Unable to defeat even one Democrat recalled, Fitzgerald acknowledged disappointment and believes his party supporters are not embracing the idea of more recalls.
Showing posts with label Fitzgerald. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitzgerald. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Democrats Should Stay Home Until Phony Contempt Warrant is Dropped
"For them to be welcomed back with some kind of hero's greeting is just to me not only irritating but mind-boggling." -- Sen. Scott Fitzgerald
This jealous crybaby sounds like he expected Wisconsin's "slobs" to treat him like the hero. He continues to slap the democratic senators and now strikes at the people of Wisconsin.
Democrats should not return until they are assured that some semblance of a democracy is restored. Stay home senators!!
This jealous crybaby sounds like he expected Wisconsin's "slobs" to treat him like the hero. He continues to slap the democratic senators and now strikes at the people of Wisconsin.
Democrats should not return until they are assured that some semblance of a democracy is restored. Stay home senators!!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Newspaper Ponders Value And Use Of County Land
Monday’s Janesville Gazette front-page headline story Is it a goldmine or a fairgrounds? seems to be a story created out of spite. Here, the newspaper once again puts the county owned land at Highways 14 and 51 AND the county board into their cross hairs.
As you may recall, in a land swap from just over a year ago and receiving heavy Gazette pressure to consummate the deal, county board supervisors showed great judgement for rejecting the unsolicited offer to sell the land to a group of wealthy buyers. This one decision by the board ended up not only saving the appreciating land for the county's future, but may have saved the taxpayers potentially up to $50 million in extraneous expenses leading from the logistics fall-out of the complicated land swap/sale.
In another supporting article regarding the newspaper's interest in this land, the Gazette reports moving the Rock County Fairgrounds is low on the list of county priorities. Which leads to the question: Then who is so concerned to prompt the Janesville Gazette into giving this non-issue the front-page headline priority of breaking news?
The buyers in the original deal labeled some of money ($7 million) they offered for the land as a gift and implied that the stadium/fairgrounds deal was nothing more than their chance to leave a legacy for the good people of Rock County. Why hasn't the Gazette pursued the legacy promises from the wealthy area businessmen? Certainly, these wealthy individuals chance to leave a legacy wasn't based on some petty land swap opportunity? Or was it?
As you may recall, in a land swap from just over a year ago and receiving heavy Gazette pressure to consummate the deal, county board supervisors showed great judgement for rejecting the unsolicited offer to sell the land to a group of wealthy buyers. This one decision by the board ended up not only saving the appreciating land for the county's future, but may have saved the taxpayers potentially up to $50 million in extraneous expenses leading from the logistics fall-out of the complicated land swap/sale.
In another supporting article regarding the newspaper's interest in this land, the Gazette reports moving the Rock County Fairgrounds is low on the list of county priorities. Which leads to the question: Then who is so concerned to prompt the Janesville Gazette into giving this non-issue the front-page headline priority of breaking news?
The buyers in the original deal labeled some of money ($7 million) they offered for the land as a gift and implied that the stadium/fairgrounds deal was nothing more than their chance to leave a legacy for the good people of Rock County. Why hasn't the Gazette pursued the legacy promises from the wealthy area businessmen? Certainly, these wealthy individuals chance to leave a legacy wasn't based on some petty land swap opportunity? Or was it?
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Rock County Stadium Now Insignificant
More buyers/developers are now stepping up to the plate and pitching offers to purchase the farmland at Highways 14/51 in Rock County.
An investment group led by Jeff and Don Helgesen have met with county officials and are willing to pay cash for the land without all the complications of a land trade as proposed by the Mulder/Fitzgerald group. The talks were preliminary and the suggested average price per acre is said to be around $25,000, which would put the price of the 420 acre property at $10.5 million.
The offers from the Helgesen group and the Fitzgerald land swap deal are very interesting no doubt, but some very basic questions need to be asked, and the answers should be made public before any deal is considered. 1. Is the property for sale? 2. If it is, shouldn’t the county begin to market it to a wider audience? 3. If the county sells the land, how will the money be used? 4. Is the property next to the county jail included?
Regardless of what the deal is, I certainly hope that if the land is sold, the money will not be used to offset annual budget obligations. The last thing the county wants to start doing is selling off assets to meet its bills.
Another story was printed in the Janesville Gazette this past Sunday regarding details of the Mulder/Fitzgerald land swap deal. It now appears that building the stadium is no longer the primary objective of Jim Fitzgerald as reported on earlier. To my disappointment, it was Fitzgerald all along who was the driving force behind the smoke and mirrors to begin with, and he apparently has made the mining operation and charity foundation his number one goal.
Too bad because after the smoke clears, Rock County will probably have neither a Snappers stadium or a new fairgrounds and the land at Highways 14/51 will be sold off to the highest bidder, whoever that is.
An investment group led by Jeff and Don Helgesen have met with county officials and are willing to pay cash for the land without all the complications of a land trade as proposed by the Mulder/Fitzgerald group. The talks were preliminary and the suggested average price per acre is said to be around $25,000, which would put the price of the 420 acre property at $10.5 million.
The offers from the Helgesen group and the Fitzgerald land swap deal are very interesting no doubt, but some very basic questions need to be asked, and the answers should be made public before any deal is considered. 1. Is the property for sale? 2. If it is, shouldn’t the county begin to market it to a wider audience? 3. If the county sells the land, how will the money be used? 4. Is the property next to the county jail included?
Regardless of what the deal is, I certainly hope that if the land is sold, the money will not be used to offset annual budget obligations. The last thing the county wants to start doing is selling off assets to meet its bills.
Another story was printed in the Janesville Gazette this past Sunday regarding details of the Mulder/Fitzgerald land swap deal. It now appears that building the stadium is no longer the primary objective of Jim Fitzgerald as reported on earlier. To my disappointment, it was Fitzgerald all along who was the driving force behind the smoke and mirrors to begin with, and he apparently has made the mining operation and charity foundation his number one goal.
JG excerpt:The idea of building a charitable foundation is noble indeed, but true philanthropies are not founded on quid pro quo’s, and Fitzgerald’s desire to leave a legacy in Rock County should not come at the expense of the environment or concocted in a plan to turn a profit for third parties.
”The potential is incredible,” he said. The stadium and fairgrounds are “almost insignificant” compared to the foundations potential, Fitzgerald said. “Everything is dwarfed compared to that foundation.”
Too bad because after the smoke clears, Rock County will probably have neither a Snappers stadium or a new fairgrounds and the land at Highways 14/51 will be sold off to the highest bidder, whoever that is.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Stadium Land Deal a Foul Ball
A few well-to-do businessmen in Rock County have a plan to build a stadium, dig a gravel pit, swap some land, start a charity and move the fairgrounds, all in one fell swoop. How this all came about from a seemingly well intentioned plan to just build a new stadium is anybodies guess. But when motivation is high and interest is created, opportunities can be found, deals often happen. The private parties involved are said to offer a $7 million dollar gift to the county as a carrot to strike the deal. However, details of the plan are sketchy and the parties have placed a time limit on the county to speed up the process.
But the details of the plan are really unnecessary when you begin to dissect the basic premise of the offer. The initial offer was reported in the Janesville Gazette as the machination of several wealthy individuals whose primary goal is to build a new stadium, but somehow evolved into what really appears as a plot to exchange real estate. The land deal is backed by Jim Fitzgerald, one of several wealthy local businessmen who have voiced their desire to build a new stadium for the Beloit Snappers.
However the location at Highways 51 and 14 is in a “sweet spot” when you consider it’s far enough removed from I –39/90, but still has excellent accessibility to the interstate from Highway 14. Yet the property is ideal for local traffic as well and close to new developments in Janesville and retail shopping. The potential here in the future for development is extremely high, it’s anticipated returns on investment are astronomical, this property is AAA+. In comparison, the three separate parcels offered to the county are a mixed bag of burdens with less overall potential.
That the “generous” private parties involved are willing to give a total of $8.3 million plus 335 acres of land for 420 acres of land with all the smoke and mirrors should raise some alarms. Fitzgerald is smart enough to know when he’s being played and should stick to his primary goal to build a stadium without involving opportunists who appear to have different primary objectives. My concern is for the county and as a resident I suggest we let this unsolicited land deal expire.
But the details of the plan are really unnecessary when you begin to dissect the basic premise of the offer. The initial offer was reported in the Janesville Gazette as the machination of several wealthy individuals whose primary goal is to build a new stadium, but somehow evolved into what really appears as a plot to exchange real estate. The land deal is backed by Jim Fitzgerald, one of several wealthy local businessmen who have voiced their desire to build a new stadium for the Beloit Snappers.
JG excerpt:I kinda believe Jim Fitzgerald, but other members of his party might not feel the same way. As reported in the Gazette on Oct. 13th was the following:
Fitzgerald – former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors – said he does not stand to profit from getting the Snappers a new stadium. He became friends with Snappers management officials recently, he said. “Ijust met these fellas, and they were frustrated,” he said. “I have one objective, and that’s to get that stadium built in that location.”
JG excerpt:In other words, no matter what happens to the stadium-fairgrounds and mining operation, the private parties involved here still want the land deal. They still want to unload those three parcels onto the county and wash their hands clean of them. Who could blame them when you consider that two of the three parcels are adjacent to I –39/90 and also have a railroad running between them. Good land no doubt, but they will also face some rigid local opposition for land use and the mining operation opens a can of worms. The interstate and railroad can pose some limitations for residential use.
Mulder would pay the county $7 million. Even if the stadium-fairgrounds complex or mine plans fall through, the county would accept the $7 million as further cash for the land trade.
However the location at Highways 51 and 14 is in a “sweet spot” when you consider it’s far enough removed from I –39/90, but still has excellent accessibility to the interstate from Highway 14. Yet the property is ideal for local traffic as well and close to new developments in Janesville and retail shopping. The potential here in the future for development is extremely high, it’s anticipated returns on investment are astronomical, this property is AAA+. In comparison, the three separate parcels offered to the county are a mixed bag of burdens with less overall potential.
That the “generous” private parties involved are willing to give a total of $8.3 million plus 335 acres of land for 420 acres of land with all the smoke and mirrors should raise some alarms. Fitzgerald is smart enough to know when he’s being played and should stick to his primary goal to build a stadium without involving opportunists who appear to have different primary objectives. My concern is for the county and as a resident I suggest we let this unsolicited land deal expire.
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