I’m starting this column with a quote from a recent meeting in Bethlehem, uttered as the town debated changing its zoning laws to allow for more housing.
“To bring in all these people and varied income levels — if we wanted that we’d live in Latham, or Cohoes or Colonie,” a woman said in May. “But we chose Delmar and Bethlehem and paid a lot of money to live here, and you’re just going to change our lives and I don’t think that’s fair. Unless you want to write me a check.”
Now, I’m not going to suggest her sentiment represents everyone who opposed the zoning changes, which were put on hold last month after what seemed to be overwhelming opposition. Nor am I going to suggest that such feelings are unique to Bethlehem; you could, no doubt, find people in Colonie, Guilderland or even Cohoes who feel similarly…