From day one, every single city councilmember has known Harrison Square to be an unpopular project. The citizenry has watched month after month as city councilmembers have systematically disregarded and even ridiculed the public's input and discontent. We've watched an arrogant administration thumb their nose at the thought of citizen oversight and open government.
You know this project doesn't have a single measurable benchmark attached to it
You know this project won't directly create a single quality job
You know this project's financial projections are a sham
You know this project provides outrageous and unparalleled public subsidies
You know this project has been oversold and under-planned
So my question for the councilmembers is - when will you stand up and represent the interests you were elected to protect? If not you, then who? If not now, then when? Must we go down this path and watch the city council abdicate their responsibility and ignore blatant violations in state law?
No matter how you've voted in the past, it's time to do what is right...
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2 comments:
I must be in some strange land as it appears open minds from the left and right believe it is timeout time.
While the local morning paper said the audit report was inconclusive is out of touch. They do not understand the Indiana State Board of Accounts is only fact finding department.
The Board of Accounts performs an audit of the City books every year. They issue a report of findings and exceptions. They afford the city a chance to respond to their findings. The Audit Board considers the City's input and prepare a final report. This becomes the CERTIFIED report.
The Audit Board has little enforcement abilities when applying to other government units. Their CERTIFIED reports can be passed on to the Indiana Attorney General and/or a local Prosecutor.
The Attorney General appears to be limited to taking civil action with regards to recovering funds. The local Prosecutor takes care of the crminal enforcement.
The local paper did not touch the conflict of interest issue. This issue could bring this project to a halt down the road. We could very well end up with a half completed project and a court order that would stop the city from proceding. The City would have to walk through nearly all the processes again.
While I understand the honest supporters (which I WAS one) wanting this project to move it does need a timeout. Can the areas of question be revisited and errors corrected? If not, then do we start over?
The very City leadership that sold many of us on this project are the sole people who may lead to the death of it. For whatever reason they saw fit that laws did not apply to them, and that is a sad statement.
Then again we live in the world of, "What is in it for me?" So I guess I am not that shocked.
I never thought this project was a good idea from day one. Will everyone on city council who voted for it get some kind of payoff? I am not against spending money, if it is spent intelligently. Harrison Square is not an intelligent way to spend $50 million or whatever the price tag will end up being.
If we want to bring people downtown, I propose unique retail establishments, not another Walmart.
What would get ME downtown?
1. A Dave and Busters
2. An Ikea store
3. An Imax theater
I think we all need to agree that we will never see the days of Wolf and Dessauer again. However, a stadium will not bring me downtown. Neither will a Walmart.
I would spend more on the south side. One of the great things about this city, is the low cost of living and affordable housing. One of my friends who lives on the south side says the city needs to put in sidewalks and curbs there. You make improvements on the south side, which will make it more attractive, people will consider it when they are looking for housing, people who want to make Fort Wayne their home will move in, and you just might attract those "young professionals" who are paying off student loans looking for an actual house they can afford. And they will be, if they go to the south side.
But first you have to make it appealing. THIS is what the city should be spending money on, not a stadium.
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