The Journal Gazette's Sunday Perspective section presented what was probably meant to be a comprehensive look at downtown redevelopment. But the effort seemed a lot like the downtown initiatives themselves -- isolated looks at individual projects, without any sense that an overall vision is in play. A baseball stadium is problematic. People living downtown is a pretty good idea. Replacing a boring bridge with a cool (!) one (!!) is an exciting idea!!!
The most remarkable passage in the three pieces is this, from the bridge editorial:
Does the $4 million represent yet another pork-barrel project that drains the federal coffers? Most likely. But once the money is designated, it would be foolish to give it back.
Think about that a minute. Sucking up money and passing it around like meth or crack to a drug addict is a horrible idea that goes against just about everything this country was founded on and stands for. But, hey, we've got ours, and just try to pry it out of our addicted grasp. Most likely? Sheesh. If everyone felt like that . . . but, come to think of it, they do.
Comments
Sadly, much the same can be said regarding the so-called TAX RELIEF on our properties.
(pause while I try to stop laughing)
I equate this to having a migraine headache. You take something to RELIEVE it vis-a-vis to make it GO AWAY...not to just allow it to hurt a little less. That antidote solves nothing.
We all KNOW that whatever plans, task forces, ideas, thoughts, whims, or desires the city can hang over us like the sword of Damacles will cost US (working taxpayers that is) some serious "cha-ching". And in that vein, we KNOW it's not coming back to OUR hip-national-bank (in any form) anytime soon.
Then again...money, like ANY tool, should never be used like a pair of pliers when trying to drive a nail. I wish the city could understand the concept.
Bob
Amen! What a farce. If it is a waste of federal dollars why don't we set the standard and send it back!!! Why would we rather "waste" our own money?
That attitude is pure pork-belly.
Petersen
I really do not think people understand how much debt is being incurred in this country.
The Federal government is in massive debt, most of the fifty states are in debt, most City's and County's are in debt, most school districts are in debt, most businesses are in debt, and most consumers are in debt.
Where does it end?
We need to convince our politicians to stop spending...
Mike Sylvester
I wish these elected officials would look at these issues as if it was there own checkbook they were opening up. I remember when the Wizards came to town the reason the Stadium was built at the Memorial Coliseum was for the funding needed by tying in the temporary 1 percent food and beverage tax to build it. Just like the library spending 500.00 per chair for esthetic beauty. I really thing that we could find a suitable chair for a lot less. And lets not even mention 5 million for a bridge over troubled waters, Let's just face reality instead of chasing good money after bad ideas. Downtown Fort Wayne fits the needs of those 9 to 5 office workers just like many other cities across this nation.
The food and beverage tax is one of my real hot buttons. When it was being proposed, officials came to the editorial board and SWORE it would be a tax for a very specific purpose that would go away quickly when that purpose was fulfilled. Sadly, I believed them and wrote an editorial endorsing the tax. That's the last time I believed ANYBODY who said a tax would be limited and temporary.
If by a "limited" tax you mean limited to HOWEVER LONG the politicos want to reach into OUR pockets...I'm with you on that one!
So a "temporary" tax must therefore mean PERMANENTLY temporary....Got it!
Let's not also forget the OVER THIRTY "entities" that can levy property tax increases to US...so exactly HOW DO we spell R-E-L-I-E-F then, hmm?
And you'd think the shares of Vaseline stock would be skyrocketing by now...
Bob G.