We learn over at Ed's that a local developer is funding an expedition for Yvonne Johnson and Skip Alston to go to D.C. The purpose? To fish for stimulus money to fund construction of the recently conceptualized consolidated Guilford County Schools administrative building.
Keith Brown is precisely right to raise questions about the propriety of this arrangement. We have to wonder what any given developer might have to gain by stepping forward and funding this effort. It is wrong for Johnson and Alston to accept this type of funding.
But the News and Record reports today that a non-profit subsidiary of one of our local foundations is greasing the skids on this effort. It is called Gate City Co. There is flowery language about non-profits, developers and governing boards acting in coordination. But that sounds to me as if certain elites and oligarchs are facilitating things-- and perhaps with an agenda to get the taxpayer to pay for it?
It is appropriate to question whether the stimulus money is going to fund the whole thing-- the entire construction effort. If not, local taxpayers will be stuck with the remainder of the tab. This is a difficult economic time for taxpayers, and there is ample pressure on our county budget.
It is also appropriate to ask whether this particular edifice is truly needed.
Some of us regard it as dishonorable when our local and state governments go to the feds looking for stimulus money. We all pay for federal spending, directly and indirectly; and the mounting debt is a serious problem for our nation. Why should we think it is good for our local units of government to participate in the nationwide grab for stimulus money?
It seems some leaders within our local units of government have their priorities wrong.
Update: Some additional perspective from Piedmont Publius, who asks why the downtown ballpark has not attracted much additional development.
It will be interesting to see if Roy Carroll backs away from offering his plane for this endeavor. This is a bad idea to see local politicians take plane rides on a major developer's plane to D.C. for a redevelopment issue for whatever reason. This is bad public policy and they should know better or have a shred of ethical knowledge to understand this stinks.
Posted by: keith | June 30, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Keith, you probably saw this:
“'A major office building or a major hotel in that area ... would be a catalyst for other development and the redevelopment of that area,' said Roy Carroll, a developer who serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, which is an advocate for the redevelopment district."
That provides some further understanding.
It appears that the Melderec con Simkins bunch is behaving as it usually does.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | July 01, 2009 at 08:24 AM
"It appears that the Melderec con Simkins bunch is behaving as it usually does."
Business as Usual.
I'm not sure if we're doing the right thing to change that.
We talk about and blog about it, but no one else seems to care about it, except for perfunctory mention on some non-conservative blogs.
Posted by: Bubba | July 01, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Changing that, Bubba, requires electing good candidates-- outside of the usual local methods of support.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | July 01, 2009 at 09:24 AM
Joe you are correct and it still doesn't excuse the ethical standards that need to be there for elected officials taking free airplane rides to D.C. from a prominent local developer who also gives campaign contribution at a $1,000 a piece to local officials. Not many citizens give that much money to 7 of 9 city council members.
Looking at the newspaper article it is still not a done deal to fly to D.C. , it would be nice to get a follow up on the trip and how they got there.
Posted by: keith | July 01, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Keith, it never ceases to amaze me how these Melderec-sponsored initiatives find their way to the head of the line. Thanks for reminding us about the background info.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | July 01, 2009 at 02:01 PM
Well Joe it looks like someone got to them here is my new post at triadwatch,
http://triadwatch.blogspot.com/2009/07/developer-roy-carrolls-plane-will-sit.html
This post above is because this is what was reported in news and record tonight here is the link to that
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/03/article/community_foundation_postpones_dc_trip
Would love to hear your perspective as well. Thanks for talking about it as well.
Posted by: keith | July 04, 2009 at 01:14 AM
Thanks for sharing the news, Keith. Perhaps this blogging thing is having some effect-- although I suppose we need to see what ultimately happens with this particular scheme.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | July 04, 2009 at 07:03 PM
puff piece at news 2, nice CYA from the usual suspects. Here is the link
http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=126846&catid=57
Posted by: keith | July 07, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Joe you might beat me to a post on this but the News and Record has a online post that will be in tomorrow's paper with the title city attorney advised against trip over ethical concerns, here is the link
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/10/article/washington_trip_cancelled_over_ethical_concerns
thanks for bringing up this issue along with me because it shows how our local elected officials don't have a clue on ethical standards whatsoever.
I will put a little thought into it and post later.
Posted by: triadwatch | July 10, 2009 at 06:39 PM
Keith, thanks for the links. We need to continue talking about this.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | July 11, 2009 at 09:26 AM