Editor:

Have you been wanting to tell the Genesee County EDC what you think of the $1.44 billion subsidy to Stream Data Center? This is your chance! On Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Town of Alabama Fire Hall, the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) is holding a public hearing on the request from STREAM US Data Centers and its parent company, the multinational private equity firm Apollo Global Management, for $1.44 billion dollars in tax subsidies for the massive data center complex – 2.2 million square feet and 500 MW of electricity – they want to build at the failing STAMP site.

I oppose this plan for many reasons: it would dump pollution into our air, toxic chemicals into our water, make 24/7 noise that would scare away deer and other wildlife in the nearby preserves, and it would make all of our energy bills go up while also knocking down our property values.

I think it’s a bad investment, too: we could create a lot more jobs, with a lot fewer environmental and quality of life problems, for that kind of money (they say the project would create 125 jobs, so if you do the math that’s $11.5 million dollars per job… but we all know the workers won’t see that kind of money!)

But most of all, I oppose this plan because I don’t want to invite Big Tech and private equity into our peaceful, rural home. We don’t know the Big Tech firm that would operate the data center once STREAM builds it (that’s right, GCEDC has signed a non-disclosure agreement – so we don’t know whether it would be Amazon or Google or Meta or some other company that would eventually move in). But we do know about Apollo Global Management, and what we know is that the company does not share our values.

Leon Black, one of the founders and the former CEO, was apparently Jeffrey Epstein’s main client: he paid Epstein $158 million to help him dodge roughly $2 billion dollars in taxes. And another one of the company’s founders – Marc Rowan, who is still an executive at Apollo – communicated extensively with Epstein about the company’s tax arrangements.

Is this the kind of company we want to welcome into our community? I don’t think so. Apollo Global Management does not have the best interests of Genesee County or the GLOW Region at heart. No – they want to profit off us. They want to make a quick buck while ruining our local way of life. They think we are country bumpkins who won’t put up a fight.

Let’s prove them wrong. Join me at the public hearing this Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Town of Alabama Fire Hall. Tell GCEDC what you think about this plan and why it’s a terrible deal with Genesee County. If you can’t be there, tell your friends and family to go, and submit a written comment to streampublichearing@gcedc.com by March 31. For more info, check out “STOP the STAMP Monster Data Center” on Facebook.

Adrienne Yocina

Pembroke

Editor:

On March 19, the Village of Medina elections will come to a close. Campaigns will thank their supporters, yard signs will be picked up, and materials will be set aside. What also needs to happen is that we all realize this has all been done because of a mutual love for our community.

As many of you know, I dislike politics, but I am deeply committed to serving people. As much as I enjoy speaking with all of you in the community, coming up with solutions to problems, and being a helping hand, I do not like the political side of any of this.

With that being said, I have an incredible amount of respect for anyone who decides to jump into these races. We do not have to agree, but I know that in order to run for local office, we at least agree on our desire to put in the time to help make things better. All of us need to do a better job at being able to sit down and constructively work through the challenges that we face. Our community is strongest when we focus on what unites us.

I believe this race is likely to be close, and every vote is going to matter. This election is not about a single issue, but about an entire community who wants what’s best for the Village of Medina. Whether you are running for office or not, I hope this moment acts as a catalyst for increased involvement, whether by attending meetings, serving on boards and committees, or simply staying engaged.

Please remember to vote on March 18 at the Senior Center from noon until 9 p.m. I sincerely hope I can count on your support, and I promise to offer you mine as we go through these challenges together.

Sincerely,

Marguerite Sherman

Candidate for Mayor

Village of Medina

Editor:

To the Real Medinans, you know who you are.

The ones who have been here the whole time. We’ve watched it progress from great to rock bottom and back to good again.

But still we don’t feel heard. They keep telling us just a little more tax. Go without that happy meal for the kids so the village can have this or that. Yet we never see the improvements.

And next year?

They’re back again, asking us for more sacrifice.

All the while not appearing to sacrifice anything themselves.

They’re pushing us out. Our families were loyal to this town and now a lot of us can’t afford to live here.

My parents started in an upper apartment on East Center across from the Vets. Then we moved to Church Street in a small half house.

I know that feeling well….

That feeling of never being comfortable enough to stop looking over your shoulder because we have no safety net. We only have ourselves.

Electric bill comes, we toss it on the kitchen table. There it sits for weeks because we dread opening it. Same with the gas, or cable, and those taxes every June. Dread.

We’ll open them later….don’t wanna ruin our day.

But still, our leadership pushes on.

Just a little more, make that sacrifice!

And they often rig the system in their favor. The public payrolls sometimes read like a family tree.

Many of us face the fact that our current family generation may be our last in Medina.

Driven away by a disregard for the common people that make this town what it is.

I could have left…but I didn’t.

And what you’ve been hearing from me the last few weeks is my resistance. I’ll be damned if I go down without pushing back.

I’m a Village Boy at heart, still playing on the trestle of Church or in the milk barns off Starr, walking to Meyers for penny candy and pop.

I never forgot where I came from, because I never really left.

To the real Medinans, my people…. Don’t be fooled by a slick, polished, money bought campaign. Vote for “Change” in the eelction.

Give that fiscally responsible group of 3 another voice at the table.

Do it!

And I’m confident that 4th voice will be our voice!

David Sevenski

Medina