Category: Commentary/Editorial || By Jason Togyer

I almost didn't write Wednesday's editorial, because I thought I all of the points I made were really obvious ones.

(I wrote it Wednesday, under the influence of a couple of belts of scotch, but I slept on it overnight and finally let it post on Thursday.)

Only in McKeesport would it be controversial to say that the city needs a concerted effort to take over abandoned buildings and encourage the development of small, start-up, low-cost businesses. It's being done all over the country. To quote Jack Bogut, that could come straight out of the Duh Institute for the Obvious.

And yet ... very few people seem to be saying it. Councilwoman V. Fawn Walker-Montgomery is trying resurrect the Downtown Business District Authority and put together a business association, which is (in my humble opinion) one of the things that needs to happen.

But frankly, I'm not sure how much support she's getting other than lip service. I was invited to attend the March meeting. There were three people, including me; Corey Sanders, who owns Kool Kutz; and Councilwoman Walker-Montgomery.

In the comments on the editorial, Julie asks: "This is all well and good. This article could have been written 10, 20 years ago." (She's exactly right.)

Julie adds: "The fundamental question to ask is who is willing to put forth the effort? Who are the drivers of change? Where are the interest groups working to clean up the town? Who is seeking grants to support new projects? Where are the young people who can volunteer in community activities? While I think it is never too late to act, someone must step forward and lead or change and, ultimately, prosperity will always be a pipe dream."

She's right again. I've been saying the things I wrote on Wednesday behind closed doors (and in public) for three years.

I think there are other people who would help, but I think they've become equally frustrated navigating the politics and red tape.

I think it's a discussion that needs to happen, and then --- more than discussion --- there needs to be action on official levels, and in multiple places: city, school district, county, state. I despair of that ever happening.