OP ED
My recent screed about the reasons why the “Ins” deserve to be the “Outs” was posted before the replay of the Village Board meeting of March 7 was available.
At that meeting, after invoking “market forces” as important in attracting desirable new businesses, Trustee Ian Murtaugh dropped “market forces” like a hot potato and revealed some surprising information--namely that in the administration’s eyes there are “good” businesses and “bad” businesses.
He proceeded to condemn nail salons, pizza parlors, gasoline stations and auto repair shops--honorable businesses all--as undesirable additions in Croton. One is forced to ask Trustee Murtaugh whether “market forces” was merely a catchphrase that momentarily caught his fancy and prompted his gratuitous but self-indicting comments.
Croton’s Village Code does not give the Village Board the power to arrogate unto itself the right to pass judgment on the desirability or undesirability of a business, save for those already judged and convicted without trial in the Gateway Law, such as fast-food establishments (i.e., McDonald’s, the No. 1 employer of local youth), automobile dealerships (magnet businesses that attract customers from a wide area) and parking lots (i.e., potential competitors of the Village).
If memory serves, the last nation to decide what shops will open where was the Soviet Union, and we all know the outcome of that mistaken policy. I know of no one who bemoans the departure of that benighted country and its despicable system from the company of nations.
Isn’t it time for those who live in Harmon and who are members of boards and committees (and thus could theoretically profit from the unsubstantiated benefits they are so shamelessly touting at every opportunity) to stop endorsing Harmon rezoning and recuse themselves?
It's time for proponents of Harmon rezoning to stop playing prosecutor, judge and jury.
