Congrats to new CdA School Board members, Terri Seymore and Tom Hamilton! They did a great job of getting their message out, and the many people who worked on their campaigns made the difference.
The sad part was the very low voter turnout of only 10%. Tom Hamilton told me, before the election, that his biggest challenge was fighting against apathy. I guess he was right, though enough of his supporters got up and out of their chairs to give him the job.
There were other races too. Any thoughts, comments, congrats?
John you STILL didn’t answer my point. Let me put it this way: How does the city pay for the police, fire, parks, roads and other city services provided for the ever-increasing needs of the LCDC districts, particularly the downtown district? Much of the property tax for those areas goes to the LCDC, not the city, so how does the city pay for these costly services?
Comment by mary — May 23, 2011 @ 9:36 am
Mary, I have stated that the city has fewer dollars TODAY to cover the URD’s costs, because those taxes are going to LCDC. That’s much different than your assertion that you’re paying more because of it.
The city can make a point that the growth outside but near the URD has helped to make up for those dollars. Many of the NW Boulevard developments, for example, are not in the URD so those taxes flow directly to the city to help cover its needs downtown. Too, as I’ve noted previously, since the city doesn’t have to cover the capital costs in the URD, because LCDC is covering them, they have more dollars to devote to services inside the URD.
Finally, in eleven years (or sooner if all debts are paid), the city will see a huge boost in tax dollars when the Lake District ends. It will be intersting to see how the City Council utilizes that windfall of new money. In the meantime, people get to utilize the fruits of LCDC now, including the new library, Kroc Center, Ed Corridor and yes, a new McEuen Field.
That, to me, is a great testament to the success of urban renewal.
Comment by JohnA — May 23, 2011 @ 9:51 am
JohnA wrote “I finally agree with CC on something. Because of the downturn in the economy, many of the developers with whom I have worked over the years are no longer ‘wealthy’. I stand corrected.”
How abour Mr. Overpriced sewer treatment plant land bailout guy huh JohnA? How many of your developer friends have had to resort to skipping the country to avoid paying the hard working contractors that they owe 10’s of millions of dollars to while they still own palaces, fancy cars, vacation spots, etc. Yeah JohnA, good call on that one. There are people out there losing their PRIMARY residents, their modest means of transportation, and do NOT have the means of escaping prosicution by skipping the country. Oh, but Im sure there are a LOT of people that would be glad to have the LCDC pay to buy overpriced land that is not owned buy the payee.
So keep sticking up for your “POOR” developer friends.
Comment by concerned citizen — May 23, 2011 @ 8:31 pm