It must be difficult for Tracy to run his presentation with all the puppet strings in the way
I watched the city council informational meeting where finance director Turbak laid out how we are going to pay for the Events Center.
1) Money from our reserves as a down payment (our money)
2) Bonds (paid back with our money)
3) Private money ($0 so far)
That’s right, the city is geared up to spend taxpayer money when no private money has been secured. Zero. Zilch. There is also no pricetag.
The timeline comes amid indications that some in the business community could be gearing up for a campaign to win voter approval.
To Hell with ‘campaigns’. When are you going to start cutting checks? I’m sorry, but voters will never approve an Events Center until private industry gets a little skin in the game. I would almost be ready to swallow a new events center funded mostly by bonds IF and ONLY IF private industry ponies up, at least 30%, especially developers in this city who have made millions from handouts from the city (infrastructure upgrades).
Finance Director Tracy Turbak said the facility can be built without new taxes.
“I believe taxpayers will be more tolerable – more tolerant – of projects that don’t hit them in the wallet.”
No ‘new taxes’ as of yet. But what is stopping the city from raising the entertainment tax to subsidize the facility? Nothing. The mayor’s plan for a new EC has been smoke and mirrors from the beginning. Don’t believe me? Let’s talk about the transparency issue. How many of the Mayor’s EC presentations have been available online before he presented them? Zero. How many can you look at now online? Zero. Maybe I’m wrong, and if I am, I encourage people to point me in the right direction. I can’t find them.
Zero transparency won’t get you far with voters, this is the main reason why I think this will go down in flames. Many councilors are not happy about the lack of transparency and the plan may end in their hands, then we are back to square one again.
Why? Because we refuse to look at the 700 pound gorilla in the room; Voter approval of a funding source.