Kohut: Stop The Insanity

From independent mayoral candidate Jeff Kohut:

Regionally-driven Bridgeport development policy ensures only death and taxes for residents

The Monday, 5/16/11 article in the Connecticut Post, “Bridgeport study finds obesity, asthma and diabetes are prevalent,” by Keila Torres Ocasio, reporting on the findings of the large-scale, citywide study on the health of the Bridgeport community, conducted by CARES (Community Allied to Reach Health Equity), yielded some eye-opening statistics, especially in terms of the geographical distribution of health ailments in the city and the far-reaching implications of these findings in this context …

To quote from the article:

“… Adults in the city have nearly double the rates of asthma, diabetes and obesity as
adults statewide, according to a recently completed study conducted by the city.

In particular, residents of the East Side and East End–the 06608 and 06607 ZIP codes, respectively–had the highest rates of chronic diseases in the city, while those living in the Upper East Side, Success Village, Treeland and Mill Hill areas of the city, or the 06610 ZIP code, had the lowest rates in most categories …”

It is very interesting, indeed, that the neighborhoods surrounding the largest, forested, green-spaces of the city–those surrounding the REMINGTON WOODS and BEARDSLEY PARK/FAIRCHILD WHEELER FORESTS (“… the Upper East Side, Success Village, Treeland and Mill Hill areas of the city, or the 06610 ZIP code …”)–have the lowest respiratory disease and diabetes rates in the city … Could it be that all of the trees–purifying and oxygenating the air–and all of the open space in which to walk, run, play sports, etc., are good for body and soul and keeping Bridgeport healthy?!

But aren’t these the same areas where the Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC) and the (green?!) Finch Administration are pushing for the creation of highways, housing, and transit-oriented development so that we can house and shuttle Bridgeport workers [“cheap labor,” according to Fairfield County Business Council (FCBC) president, Chris Bruhl] to Stamford Plantation, via the East Side/East End, $350 million Seaview Avenue Corridor and the Remington Arms/Seaview Avenue Train Station? Oh, and don’t forget that the I-95-to-Route 8 Seaview Avenue Corridor (the DuPont Porkway) will also allow thousands of diesel-belching trucks to be cleared off of the Stamford-to-Bridgeport labor-transportation route via the Seaview Avenue Corridor link to the Dannel Malloy East End Feeder Barge Port …

So the great state and federally-endorsed/supported development plan for Bridgeport (“One Coast, One Future”) entails jeopardizing the health of a presently healthy part of the city (06610 zip code), and exacerbating a situation of already compromised health in another (06607-06608). Well isn’t that special! Thank you Mayor Finch, Chris Bruhl, Paul Timpanelli, Congressman Himes, Senators Blumenthal and Lieberman, and of course, Snake-oil-Salesman-in-Chief, Governor Dannel (Feeder Barge Port) Malloy!

Yes; there are great plans for Bridgeport’s future as a “housing hub” and “transit hub;” plans that will bring plenty of truck and car traffic to all parts of Bridgeport (even the traffic-deprived, over-treed, Upper-East Side and Success Village areas), get rid of many thousands of annoying, leaf-dropping trees, bring prosperity to many Bridgeport-area respiratory, circulatory, and endocrine disease specialists, and really put the East End and East Side of Bridgeport on the world medical map! (Just think of all of the doctors who will want to practice at Bridgeport Hospital, and Saint V’s in order to have the opportunity to treat so many respiratory/circulatory, diabetes, and motor vehicle-pedestrian accident cases from the neighborhoods along the Seaview Avenue Corridor!)

Yes, this is REGIONALISM and SMART GROWTH/ENVIRONMENTALISM at its best! (Give Mayor Finch an “A!”) Let’s really make Bridgeport sick and broke! Promote the development of the Remington Woods–put the Seaview Avenue Corridor through the GE property and plunk a train station for Stamford economic development at the old Remington Arms factory! Let Bridgeport foot the bill in foregone tax-base and labor-force maintenance expenses for Stamford, et al.! After all, the people in the suburbs are better and more worthy than Bridgeporters … Aren’t they?! …

The economic and medical evidence indicating a need for a radical rethinking of Bridgeport development policy/planning is there. The Kohut Administration will use that writing on the wall to recreate a truly prosperous, politically powerful, and truly green Bridgeport!

Enough with Regionalism/Smart Growth, Chris Bruhl, Bill Finch, Paul Timpanelli, Nancy DiNardo and brother Sal (both heavily inve$ted in the $eaview Avenue Corridor Project …), et al., as well as those mayoral candidates supporting the FCBC, BRBC, and their subversive development goals for Bridgeport (housing hub/transportation hub).

Bridgeport will not be a second-rate, servant municipality under a Kohut Administration. Under a Kohut Administration, industry, jobs, and political power will return to Bridgeport! …

STOP THE INSANITY! STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF THE REMINGTON WOODS! STOP THE SEAVIEW AVENUE CORRIDOR PROJECT! BRING BACK MANUFACTURING/LIVING-WAGE, WALKING-DISTANCE JOBS TO BRIDGEPORT!