Sunday, February 21, 2016

Letter: Growth: A deep, dark hole

Letter: Growth: A deep, dark hole
Growth: The deep, dark hole
Posted: February 20, 2016 - 4:36pm

By ANNA HAMILTON
St. Augustine Record
Growth: The deep, dark hole

Editor: When did advertising replace journalism? The story, “St. Johns County’s growth in north nowhere close to finished” in Sunday’s The Record reads like a developer’s press release.

As a citizen concerned about the efficacy, well-being and sustainability of our local economies, infrastructures and natural systems, I would have liked to see more attention to the costs of this explosion in growth. Namely: Why would St. Johns County wish to subsidize new residents who plan to commute to Jacksonville, bringing their earning and spending powers with them to Duval County? Why would we so haphazardly sacrifice our critical, unique and dwindling ecosystems, which offset pollution, replenish our drinking water and safeguard against the effects of climate change? How can we maintain educational excellence while flooding already-overwhelmed schools with so many new students? Why would the county commission neglect sorely needed infrastructure maintenance in favor of new construction?

This growth will come with consequences, and I’m disappointed at the myopic perspectives of both the county commissioners and the author of this article. Development can be an economic engine, but here it’s turning into a deep, dark hole from which we can’t dig ourselves out.

St. Augustine

COMMENTS
sponger2 02/20/16 - 04:52 pm 41Local Politics
The Commissioners in this county are bought and paid for by the development community which also includes the real estate lice, bankers and contractors who fund their election campaigns. Anyone who would suggest their votes are not swayed by those who paid to put them power is living in a fantasy world. That is your answer. They will not stop until it is all gone, and they will then move on to the next jewel they find that is ripe for exploitation.

Firstcoaster 02/20/16 - 06:28 pm 41Well said
Most excellent!!!

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