Yesterday a theory of mine was proven true. I have often said that the LCDC exists as a pot of money — a privy purse — that the Mayor and City Council can use to pay for things without public scrutiny, input, or approval. With the LCDC’s funding of the City Park Police Bunker, that assumption has been proven true.
Out of nowhere, the Mayor and City Council suddenly wanted a portable concrete police building in City Park. I’m not going to argue the merits of this building because, honestly, I don’t have any data one way or the other. No one does. The police department produced no studies, no statistics, no comparative evidence that such a thing was warranted. (Future posts here on OpenCdA will mull that concept.) But that’s not my point.
The point is that the LCDC was used as an ATM by City Hall. This police bunker is not on the Parks Master Plan. It’s absent from the City’s Comprehensive Plan. It’s not in the LCDC’s plan because the LCDC has no plan. The thing came out of nowhere. Poof! There it was. And, oh by the way, we need it now!
Because the City relies upon planning (as all good government should), there was no funding for the project. The $50,000 in tax money had to come from somewhere. That somewhere, as has become tradition, is the LCDC.
Supposedly the LCDC is an Urban Renewal agency. It can be argued, as was done yesterday in the LCDC’s board meeting, that crime is part of blight. True. Fighting blight is what Urban Renewal is all about. But that argument is weakened by an utter lack of data demonstrating a need, and the argument is cut to shreds by a lack of any mention in any published plan. That’s bad government.
Perhaps City Councilman and LCDC board member Deanna Goodlander framed it well. She is quoted in the CdA Press article today:
Board member and councilwoman Deanna Goodlander said LCDC should be willing to listen to the city when officials ask for assistance.
And there you have it. The LCDC is a slush fund.
I scratch you back you scratch mine,…. wink…., wink!
Comment by Wallypog — March 20, 2008 @ 8:22 am
If we just got everyone who voted in the last city election to pony up $10.25 each, there would be enough money to fund this project. Remember the turnout was not staggering. Not to have $50,000 cushion in a budget(less than.001%) for a city this size is extremely poor planning. These opportunities that come up need to be turned down if there isn’t any money in the budget for them. I believe it was councilman Hassell who said that if your car breaks down you have to adjust your budget and fix it. Some of the regular people in Coeur d’Alene are being forced to park our cars because they can no longer afford to drive them. Why do they even call it a budget? It doesn’t mean anything. Can I send my $10.25 to Troy Tymeson? Should I send it to LCDC so that they can replenish their cash reserve fund? Maybe I could send it to Jim Elder and he could see that Sandi Bloem gets it; as a mayor to mayor courtesy? Even better if all 50 people in Fernan who voted for him for mayor each sent in $1000 each this project could be funded. Maybe the Coeur d’Alene council could find out if Fernan Village or possibly Huetter has funds for this project in their budget. Please tell me where to send my $10.25.
Comment by doubleseetripleeye — March 20, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
It was explained to me that the “Fund Balance” existed for this same purpose. Where is the Fund Balance? What is it now? We know that they forked over $3M of the taxpayer’s money to the private, religious Kroc Center. Wasn’t the balance something like $18M?
Oh, that’s right: They spent it all last year. Every penny.
Besides, this is not a rainy-day spending spree. The Cop Shack will have on-going maintenance and staffing obligations that must be funded from somewhere. Again, no data on that. No data on anything. And it just makes the whole thing one curious exercise.
Comment by Dan — March 20, 2008 @ 1:25 pm
Dan if the fund balance was 18 million last year, that would be $49,315 per day they have spent. Since this project supposedly came up for discussion last year, you think they could have taken one day’s spending to fund it if it is so important for city safety.
Comment by doubleseetripleeye — March 20, 2008 @ 1:42 pm
There are laws City governments are supposed to obey. Then there is CDA. Inside Connections are ALL you need. Shall we now whistle Dixie?
Comment by Pariah — March 20, 2008 @ 5:29 pm