Let’s keep the pot stirred by returning to this post, which you may reread at your leisure:
Familiar Tribune guest columnists (ahem) expose 1SI, Councilman Cappuccino.
Forget Cappuccino; he's a bit player in more ways than one.
In the article, I recounted sending Michael Dalby, One Southern Indiana’s president, all pertinent links to recent NAC articles on the topic of his organization’s newfound affiliation with an evangelical lobby group that opposes abortion, stem cell research and gay marriage, to name just three ROCK (Reclaim Our Culture Kentuckiana) planks that have nothing whatsoever to do with economic development.
To illustrate the organization’s subsequent stonewalling and circling of wagons, I published the text of Dalby’s only response to date, one that entirely avoided any mention of the issues raised, and instead bizarrely recited 1SI’s mission statement by rote as though the mantra alone might somehow make the questions go away.
NAC’s Bluegill offered a comment, Healthblogger answered, and we were off to the races, with the subject turning away from ROCK and toward 1SI's stance on transportation issues. Just imagine if 1SI were committed to such an exchange of ideas.
Here is the dialogue to date.
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Bluegill said:
Dalby's disingenuous response is just the latest in a precedent setting history.
Again, it will be interesting to see which, if any, of the community and business "leaders" who've aligned their and their institutions' reputations with 1SI will have the fortitude to address the dishonesty ingrained in much of what the group says and does.
With their noted silence on matters thus far, could the establishment be acting anymore like the Establishment?
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Healthblogger said:
Give all the readers some concrete examples of the "dishonesty ingrained in much of what the group says and does."
I for one would like to see what you are referring to.
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Bluegill said:
HB said: "Give all the readers some concrete examples of the dishonesty ingrained in much of what the group says and does."
This request is somewhat amusing given Dalby's response to Roger. To accept what he says as true, you'd have to believe that, even with links to NAC posts that both quote and provide additional links to original source material, Dalby's reading comprehension is so poor that he legitimately doesn't know what Roger's talking about. If Dalby wants to really claim that and then try to justify why someone with such poor skills should lead economic development in the region, it'd be interesting.
Quotes from 1SI's web site about our current interstate/transportation situation:
Clark and Floyd Counties offer a complete intermodal transportation system. The converging of three major interstates (I-65, I-64 and I-71) provides the area with the best access to markets across the country.
Many companies have located here to enjoy the outstanding transportation system. See how you can enjoy the "Best of Both Worlds" by continuing through our site.
For business, the Southern Indiana/Louisville area is rated as having one of the best interstate highway systems in the country. Interstate highways running through the Southern Indiana/Louisville region include: I-65, I-64, I-71, I-265 and I-264.
A quote from 1SI's One Weekly newsletter in June:
We need to make the argument that the current bridges situation has gotten progressively worse in recent years and is clogging up the movement of goods, services, and employees.
We are seeking to collect information on how the congestion is negatively impacting your business. If you have an example of the problem, please take a moment and reply to this email (or give us a call at 945-0266 and we'll transcribe it) so that it can become a part of our public relations campaign.
The strongest argument will be situations that impact "just in time" deliveries (especially where you get product from or supply products to Kentucky) and that have forced you to change processes (timing, etc.) or that have negatively impacted a decision for growth or made you (or your owners) consider moving.
Anyone care to explain how "the best access to markets across the country" via "one of the best interstate highway systems in the country" is driving businesses away?
Be careful, though. If you follow the logical path that suggests the "best interstates" don't necessarily lead to the best business opportunities, Michael Dalby might tell you that you could be right but we're funded (which also isn't true) for interstate expansion anyway. That's what he told me when he couldn't answer questions about how 1SI's transportation plan provided more long-term benefits to the region than alternatives.
There are other examples but this is as good a place to start as any.
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Healthblogger said:
The statements listed by Bluegill are neither false nor misleading.
We do have an interstate system that is very attractive to businesses.
We also have a bridge system that has problems. Although this is a negative, it does not dismiss the fact that we still have an attractive interstate system overall.
We need to address the Bridge situation to prevent it from further diminishing the positive interstate system.
Nothing that has been stated by Dalby is dishonest.
You just don't like the answers.
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5 comments:
From this former long haul truckers point of view, Dalby's arguement holds no water.
The Metro's attraction to business or more to the point, big business, is primarily cheap labor, cheap taxes, and even better, lots and lots of tax abatements.
In the big scheme of manufacturing & industry (much like has been said of New Albany being where one has to pass through on the way to Ceaser's), Louisville and Southern Indiana is just a bump in the road on the way to somewhere else.
Colgate is on their way out, Ford is tenuous at best, IH closed decades ago and the list goes on and on.
UPS is undoubtedly the areas largest employer in terms of numbers of jobs, but very few of those jobs are going to equate in an employee making enough to purchase an estate in the East End or on top of our Knobs.
The majority of the rest are decent jobs but lack much in keeping up with the pay scale and benefits that are commencerate with corporate profits of the last 3 decades.
As to our transportaion system, it is as much a dinasour as is the internal combustion engine. The infrastructure is crumbling, the traffic patterns are from the 1960's, and the plan for the future of such is nonexistent as far as I can see.
I've asked this question for over a decade and still have not heard an answer. We currently have three lanes of traffic going Southbound into hospital curve in Louisville which I think most would agree is one of the most dangerous sections of highway in our area. Once we put another bridge across to downtown, how are we going to route the additional traffic around that area? Or are we just going to add to an already overly congested streacth of interstate.
Even as screwed up as Nashville is, even they have a halfassed way of getting around the downtown areas during peak rush hours.
Again, from a truckers point of view, the only thing we want to do is get through any given city on the way to our destination. In 99% of those situations, most of the rest of our country has figured out that going around is much more effective cost wise, timewise, and safety wise traveling through.
Having said all of that, I know the retort is going to be "If you feel that way, why don't you move?"
The answer is because this is home. It is where I've chosen to put down roots and invest in property.
And No, I don't think it's hopeless. I do however think we need more open minded and well researched leadership in most all areas.
If anyone has a better mousetrap, I'm all ears.
The same type of thing happened when Michael Dalby addressed the board of Develop New Albany in February.
Dalby told the board that 1SI has a strong preference for the redevelopment of the urban core over continued outward growth. That'd be great if it were true.
First, they've named the bridges project, an initiative that nearly everyone I've spoken with (including pro bridges folks) and fifty years of history suggest will encourage outward sprawl, as a top priority.
Second, a glance at their web site shows that the very first words that appear in the sites/building section with regard to available commercial and industrial space in the region are "Southern Indiana has ample greenfield sites..." The page goes on to talk mostly about sub and exurban industrial and business parks.
That's not exactly language that reflects Dalby's claimed preference. It reflects the exact opposite. In fact, there is nothing in 1SI's language or actions anywhere thus far that reflects that preference.
Further examination of the web site reveals that, as of yesterday, of the 86 properties that 1SI is currently promoting, only seven of them are located in downtown, urban areas. That's a 12 to 1 ratio in favor of sub and exurban spaces.
Even bit player Coffey, who rarely elucidates anything worthwhile, is smart enough to recognize Dalby's fiction.
In response to 1SI's request to make New Albany its largest funder, Coffey appeared in the Tribune stating that "the city itself lacks the open space to benefit from expansions".
It's interesting that the Highwayman mentioned low wages and tax abatements. 1SI's site promotes those things as advantages for outside companies as well, saying that the area's low cost of living is justification for companies keeping wages low.
As part of the whole low wage workforce pitch, their site also says the area offers
"...a well-educated workforce with no history or propensity toward unionization..."
One could certainly quibble with the "well-educated" portion of that statement as Clark and Floyd Counties combined offer a lower percentage of workers with a bachelors degree or beyond than do Indiana or the United States on average.
It's the unionization statement, though, that has come back to haunt them. When Dalby and Stemler appeared on the State of Affairs radio program, a caller from Pekin questioned their touting of low wages along with their anti-union stance.
Dalby danced, saying the caller had misinterpreted their materials. He never actually answered the question, though, as to why they chose to promote the lack of unions as a benefit if they didn't perceive unions as a negative.
It was akin to someone promoting a neighborhood because it's all white and then backpedaling to say they have nothing against other races.
The caller didn't buy it, either.
Unfortunately, he and I weren't the only ones listening. A substantial group of public radio listeners were left with a less than flattering impression of Southern Indiana as well.
Received an email yesterday, asking why I have been so quiet lately. Well, let me tell you.
I am sitting on such big information that it will blow the roof off of our community. You won't believe who is involved and why they are involved. They know who they are and are plotting their strategy against me as I write.
As soon as something does happen that fits the above, I will be sure and toot my own horn about how I told you so. Of course, just my opinion.
Mark
I think I'm going to be unconscious.
If laughter doesn't do the trick, then I know of this fine bottle hidden away in the cupboard ...
Just keep on laughing. I know that you know that I know that you know. Bluegill too. Also goes for Highwayman. (stomp)
Pax
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