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Editorial By the time you read this, the city will almost certainly have released its final environmental impact statement on the Croton water filtration plant. And if the statements over the last several months from the mayor on down are any guide, it is almost certain that they have chosen Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. As we said two weeks ago on this page, this is a bad decision because there is a good alternative -- Eastview in the Westchester town of Mt. Pleasant -- that would not harm city residents. However, it is not an irreversible decision. The assent of Bronx Democrats to the city's scheme to blast a giant crater in Van Cortlandt Park was the reason it succeeded in Albany. If they were to change their minds, the mayor might have to take another look at whether tangling with the lawmakers and their constituencies is worth the trouble as he ramps up his reelection campaign. Such a scenario is aided by the fact that we are in the midst of an unusually lively election season in this part of the borough. Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein, who has supported the construction of the plant in the park but now seems to have some reservations, is running for Guy Velella's Senate seat. That district includes Woodlawn, home to a growing movement against the plant, and the town of Eastchester, which would suffer from the construction of a filtration-related facility if the plant were built in the Bronx. There are at least three other candidates challenging Klein in the Democratic primary. And, because Klein is leaving his Assembly seat, there will be another opportunity to add the filtration plant to the mix of issues that candidates must take a position on. One of those vying for Klein's seat may be the daughter of Bronx Democratic Party chair Jose Rivera, the architect of the deal that traded Van Cortlandt for a vague promise of $240 million in improvements to borough parks. There will be numerous opportunities to question and cajole these politicians as they campaign over the summer in the communities they hope to represent. This is what elections are for. Let's not waste the opportunity to make our voices heard. Bronx Parade The parade on Mosholu Parkway this year to celebrate Bronx Week was the best ever. More people turned out to watch the parade, and the offerings at the food, music, and crafts festival were even more diverse than last year. There was even more local merchant participation, thanks to the revitalized 204th Street/Bainbridge Avenue Merchants Association. We commend the borough president, the Bronx Tourism Council, and everyone else who worked so hard to bring this wonderful event to our community. We look forward to a similar success next year
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