More Notes From the Trenches
Brass Knuckles or Velvet Glove?
I believe the New Albany City Council squandered an opportunity Thursday night when they added a provision to their Scribner Place resolution. It would condition approval of the bond financing on whether or not Floyd County agrees to fund one-half of the lease rental.
I don't think it was a necessary provision. The full 70,000 of us in Floyd County stand to benefit equally from the aquatic center and the signal it sends to private investors. Geographically, Floyd is a tiny county, so any argument that this would be a New-Albany-centric development is just silly. And even if it weren't a ridiculous claim, city residents are county taxpayers, too.
There is a majority on County Council prepared to give very serious consideration to kicking in for up to one-half the cost. A few are already there and others, given the proper data, can reach the same conclusion: It's the right thing for the county to do.
But the nature of the resolution passed Thursday is such that it pokes a thumb in the county council's collective eyes, practically daring them to pitch in. As I told some friends last night, "Well, it looks like we're going to do it the rude way instead of the polite way."
There's already evidence that some commissioners and council members feel like they are being rushed into a decision without receiving all the necessary information. No politician likes to be muscled, and the language of last night's resolution sounds like a ploy to maneuver the county into participating.
As I said, I don't think it was necessary. Getting approval at next Tuesday's County Council meeting will now require some agile diplomacy to soften what, on its face, appears to be a threatening gesture.
All the city council had to do was go first, demonstrating that they had the will to finally make Scribner Place happen. What does the city care if the county treats it like a "gift" instead of a "debt." So long as the city and county governments pull together on this thing, we'll all benefit.
The language of the resolution reopens a wound that would have healed on its own. Let's hope the county officials look at this soberly and simply ignore the insulting way the city is presenting it.
It can't hurt, though, for county officials to hear from you if you support the project. And I certainly hope Greg Reger can make the time to give that speech again.
I believe the New Albany City Council squandered an opportunity Thursday night when they added a provision to their Scribner Place resolution. It would condition approval of the bond financing on whether or not Floyd County agrees to fund one-half of the lease rental.
I don't think it was a necessary provision. The full 70,000 of us in Floyd County stand to benefit equally from the aquatic center and the signal it sends to private investors. Geographically, Floyd is a tiny county, so any argument that this would be a New-Albany-centric development is just silly. And even if it weren't a ridiculous claim, city residents are county taxpayers, too.
There is a majority on County Council prepared to give very serious consideration to kicking in for up to one-half the cost. A few are already there and others, given the proper data, can reach the same conclusion: It's the right thing for the county to do.
But the nature of the resolution passed Thursday is such that it pokes a thumb in the county council's collective eyes, practically daring them to pitch in. As I told some friends last night, "Well, it looks like we're going to do it the rude way instead of the polite way."
There's already evidence that some commissioners and council members feel like they are being rushed into a decision without receiving all the necessary information. No politician likes to be muscled, and the language of last night's resolution sounds like a ploy to maneuver the county into participating.
As I said, I don't think it was necessary. Getting approval at next Tuesday's County Council meeting will now require some agile diplomacy to soften what, on its face, appears to be a threatening gesture.
All the city council had to do was go first, demonstrating that they had the will to finally make Scribner Place happen. What does the city care if the county treats it like a "gift" instead of a "debt." So long as the city and county governments pull together on this thing, we'll all benefit.
The language of the resolution reopens a wound that would have healed on its own. Let's hope the county officials look at this soberly and simply ignore the insulting way the city is presenting it.
It can't hurt, though, for county officials to hear from you if you support the project. And I certainly hope Greg Reger can make the time to give that speech again.
posted by All4Word at 3:57 PM
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