By Robert Field, Publisher
I encountered the term “Generation theft” a couple of weeks ago and recognized how accurately this describes what the current business establishment has been inflicted upon future tax payers for their greedy purposes. It would be one thing if the CRIZ program were to lend them funds for needed projects in depressed areas of Lancaster, but it is absurd that they are both gifted the money (without future payback obligations) and the projects are in the economically healthy downtown area.
This and future generations of tax payers have to assume the burden of paying off the bonds sold to fund these extraordinary gifts and the city remains the ultimate guarantor.
I recognize that at 80 that I am a throwback to the Lancaster of the past when business leaders sought to serve the community, not to exploit it. Below is a report from one of four syringe exchanges we sponsor in this general region.
Past generations of the Steinman family, owners of LNP, and the Field family walked ‘arm in arm’ to benefit the community albeit we chose to remain in the shadows. The families have little if anything in common these days.
What especially irks me is the vast majority of Lancastrians understand that they are being exploited. As objective proof of this, when polled by a national firm conducting an extensive study for Fox 43, 78% said they did not support the convention center project if government guarantees were involved. 78%!
At least at that times, a number of citizens stood with the county commissioners to challenge the project. Today… no one seems to object to even greater outrage.
What was a virtual Camelot when I arrived in Lancaster over a half century ago has now become the worst cess pool for public rip offs in the state, led and abetted by LNP. And given that Pennsylvania is widely considered one of the most corrupt states in the Union, that is saying something.
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July 2017 (Syringe Exchange) Monthly Report:
Twenty-five participants were tested for HIV/STD’s in July (self-reported)
Total contacts: 509
Total IDU contacts: 474
Total unduplicated IDU contacts: 342
Syringes: 4820, Condoms distributed: Male- 2784 Female-42, Dental Dams-25 Finger Cots-50
Demographics of unduplicated IDU contacts:
African American male: 46
White male: 63
Latino: 85
African American female: 37
White female: 60
Latina: 51
We provided 407 referrals for various services, including 57 for naloxone.
This month, as a result of our 132 total D&A referrals, seven participants entered into drug treatment/facilities. This indicates those of whom we are aware; there may be additional entries of which we are unaware.
This month we were able to make eight known successful naloxone referrals, all were self obtained, meaning no advocacy … was needed, and all had health insurance to cover the cost.*
*These are the ones we are aware of, there could be many more of which we are unaware.
