Despite a large and diverse crowd of people who expressed their disapproval of the move to sell Congress Square Plaza to a private corporation last August, for some unknown reason the four members of the City Council’s Housing and Community Development Committee continue to negotiate with this corporation.
This is a very disturbing example of corporate welfare at its worst; to sell part or all of a city park to a corporation is a dangerous precedent.
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But even more troubling, the hotel (formerly the Eastland) is about as villainous a corporation as one can find: It evicted 50 low-income tenants last year with little notice and has been charged with wage and hour violations by some employees.
Unfortunately, whatever the motivations of Councilors Nicholas Mavodones, Kevin Donoghue, Ed Suslovic and John Coyne, they are abetted by the scurrilous characterizations made by the Portland Press Herald in every article about Congress Square Plaza. Each article includes claims that people are publicly drinking or urinating in the park.
Actually, although I’ve crossed the park frequently for many years, I’ve never observed that. Rather, in warm weather, many tourists are sitting on the benches, and in cooler weather, the few people who are there are local residents. When does the Press Herald go to the park (if ever)?
No question, Congress Square Plaza can be greatly improved. One idea is to go back to the films and shows that were frequent in the square some years ago.
But the campaign of privatization based on class prejudice by both the newspaper and the councilors is rather shocking in Portland.
David Wagner
Portland
Standards for assessment of charter schools unclear
Colin Woodard’s in-depth exploration of the Gulen movement and its connection to many charter schools was excellent (“Proposed Bangor charter school linked to Turkish imam,” Feb. 17).
One statement in his article was interesting: “Their schools are often top performers.” In what way? Academic success? Nationally normed assessment results? College acceptance? Graduates? Employment rate?
As a teacher and a social worker, I want to know the data behind words like “top performers.”
As a taxpayer, I want to know what charter schools can give us that public schools can’t.
Every year I get to vote on my town’s school budget. School committee meetings are open to the public. Data is sent home to property owners and it is published in newspapers.
That’s transparency. Thus, I have a measure of control over how my tax dollars are spent in public schools. When tax dollars are given to charter schools, I lose that control.
If some charter schools really are “top performers,” then I’d like to know what they are doing that public schools could emulate.
In short, what does authentic evidence say works best to educate students?
Public schools already own buildings specifically constructed to house classrooms, they have transportation systems in place, they have standards for teacher qualifications.
There is no need to reinvent the wheel. If parents are unhappy with their local schools, they should not have to look to charter schools to find satisfaction.
They should demand documented evidence from the public schools that effective instruction is taking place, and if it isn’t there, then change should happen from within the tax-funded, transparently administered and surprisingly adaptable public schools.
Sally Connolly, LCSW
Cape Elizabeth
Modern technology makes billboards irrelevant today
The Feb. 28 paper had an article regarding billboards (“Maine’s decades-old billboard, signs law under attack“).
The article stated a law was passed in 1977 to remove billboards so that the beauty of the country could be enjoyed. That law was very expensive to enact, but we paid that expense so that everyone could enjoy the beauty.
We did not then have MapQuest or a GPS. These and many other devices are now available to enable people to find their destinations.
There are also many state information facilities available so that tourists and anyone else may find recreational areas. Large signs are no longer needed for this purpose.
I am very much opposed to any changes in this law.
Frank Newell
Saco
Jab at New Jerseyites spoils otherwise enjoyable column
All columnists have the right to express themselves on probably all issues, and they do so in ways witty, biased and, occasionally, fair.
I enjoyed the humorous skewering Bill Nemitz did of Gov. LePage regarding federal Medicaid funding, using New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as his foil (“Gov. Christie, please phone your buddy in Maine,” March 1).
But Mr. Nemitz steps over the line when he digresses from his political discussion and states of Gov. Christie, “But I’ve always considered you a pretty smart guy — even if you are from New Jersey.” (my emphasis)
“From New Jersey,” Mr. Nemitz? Like Thomas Edison, composer John Harbison, writer John McPhee, Tony Soprano? I think an apology or retraction is in order.
Eric Mihan
Kennebunk
Nations’ governors failing to stand up for our rights
The National Governors Association represents a group of people who are either too lazy, too stupid or too corrupt to do their sworn duty to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
These governors are the current iteration of a long line of miscreants extending back about 100 years. These people and their predecessors have failed to fight to prevent the federal usurpation of the rights of the states and the people.
We have reached the point where we are now a nation of sheep ruled by a malignant anti-constitutional bipartisan federal aristocracy.
Any of the governors has the position and power to call for constitutional amendments to rein in the criminal federal aristocracy and restore the rights of the states and the people. Ask why your governor is not fighting for your rights.
Norman Linnell
South Portland
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