Giving YOUR Money Away to a Select Few
Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton LOVES to spend other people’s money. OK, he’s a liberal. Actually, Jim’s politics are somewhere to the left of Karl Marx. Ireton has seldom seen a government program he didn’t love. If Ireton is re-elected, AND if Jake Day is elected to the city council, Jim has a plan to spend some MORE of YOUR hard earned money. It involves re-developing downtown.Ireton wants to sell the downtown parking lots for a song, subsidize them by waiving the capacity fees for water and sewer, and HOPE that Salisbury will somehow be re-born.
Does anyone believe that adding 500 “affordable housing units” downtown is going to re-vitalize Salisbury’s local economy? Evidently Ireton, along with Jake Day, councilwoman Laura Mitchell, and councilwoman Shanie Shields do.
The “logic” goes something like this:
- You build X “affordable housing units” downtown.
- Businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retailers will RUSH to build stores.
- Downtown will be MAGICALLY re-vitalized.
- The world will be a better place.
500 Affordable Housing Units
OK, we sell off the parking lots, take EDU’s (water and sewer capacity) away from industrial development that could actually create jobs that pay a living wage, and 500 more housing units appear. Do you think that businesses will then flock to downtown? Ireton and his pals do.
Grocery Stores, Pharmacies, and Boutiques … OH MY!
Before a retail business decides to invest in a site they look at certain things, including traffic count and parking. Would you build a grocery store based on a target population of less than 2,000? Of course you wouldn’t!
But wait, wouldn’t people from outside the immediate area come? Would they? I live to the southeast of downtown. There are at least three grocery stores and at least seven pharmacies closer to my home than the downtown plaza. Well, maybe the people who live over on the west side will come? I can think of at least two grocery stores and two pharmacies that are closer. Well maybe the folks from Newtown? Maybe. Where are they going to park? Remember – Jimmy, Jake, Laura, and Shanie have sold all of the parking except for the parking garage. Do you really believe that those folks from Newtown are going to walk across US 50 and then schlep their groceries back on foot?
OK, I’ll agree that one convenience store might succeed under the Ireton plan.
It’s MAGIC!
The notion that this will re-vitalize downtown, much less Salisbury’s local economy is too ridiculous for real comment. Downtown CAN be salvaged. It CAN be re-vitalized. It just won’t happen by throwing subsidies at a few developers.
You need a solution that drives traffic. Business people will then be willing to invest their own capital. Look at Joe Albero’s plan. It not only makes sense, it offers a REAL, free-market driven solution for downtown as well as a plan for the city’s entire economy.
Subsidizing residential development was a failure during the real estate boom! Salisbury borrowed millions of dollars that were handed over to a select group of residential developers. What did that yield? Temporary construction jobs. Subsidizing retail doesn’t yield jobs that pay a living wage.
The key is to allow development without unnecessary government interference. The key is show potential employers - not just downtown, but throughout Salisbury – that the city will treat businesses, and residents, like valued customers.
Why can’t Jimmy Ireton learn from past mistakes; both his own and his predecessor’s?
Part 1 – Thrift Travel Inn
G. A. Harrison is a former editor of SBYNews and a regular contributor. He also writes at the DelMarVa Observer. This article was originally posted at the DelMarVa Observer.
35 comments:
A second term for Mr. Ireton is unacceptable! Vote Albero!
We certainly do not need more housing. Anywhere.
One has but to look around all the for sale signs in yards and empty commercial buildings. On our block in one fourth of the block there are 4 homes for sale.
Vote Albero for mayor! Council must retain Campbell!
Look at all the money that went to the developers of the old mall, what did those millions of dollars get us? Do we really want to return of those kind of ideas?
The only good thing about jimbos plan is we all ready have the rt 13 bypass in place.
Come on now Joe, Liarton's plan would increase jobs because they would need more crack dealers and police to cover the increased criminal activity.
The trouble with "Affordable housing" tenants is they have no money. They have no use for boutiques and plaza restaurants. They can produce nothing for the downtown businesses.
The Ireton downtown plan spells the final doom for downtown. It will make the center of Salisbury a great place to AVOID.
If the parking lots were sold what happens to Market Street Restaurant? What happens to Brewriver Restaurant. These could be rented from the city but if they are sold and something is built on that property what happens to those two businesses??? Selling the parking lots is a lose lose deal
Vote Joe and Debbie. They look out for the city they have common since...
Selling parking lots and building Section 8 housing benefits landlords. That's the only thing that matters. So, if you're not one of those landlords, why vote to enrich them?
Liertons vision is a little Detroit. 500 unit projects , sounds like a place I want to bring my family.
Debbie saved us $50,000 on the Thrift Travel Inn, money that Ireton wanted to use from city tax revenues.
Joe,
I read your Guide to how you would like to make SBY better... I have to say, I like what your thinking about, I just feel that it will be harder than one imagines because of all the left behind corruption from the previous mayor...
As if you hadn't already noticed, there are about 4 companies whom are choosing to leave Maryland based on taxes, fees and the like... Some are leaving because of gun laws... This is 4 companies with a total of about 1000 workers being let go from their jobs... And all this because SBY and MD say, "They won't dare move or relocate" going as far as saying "They are bluffing"... What can one do as mayor to help fix this burden? I guess what I mean is, a lot of SBY problems come from the STATES problems also, and if the state keeps pushing their burdens to the county or city, how can be counter that, and do you think bringing in a few business will help offset these issues?
Ireton wants to move the ghetto that is next to Perdue downtown. Then Perdue moves out, and you have waterfront property and near-waterfront property that's empty and prime for high density redevelopment.
While that's happening, downtown becomes a hot mess. Instead of worrying about a few homeless people (some of them are really nice, btw), you've got all the problems of the ghetto transferred to downtown.
hot mess = a derogatory term describing a situation, behavior, appearance, etc. that is disastrously bad. Think "faux pas" but times ten.
The new River's Edge project begins a transformation. I don't look forward to the day when Perdue leaves because that will be mean additional job loss. However, if you can stabilize and make the area more commercially desirable with additions like River's Edge (which is a private developer who does not need a subsidy form the city treasury) you can start to prepare the area for the time when it will need to be ready to attract a new industry and replacement jobs. Thank you, Debbie Campbell and the city council for getting that done.
Got to convince minorities that things will be better with Joe or they will follow party line and vote for Ireton.
Very good analysis of what's going on here. Ireton's plan sounds like it's turning downtown into a new neighborhood of its very own, either low-income or exclusive hoity-toity. Either way, based on this post, people living outside of downtown would have no reason to come or no place to park if they did come.
Just a smaller blueprint for the same failure seen with "The Projects" style housing in major cities. Herd the poor to within central, easily controlled perimeters and gentrify the valuable property they're on now. In 30 years they're moved somewhere else under the name of Urban Renewal.
Anonymous said...
The trouble with "Affordable housing" tenants is they have no money. They have no use for boutiques and plaza restaurants. They can produce nothing for the downtown businesses.
March 18, 2013 at 9:15 AM
Can you say BINGO!!
Low income housing = rental housing = higher crime rates.
Minorities need to get off the democrat band wagon. When are they going to finally wake up and smell the coffee. The democrats dont help poor people if they do anything for them they keep them poor.Look at all the people that voted for that POS Omalley. He has taxed and raised fees so much in this state I am thinking about moving.Liberals have always given a false sense of hope to minorities and they keep right on voting that way.Liberal thinking is destroying this great country!
Something for nothing appeals to rich and poor alike.
"Subsidizing residential development was a failure during the real estate boom! Salisbury borrowed millions of dollars that were handed over to a select group of residential developers. What did that yield? Temporary construction jobs. Subsidizing retail doesn’t yield jobs that pay a living wage."
And it yields a tax base that doesn't pay for the services it demands, creating higher taxes for everyone, another, but more subtle form of subsidy. It's a bottomless pit inhabited by an insatiable beast.
Will we ever know a time when man is not lured by trinkets and false promises?
I challenge Ireton and Day to find one Section 8 housing development that has attracted any retail. This is a scam to make the slumlords even richer-pure and simple. Salisbury needs to look at Downtown Berlin and Frederick as examples of urban renewal, not the Detroit and Chicago ghetto. Who will own the housing units-do tell us Ireton and Day!
Subsidized housing is nothing but trouble. Rental properties are the main reason this city needs more police officers to serve the criminals the rental industry produces. Right now we don't need to make anything on the downtown plaza a priority. We need to fix up the neighborhoods where people already live and concentrate on homeownership like Jim Ireton promised. Jim Ireton was given a chance and he lied to the voters and taxpayers. He turned his back on his friends and supporters and jumped in bed with his enemies such as Barrie Tilghman, Mike Dunn, John Pick, Lore Chambers, corrupt department heads, the greedy developers and the slumlords.
He was given his chance and he FAILED!! And failed miserably. Now it's time to give Joe Albero a chance.
Elect Joe Albero mayor of Salisbury and Re-Elect Debbie Campbell for city council.
I can't imagine how bought and sold this town will be if Day or Ireton are on the payroll.
... is on the payroll.
Ireton knew The Bricks was a loser from the start, but that either way it went he was a winner. Same with the tired downtown plan, same with the parking lot sales. It was all hero or tragic hero, just as scripted and played out by our dramacrat in sheep's clothing.
Is this the kind of man or government we want to absorb our lives and our futures?
IRETON you have 14 days left.....tick tock.
The only thing Ireton's/Day's plan will do is cause more crime, and more people will be afraid to come downtown whether it be day or evening for anything. Just walking on unstable bricks, and worrying about being robbed, then trying to find a place to park after Ireton/Day give their friends the land free will be damning for all of us.
These jackels don't deserve another chance to destroy the rest of us.
Maybe JT can give out free donuts out of one of the 500 low income housing units.
5:55
Do you really think that gelatinous blob would give away food?
Who will own the housing units? Do you really need to ask? Palmer Gillis, his son Brad of course, that's who. No other developer has shown an interest in downtown like they have. It will be Palmerville before it's all over and done.
No doubt Ireton would also want those developers to have a "TIF" - look how has brought about redevelopment of the old mall.
That plan being hyped by Ireton is a concoction of Jake Day, Urban Planner, and a real danger to Salisbury.
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