terrapinsanity.com

We learn in this morning’s Diamondback (which, by the way, continues to report real news like it is a real newspaper this year, so bravo) that the City of College Park has “concerns” that cause it to hold up the campus receiving state funding (monies that are associated with some facility relocation costs in preparation for moving forward on the East Campus effort.)

Like this ‘concern’ was not always in the cards.

The concern is only that these officials have yet to get their piece of the action. There is no official request for approval based on zoning, construction or other before the city. Instead it is an artificially created opportunity for the city to hold up (in every criminal sense of the term) the campus. They are asked to simply sign a letter as a pro forma administrative step so campus can proceed with its own dealings with the state, yet instead of being good neighbors they take this as yet another chance to put their hand out in a demand for tribute before service like they’re some corrupt third world functionary fleecing tourists, which, in effect, they are.

It is the Prince George’s County (and by extension, City of College Park) way. “You can’t lose with the stuff we use.” Cash. Payola. Mother’s milk of politics and all that. How did the inflated “concern” fabricated over the Post plant sale get resolved? Cash. How did a high-rise pop up in the path of the landing pattern at College Park airport? Cash. What is transforming Route 1 from an ugly campus access artery with small old buildings into an ugly campus access artery dense-packed with tall new buildings? Cash. And how will sign-off on use of relocation funds get accomplished? Cash.