Just consider that the Janesville City council not only rubber stamps nearly all TIF give-aways presented by City Staff, they have actually increased our water bills to raise $2.7 million for a water tower utility for a private developer’s special terrain demands. More recently, the council authorized another $620,000 hand-out to the same developer for the Five Points redevelopment. The council also approved a $165,000 development package for the installation of an elevator in a privately owned building at Parker Drive and Milwaukee just so the owner can find some tenants. What should have raised some alarm bells was that some of this funding will come from other TIF districts. But that’s another story. Then finally the council slammed through a new canine unit in the middle of the fiscal year for the Police Department costing the city $26,000.
All this is merely a sideshow to things like the city buying real estate or a new public swimming pool costing up and over $6 million at a time when the city appears incapable of, or wanting to maintain the ones they have. A $5 million bus garage may be in the offing, but at least the Fed is willing to pay nearly 80% of the costs. Wish we can say the same about the swimming pool.
But ahhhh, just have a councilman step up with a request in the middle of summer to have knee-deep grass mowed in some parks or along main entrance corridors and he throws the whole place out of kilter. Wrong time to bring this up the city manager says, bring it up in the fall and we’ll have some fun with it in the budget. What an insult!
After handing out millions of dollars to venture capitalists, one council member offers the idea that perhaps residents or local groups should step forward and mow city property on their own dime. Suggesting that the city should create an adopt-a-a park program for citizens to volunteer mowing. Ouch!Here’s a better idea. Have all the recipients of TIF’s, utility hand-outs and block grants, their managers, developers, owners and investors work for the millions in favors they've received from the city by mowing the parks in the summer and shoveling snow off public sidewalks in the winter. Crazy huh? But not as crazy as expecting residents who are paying for the development hand-outs in their taxes to do the same. No, that’s good citizenship!
On top of this, the other councilmen grew silent and left the questioning councilman hang out to dry on his principles. This was one of the most shameful and humiliating displays of support I have ever seen among a group of elected representatives. The other six council members have embarrassed the city and nobody seems to notice – nobody seems to care.
Read additional Swimming pool options down to three. They conveniently left out the fourth option which is none. The city council can suggest the City Staff come up with a plan to remodel and maintain the ones they have. Oh, I forgot. City administration suggests, plans and make the requests - not the other way around.
Read additional Councilman doesn't like Hip-hop or Rap threatens to shut-down bar unless they change tunes.
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