Students Get Booted by the Boro

West Chester Borough Council has approved the draft ordinance that would eliminate student housing as a permitted use in Town Center zoning. The focus of the Community Campus Coalition on Alcohol seems to be only about WCU. There are gaps in the planning which leaves out the other 75% of the population who visit the Boro.  If the students were allowed to drink on campus, most of the trouble would go away.  Since students must NOT drink on campus, they MUST go somewhere else.  Of course they don’t have to drink at all.  Nor does the Borough need to continue to expand the number of bars – now reaching 50!

Several work groups focus on alcohol related programs for students to enhance community relations; review WCU Code of Conduct policy violations, Borough ordinances, WCU Alcohol and Other Drug Operation (AOD) and Wellness Education offices on social marketing campaigns; practices for restaurants/bars; partnering with property rental owners and the local community; financially support the late-night Shuttle; legislative and policy development related to density issues, and student rental capacity.  But the Council’s actions toward eliminating student housing from Town Center zoning is not a reasonable action. Any legal advisor will tell you the word FAIR in Fair Housing Act was meant to protect students. Students are considered a protected class of citizens when an unreasonable action is made extending from random policies created by the borough in order to satisfy rather unspecified ‘reasonably’ claimed actions.

Norley’s statement provides no further specific reason, “This is about having the type of downtown that we have now and not letting it go too far so that we can preserve the type of mix that has come to characterize us. We can preserve what people love about this town,” What’s changed?  What does he mean keeping it the way we have now?  Isn’t available housing for students the way we have now? Further, Norley’s statement is an incorrect assertion of authority over the citizens of West Chester.  “I think it’s incumbent upon us as trustees of this town to make sure we do what we think will preserve it in the interest of all the residents.” Norley is not the trustee, we are! Let’s ask some students how they feel.  I applaud Councilman Norley, his tenacity, contributions and support of West Chester.  His dismay with West Chester University student living is well known.  Hence the … “Concern from council on Wednesday centered around one paragraph in the ordinance that contained “inflammatory” language describing groups of students as prone to behavior detrimental to the quality of life in town.” But removing all students from living in the borough town center is unreasonable.  Should I dare ask to start removing bars instead of adding more?  Or upset urban dwellers by insisting the residents have ADA compliance for disabilities?  Now that’s a topic a borough policy can sink its teeth into and reasonable to do so.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is currently reaching out to college students to educate them about housing inequality under the Fair Housing Act and to assist those who may have been victimized. The Fair Housing Act, enacted in 1968, has evolved over the years to protect individuals against discrimination regarding race, gender, the disabled and families with children. Although the Act does not specifically identify college students for protection, they can still seek help with HUD. 

Bruce Mowday at the Sanderson Museum on Sunday, April 29 

Bruce Mowday will be autographing is latest book on Richie Ashburn at the Chris Sanderson Museum, Chadds Ford, and displaying baseball items Sunday, April 29 at 1 p.m. http://www.sandersonmuseum.org/

Ironic about Voting

Pennsylvania passed the stiftest requirement for voters beginning this November.  A dry run will be conducted during the primary tomorrow.  All voters will be asked to show identification.  The way you get your voter card is via the mail from the Voter Registration Service.  You can change your party, address, even sign up to vote when you get your driver’s license.  It is one of the fastest legislation ever to slip into the action of the politicians in PA»  with no real justification whatsoever.  This was only a feel-good legislation and others remark the intent is to keep poor, elderly, and others from voting.  After thelast Presidential election in which people waited to vote, why not pass legislation which will even make the voting process much longer?!!!  Odd thing is, many people are tagged with jury duty from the voter registration list.  The invitation for jury duty is suppose to be random.  I was on Jury Duty today and heard how others remarked the coincidence that 7 in the same department of a large company were selected.  One person met their neighbor.  I went with a co-worker.  How random is that?  But, big question related to this voter ID thing is, nobody asked to see my ID.  I was a Juror for a civil or criminal case.  I could have been one of 6, 8 or 12 to determine the fate of an individual.  For this, no ID was required to display while entering the Court House, nor the Jury Deliberation Room, nor the Courtroom.