Letters to the editor for November 19, 2008

D Street residents feeling left out

To the editor:

As residents in the area of the D Street project, we are concerned about how this may affect us as well as those who live there. The ones who do live on D Street seem quite distressed of all they have been told about the new section. Their properties will be affected because of what they’ve been told will take place.

Namely, the acquisition of part of their property frontage to accommodate the size of the street (40 feet) plus two 6-foot-wide sidewalks plus a 4-foot bicycle lane on one side that, by the way, is level with and side by side to the sidewalk, plus a planting strip in the opposite side of the street, which we believe is another 4 feet width. All this and no streetlights? Is it really necessary to have such an elaborate plan to pave a residential street? The newer streets east of Cedar such as F Street are attractive and adequate simply with pavement and curbing.

We’ve been told it’s to help alleviate Campbell Street traffic. Does this mean truck traffic also? It’s our understanding that trucks aren’t allowed on Cedar Street. If it will be changed that is going to affect the many people on Cedar as well.

It is our opinion that D Street residents have been ill-informed, taken advantage of, and have had no say in this whole process, as though they just don’t matter.

Keep downtown momentum going

To the editor:

On behalf of the Baker County Economic Development Council, I am pleased to offer this letter of support for the renewal of the Economic Improvement District for downtown Baker City.

Since the early 1990s, the Economic Improvement District has provided a sustainable source of support for downtown development, which has been a top priority of the community for over 25 years. Historic Baker City, the organization that leads this charge, has done an outstanding job of establishing the downtown historic district as a modern-day economic generator for the entire community.

Baker City is nationally renowned for its preservation of the glorious architecture we all enjoy. Even so, we should not rest on our laurels. More still needs to be done to renovate some major structures and fill upper stories with residents and businesses. In order to achieve these goals, we must have the resources to tackle the task.

The Economic Development Council strongly supports the efforts of Historic Baker City and their partners in the continued enhancement of the central commercial district. We urge property and business owners to support the renewal of the Economic Improvement District.

Obama could help the GOP locally

To the editor:

Baker County voted 2 to 1 in favor of John McCain a couple of weeks ago. Now local Democrats wonder if Obama’s election can change the way we locals vote.

That well may happen. After all, even though he ran as a moderate, Senator Obama is one of the two or three most liberal members of a Senate that includes quite a few rip-roaring liberals.

A few months into an Obama administration, moderate voters who helped to elect him will be learning that Barack Obama is not the moderate they thought he was. And so the next time around, Baker County may vote 3 to 1 Republican or even 4 to 1.