(SNES) Illuminate Providence

[Albireo54@aol.com]

Hi Barry,

Thanks for forwarding the article about Mayor Cianci's screwball plan to make 
Providence even a brighter beacon on everyone's' horizon. I don't know of 
another such plan anywhere in America, and its aggressive approach is made 
even more unbelievable because of the tax credits. Imagine rewarding city 
residents for increasing light pollution!

As a former resident of the city I can tell you that the downtown areas are 
already as bright as day - at night you can easily read a newspaper anywhere 
in the city. I will admit that walking around any city so illuminated 
provides an increased comfort level to pedestrians. But did it ever make me 
more likely to head downtown (and spend money, as the Mayor hopes) - NO! 

If anything, the increased illumination causes more problems. Larger crowds 
of pedestrians coming into the down city area only encourage the activities 
of pickpockets, purse snatchers, muggers. etc. And the evening crowds include 
many partygoers, so drunkenness is an increasing problem. This doesn't even 
address the issues of energy waste and light pollution - things that affect 
hundreds of thousands of RI and MA neighbors who never even go into 
Providence. 

What to do? Individually our voices may not be heard. But if we join forces 
with organizations concerned with environmental and energy issues, we may be 
able to 
sway opinion. Our astronomical friends like the folks at Seagrave Observatory 
(just 6 miles from downtown Providence) must be horrified by this 
development, and will be acting with a unified voice to object - LOUDLY! And 
I'm sure that a joint letter from the FD Observatory and Nature Center  would 
help as well.

Let's all keep our heads together on this important issue!

Doug Stewart
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