Letter to Helen Chase, Central Catskills Collaborative

PO Box 130

West Shokan, NY 12494

July 2, 2012

Helen Chase, Town Council/Robert Selkowitz

Town of Olive

Central Catskills Collaborative

PO Box 18

West Shokan, NY 12494

Dear Ms. Chase and Mr. Selkowitz:

I have finally had time to read part of the so-called Route 28 Central Catskills Scenic Byway Nomination Final Draft of Project Description of the so-called Central Catskills Collaborative that appears on the World Wide Web.  I object to the entire document, for it amounts to a primitive power grab by opportunists eager to hop on the special interest gravy train on offer by our dying New York State.  

For one, the plan claims that it and your group will contribute to the local economy, but there is no evidence that you or the plan's authors know how to do so.  Yes, let us imagine a state where the Department of Environmental Conservation is the engine of economic growth.  Then let us consider that it exists--in North Korea--and it has gone down in ashes. The New York State government that has funded this plan has repeatedly crippled the state and local economy, and your credentials are even less impressive than theirs.  

Because local, regional, and national planning have failed, as evidenced by the collapse of Robert Moses's New York State,  the Soviet Union, China, and the decline of the big-government, blue, rust-belt states, the entire discussion in the document  is inept and ill informed.  However, the following statement is especially shocking, even given the document's dismal quality:

"…existing and new development might be enhanced while managing the corridor’s significant resources. For example, are there any major intrusions on the enjoyment or character of the roadway? If so, describe what will be done to improve these conditions."

Private property is the cornerstone of prosperity.  If the individuals who drafted this plan cared about the economy, their first concern would have been for private property.  The document advocates spying on your neighbors, bullying them, and stealing from them.  It is a plan of action for criminals.  I am ashamed of this state, I am ashamed of this nation, and I am ashamed that I live in the same town as you.

 Sincerely,

Mitchell Langbert, Ph.D.

Cc: Governor Andrew Cuomo,  Joseph Martens, Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation