Wilson throws more of your cash in the river

Parkersburg News story

My Comments in RED

BELPRE - U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Ohio, discussed using the Ohio River as an asset to assist the area out of the economic recession while in Belpre Thursday afternoon.

"The (Ohio) river is a great asset that we aren't using," (we don't use it? We have barges involved in commerce on it everyday, delivering raw materials to manufacturers) Wilson said. "We have forgotten that the river is what brought us here to begin with and we need to go back to that." (what is he talking about?)

The discussion of the Ohio River began when Mayor Mike Lorentz brought up the topic of the city's riverfront project.

"Everyone believes this will be a stimulus for our city," Lorentz said. (Mike, what is it going to stimulate? How many private sector jobs will it create for the long term?)

The park will include about 1,300 square feet of land on the river side of the park and will have a large boat dock and amphitheater.

The project is being spearheaded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with construction beginning in the next five years to be completed in 18 to 24 months. (We've got the Corps working on nonsense like this when they could be improving our infrastructure)

The roughly $3 million project will be primarily funded through grants, which include $96,000 secured by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, as well as a $150,000 grant from Voinovich last year. (a grant from Voinovich? How about a grant from the taxpayers?)

"We have had a lot of support for this project," Lorentz said. (from the geese looking for one more spot in Belpre to drop their droppings. The best thing I've heard Mike Lorentz propose in Belpre was to have a goose shoot with the Police Dept supplying the shells. That would be stimulating!)

Wilson said projects such as the Riverfront Park help boost the local economy. (How? Again no details)

"These slowdowns in the economy are a growing experience," (FOR GOVERNMENT) Wilson said. "This is one of the places - Belpre - that we can see strength." (like when Century shut down? or when Nova closed it's doors?)

Wilson said he was impressed with Belpre's recent energy-savings infrastructure project, which included adding 64 photovoltaic solar panels placed on the south-facing roof of the city building.

The panels provide about 1,200 kilowatt hours of energy a month and save the city about $122 a month. (How much did the city government have to spend on these "solar" panels to get this savings? It's not a "savings" until that cost is paid for)

"I am pleased to be in a building that is partially supplied by solar," said Wilson, who is working in Congress to create more eco-friendly energy in Ohio. (we need to dig more coal, not solar pipe dreams)

Wilson said he is working to have Ohio-made solar panels on every building in the state.

"Let the ingenuity be released in Washington County," he said. (lower our taxes and quit putting us into debt and we'll do just fine without your "help")

Wilson stopped in Belpre for about an hour while on a (tax cash throwing) tour of southeastern Ohio, which included Marietta and Pomeroy.