Where I Stand #4

I attended another forum last night, put on by the AOPC (association of PUD's & Condominiums).  It was an interesting forum with a different type of format.  I'll be honest I was a bit disappointed by the way it played out.  It turned into a very incumbent-centric Q&A.  A couple of other non-incumbent candidates and I commented on the lack of equality in time and direct questions allowed to each candidate, with the incumbents getting the lion's share.  I was only given one question directly from the moderator and it was a (paraphrase) "do you believe that the city should make sure that building codes are followed and adhered too?" type of question.  Well, yes.  What other answer would come from someone, that we shouldn't follow building codes?  Not a well though out question in my opinion, but c'est la vie. 

I don't believe it was the forum's intention of allowing the incumbents so much time and questions and I appreciate them holding the event, as I can only imagine how much effort and time goes into holding such an event.  There was a good turn-out and I appreciated that at least people got to see my face if not hear much of my voice.

We discussed the carousel at length.  My position is that it probably isn't the right time to introduce such a seemingly extravagant purchase for the city, but I also understand it's intentions.  You know what they say about the road to hell though, don't you. 

I do believe that a little should be explained as to why and how it came to pass and what I myself learned of it at the forum, and you can then form your own opinion of the project.  A percentage of tax revenues collected specifically from the downtown area are earmarked for reinvestment in that downtown area.  The current council believed the carousel would be an anchor and draw people to downtown to help invigorate the area.

It is my belief that in order to spur growth and gentrification of the downtown we need to make that area more business friendly with less licensing restrictions and even incentivize businesses to the area.  The downtown is extremely important to a city.  It is where a good chunk of out of town dollars are spent.  That's money not already in our community being put into our community.  People from out of town look to the downtown area as a place to go and spend their hard earned money.  They don't necessarily want to go to River Rd, they have big box stores and chain restaurants where they come from, they want a different experience and that is what a downtown typically provides.  We need a strong and robust downtown to not only increase tax revenues but also to draw people to St. George and spend their money in our community, not others.