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Dear Mr. Sowell: I read your colunm yesterday, 1/20/07 in our local Sunday paper and I wasn't surprised to read that ,what I feel is happening in our small community is happening all over the country. I live in Charles Town, WV which is the county seat of Jefferson County WV. We are in the Eastern Panhandle and located just one hour from Balitmore and our nations capitol, Washington, D.C. Our county commission has been overrun by "no growthers" that oppose anything and everything that would provide positive income and affordable living opportunities to our residents. Over 60% of our residents must commute to find a decent job and when they do the income benefits are wiped out by the expensive cost of fuel and transportation. Plus, the stress of driving in bumper to bumper beltway traffic, leaving their homes before daylight and getting home after dark. Who knows the social cost to their children (since both parents usually work) and the potential loss of some great but mischevious minds. Every time a private group approaches our commission they are shot down. Recently a private group of investors, who owned a local limestone quarry(brownfield) had a great plan to clean it up and build office buildings and a hotel at one end of the water filled quarry. Now this quarry had provided jobs for hundreds of familys over the last century including both sides of my family. These families went to work everyday and got home early in the afternoon to their familys. They did not make millions of dollars BUT they did raise great children who often went on to college, started businesses or gained decent local jobs and who made our community the place that people wanted to come to and live in. These investors needed the quarry to be rezoned industrial. That's right, industrial. Somehow it had been zoned residential since the quarry shut down in the 1970's. These idealist ( 3 of 5 County Commissioners) used every ploy in the book to vote the measure down. Of course the had the assistance of the National Park Service in Harpers Ferry to help substantiate their votes. At the same time we were (including the local Chamber of Commerce) fighting for this effort other meetings were being held behind our back to submarine the whole project. I plan on sharing your article, with your permission of course, with others, who believe just as I do, that we must provide jobs locally and housing for our children and grandchildren. It was refreshing to read your colunm and to see that we are not alone in the realization that there are those who would trample our children into the ground just to see another $ 400,000 home go up on 20 acres all in the name of so called great crusades of one kind or another. The County commission is currently considering a zoning ordinance that matches the strictest in the country. Great opposition has risen to it but if past tendencies are any indication we will lose again to these people who get a check everyday without working a lick. Just to clear things up about myself. My family has run a successful Automobile dealership for over 40 years. We are currently located in the commercial area and I own a substantial amount of land that could benefit from the proposed ordinaces. Still, I cannot sit idily by and see our children leave our county so they can find a place to live. I am sorry this is so long but once I get going I cannot stop on this subject. I do better writing than verbalizing anyhow. I just wanted you to know that your colunm spread some light on what is going on around the country and that finally the actions by these "dogooders" has gotten the attention of others. Sincerely, Guy G. Chicchirichi, 304.279.0556