Max Pak site article

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

Saw this article today in boston.com re:MaxPak site. I know there was discussion about it a few weeks ago...

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2011/01/danielle_dreilinger_somerville.html?p1=HP_Well_YourTown_links

Comments

Re: I hate to sound like the right-wing free-market fundamentalist here but...

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

That larger discussion is just a disturbing continuation of a long time culture of a certain anti outsider hostility of a certain segment of people. A kind of micro level anti immigrant mentality. If immigrant means anyone other than you and your own friends and family you grew up with. Analogous with "England for the English" Somerville for the true Somervillians only, where one group thinks they can define who deserves to live here and is going to try to blame newcomers for their problems and life choices.

Re: I hate to sound like the right-wing free-market fundamentalist here but...

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you. Demographics in any state, county or city are always fluid and changing. Claiming that a certain group of people deserves or should live in this town and are therefore better (families) for this town vs another group (students, young professionals) is extremely prejudiced. Capuano should be ashamed of himself!!!

Re: I hate to sound like the right-wing free-market fundamentalist here but...

[ward2.livejournal.com]

He should be ashamed to try to protect the owners and renters who already live in that neighborhood? The project was given special permission by the Planning Board to be built at all - it is zoned for a few two family homes.

All cities have the right, with limitations, to dictate what sort of new projects should be built and how it will impact the neighborhood and the city. The demographics of apartments impact a neighborhood differently than condos. If the units already existed, it'd be a different story. That's why the city couldn't prohibit apartments from "going condo" a few years ago to keep out the "newcomers." It has nothing to do with discrimination or "keeping out newcomers."

Re: I hate to sound like the right-wing free-market fundamentalist here but...

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

cities have rights to invest whatever projects they want, but capuano should be ashamed of saying that one group of people is less desirable and somehow unworthy of living in this city.