Tag Archives: Bloomberg

Flagstaff Regional Plan Raises Concerns

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flagstaff-img_0314By Elisha Dorfsmith

FLAGSTAFF—Last Thursday the long awaited draft version of the Flagstaff Regional Plan was released to the public. The plan now has a 60 day public comment period before it goes to the Flagstaff City Council and Coconino County Board of Supervisors for their approval. Once the City and County approve the plan, it will go to voters in a special election scheduled for May 20, 2014.

Before the plan was released, Flagstaff City Council member Jeff Oravits and many others raised concerns that the Regional Plan Citizens Advisory Committee was not balanced and was stacked with members of groups like F3 and other organizations with an extreme agenda.

Oravits fought to get more balance on the Committee during several council sessions but the majority of the Council said no and so the Committee remained one sided.

Now that the draft version of the plan has been released, I am receiving emails from concerned residents who say wording in the plan tramples individual liberty and private property rights. Of particular concern are the comments in the plan about social sustainability.

“Environmental, economic, cultural and social sustainability ensure that present actions are the basis for future health and prosperity.”

People are taking this to mean behavior control and the possibility of a Bloomberg style nanny state coming to the Flagstaff area.

Read more at Flagstaff Liberty Blog

Brooklyn and Queens residents arming with everything they can

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NEW YORK—New York papers are reporting on the plight of residents with limited arms in Queens and Brooklyn in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

New York Daily News

The New York Daily News reports, “Ever since Sandy strafed the Queens peninsula and tore up the boardwalk, it’s become an often lawless place where cops are even scarcer than electrical power and food. Locals say they are arming themselves with guns, baseball bats, booby traps — even a bow and arrow — to defend against looters.”

It is there that 42-year old Keone Singlehurst stands guard on his Beach 87th street bungalow with bow-and-arrow. Another surfer has knives, a machete and bow-and-arrow ready also. 34-year old Danielle Harris had to booby trap her door and keeps a baseball bat next to her bed to protect her and her children against looters. There are other reports of various methods residents are using to stop looters and criminals from entering their homes.

Yet, in the midst of the reports of staving off roving looters, there are reports of people cleaning up the damage from Sandy and providing food and aid to those in need in the area.

New York Post – Jacinto Gonzalez stands guard against looters in Coney Island.

In Coney Island residents are loading up what guns they have and brandishing baseball bats and machetes.

“Hardened New Yorkers are ready to battle lowlife criminals to protect their homes and stores in storm-ravaged areas plagued by looting and break-ins,” the New York Post reports.

Reports on the Internet allege that New York Mayor Micheal Bloomberg has refused to allow National Guard assistance in Brooklyn because they carry guns. The Borough President asked for the assistance in hopes that the show of those guns would limit the necessity of residents taking matters into their own hands.

Despite the reports of looters and criminals possibly taking advantage of the hurricane disaster, there are no reports of people actually having to use any weapons in their defense nor vigilante activity. The show of force seems to be enough to stave off much of the criminal element.

NY Daily News: Queens residents arm themselves in the post-storm blackout from looters
New York Post: B’klyn bat man: Run, looters!