Landfill a Public Service?

Since moving to Northampton last year, I have been scratching my head trying to understand why the city persists with its dubious plans to expand the landfill in among its most bucolic areas. Imagine my surprise when I learned that Mayor Higgins says that "(w)e're not doing it for the money" and the landfill is a "regional public service" for surrounding communities that dump their trash on us and clog our roads with noisy and polluting trucks ("Science or Politics?," Aug. 21, 2008). I could think of several other public services our city could perform that don't involve jeopardizing our residents' health and the value of their homes and that get us out of this vile (and evidently not especially lucrative) garbage management business. Why not devote our talents to expanding regional medical and public health services, developing educational and career opportunities for residents throughout the Valley, and building more viable downtowns up and down the river?

I believe that Mayor Higgins has insulted the intelligence of the city's residents in her remarks to your reporter and by failing to challenge us to think creatively about other more positive and healthy ways we can support other communities in Western Massachusetts than providing them a cheap place to toss their trash.

John Ciavarella

Florence

Yes, I Want No "Bohemians"

In response to Tom Devine's article of August 14th, 2008:?Really, that's what I want, a "Bohemia without the Bohemians?"?I thought all I wanted was to walk down the streets of Northampton free of harassment.? In fact, I take issue with?your comparison of the panhandlers to "Bohemians."? The Oxford English Dictionary defines Bohemian as "a socially unconventional person, especially an artist or writer."?While they may be socially unconventional, I don't see much art or writing?produced by the?people who ask me, multiple times per day, for money.?I see the same?cast?of characters?asking, at least once daily, for money.? I see panhandlers being aggressive to people?seen as easy targets, single women or women with small?children, myself included.??I see and hear?profane gestures and comments to passersby that turn down requests.?

According to you and Paolo Mastrangelo,?that just makes me another uptight, delusional liar, but I also work, live, pay taxes?and socialize in Northampton.? Where on the graph of personal freedoms does?a person's freedom of speech?(if that's what you choose to call it) cross my right to freedom of movement?? My right to go to work, to eat, to drop my son at school without being harassed?? Part of what makes Northampton appealing is its "loose" environment, you are right, but when a walk from the post office to Woodstar nets an average of seven requests for money, something needs to be done.??If we do nothing, we risk (I'll?borrow your reference) killing the "goose that lays the golden eggs," as?the panhandlers are not what keeps downtown Northampton economically viable but, rather, tourism and commerce.? We need these two things in order for the panhandlers to survive, as well.??

Aimee Whittington

via email