Jenkintown Borough Council failed to vote on Summit Hill last Wednesday. Instead, it told the neighbors around the proposal that they had 45 days to become attorneys and provide proof of their objections to the project. Funny me, I thought that was why we elect Council members.

People are still not asking the two most salient questions that apply to this development. Why here? Why now?

There has got to be a dozen other locations within a five-mile radius where this project will fit without requiring so many variances. And yet, Israel Roizman wants to dump this on our doorstep — just in time to pour new tax dollars into Jenkintown’s coffers as we must now pay for upcoming sewer upgrades, declining business district appraisals, and other looming expenses alluded to by Council that will severely impact the Borough’s budget.

Consider also Israel Roizman’s deep connections to county Democrats, Sean Kilkenny’s machinations and obfuscations and conflicts of interest, combined with the Borough administration’s overall ineptitude, Council’s lack of transparency, and you create a perfect opportunity for an abuse of power.

We can argue all day about parking “shortages”, height requirements, and whatever, but this is all beautifully designed as a tactic to distract us from what must be going on behind the scenes.

Unless we make it clear that twelve council members are going to get resoundingly voted out of office if they don’t stop this, Jenkintown is getting a five-story apartment building where no one, not even Israel Roizman, wants it.