Rome, NY Sucks

But At Least We're Not Utica

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

How about $1.50 gas in Rome?

Yesterday, White House officials revealed that Bush's energy plan may include using decomissioned military bases for oil refinery sites. The advantage is that defunct military bases are frequently out of the way, mostly unused and their local communities in need of good paying jobs.

Griffiss Air Force Base sits on a huge plot of land, is in the center of an economically depressed community and the land is mostly unused. Of course, this city won't let facts get in the way. EDGE still lives in the fantasyland where new businesses are being located in the 'technology park' while old businesses vacate downtown Rome. Let's not forget the school board. The $50 million monstrosity of a high school sits on the edge of the base will never be sullied by the possibility of a smoke stack within 100 miles. Besides, those kids will have enough trouble with all the airplane activity from the new Oneida County Airport. You know, the one that did so well in Oriskany that it shut down all commuter flights years ago.

If you want to see an economic boom in this city, put in a thriving set of oil refineries. If you want energy prices so low you could warm your house with space heaters, how about a nuclear plant in the same place that used to house nuclear weapons? Or, if you want to turn into the next dead northeast city, we could just raise taxes every year and court another dime store warehouse.

3 Comments:

  • At April 27, 2005 5:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey more jobs the better. The base is actually very big. Infact theres all reayd a coal heating plant over near the Neads building, with pleny of woods near the water tower.

    I would like to see this happen but there woud need to be high standards of protection for us citzens and the NEADS building. I wouldnt want the base to go Boom if the refinary had a leak like the one in texas.

    Now that I think about it Rome is probably a great place to put a refinary. Were smack dab in the middle of New York state. We could supply the North and the South of NY. The only problem would be no real water access, it would all have to be piped in from Rochestor, Buffalo, Albany, or NY city.

     
  • At April 27, 2005 6:15 PM, Blogger Craig Howard said…

    I'm not sure how practical his suggestion is, but politically -- IT'S BRILLIANT.

    And don't get me wrong, I'd love to see some new refineries built, but talk about taking away the sting of a base-closing.

    And I'm inclined to take Bush at his word. He's always followed up his rhetoric with action.

     
  • At April 27, 2005 7:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Actually we dont need to move towards more oil production but instead push for Hydrogen powered vechicles. Its everywhere.

     

Post a Comment

<< Home