You may recall past news reports that portrayed Barrie Tilghman and Gary Comegys as the “leaders” who fabricated that “TIF” subsidy plan for the City to help finance development of the old Salisbury Mall. After a zoning debacle, in which the City and mall owner’s initial scheme was shot down by the Circuit Court, a revised version was approved a couple years ago. Back then we were promised that there would soon be lots of construction work and jobs, increased tax base, etc.
Fast forward to Thursday. The owner’s application for another one year extension to present its plans was withdrawn because that’s not allowed under the city’s code, and it has about 10 days to get that done. And a few weeks ago the owner – “SMA” – took another hit in the Circuit Court, which ruled that the building firm – “Hovnanian” – could have their contract cancelled because the owner did not get the plans approved by their deadline.
But that’s not all folks. The company that demolished the mall building is suing the owner for payment under that contract. The site remains an unsightly mess with a huge pile of demolition debris along Civic Avenue and a pile of dirt that’s been along St. Alban’s Drive for at least 5 years now.
Then there’s the City’s TIF deal that calls for $15 Million to subsidize the development. What’s happened to the funds? Can that deal be cancelled too? Barrie sure ain’t talking (are you surprised?) but maybe Mr. Comegys will tell us if he gets thru the mayoral primary on March 3rd.
He'll tell us "We're THIS close {}"
ReplyDeleteThe load of horse manure Bubba will try to sell us will be as big as that mountain of rubble.
While the controversy etc about the old mall swirls & swirls & swirls, I was glad to see the old mall demolished. The memory I have of those buildings is that of a person being murdered. The mall died for me that day as it became forever tainted with the bloodshed.
ReplyDeleteYes, nice to see the old building gone, but if Comegys had supported holding the Baltimore owners to the city's demolition order, we wouldn't have had to pay for it as part of the TIF, which, will cost us over $50 million in principal and interest and another $40+ million in lost tax revenue, PLUS having to provide free services (fire, police, ambulance) to the site for 30 years.
ReplyDeleteAnd can you believe that Dunn, Cathcart and Comegys approved the TIF at a 10% interest rate???
Yeah, we're this close, alright. This close to being put a hundred million dollars in the hole for the next generation and a half.
Yeah, come on back as mayor, Gary, we need to get into a hole we'll never get out of.
Bubba = Barrie = Scary
ReplyDeleteYou have the landlords on Bubba's side, they have a lot of influence with their money. The people that depend on them, that they will influence. So get the word out, don't vote for Bubba.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that dump has been tore down too.
ReplyDeleteBut you know what makes me mad? Could of been done long time ago.
Instead of the city forcing them to tear it down, they let those slicky boys hold it over the city's head that if they didn't get what they wanted, it wouldn't get tore down.
Then the mayor and that Smith woman and the Bubba all acted like they'd been all tough and all getting the slicky boys to tear it down.
We little folks got raped on that one so they could try to look important. I'm not voting for that Bubba, that's for sure.
They owe my friends at Precision Grading Services, who by these photos, did their job in a very professional manner, around $114,000.00 for a job well done. Interest must be piling up, plus lawyer fees. Why aren't these guys being paid? They did the job, contract fulfilled on their part. They are owed the money. Why is the City running us into paying more for what we got?
ReplyDeleteI saw a Comegys sign today, and I think renters have caught on to this maddness because someone took a magic marker and wrote "For Sale" all over Gary's sign right in a rental yard.
ReplyDeleteOthers pulled the signs up and had them stuck out of their garbage cans and placed for viewing, Bubba in da trash. They should of at least recycled though, the rest I agree with.
Gary for Sale about sums it up in bubbanomics II
12:14 you got it right on target and in a very short amount of space! I too believe this whole thing is scary, especially if Bubba gets in as mayor. If he does, I'mmoving to DE.
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