Contact reps over turbines

Editor, OBSERVER,

The threat of wind turbines in Lake Erie increases as a few dozen politicians in Albany and downstate impose their self-serving and presumptive efforts to halt the world’s changing climate. Science illustrates both sides of our industrial activities which simultaneously create the problem and attempt to solve it. The proposed Lake Erie turbines are the manufacturing lobbyists’ way of saying, “We can use the Lake like we did in 1900 and save it at the same time.”. Those who see this project as illogical and dishonest can support legislation to place a moratorium on placing wind turbines in the fresh waters of our state.

Please write or call NYS Senator George Borrello and demand passage of fresh water turbine moratorium Senate Bill 6314. Please write or call NYS Assemblyman Andy Goodell to demand passage of moratorium companion Assembly Bill 7756.

Senator Borrello’s email is borrello@nysenate.gov. His Jamestown office phone number is 716-664-2430.

Assemblyman Goodell’s email is goodell@nyassembly.gov. His Jamestown office phone number is 716-664-7773.

Do this now. Lake Erie’s healthy fresh waters of life, its wild creatures, and its economy of beauty and recreation will thank you.

MARK TWICHELL

Fredonia

No room for Conservatives

Editor, OBSERVER,

“Turning Brain Drain into Brain Gain.” This was the title of a commentary on the Opinion page of the paper this morning.

I have lived in New York sate for 70 years. I can tell you the main reasons our young people are leaving the state. They are the same reasons that there has been a steady decline in population for decades:

¯ 1. New York State has the highest combined taxes in the country

¯ 2. We have a dysfunctional state government,

¯ 3. Countless businesses, big and small, have moved out of state.

¯ 4. This last reason is not talked about much but is a major contributor of population decline. It is the feeling that upstate and Western New York are not being represented by our state government.

The vast majority of the state, including WNY remains Conservative in belief and lifestyle but is outgunned (no pun intended) by downstate Liberal thinking. Our governor Cuomo made it clear some time ago that there was no room in New York for Conservatives and if they didn’t like his policies then they could leave. So they are leaving. Young people know what is going on in this state and neither cheerleading nor the “I love NY” campaign will keep them here. Only a change in leadership and politics at the state level will do that. We have to work on our bad reputation before we can hope to keep or attract our best and brightest. Young people want to live where they can thrive and be happy and the smart ones know they will be better off elsewhere.

P.S. What ever happened with Governor Cuomo’s sex scandal, nursing home death scandal and mobster-like leadership style of fear, intimidation and harassment? Has all that been swept under the rug already. New York business as usual.

TIM STOCKMAN

South Dayton