Okay, I'm home now and ready for more typing.

Had my evening stroll of the gardens, cigar in hand, kitties at my side. Before getting back to the curfew ordinance, I'm taking a break to reproduce here Richard Flickinger's fine letter to the Editor which was published in the Echo which - big hat tip to Byron for the heads up - I had totally missed. I'm not sure how but I know my attention was grabbed by that photo of the train wreck. Yoi.

Here it is:

Apparently there are three major problems imperiling citizens of Ligonier Borough.

The first is on a national level, and concerns the sound level of TV commercials. Fortunately, Congress has seen fit to take time from matters, which might be of importance and is working to address this deafening issue.

The second and third are local, and concern the severe problems caused by masses of youths roaming the streets after hours and by people eating on the sidewalks. The importance of regulating these activities can be put into perspective by realizing that at the recent Borough Council meeting, the matter of eating on the sidewalks took longer to address then the complete revision of the comprehensive Borough Zoning Ordinance which has been under review by the Ligonier Borough Planning Commission for more than a year and a half.

The real problem, and the one which these matters have in common, is the belief of our elected representatives that we have problems, which they must regulate. [HEAR HEAR! Oops. That's just me saying right on Rich! Pardon me for the interruption. ;)] No longer are we responsible for our own welfare, nor are we capable of acting with respect towards others, but every minutia of our activities must be regulated by a government authority.

I offer a number of solutions, none of which requires government intervention, and which can save millions of dollars in administrative and regulatory expenses:

To resolve the national "problem": Buy a TV with automatic sound control; press the mute button on your remote during commercials; stick earplugs in your ears during commercials; stick your fingers in your ears during commercials; ignore it, you won't go deaf; turn off the TV; don't buy the advertised products; walk outside when the loud commercials come on.

To resolve the local "problems":

Ligonier has survived for more than 250 years without a sidewalks-dining ordinance. There are littering ordinances, ADA laws and plenty of other rules and regulations to govern those who do not choose to be considerate of others. Just enforce those. Similarly, we do not have many minors threatening major mayhem after hours. I am not living in fear of bodily harm, and I do not believe regulations must be passed quickly to keep young miscreants off the streets.

Ligonier should be trying to get more people out on the sidewalks, not off them. More regulations make Ligonier appear unfriendly and are expensive to enforce.

Just think -- if Congress wouldn't worry about regulating the volume of commercials, we cold get up and go outside during loud commercials and fill the sidewalks, and there wouldn't be any laws against eating on the sidewalks, and Ligonier would be a wonderful town and people would want to come and visit and the borough wouldn't have to raise taxes to pay all those enforcers who are going to chase us off the sidewalks.

Richard Flickinger
Ligonier


Hip hip hooraayy!!! Well said Rich!!!