IS IT TRUE PART 2: November 23, 2010
IS IT TRUE that the first words out of Cheryl Musgrave’s mouth at the Evansville City Council meeting last night were words of support and praise for Tom Barnett’s presentation and his goals of repairing the dilapidated parts of the City of Evansville?…that to a large extent, Musgrave’s biggest critiques of Mr. Barnett’s presentation were about how it was long on ideals and short on details?…that Ms. Musgrave pointed out accurately that the Evansville Historic District was transformed from a neighborhood at risk to a lively and functional residential area without a TIF District or a Redevelopment area designation?….that her assessment of what made the Historic District thrive was all done with private investment without the tools available to government imposed upon the district?….that Musgrave and Barnett both seem to recognize the BILLION DOLLAR problem for what it is, have similar visions for what should happen, but differ on the means to a common end?
IS IT TRUE that Cheryl Musgrave is for less government, less external control, and more private investment?….that Barnett freely acknowledges that government does not have the resources to even scratch the surface of the BILLION DOLLAR problem and is in complete agreement with Musgrave that PRIVATE INVESTMENT is the only potential solution to the BILLION DOLLAR ALBATROSS around the City of Evansville’s neck?…that both Musgrave and Barnett live in very nice homes that happen to be located in the proposed Art’s District TIF?….that both would benefit greatly in enhanced lifestyle, enhanced security, and financially if the BILLION DOLLAR ALBATROSS were slain?
IS IT TRUE that Cheryl Musgrave proposed a smaller government, lower tax, and more family friendly approach to slaying the BILLION DOLLAR ALBATROSS? …that Cheryl called on the City of Evansville to form and disclose more details about the plan for the Art’s District TIF?….that Musgrave suggested designating the area as a â€County Option Income Tax†Free Zone?….that making such a declaration would encourage businesses and residents to choose that location to live and work?…..that Musgrave suggested that all permit fees be waived for projects in the area?…..that Ms. Musgrave suggested that publishing an acquisition list of homes that “may†be taken by the City of Evansville through the power of condemnation hurts the properties ability to get loans to make improvements?….that Cheryl pointed out that the schools that serve this particular area are perennial underachievers?
IS IT TRUE that young professionals first concern in choosing a place to live is often the performance of the neighborhood schools?….that improving the schools, driving down the crime, promoting private investment, and raising the tax base are all supported by both Tom Barnett and Cheryl Musgrave?…..that Tom Barnett sees INNOVATION and PRIVATE INVESTMENT as the only ways that the City of Evansville will ever solve the BILLION DOLLAR problem?….that last night at the Evansville City Council meeting that Cheryl Musgrave disclosed at least three INNOVATIONS and paved the way to a PRIVATE INVESTMENT friendly set of rules?…..that both of these people are the kind of people who may just form the nucleus of a group that can develop and execute a plan to rid the City of Evansville of its BILLION DOLLAR ALBATROSS?
Pretext…
This website has been detailing the pathetic nature of the Front Door Pride program for a while now. We’ve been under FDP, since what, nearly 2003?
The city has been buying property, building homes, and selling them at huge losses.
Is it any wonder that this problem has gotten WORSE? Is it any wonder that private investment has been crowded out since 2003, largely?
The real questions are… What was that total estimate early 2003, has it gotten better or worse? Before you all go “bipartisan”, spending money filling in this “huge” hole, gleefully thinking there is no other option.
You all better examine the program in that area that Weinzapfel designed to address this problem, around 2003! We should not be total idiots here, reading the talking points! We were not told of some Billion dollar problem back when FDP was enacted, the argument was that FDP would help a struggling area.
Logic might tell you that finding a billion dollar extent of a problem on the tail end of a government program – might prove the FAILURE in the solution, perhaps failure so bad that it’s magnifying the problem beyond control?
But speaking of this Billion dollar problam, is this nasty mess essentially an admission that the existing TIF isn’t going to pay for the stadium like we expected? Is this admission that COIT is going to have to kick in for the stadium?
I can not find anyone who had seen the number $1 Billion in print or spoken with respect to the value of deferred maintenance on Evansville’s housing stock. I do not think when FDP was hatched that the ones who hatched it had any idea of the magnitude of blight here. I really think they thought at the time that a little help with paint and front doors may actually accomplish something. The best laid plans of mice and men??? I do not know the answer to your last two questions.
Well, someone hatched a plan to address something. Just because we had a press that carried pom-poms around back then – doesn’t mean it has to continue.
But that’s my point. “I really think they thought at the time that a little help with paint and front doors may actually accomplish something”, OK… NOW we find a billion dollar problem.
Were we seriously just, that, blind?
Or maybe it was disclosed, but just not reported previously?
Or it seems possible, the Condo program and FDP cash has misdirected large amounts of capital turning downtown into a Keynesian utopia?
What ever one thinks about Cheryl Musgrave, in this particular area she has demonstrated that she walks the walk.
She and her husband have spent time and money in renovating homes in an area that I would not consider living in myself. I am sure that they are doing that with the best of intentions of ultimately restoring that neighborhood to an area where people would have no reservations when it came to purchasing a home there.
I agree that private investment is the best path to reaching the goal of restoring these neglected neighborhoods, and Cheryl and her husband are proof that a single family can make a difference.
___
Comments are closed.