When you look at many of the buildings on the Route 30 strip that I have identified as vacant on this blog, you will see something needs to be done. Where do you start? First you need to admit there is a problem. Then after it is acknowledged there is a problem you need to gather the stakeholders together to determine what the best course of action would be.
I have been reviewing some of the plans that have been put forward concerning the potential for revitalization in the area. It is interesting that there was a plan done by the Coatesville school district which dealt only with the areas assigned to them. This makes sense for them but not for my analysis. Don't get me wrong it is a good plan and has many good ideas. The one idea I like the best is the westbound ramp near Airport Road. It needs to be done instead of putting all of the traffic in Sadsbury Township. Give the residents a fighting chance to establish a sense of neighborhood development the way that they want to do it without all of the trucks. That project should be of the highest priority for the County.
What I did not see in the plan was train service to Parkesburg. The plan talked about Coatesville Train Station but not the Parkesburg Train Station. Although it is in a different school district one can not ignore that it is the urban center most west in the 45th. My analysis, when it is finalized, will include plans just for the 45th district so I do not go into someone else's area. I will rely on other studies and try to synthesize and tear things and part and not try to be cliche about it. I am trying to not overstep my bounds but I want to be original.
I started the revitalization in 2003. All this is possible if you have the right plan.
The town was always promised revitalization but it never happened until I arrived. Oh, I know that some people will try to perpetuate the big lie and say that i had nothing to do with it. I even had one former merchant that complained we did not have a plan. The plan was posted on the website but she refused to acknowledge it and kept repeating the lie. You will never stop people like that. Recently in an article in the Philadelphia Business Journal business business people were openly complaining that I no longer was working on the commercial development in the borough. So it would seem that i had something to do with it, more than something really, I led the revitalization.
I created a proper atmosphere for development. People bought buildings, restored them and rented them out to new stores that needed to have a building that was not a construction project. When you look at many of the buildings on the Route 30 strip that I have identified as vacant on this blog, you will see something needs to be done. Where do you start? First you need to admit there is a problem. Then after it is acknowledged there is a problem you need to gather the stakeholders together to determine what the best course of action would be.
I have been reviewing some of the plans that have been put forward concerning the potential for revitalization in the area. It is interesting that there was a plan done by the Coatesville school district which dealt only with the areas assigned to them. This makes sense for them but not for my analysis. Don't get me wrong it is a good plan and has many good ideas. The one idea I like the best is the westbound ramp near Airport Road. It needs to be done instead of putting all of the traffic in Sadsbury Township. Give the residents a fighting chance to establish a sense of neighborhood development the way that they want to do it without all of the trucks. That project should be of the highest priority for the County.
What I did not see in the plan was train service to Parkesburg. The plan talked about Coatesville Train Station but not the Parkesburg Train Station. Although it is in a different school district one can not ignore that it is the urban center most west in the 45th. My analysis, when it is finalized, will include plans just for the 45th district so I do not go into someone else's area. I will rely on other studies and try to synthesize and tear things and part and not try to be cliche about it. I am trying to not overstep my bounds but I want to be original.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
How to create economic development in the 45th
People always ask me..."why are you so successful all the time". I think it is easy to create development but only after you gain consensus among the stakeholders. You need to get everyone on the same page and move forward. You have to expect collective amnesia on the part of some but for the most part there is always a written record to outline the consensus.
Understanding that no idea is a bad idea. Some ideas are just better than others, whether it be based on timing and implementation schedules or just practicality. When the plans are developed they have to be "of you" not "at you". This is the problem with many public sector plans. Some planner wants to be cutting edge and comes up with a model that leaves no room for input. Many of the times the plans are good but get bogged down with questions and prejudices.
I like to get everyone together ask input and develop a plan. I like to give choices to the community and let them pick the path and move forward. Once the plan is agreed upon it is my job to move it forward. There are constraints to any plan...some of the constraints are real and some artificial. It is important not to change the plan based upon a whim or something that is not a real constraint.
Point A is your starting point and you want to get to point B and you want to do it in the straightest line possible. Less time, less commotion and less jive!
The 45th district is made up of 10 communities, each community will have their priorities concerning economic development or housing initiatives. It will be my job to stay in constant contact with the communities and make sure that they are able to succeed. Understanding the needs of the community and attempting to help them realize their dreams will be my calling. Some groups want commercial development and some do not. It would never be my intention to force something on a community but act as an expediter as they interface with the state government.
The 45th district has the continuity of interest of Route 30 and the Main Line passenger rail line. Each community will want to customize their growth and use of the amenities. It will be important to help them realize their plans. My job will be to run interference for the governments and the citizens as they interact with the state system. I am very good at that.
Understanding that no idea is a bad idea. Some ideas are just better than others, whether it be based on timing and implementation schedules or just practicality. When the plans are developed they have to be "of you" not "at you". This is the problem with many public sector plans. Some planner wants to be cutting edge and comes up with a model that leaves no room for input. Many of the times the plans are good but get bogged down with questions and prejudices.
I like to get everyone together ask input and develop a plan. I like to give choices to the community and let them pick the path and move forward. Once the plan is agreed upon it is my job to move it forward. There are constraints to any plan...some of the constraints are real and some artificial. It is important not to change the plan based upon a whim or something that is not a real constraint.
Point A is your starting point and you want to get to point B and you want to do it in the straightest line possible. Less time, less commotion and less jive!
The 45th district is made up of 10 communities, each community will have their priorities concerning economic development or housing initiatives. It will be my job to stay in constant contact with the communities and make sure that they are able to succeed. Understanding the needs of the community and attempting to help them realize their dreams will be my calling. Some groups want commercial development and some do not. It would never be my intention to force something on a community but act as an expediter as they interface with the state government.
The 45th district has the continuity of interest of Route 30 and the Main Line passenger rail line. Each community will want to customize their growth and use of the amenities. It will be important to help them realize their plans. My job will be to run interference for the governments and the citizens as they interact with the state system. I am very good at that.
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