Is Helbock opening the backdoor for ISC?
The proposed Staten Island Nascar Track had, ever since it was first put on paper, been stirring up quite a bit of controversy. It has not only left many of the Islanders in a twist, but it seems as though the politicians are also in a knot and bind over this matter. The Staten Island Nascar Track is a proposed Nascar Track that will be built on a $110 million piece of unused land in Staten Island by International Speedway Corp. As of today, the track is still in its initial planning and negotiation stages.
Are politicians trying to use the Staten Island Nascar Track as a sword in their bid for position in the Senate? Not surprising at all. The tracks plans have stirred up such controversy that it is a readily-available sword for stabbing. Let's take a look at the Lanza vs. Helbock situation reported today.
It seems that Andrew Lanza who is one of the candidates for state Senate on Staten Island has picked up the sword and is taking a swing at his opponent, Robert Helbock. Did Helbock actually say ‘I agree that the proposed Staten Island Nascar Track is a wonderfully amazing idea?'. Nope, of course not. Politicians never say such things. but what Lanza is aiming at is the fact that Robert Helbock actually drafted Senator John Marchi's bill in June. In the draft itself, it was stated that there would an injection of approximately $250 million in state funds to aide the transportation problems currently faced by the islanders.
Perhaps, it might sound like mighty swell idea if not for the fact that the Staten Island Nascar Track is a hot topic right now with many people sitting on the opposition side while many others are sitting on the fence. Lanza's contention is that the proposed draft was aimed at helping International Speedway Corporation establish a stronger footing in getting their Staten Island Nascar Track built on the island. Accordingly, Lanza is inclined to believe that this is a way of silently nodding at the project.
Perhaps it is true. Perhaps it's not. The fact remains that Staten Island is in need of better transportation. They need to buff up their transportation so, could it have been a genuine move on Helbock's part and not some preconceived idea of giving International Speedway Corporation the ‘silent nod'? In fact, Robert Helbock, right from the start, have been opposing the Staten Island Nascar Track and have explicitly expressed his opinion and have taken his stand on this matter. He doesn't think that the Staten Island Nascar Track is all that great an idea either.
However, because of political issues, everything related to the track can and will be used as a weapon.