Jon O’Data – 3/16/07

This page was last updated on March 17, 2007.

Learning to manage decline; Jon O’Data; Beaver County Times; March 16, 2007.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Regarding Saturday’s article about a rundown house in Rochester:

“My job takes me all over most of two counties, and I see this frequently. I’ve always been baffled over why anyone would buy a home and not live in it, rent it or do anything with it, and let it deteriorate.

“Although it is easy to find fault with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on property rights in Kelo v. New London, I do think that it opens the door to pass laws at the state level to make it easier for towns to deal with these situations.”

[RWC] Kelo had nothing to do with blight and everything to do with increased property tax revenue. In Kelo, the property owners were living in their own well-maintained homes. New London just knew it could get more tax revenue if it took the property by eminent domain and turned it over to a private developer.

“The population decline - both real and projected - in most counties of Pennsylvania is irreversible.”

[RWC] Why?

“While a lot of people put forth a lot of effort to improve the business climate and jobs, it is just as much of a challenge for government, businesses, churches and schools to manage the inevitable shrinkage that we will be faced with in the coming years.

“Fewer and fewer people living here every year will soon mean more vacant houses, whether intentional or not. As we see, a vacant lot would often be preferable.”

[RWC] Why is shrinkage inevitable? Has Mr. O’Data given up? Does he believe we can’t learn from our mistakes and correct our course?

I’m glad I don’t see the world through Mr. O’Data’s glasses.