No wonder Mr. Paolino hates the trolley idea

It's not surprising that former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino opposes a proposed trolley line through the city. Mr. Paolino's money comes from the  windswept-parking-lot business. The more mass transit, the worse for his business. With the aging of the population and increasing disinclination of young people to drive, Mr. Paolino doesn't have history on his side. And most people don't like the look of a city with a lot of parking lots, as opposed to buildings. Parking lots are profoundly depressing.

Still, he's probably right: The city can't  afford the trolley. now. Even more, it can't afford the grotesque giveaway to the Pawsox gang.

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The awful Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia reminds me of America's grossly underfunded transportation infrastructure and that we need more rail lines up and down the Northeast Corridor so that a disaster on one set of tracks doesn't stop all rail traffic.

--- Robert Whitcomb

Pro sports teams steal from the public

  Please read Froma Harrop's fine, fact-filled column about how professional sport teams owners loot the public.

The outrageous proposal to build a baseball stadium on very valuable public land in downtown Providence with massive taxpayer assistance to a small group of rich guys is yet another example of this special-interest sleaze.

I'll take the proposed Providence trolley line any day in place of a stadium -- at least that would be something everyone could use and that could actually help the economy.

Casinos are another racket for taking money from poorer people and giving it to richer ones, but at least it's a voluntary impoverishment of a community.

-- Robert Whitcomb