|
|
|
Wag the Dog?
|
Business New Haven
2/8/1999
By: BNH
|
In our January 25 edition, we highlighted the accomplishments of seven of the region's outstanding businesses and business people. Among them was Matthew Nemerson, president of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. He was honored as this publication's 1999 Citizen of the Year.
The article announcing Nemerson's selection was a tongue-in-cheek interview by Michael Bingham, editor of Business New Haven, with himself.
Bingham chose this approach to explain to readers - defending, really - why this publication would honor Mr. Nemerson. While on a personal level they are cordial, and they co-host a radio show, this publication has frequently questioned and criticized the chamber and many of the positions it and other regional organizations have taken.
By all accounts and the many comments we received, readers “got it” and liked it very much. That is, most did.
Among those who did not were some of our friends in East Haven.
Bingham wrote once again, asking himself, “Why are Nemerson and his ilk so pigheaded about Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport? Why can't they just walk away from what is so obviously a losing horse?”
It is a question our readers may imagine we have asked ourselves, and many others, quite often.
Bingham answered the question this way:
“Transportation has always been a top issue for this chamber, and that means fighting for more and better transportation options. It's hard to argue with the notion that southern Connecticut will be more attractive to businesses if their executives can get in and out of here with relatively little muss and fuss. And it's not really Matthew's fault that the political will has been lacking for a decade or more to squash the East Haven know-nothings like a bug and lengthen the gosh-darned runways.”
Let us be clear: This sentiment, jokingly purveyed by Bingham - has been expressed to us dozens of times (if not in those words) by countless business people - “regionalists” and others alike.
It is not a sentiment Business New Haven itself, however, has ever championed. In fact, our sentiments are just about as well described by our question as they are by our answer.
However, some folks - and not just in East Haven - didn't share in our fun.
It would be expedient enough simply to shrug them off by saying, “Screw 'em if they can't take a joke.”
But there's a deeper issue. Some readers clearly chose to miss the point by attributing to Mr. Nemerson the bogus statement and using that as an excuse to advance an anti-Tweed agenda and derail years of work to improve intermunicipal cooperation on airport issues between New Haveners and their un-bug-like neighbors in East Haven.
To do so was highly irresponsible, embarrassingly immature, and just plain stupid.
We may not be the biggest boosters of “regionalism” or the loudest cheerleaders for expanding Tweed. We have been, and remain, skeptical about talk - but prepared to be impressed by action and results.
Obstructionism as a tool to preserve the power of personal political fiefdoms ought to be exposed and decried, not kowtowed to.
By now it's pretty plain that the business community of the region (that word again) needs and wants improved air-transportation options. Perhaps that means an expanded Tweed; perhaps not.
But ten years is enough time to talk about it in pursuit of building an elusive “consensus.” Like most business people, we're sick of hearing and reading about committees and marketing studies and regional authorities - and, meantime, no airplanes.
Find a will and a way to expand Tweed. Or move on to Plan B.
That will be real leadership.
|
Go FirstGo PreviousGo
NextGo LastGo
to Index
|
|
