My Biscuits are Burning!!!

That's the polite way to say what kind of emotion I am feeling at the moment regarding the op-ed piece by Jack and Colleen Hanlon in Sunday's Monitor. It really bothers me when people misinterpret the letter of the law in order to serve their own selfish ends. This Skate Park is for the youth of the county and the design and location are in no way going to decrease property values in Los Alamos or the areas surrounding the Library.

Here is a link to their piece Hanlon Rant

Here is my response:

I feel that Mr. Hanlon speaks on behalf of a minority of people in this town. It's time we stop being selfish as he is and realize that there is a common good to be served here. Also Mr. Hanlon needs to know that if property values decrease in the area because of this Skate Park he needs to justify how that will happen? He also needs to be aware of the fact that lower property values means lower property taxes and my assumption is Mr. Hanlon is one of those people who doesn't like his tax dollars to be spent on anything that doesn't benefit him. He also needs to be aware that in the unlikely event that property values in the area did decrease the chances of selling a home on Bathtub Row or in the community he lives in or Los Alamos County as a whole are slim to begin with. Also Mr. Hanlon needs to re-read the following from the Municipal Code:

Sec. 8-201. Purpose.
The county council has determined that the coordinated, comprehensive, orderly, and harmonious physical development of the county in both the short and long term will be best served through the establishment of a planning and zoning commission. Pursuant to NMSA 1978, § 4-57-1, the county council will appoint a planning and zoning commission for making advisory recommendations to the county council regarding planning and zoning for the county and for promoting the general welfare of the citizens of the county.

Notice the Advisory part Mr. Hanlon and Mr. Damiani.
And finally any and all monies for the defense of a lawsuit against the County or the County Council will be paid by our tax dollars. I can think of more constructive and useful ways for my tax dollars to be spent besides defending frivolous lawsuits.

Mr Hanlon is suggesting that his backers go to the meeting and raise a stink about the whole thing. Greg thinks that all supporters of the Skate Park meet at the Library at 5:00PM Wednesday and walk over to Council Chambers as a group to show our support. I strongly support this idea and think we should not only do this but get an extremely large group of supporters and fill the chambers, and lobby and spill out into the patio. Now is the time to stand up for what you want and show the people who have been trying to keep it from you that you will not tolerate such things.