Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-10
TIME TO WAKE UP

Where is the city planning commission in all
this activity that has been stirred up lately over
port development and track elevation? If there
Is any body in the city government that ought
to be deeply interested and taking a prominent
part in all the discussions that are going on 1t
is this commission that is supposed to have the
matter of a permanent city plan in hand.
Port development has got to be settled before
= the-,rjn; a. this year as far as the Port of New
York Authority is concerned. This authority is
now seeking ideas and suggestions from the va
rious municipalities located within the Jurisdic-
ton of the port. If a city plan commission is of
pny use at all it will see to it that the interests
of the city are looked after and that ideas are
suggested that will conform to the plan for the
development of the entire city.
The aldermen appropriated 81, 500 at the be-
ginning of the year for a city plan and a city
plan commission was appointed by the mayor.
There is also a coming commission. These
bodies have held several meetings and there has
been some talk about rounding the curb stones
at the corners and a proposed residential zone
has been suggested, but when it comes to a real,
comprehensive plan for the city as a whole we
are no further advanced than we ever were.
1t is true that the $500 which the aldermen
set aside for a city plan commission to spend
will not go very far when the size of the under
taking is realized, but at least a start could have
been made. The only way to have a real city
plan is to secure an expert city planner. just as
every other progressive city has done, and have
a definite program for municipal development
laid out for many years to come. This would
include port development as far as it applied to
Perth Amboy; it would include the elimination
of grade crossings; it would provide for a prop
or approach to the new state highway bridge
that is soon to be built; it would lay out a COM
prehensive street railway system, sewers, park:
and amusement centers.
What is being done along this line?
Here the city is in the midst of the creates
development the world has ever seen as far al
port development is concerned, yet the city plar
commission does not see fit to even bother itsel
will the matter. What is a city plan commits
sion for, anyway?
Perth Amboy, today, is suffering the ills O
stagnation. Hundreds of her residents are NOV
ing away. Taxes are almost confscatory; rent
are prohibitive and building is almost at
standstill. Unless the matter is given more at
tention than it has received in the past the mex
census is going to show this city with a de
crease in population instead Of an increase.
t Vud dlc We oOAHS ~ ASiP oSSH'
new industries, induce the people now hvin'
here to remain and draw still others here t
live? The policy we are now pursuing is ruin
GUS. When such industries as we already hav
ask a small favor in order to increase thei
business we jump all over them and do every
thing we can to kill their enterprise. We fn'
a harbor commission knocking at our doc
with the idea of doing something for the de
velopment of our waterfront and our interes
is so slight there were it not for a big delega
ton from New Brunswick the mass meeting
called to hear about the project would hav
been a frost.
Is the city to be content to drift along in
narrow, petty way, sufficient unto itself and in
different as to the progress of the world a.
about, or is there to be an aroused public spiri
full of pep and enterprise, ready and capable o
tackling big enterprises and accomplishing
something worth while?
The Evening News offers this constructiv
program:
First. get a city plan so that we will kno'
that We are about and 80 that we will all hsv