Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Romney Spawning Sprawl
Last year, Willard Mitt said, “Sprawl is the most important quality of life issue facing Massachusetts.” (source: Boston Globe, 10/12/2002)
He later pledged to “improve Beacon Hill housing policies that have made home ownership unaffordable to many and encouraged suburban sprawl over the rejuvenation of our urban neighborhoods.” (Boston Globe, 10/29/2002)
So what is the Fraud Governor’s Department of Environmental Protection doing about sprawl, a.k.a. the most important quality of life issue facing Massachusetts?
Why revising Title V, of course.
DEP is loosening (poor choice of words) the current percolation testing requirements. They’re changing the required maximum time to drain an inch of water from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Which means that “dense soils such as silt, loam, and clay could pass perc tests.” (source: Boston Globe, 11/9/2003)
Which means that formerly undeveloped land, like large tracts of farmland in southeastern Massachusetts, will now be able to be developed. (Pssst. If these farmlands become large housing developments, that is called ‘sprawl.’)
(Read this next part reallyfast.) That’s okay because now the state will rake in huge sums of money through that groovy new greenspace tax that Romney talked about imposing on developers who develop undeveloped areas for new, uh, developments rather than adding affordable housing to existing neighborhoods. (source: Boston Globe, 7/2/2002)
(Now say this next part really s-l-o-w) Oh wait. That was just campaign talk. Ole’ Willard Mitt was just being friendly. The Fraud Governor now says he won’t impose new taxes. So while Team Reform will reform farm land into housing tracts, the greenspace tax that Romney pledged to impose won’t be. I-m-p-o-s-e-d.
So, the Fraud Candidate was against sprawl, but the Fraud Governor is for it?
Talk about a lousy development....
Last year, Willard Mitt said, “Sprawl is the most important quality of life issue facing Massachusetts.” (source: Boston Globe, 10/12/2002)
He later pledged to “improve Beacon Hill housing policies that have made home ownership unaffordable to many and encouraged suburban sprawl over the rejuvenation of our urban neighborhoods.” (Boston Globe, 10/29/2002)
So what is the Fraud Governor’s Department of Environmental Protection doing about sprawl, a.k.a. the most important quality of life issue facing Massachusetts?
Why revising Title V, of course.
DEP is loosening (poor choice of words) the current percolation testing requirements. They’re changing the required maximum time to drain an inch of water from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Which means that “dense soils such as silt, loam, and clay could pass perc tests.” (source: Boston Globe, 11/9/2003)
Which means that formerly undeveloped land, like large tracts of farmland in southeastern Massachusetts, will now be able to be developed. (Pssst. If these farmlands become large housing developments, that is called ‘sprawl.’)
(Read this next part reallyfast.) That’s okay because now the state will rake in huge sums of money through that groovy new greenspace tax that Romney talked about imposing on developers who develop undeveloped areas for new, uh, developments rather than adding affordable housing to existing neighborhoods. (source: Boston Globe, 7/2/2002)
(Now say this next part really s-l-o-w) Oh wait. That was just campaign talk. Ole’ Willard Mitt was just being friendly. The Fraud Governor now says he won’t impose new taxes. So while Team Reform will reform farm land into housing tracts, the greenspace tax that Romney pledged to impose won’t be. I-m-p-o-s-e-d.
So, the Fraud Candidate was against sprawl, but the Fraud Governor is for it?
Talk about a lousy development....
