Admirably, Jeff Gahan and Pat McLaughlin had principled changes of heart, but Jack Messer and Dan Coffey also flipped -- in opposite directions, even though Coffey viciously pilloried 1Si before meekly voting to accept the compromise reduction in the amount of protection money paid them, but mind you, only for "past" services, which have not been itemized in any way, shape of form. It didn't matter to 1Si, which brought its heaviest, sub-Mendoza Line hitters into the fray to mechanically deny obvious political taints while flashing calculators to total the forthcoming amount of TG Missouri's Japan-bound air conditioning subsidy.
Over three readings, Kevin Zurschmiede and Diane Benedetti remained consistently in favor of ignoring 1Si's recent Frankenstein monster transformation into a political action committee; after all, KZ's a Republican already and DB might as well be, not least when she's wearing her nifty Savanarola outfit for Halloween and council conclaves.
And then there's Bob Caesar, 1Si member, 1Si advocate, 1Si fan, and sometimes even playing at being a councilman in real life. After exercising the most blatant conflict of interest vote since Benedetti's decision not to absent herself from her brother's real estate zoning appearances, Caesar took advantage of a five minute recess (for the purpose of council members receiving their stipends?) to bound across the room, beaming, and land in Michael Dalby's lap. The last time anyone saw giddiness like that, it was probably the high school prom. Unlike the aftermath of the prom, someone in this instance "got some."
One sits, and watches, and shrugs, and asks: If Bob Caesar, a downtown small businessman, cannot grasp the existence of other economic development models -- especially those pertaining to the place where he, himself, does business -- what hope is there of altering the failed corporate subsidy paradigm?
Caesar and many others like him just want to be accepted as members of the big boy's club, and the sad thing is that they never see the big boys openly snickering at them once their backs are turned. Imagine investing the money not as a corporate subsidy for billion dollar companies like TGI Missouri, but in helping to build the skill sets of our own people through education and training. Imagine the money actually reaching small businesses like Caesar's and the many others in New Albany.
1Si succeeds at its shell game because small-timers want to be part of the insider club. They'd be better off refraining from subsidizing the subsidizers, and instead of cradling the bottled water at networking functions, emulating Hemingway and using the bottle as a means of sovereign action by throwing it.
Other media coverage:
New Albany council cuts funding for chamber of commerce group (C-J)
New Albany City Council reduces, approves 1si money (Tribune)
COUNCIL MEETING 10/3/10 YES, IT WAS A LONG ONE (VOP)
"Corporate America finished the second quarter with "near-historic" profits, largely by cutting costs, laying off employees and streamlining operations, the Wall Street Journal reports."
ReplyDeleteI have to repeat my point earlier that we need to keep in mind that by any study or set of statistics you analyze - INDIANA is more 'friendly" to business than any other mid-western state and most any other state in the country.
This is what shocks me - about the only people in America who don't need more tax incentives, abatements, subsidies, loopholes, etc., courtesy of the tax payers - are the people 1Si represents!!
These are your local industry leaders who've systematically moved all of your manufacturing jobs overseas. They despise unions. These are the local "pillars of the society" who are determined to crush the teachers unions and permanently undermine public education in America. Of course they're laughing at Bob Ceasar today as they tee off at one of their local private clubs. He represents the stupid city government and it's bloated workforce and it's unsustainable pensions that 1Si would love to see crippled by a constitutional amendment against raising property taxes.
What we really have here, is an elite economic class that manipulates a corrupt and ignorant political class, and we, the "too busy cause we're working four jobs to keep our houses" (the middle class), are screwed from both sides out of existence.
I find this whole 1Si embarrassment a perfect example of what really ails our formerly green valley.
This entire debacle leaves me to question whether downtown can attain the status of livability if the city keeps making every effort it can to choke the life out it. These are not people who understand that economic development is impossible without vibrant communities. Nor do they understand how to design for the creation of civic life or the importance of public space. They believe that economic development involves emptying public pockets for whatever mindless subsidy comes knocking. They believe that city planning involves widening more streets, installing utility boxes on the corners of historic neighborhoods, and designing residential streets to facilitate 17,000 cars a day. They know how to subsidize and they know have to pave, which is required learning for membership in the club that Roger mentioned, but it doesn’t do much for creating great neighborhoods. All the skill and knowledge that have gone into the revitalization of downtown has come from either private businesses, non-profits or residents. The city government, with some assistance from the school board, attempts to undo as much of that work and effort as they can, simply because they do not know any better. Even the potential of the NSP grant will remain unfulfilled unless some resources and thought are put into making New Albany a great place to live.
ReplyDeleteHow is it that children in New Albany currently lack the pedestrian infrastructure necessary to walk to school, but a multi-national corporation asks for new air conditioning and that is a priority?
As a companion ordinance to accompany the funding of 1SI, perhaps we should change the name of Spring St. to Polar Pop Road, in honor of the discarded styrofoam soft drink receptacles that currently stand as the only evidence of human activity other than the cars.
Oh, and by the way, thanks for the post, Roger. Your write-ups and columns make this shit wash down a little easier.
ReplyDeleteJosh, thanks, but people like you are the real stars.
ReplyDeleteBut, Josh, didn't anyone tell you? If we continually give our money to people who already have lots of it, we'll get that pedestrian infrastructure in no time. It will trickle down like sewage.
ReplyDeleteI know there's thirty years of evidence that dispels that but don't worry. If you pay me enough, I'll come back next year and convince you to ignore it again.
Joshua Poe wrote:
ReplyDeleteHow is it that children in New Albany currently lack the pedestrian infrastructure necessary to walk to school, but a multi-national corporation asks for new air conditioning and that is a priority?
You are going to give Jeff Gillenwater a run for the money in the "saying the most with the least" contest. A most powerful question that sums up the prevailing attitude of our so called leaders.
Would you mind if I used your question at times? Of course, with proper attribution.
Certainly, Mark.
ReplyDelete