Letters: Penn State ignoring public safety with parking deck plan; Fred Keller’s newsletter is misuse of tax dollars

Penn State ignoring public safety with parking deck plan

The proposed West Parking Deck on the Penn State Campus is going to add even more congestion to Atherton Street. The proposed one way entrance and exit on the east side of the West Parking Deck compound result in more traffic congestion on both White Course Drive and Atherton Street. The traffic nightmare will not only involve university employees driving to and from work each day. An additional traffic problem will result from all the construction equipment coming and going onto Atherton Street. Penn State plans on constructing multiple Engineering Buildings in the Red A Parking Lot located northeast of the West Parking Deck. Dump trucks and tractor trailers will be frequenting both White Course Drive and Atherton Street throughout the Engineering Buildings construction phase.

The Engineering Building construction project will likely take five or more years to complete. A better alternative would be making a second access to the west side of the West Deck. The creation of a new roadway extending west connecting onto Blue Course Drive would greatly reduce traffic congestion on White Course Drive and Atherton Street. Atherton Street is already too congested. I understand Penn State has already acquired approval for construction of the West Deck. Penn State always gets what Penn State wants. The university is ignoring the public safety of the surrounding community by moving forward with this parking project. I recently retired after serving over 31 years as a Police Officer in the Penn State Police and Public Safety Patrol Division.

Keller’s newsletter is misuse of tax dollars

U.S. Rep. Fred Keller should demonstrate that he represents all citizens of Pennsylvania District 12, and understands his obligations to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution. He should use his newsletter to provide information, not bias. Keller is entitled to his opinion, but he is not entitled to use tax dollars for propaganda.

Keller presents an extremely one-sided view of the impeachment process, claiming that it is a “farce.” But, numerous scholars, nonpartisan analysts, and even some Republicans have emphasized the constitutionality – indeed the necessity – of the process. Keller is entitled to believe that Trump’s behavior does not merit impeachment (I disagree), but he is not entitled to ignore evidence that Trump abused his power, nor to deny that Congress has a right and a duty to investigate.

Keller promotes falsehoods about abortion. There is no evidence to support his claim that fetuses are sometimes “born alive and then killed as part of a planned abortion procedure.” He is entitled to believe that government should control women’s bodies (I disagree), but he is not entitled to lie about medical abortions.

As an elected representative, Keller is entitled to his votes. As a constituent, I am entitled to a representative who uses tax dollars appropriately, tells the truth and respectfully listens to my opinion. My communications with Keller (including a request to be removed from his mailing list) have generally been ignored.

What will it take for Keller to realize his responsibilities as an elected official?