Sign up | Log in | Forgot Password

Faxes Sent to LeAnna M. Washington

Letters

From:	MM
To:	Representative Parker, Senator Washington, Governor Rendell
Date:	Monday, 06/23/08
Subject:	Contact your state officials

Today I am tasting dirt. I've been tasting dirt for more than 2 years. The pressure in
my chest is bad today. My feet are numb. They've been numb ever since the City of
Philadelphia allowed (probably NTI ) demolition without permits and excavation on
this contaminated land surrounding my home without any regard for my safety at
all.

Today I tried to sit in backyard to eat my lunch, trying t find some serenity in the
garden that never got planted because this project and the City treated me like I
didn't matter and violated every aspect of my home and my life with sheer contempt
for my safety or well being. I sat out there with electric wires falling into my yard
and yellow caution ribbon that I had to duck under- in my own yard.

Last week, one of the construction men asked if I wanted them to pave behind the
wall they just built next to my house. I'm so traumatized by everything this project
and this city has done to be that I just told him I didn't know yet. When I first moved
here, I had plans for my yard, but I'm so weak and traumatized by the things done
to me by this project that I don't know what to say.

However , this is the very first time that anybody connected with the project ever
suggested they would actually fix anything.

I'm the daughter of a fire chief and sister to firemen and union construction foremen
who is currently building schools for the school district in Los Angeles. The
standards out there are so much higher. The treatment that I have received from
the City of Philadelphia and this project is nothing less than flat out abuse and
criminal, from assault with contamination, violation of my home, civil rights , years
of abuse. And the whole city just lets it happen.

I moved to Philadelphia 8 years ago and loved it until I landed in the worst of
Philadelphia corruption and dysfunction and contempt for the average citizen.

Green Disaster/ Public Health Hazard, Environmental Crime, Failed City Response


To the City of Philadelphia,

I am very ill and my pet is very ill from all the dust and environmental hazards from
the construction site next to my house at 259 east Sydney Street. I've had two
doctors say I cannot live here during construction. The site has known history of
illegal dumping, contaminated soil that was dusted all over my home and
neighborhood. I am very ill. This week chemical smelling smoke from a machine
was flying into my home and making me dizzy and disoriented.

Why doesn't anybody help me? I've done everything to get help and I'm losing my
life.

This is not sustainable building. Hilary Regan smelled a chemical smell. Bruce
Schimmel smelled something funny, the developer's attorney admitted to an
environmental problem. Dan Murnoff of East MT Airy Neighbors has witnessed huge
amounts of flying dust as have many others. The Water Department gave violations
for contanminated soil and no dust control and Violations against the Clean Streams
Act. This was built upon the headwater springs of the Wingohocking. The stream
and springs were ignored by City Planning and Zoning. The polluted history was
ignored and the public health was ignored and the adjacent neighbors were
ignored. I am very sick and I get sicker because NOBODY, after 100's letters and
bringing this to attention--will pay any attention.

I am usually too ill to go to any of the City Meetings and Sustainablity and Green
programs that are all over the city. It seems like everybody is really hyped on this
Green thing, yet when there is a REAL issue that is making a real person and real
neighborhood suffer, nobody has time to do anything.

If all the people and agencies that I've contacted can't do anything about this and
help me and this situation because they are too busy having meetings about making
Philadelphia a Greener more livable place- then I really don't see the point of any of
your meetings. It feels like everybody wants to have meetings but they don't want
to do anything real.

This entire anti-green disaster over here has always been the perfect opportunity to
live up to Green and Sustainable principals, but instead it is ignored and basically
I've been the sacrifice.


I can't believe that an entire city can't solve this problem and is basically willing to
allow me to suffer, deny me my civil rights, and most likely cause an early death.

MOVE ME!!!!

Thank you,

Margaret Motheral
259 East Sydney Street
Philadelphia PA 19119

Yesterday, chemical fumes started surrounding my house and I started to get dizzy.
Today I am very ill-again. Construction site -managing director of Devon Street
LLC -is Stan Smith-a developer and campaign contributer to Council Woman Donna
Reed Miller who approved this project.

Today the fumes started again. This time I think they are coming from a cement
mixer right out side my house. I've been ill from the environmental hazards, noise
and stressors and violations and trespasses from this project for a long time. I go
to everybody in the city for help and nobody will help. My cat is sick too.

Two doctors have said I need to be removed from the house ASAP. But nobody
listens. It's very obvious to neighbors,etc that my home is under threat and
surrounded on three sides by this project.

The City has gravely harmed me by ignoring the hazards in this site and to my home
and health for so long and allowing this to happen to me.

The health and welfare of my entire street has been ignored and mistreated.

Another LIFE DESTROYED BY PHILADELPHIA their politicians and their developer
friends. This morning I wake up to the sound of jack hammers . That been my
morning call for months. I am choking on dust. Air Management refuses to talk to
ALL the neighbors. This site is polluted. THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA has abused me
and wrecked my home, my livelihood, interrupted my education, seriously harmed
my health, denied my civil rights, denied police protection, and harmed every other
part of my life because they want to protect the Devon Street Enclave whose
managing director is developer Stan Smith --and who gives money to COUNCIL
WOMAN DOnna Reed Miller. Vernon Price- Ward leader -who lives around the
corner has deliberately allowed me to get sicker and sicker -- allowed my home to
become a trash pit, allowed live electric wires to be draped over my house for over
a year, allowed drunk and disorderly crew to live and party on the site three feet
from my home. The City of Philadelphia has committed Environmental crimes
against this neighborhood and against the Clean Streams Act and is causing serious
flood issues for the future.

You all had a chance to remove me to safety right tat the start of this. You all had a
chance to to do the right thing--- but you al covered up and covered up and
allowed me to get sicker and sicker and abused this entire neighborhood.

I have repeatedly contacted everyone in the City of Philadelphia about environmental
and civil crimes concerning the development project called the Enclave at Devon.

Water Crimes In Philly

Now the builders next to my house are throwing their fences and trash in my
backyard again. They Violated the Clean Streams Act and are destroying one of the
few source springs of the Wingohocken that the city has not yet covered over.
When I went to the Streets Department and told them the headwaters were here and
showed them the map, they had no idea AND they ignored it.

The location of the Headwater was never presented at Planning or the Water
Department when they allowed this development to be approved. But they knew
because I told them. One day I showed them the water escaping from the ground--
but--they simply--- committed environmental crimes and didn't tell the public--
now we are at risk for flood and water damage--plus this important site of natural
water has been violated.

Someday soon we will need this water.


"Only 2.5% of the world's water is not salty, and two-thirds of that is trapped in the
icecaps and glaciers. Of what is left, about 20% is in remote areas and most of the
rest comes at the wrong time and in the wrong place, as with monsoons and floods.
The amount of fresh water available for human use is less than 0.08% of all the
water on the planet. About 70% of the fresh water is already used for agriculture,
and the report says the demands of industry and energy will grow rapidly. The
World Water Council report estimates that in the next two decades the use of water
by humans will increase by about 40%, and that 17% more water than is available
will be needed to grow the world's food… The commission concludes that "only
rapid and imaginative institutional and technological innovation can avoid the
crisis".

-BBC News, "Water arithmetic 'doesn't add up'," 13 Mar 2000

Other Environmental Crimes have been uncontrolled contaminated and fuel stain
soil that has consistently covers my house for almost three years. I was displaced
from my house for ten months because of Respiratory illness and toxic exposure
from this seriously polluted site that should never have been zoned for residential.
In the hospital three times and still the City tries to cover it up.

Everybody knows and eventually we'll will get everybody to know what the City of
Philadelphia did to our street.

Violating the Headwater Source Springs of the Wingohocken is very serious and a
danger to both original residents here and the new residents if there ever are any.

A few of the old time neighbors are starting to talk about the history of illegal
dumping of chemicals behind my house and into the stream.

Pretty soon the POLITICIANS are going to have to stop being the problem and start
being the solution.

I suggest you get Teresa Heinz involved and find an environmentally safe solution
as soon as possible. If the Headwaters are dealt with properly--eventually they will
take over and they residents will really be angry when they found out that the right
thing wasn't done in the beginning when the city was informed about the water and
the city refused to inform the neighbors that they were being exposed to
contaminated dust. Now everyone is worried about their kids.

Senator Washington,
One can change their mind about which candidate to support in a
primary election, but to say that you no longer support Senator
Clinton because former President Clinton made a racist remark
concerning Senator Obama is, in my opinion, using "POLITICS AS
USUAL OBAMA STYLE". You have taken a remark out of context and
twisted it into an untruth. What a campaign of hypocrisy...a
bombardment of negative, misleading messages and unprecedented
"fat cat" campaign expenditures (a non-recyclable deluge!).

I will continue to support the hardest working, most prepared,
candidate of substance and truth, Senator Clinton.
Most sincerely, Kathleen Amrom

Dear Governor Rendell:
I am one of the 1.5 million constituents of our courageous City
Council led by Councilman Frank DiCicco and our elected
representatives in the General Assembly (Senator Fumo, and
Representatives O’Brien, Keller and Josephs) and of our
newly-elected Mayor Michael Nutter, who are united with PNA in an
effort to re-site the casinos.

Your intemperate and misplaced attack this week is not
appreciated by the residents of Philadelphia, who have worked for
over a year to relocate the two casinos in Philadelphia away from
neighborhoods.

You, and the casino operators, stand alone in the way of moving
these slots parlors to more appropriate locations. Please direct
your efforts, and the considerable goodwill you have as the most
popular politician in Pennsylvania in the last thirty years, to
finding a better location for the casinos and for creating a
waterfront which will be a valued legacy to good planning and
good government.

Respectfully,

Dear Governor Rendell:

I am a professor, a lawyer, a voter, and a citizen of the city
for all of my life. I sense that Philadelphia, with its new and
inspiring mayor, is about to embark on a phase of hopefulness
and energy.

Last spring, students in my Honors class studied the question
of the casinos coming to the waterfront. They heard from guest
speakers on both sides of the controversy. They began to frame
the questions and do the kind of research that the citizens of
Philadelphia were not given the chance to do. Their conclusion:
this was a forced and misguided decision. It would benefit a
few already-wealthy investors and--to some extent--state
coffers. It would be a blight on the city of Philadelphia.

We must take the time to do the studies, discuss the options,
and make the right call. It's an impressive resurgence of civic
awareness and interest in our city that has brought us to this
place--the place where city council wants oversight. Don't work
so hard to stand in the way of the values you are supposed to
uphold--those democratic values. And please, allow the city
that gave you your boost into the political limelight to take
ownership of itself, to take responsibiity for shaping its
future, and to become a place of which we can all be proud.

Sincerely,

Terry Halbert
Director, General Education
Temple University

Dear Governor Rendell:

I am writing as one of the 1.5 million constituents of our
courageous City Council led by Councilman Frank DiCicco and our
elected representatives in the General Assembly (Senator Fumo,
and Representatives O’Brien, Keller and Josephs) and of our
newly-elected Mayor Michael Nutter, who are united with PNA in an
effort to re-site the casinos.

Your intemperate and misplaced attack this week is not
appreciated by the residents of Philadelphia, who have worked for
over a year to relocate the two casinos in Philadelphia away from
neighborhoods.

You, and the casino operators, stand alone in the way of moving
these slots parlors to more appropriate locations. Please direct
your efforts, and the considerable goodwill you have as the most
popular politician in Pennsylvania in the last thirty years, to
finding a better location for the casinos and for creating a
waterfront which will be a valued legacy to good planning and
good government.

Respectfully,

David Houck

Dear Governor Rendell:

I have previously been a big supporter of you as Philadelphia
Mayor and now as Governor. However, your handling of the casino
issue in Philadelphia has been a disgraceful demonstration in the
flouting of the law and due process. Steamrollering neighborhood
initiatives with real concerns about the damaging effects of
casinos in their neighborhoods, not to mention the deleterious
economic effects of slots gambling on those who can least afford
it is a testament to your insensitivity to your home town, and to
the long-term effects of slots gambling on its citizens. You are
taking the "easy" way out of a fiscal bind that I know you have
the capability to address in more innovative, less damaging ways.
DO YOUR JOB!! -- and stop dumping on neighbors who are making
real strides toward improving the economic and overall well-being
of their neighborhoods and our citizens.

Dear Governor Rendell:

I am writing as one of the 1.5 million constituents of our courageous City Council
led by Councilman Frank DiCicco and our elected representatives in the General
Assembly (Senator Fumo, and Representatives O’Brien, Keller and Josephs) and of
our newly-elected Mayor Michael Nutter, who are united with Philadelphia
neighborhood associations in an effort to re-site the casinos.

Your intemperate and misplaced attack this week is not appreciated by the residents
of Philadelphia, who have worked for over a year to relocate the two casinos in
Philadelphia away from neighborhoods.

You, and the casino operators, stand alone in the way of moving these slots parlors
to more appropriate locations. Please direct your efforts, and the considerable
goodwill you have as the most popular politician in Pennsylvania in the last thirty
years, to finding a better location for the casinos and for creating a waterfront which
will be a valued legacy to good planning and good government.

Respectfully,

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year. As you know, House Bill 1477 would PROTECT
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school. It would also assist
in protecting the riverfront from development that would make it
inaccessible to the citizens of the city.

William J. Shepherd

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best
interests of me and my family. Most especially, the General
Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from
casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

Sincerely,
Eileen Jacobs

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the
end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to
other more suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect
neighborhoods by requiring casinos to locate at least 1500 feet
away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best
interests of me and my family. Most especially, the General
Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from
casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your
wholehearted support. I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of
committee at your next committee meeting.

Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:




Dear Gaming Oversight Committee Member:

I urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee before the end of the year.

The two Philadelphia casinos have refused to consider moving to other more
suitable sites. House Bill 1477 would protect neighborhoods by requiring casinos to
locate at least 1500 feet away from any residence, church or school.

I expect my elected officials to look out for the best interests of me and my family.
Most especially, the General Assembly must take steps to protect the children of
Pennsylvania and the neighborhoods in which they live from casinos.

HB 1477 is common sense legislation that deserves your wholehearted support. I
urge you to vote House Bill 1477 out of committee at your next committee meeting.

Thanks to every one of you for sticking in there and fighting the good fight!

Dear Mayor Street:

Please disapprove SugarHouse Casino's request for a license to
build its facility on state-owned riverfront lands. SugarHouse
has invoked a hundred year old state law in the hopes of
obtaining from the City that which it has thus been thus far
been unable to obtain from the Commonwealth.

State Senator Vincent Fumo and other elected officials have
provided you with compelling evidence that the City does not
have the authority to give away state land for a fraction of its
real value. Please take their advice and say no to the
SugarHouse land grab.

Dear Mayor Street:

I do not support the attempt by Sugarhouse to end run the
legislature asking for permission to build on riverfront lands
outside of the normal permission process. Also it ought to
involve the mayor elect not a lame duck in his last months in
office. This is too important to rush into.

Dear Mayor Street:

I am concerned about the Commerce Dept.'s decision to hold a
public hearing Nov. 15 on SugarHouse Casino's application to
build its facility on state-owned riverfront lands. SugarHouse
has invoked an obscure state law in the hopes of obtaining from
the City that which it has thus been thus far been unable to
obtain from the Commonwealth.

I'd appreciate it if you could get back to me with answers to the
following questions before the hearing:

* Why not postpone the hearing until after Mayor Nutter takes
office in January since he is the one who will have to deal with
the casino issue for the next 4 years, at least?
* What are the terms under which members of the public may
address the hearing?
* Which officials will make the decision about whether to
grant SugarHouse permission to build on state riparian lands?
* When do you expect a decision on the license to be made?
* Is SugarHouse Casino expected to testify at the hearing?
* Does the Commerce Dept. consider impacted residents to be
interested parties for the purposes of this hearing?
* Will the hearing be videotaped and, if so, when will such
videotape be available to the public?
* Does the Sunshine Act apply to this hearing?
* Do the procedures found at 2 Pa.C.S.A. Section 551, et
seq., apply to this hearing?

Thank you for considering this request that you clarify certain
aspects of your hearing. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dear Governor Rendell:

As a resident of Philadelphia, you should be very concerned
about what casinos will do to the city and responsive to our
desire to have them as far away from homes and schools as
possible.

I really need your help. My house has been cracked by adjacent
dvelopers. I was in the emergency room twice because of uncontrolled
and contaminated dust. I have Water Department violations and L&I
violations to prove it. The neighbhorhood is at public health risk. The
local police department was prejudice against me by Vernon Price and
the developer so when a rash of crimes by locals boys, targeting my
house, burglarizing me approx 8 times and stealing my car happened
and the police basically did nothing and told the viticm's unit I was
making it all up. But then one of the boys was caught, confessed and
arrested and my car was found. So I was vindicated-- but the police led
by Vernn Price's slaunder, put my life in danger. My life was also in
danger because of no dust control on a contiminated site. I was
displaced from my home for nine months. I've been terrorized and
abused over and over again by this project and the local politicians.
I've been slaundered and my life put in danger , made ill by the polluted
ground. Zoning should never have passed this project. The Planning
Commision was negligent in approving this project. The developer's
attorney even admitted in court that there was an environmental hazards
but the system is so corrupt that zoning is passed anyway- endangering
my health and the neighborhood. License and Inspections has not done
it's duty in investigating if this project is buildt correctly. Last year when
they were putting up the prefab models, the joner and jointers union was
out picketing in front of my house. Vernon Price was there too. ( not
pickecting). I asked the union guys what they were doing andone said
that the non union crew was not puttng the houses togtehr correctly and
it dangerous. The next day the picketers were gone and I saw Vernon
Price come onto the site ( from my window) I heard the crew ask him
how he got rid of the union guys..he laughed and said he gave them
$1500 . The whole crew laughed. I am stuck living in the middle of a
construction project that is corrupt and it has utterly ruined my life, my
health, my property , my ability to pursue my life. I need help now . SOS
SOS.

Margaret Motheral
259 East Sydney Street
Philadelphia PA 19119
215 381 0541

(Next 20 results)