Here's my editorial in last night's traveler arguing the land buy is good but wishing the terms could be more simple so ACI and the city keep each other at arms length.
But there is too much paranoia about ACI and the city's effort to obtain land for economic development. This is proactive step, common among municipalities, to help spur growth.
Certainly there's good debate and arguments about how involved the city should be and what kind of development it should use incentives to attract.
But there's no evidence of some nefarious deal-making based on the self-interest of the landowners or the city commission. Be nice if we could stop the conspiracy theories and just debate the facts.
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3 comments:
Mr. Seaton, cold you please authenticate your assertion that this is what other municipalities are doing to promote economic development. Name a few, please.
I do know of cities where they have developed land already owned by the muni for an economic development project. Don't know of many where the city buys land as a customer in a profit venture from capitalists who then retain controlling rights of the land in the event it becomes marketable. But would love to read a couple of success stories of that nature.
As a companion statement, if the city was going to swallow this one whole, i see no reason they should not have taken the similar proposal from the local doctors. They too wanted to buy in on a new hospital as long as the muni backed their losses.
Pretty much everyone I know would go for a deal where someone says, if it's a failure it's my failure. If it's a success you will be rolling in the dough.
So we didn't even think ofit as a good deal when we were dealing with a lesses preferred set.
Why for ACI.
Meanwhile, go ahead and document a couple of instances where things were handled this way in other municipalities.
Well its more of a case of ACI saying "WE" (our land) is NOW part of the City! You have to help us develope it!
Just overlook the remaining property in Goff Industrial Park that is still in the County!
That's none of your business!
AND
Btw: We didn't pay you taxes before and we don't plan to start NOW!
Why should citizens NOT question these type of deals? Isn't it THEIR money paying for this? Isn't it THEIR money at risk?
Why was it pushed through so quickly? Why didn't the commission want to wait a little longer to get some questions answered and let the citizens ask more questions?
WHY is a person on the commission that also has a stake in ACI allowed to vote on this?
I don't think anyone is against growth as you seem to think....they just have questions that deserve answers.
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