IS IT TRUE? September 15, 2011
IS IT TRUE that there was a ceremony yesterday to celebrate the finish refurbishment of the childhood home of Connie Brown at 1165 South Evans Avenue?…that this refurbishment has been reported to have cost under $100,000 and to have taken no direct local government dollars?…that the mortgage on the property is 88% of the cost to repair and that the loan is being held by DMD at a rate of ZERO %?…that when compared to the typical Front Door Pride program that builds for $200,000 to sell for $100,000 that this deal looks like a public bargain?…that refurbishment deals like the Evans Avenue project keep the character and value base of the neighborhood?…that this deal is just one step from being sustainable and that next step is to obtain a private mortgage at market rates so public money is not tied up for 30 years?…that it does seem as though the right person was paired with the right house at the right price so in spite of the $12,287 federal grant and the fact that DMD is playing banker this is an improvement to the status quo?…that if this owner would choose to refinance in the near future at market rates that this money would be available for other projects?…that then such a program would essentially be sustainable at the local level?
IS IT TRUE that the candidates for Mayor have run the gamut this week with joint appearances?…that they spoke at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast before a group and an entity that is a traditional supporter of Republican candidates and positions?…that last night they spoke before the Central Labor Council that is traditionally a strong supporter of Democratic candidates?…that while being wired for tradition that the local unions have been departing from supporting the party to supporting the candidates?…that the IAFF #357 last night finalized their endorsements for the Evansville elections?…that if the IAFF #357 has their way the Evansville City Council will be taken over by a Republican majority as the IAFF #357 has endorsed 5 Republicans and two Democrats for City Council along with Democratic candidate for Mayor Rick Davis?…that we are curious to see just how many Democrats will be endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce?…that thinking is quite superior to following tradition in all elections and that the CCO is pleased to congratulate the IAFF #357 for breaking with tradition to endorse the candidates they think is best without regard to party?…that we hope to congratulate many other groups that make endorsements in the near future?
IS IT TRUE that the City of Vancouver, WA just across the river from Portland, OR has grown in population since 1960 from 32,464 to 161,791 residents?…that Clark County, WA that Vancouver is the county seat of has grown from 93,308 to 425,363 during the same period adding over 100,000 people per decade since 1990?…that officials in that county are concerned that they are not doing well enough?…that they do have higher than average unemployment but that is mostly due to the high growth in population before the current recession started?…that coming from a place with a shrinking population that seems rather nonchalant about the shrinkage that it seems as though Vancouver, WA is adapting very well to the knowledge based changes in the jobs spectrum?…that the perspective of a place that wants to excel on their own performance is quite different than a place that is comfortable with the status quo no matter what it is?
“Connie Brown at 1165 South Evans Avenue?…that this refurbishment has been reported to have cost under $100,000 and to have taken no direct local government dollars?…that the mortgage on the property is 88% of the cost to repair and that the loan is being held by DMD at a rate of ZERO %?…that when compared to the typical Front Door Pride program that builds for $200,000 to sell for $100,000 that this deal looks like a public bargain?…that refurbishment deals like the Evans Avenue project keep the character and value base of the neighborhood?”
Agreed….to me this is the intended purpose of the grant money and a much better use of the FDP program, although it really should be mandatory that the beneficiary be required to secure a private mortgage in a reasonable amount of time say like 12 months so as stated the money could be redistributed to another worthy project in the neighborhood.
There are many many properties all over the city that could benefit from such a program and it just makes common sense to rebuild/repair and maintain the character and heritage of the neighborhood than to wholesale destroy a block at a time and build new housing that can’t be sold for what it costs to build.
Of course this is structure dependent many homes are in such disrepair that it’s not cost effective to rebuild and replacement is the only option problem is that due to zoning ordinances many of these homes are built on lots that can’t be rebuilt on because of restrictions in lot size.
JMHO
“…the fact that DMD is playing banker…” (CCO)
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And therein lies the rub. We do not want to go down that road of governments/administrations choosing life’s winners and losers. Ditto for business.
Even if some of these programs take place on a small scale, it does not make them any more defensible. We are still talking about the taxpayer’s money here, and that should be going where it can do the “most” good for the “most” people.
This FDP venture can’t be touted as a victory, can it? It is better than the money burning 200K homes worth 100K, yes.
But with a government that can’t and won’t address the children getting stuck with hypodermic needles in parks… won’t pay vendors for removing rubble at the new hotel site… isn’t focusing on renovating one resident’s house irresponsible?
BTW: Barnett said there are 10K dilapidated homes, and he can do 2 in a year? By the year 7011, this home may likely be right back on the dilapidated list… (We’ll be right where we started.)
In the year 7011 Evansville will be fixed at the rate that we are getting things done. That is very clever and astute. I wonder how many dilapidated homes there were in the days of Moses? Wasn’t that about 5,000 years ago?
In 2989 b.c., there might have been some Weinzapfel ancestor… ruling with an iron fist… trying to spend the tribes wealth to make one lucky member a fancy new mud hut…
But I’m not sure a majority of neolithic minds would have found that quite as appealing… as our college educated, progressives minds seem to?
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If we’re supposed to believe that this effort is actually solving any of the problem, or even keeping up with the rate of homes falling into dilapidation…
We might as well talk about what the Neolith’s did to *cause* our problem… because it is all a fantasy, anyway?
I think homebuilding in days of yore was pretty much a common effort by the entire community, something on the order of Amish barn raising is today.
How many Amish barn raisings happen for an owner with zero sweat equity?
How many Amish take on mortgage debt & default risk for their neighbors?
Just because this might *feel* like something other cultures do, doesn’t make it the same…
I wasn’t using Amish as examples of hippie dippy liberalism run amok. I was referring to the communal building practices of ancient cultures whom hard asses like you so easily embrace as models of neo-con capitalists.
You’re likening it to the Amish like that has any bearing on the point I was getting at…
This is a form of a lottery, that wouldn’t have been embraced by the Amish or Neoliths… in my opinion.
The sooner you softy, progressive, debt spendending, government multiplier effect believers get that… the less a chance we follow Greece, to neo-socialist ruin?
“isn’t focusing on renovating one resident’s house irresponsible?”
Very much so….but it’s yet another case of the government trying to be something it isn’t suppose to be. Granting gifts to the underprivileged is noble but just like arenas and hotels it’s not what government is suppose to be doing with tax dollars.
It’s all about the photo opt and the feel good news story, hopefully we will remember that story while we drive down Franklin street going to the fall festival and pay no attention to all the pot holes, sink holes, and just general deterioration of the road surface for which we do pay taxes for upkeep.
JMHO
It’s not like we don’t have two monsterous government entities (Fannie & Freddie) that do this kind of lending already…
In a time of significant foreclosures, does anyone ask the city how they calculate the risk of default on this loan? Do they pass this risk off?
How much overhead (legal & otherwise) is required for the city to hold and administer *one* mortgage?
Risk? We are still talking about government? there is no risk involved when you are using tax money, there is another crop just around the corner, you just have to be careful to make those bond payments or loose your rating.
Risk is only involved if you have to actually produce something that you are being paid for, the risk is that it is good enough to prevail in the market place and priced accordingly that you can make a profit for your work and value to the consumer.
When there isn’t a opportunity to loose money you actually worked for or produced something to get there is no risk.
IMHO tax money given to a government is like giving free drugs to a addict, there is no reason to use less or to stop using it altogether, there is no accountability for it and no recourse if it’s not used as intended….the one thing for sure is there will be more coming in and the more you give the more they want for bigger and more elaborate projects that benefit fewer and fewer people.
Of course this is JMHO.
blanger, if “arenas and hotels (are) not what government is suppose to be doing with tax dollars,” then I suppose you think local government should shut down or sell the Victory, the Centre, Lloyd Pool, Hartke Pool, Burdette Park, and demolish Roberts?
Everything you mentioned are extras, they are not needed in everyone’s day to day life and in most cases should be left up to private enterprise to develop and provide. Private enterprise is better suited to see the cost to reward ratio because they have a risk of loosing their money, if there isn’t enough demand for a pool, or a arena to turn a profit then do we really need our tax money spent on it?
Take the Centre for example, it has been stated that it loses $800k to $1.2m every year, no private enterprise would consider such a investment…there is no profit! but the city/county with it’s bottomless reach into our pockets will take on such a venture because it’s not their money and there is no accountability for making such a bad decision on spending tax dollars on a loosing proposition.
Is it a nice building…yes, is it utilized?..yes, is it a drain on the tax base?…yes, is it truly needed?…nope.
Having said all of that…..there is a place for city/county owned venues like Roberts and the arena, but they should never be considered until the rest of the house is in order, the primary job of city government is to provide infrastructure for the city, public safety, and essential services like water and sewer systems, beyond that it’s all just frills stroking someones ego.
In the big population picture a small percentage of tax payers actually use the facilities and if asked would rather have an working sewer system or paved roads that were used everyday then a shiny new arena.
This is not just a symptom of our city it’s everywhere, when you are spending someone elses money the sky is the limit and politicians loose sight of what they were elected to do which is provide essential services and protect the citizens, if there is extra tax monies left after that then either give it back to the tax base or build a public facility but make sure there is a need and a profit to be made in that facility…breaking even isn’t a option in business and it shouldn’t be in government either.
JMHO
blanger, you have stated your conservative point of view very clearly in that post. So having said it as you did, clearly and conservatively, who are you voting for in the mayor’s race, especially as regards stated policy and plans for Roberts? Just wondering.
Still undecided…..but leaning towards Davis for several reasons and none of them have to do with Mr Davis directly but more things I see and hear about Mr Winnecke.
In reality I wish there was a third candidate who was more of a successful businessman, but honestly unless you have political aspirations the job of mayor of Evansville has little to offer to a honest hardworking educated businessman who could make 10x the salary on his own.
I doubt I’ll make up my mind totally till the end of October…still a lot of ground to cover for both the candidates and they both seem to be morphing into what their handlers think we want as a mayor….I’m hoping for a tipping point that will say he’s the guy but so far I haven’t seen it.
JMHO
Soon2b….
You stated that my views are conservative which I guess they might be, I like to think they are logical and practical with a dose of common sense.
I do have some liberal tendency’s but I try to keep them in check. 🙂
I understand where you’re coming from. I’m very liberal on social issues but conservative on land rights and fiscal issues. I just found your generalized statements on the responsibilities of government with regard to recreation, entertainment, and housing to be extremely conservative, and wondered how you paired those beliefs with the known philosophies of the two mayoral candidates.
I’m not naive enough to think that any electable candidate would share my views, everyone has a agenda and we can all see good and bad in every candidates platform, when your given the choices we are this go-round for mayor I believe you have to look beyond the person running for other indicators that will help you see the picture clearer.
I know that kinda’ cryptic but it’s like Mr Winnecke’s stance on consolidation, I fail to understand why he is adamant about it and thinks the current proposal is good enough to take to a vote….the current proposal is like a term paper that required 1000 words but you could only think of 300 on the topic, it just ain’t good enough to get a passing grade but yet they think it’s good enough.
It’s troubling to think something that will effect every person in the county and city can be so haphazardly done and leave out the police and fire to consider at a later date. Unless they can rig the voting machines it’ll never pass and was a great waste of everyone’s time.
JMHO
At the Central Labor Council last night, I listened closely to every candidate for mayor and city council who showed up from Evansville, Mt. Vernon, Boonville, and Jasper. Most of them were clear on their stance, polite, in most cases a bit humorous, and charming to one degree or another. Not so one particular candidate – Brent Grafton. What a complete smart ass.
soon2b
I have always appreciated your remarks but I seem to have missed the one that comments on the moderator introducing me as the Democrat Candidate for 5th Ward City Council… he then repeated the introduction after his brothers tried to correct him…. maybe I over reacted…… or maybe not?
Brent, I was really looking forward to learning more about you from your own mouth. That’s one of the reasons I went last night. Wilbur made a mistake in your introduction. Mistakes happen. That was no reason to get all uber offended and come off like you did. Does that mean every time somebody sets you a little off kilter, you’d act like a smart ass on the council? Politics is for people with thick skins. Better learn that early on, man.
Wilbur did not make a mistake, he read the paper Jack handed him and I was not offended , I just returned the volley… in the past, no one misinterpreted such antics in print ….. this was not a City Council ….
You folks have too much time on your hands…
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