Politics & Government

Easton Considers Community Bill of Rights

Easton City Council questions supporters of proposed Community Bill of Rights.

Easton is still at work on a proposed , a document city officials say they find admirable but problematic.

City council hopes to hear from community members on Wednesday night about how they'd like to proceed on the bill, which was the topic of a lively, and lenghty, public forum Monday night.

The nearly four hour session felt more like a congressional hearing than a typical city council meeting, with Mayor Sal Panto and members of council questioning supporters of the bill, and getting into some tense exchanges.

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"The reason there's friction…they're putting you on the spot," said Ben Price, of the Community Enivronmental Defense Fund, which helped residents with the bill. "They're aksing you to do something that feels uncomfortable, and you'll be advised against doing by your law department."

The bill is aimed at giving neighborhoods more local control and keeping corporate influence out of city government. It's based on similar legislation passed in Pittsburgh, where the goal was to keep fracking out of the city.

Find out what's happening in Eastonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Easton passed in 2010 in solidarity with Pittsburgh, but for this latest measure, Price said the city needs more than just a resolution.

The residents backing the bill say it will give Easton's neighborhoods more control

Resident Stephen White told council that as society as advanced, it's needed to give up some control.

"But some of the control we have given up…goes beyond what is really required," White added. "This ordiance is simply asking for some of that control back."

City officials argued that residents had a voice locally through council and various government bodies, and in Harrisburg through state Rep. Bob Freeman. 

But that's not enough, Price told council.

"Even if he was 100 percent where you wanted him to be, he's one of many and he doesn’t have much opportunity to get you what you need," Price said.

Speakers made refernece to slavery, to the civil rights movement, eventually prompting Councilman Jeff Warren to ask:

"What is the level of oppression? Are we at that point where we can bring up slavery, we can bring up the Civil Rights Act?"

Resident and Larry Porter replied:

"If corporations can come and drill injection wells…that’s pretty serious oppression. I think we do need to take a stand…at the very least, send a message."

"The slavery of our time is corporate control," Councilwoman Elinor Warner added.

One person spoke against the bill, resident John Freeman, who said the ordinance -- as written -- opened the city up to numerous public health lawsuits.

"This as written is a bomb that’s going to go off in our face and not give us what we want," Freeman said.

He -- like Councilman Mike Fleck -- said what the city needs to do is become part of a coalition of other cities, and also evoked the civil rights movement.

"In addition to people working the lunch counters, there were people working the legislators," Freeman said.

A complete copy of the bill of rights is available at the city of Easton website.

 

 

 

 

 


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