Owning Property In Janesville Is Obstructionism

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After the last Janesville City Council meeting involving "passionate" citizen Steve, we learned that all homeowners, property owners and taxpayers in Janesville are now reduced to potential “obstructionists” if they think they are entitled to quiet enjoyment of their property.

Saturday’s Gazette contains a letter from another “obstructionist,” who seems to think existing property owners within the Downtown Revitalization Plan should be included in someone else's vision for their property. The letter writer also thinks that Big Developers are given the upper hand (and hand-outs) over the “little man.” Whatever gave her that idea?

JG letter Excerpt:
The last development plan included our building. After I read it in the newspaper, I went to Forward Janesville to ask questions. I was treated like I was being nosey. – letter writer

That’s about right, I mean, who do you think you are? You know they want to steal your property when the first time you hear about it – is in the newspaper. These kind of people lay awake nights scheming of ways to make money off someone else’s investment, and when they have city government in their back pocket, you can’t “win."Then we had the promised “tipping point” article from Forward Janesville’s president John Beckord.

JG Excerpt:
Private sector investors are watching and waiting to see if the public-sector support is for real this time

By public sector support I must assume he means taxpayer handouts to outside investors. But it’s more than that. Once outsiders realize (and they already do) that city hall no longer represents the current and long-time property owners, they will swoop in like vultures. Hence the “tipping point” moniker given to a new wave of investment dollars.

JG Excerpt:
Our community's history...........

How could you even begin to talk about "community" when you exclude it from your plans?

JG Excerpt:
It is central to the brand we portray to the outside world.

What exactly is the brand Janesville portrays to the outside world? By offering investors and developers backroom deals to help themselves to someone else’s property - how does that help us all? And if revitalizing downtown means we ignore the rights of existing property owners who had the wisdom and wanting to “buy” long before some venture capitalist decided to turn a buck – what kind of brand is that? I’ll tell you what brand it is – it’s horseshit brand.

Steve isn't the only one "passionate" about downtown.