I did a bad job filling in for the Cap Times this week! The Edgewater, capital budget grades, Southwest meeting, Danisco BOE discussion and County Human services news all kept me very, very busy for what should be a “down” week at the end of the summer. In this summary you can find: Mayor’s spending mania, will we ever have a housing plan, southwest side meeting comments, thank you Verveer, the Lorax, CDBG changin priorities?, ride the drive/WYOU and the obligatory Bridget comment.
NO MONEY . . . EXCEPT FOR . . .
Police and Hotels. $18M! If I remember correctly when we borrow $18M that will impact the budget by $40,000 per million for 10 years (a general rule of thumb) or over $7M. Many will claim, at least in the hotel case, that money will be paid by TIF so its no big deal. However, it is a big deal, because for 10 years while the taxes are frozen in that district they are not going to the schools, or county or technical colleges or the city for other projects. In the case of the police, many have emailed me questioning the timing and need for this facility. Our debt payments are up to $26M in our current budget according to the WSJ – that’s even higher than I thought!
WILL WE EVER HAVE A HOUSING PLAN FOR THE CITY
At this pace . . . no.
SOUTHWEST SIDE MEETING
It certainly was bizarre. While I questioned if Blaska was out of touch, Lukas Diaz did a better job of pointing out why. It’s worth readiing. And many are asking, what is SWANS and which neighborhoods are involved in it? The comment points out that channel 3 reports, none. They took this one right out of the Rove/Bush playbook – to hell with the truth, just create a perception!
THANK YOU VERVEER
After being on the council for over 8 years, you learn a few things. One of them is that you learn how lobbyists and developers operate, what strategies they try to employ and you get a sense of what falls withing the realm of acceptable. Most citizens never seen any of the behind the scenes manuvering, but its kind of amazing to watch. Which is why I particularly appreciate Verveers comments here:
“I welcome Brenda’s complaints,” says Ald. Mike Verveer. “In my opinion, this is clearly a great example of why the [lobbying] ordinance is important and helpful to people, particularly given the unorthodox, behind-the-scenes methods in which Hammes has proceeded these many months.”
His comments are particularly important because he is the alder on the council who has dealt with the most development – perhaps as much as all the alders on the council combined due to his length of service and the downtown area he represents.
NEIGHBORHOOD TAKING ON THE ROLE OF THE LORAX
This was one of the issues I was growing more and more concerned about, so I’m glad to see this especially with the Emerald Ash Borer threat breathing down our necks:
Preserving and Enhancing the Urban Forest
A program and discussion with a focus on the neighborhood’s street trees and forest.
6:30 – 8:30 pm, Wed., September 23
Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, Jenifer at BrearlyThe program will include a review of Milwaukee’s successful urban forest protection program during street construction projects. This will be the prelude to an engaging discussion with Madison’s City Forester and staff of Madison’s Engineering Division administration on tree protection and other urban forestry questions.
The event is free and open to the public.
Sponsored by Marquette Neighborhood Association and Friends of Historic Third Lake Ridge, www.thirdlakeridge.org
CDBG PLANS ARE OUT – TIME TO COMMENT!
Here’s the 5 year plan and the one year plan is here. This just came out 2 days ago, but comments are next Thursday.
The CDBG Committee will have a Public Hearing at 5:00 p.m., on September 3, 2009 at the Bridge-Lake Point-Waunona Community Center 1917 Lake Point Drive.
HOW MANY JOBS?
So, Danisco only said they’d create 25 jobs and retain 20 in their TIF application, so why is the Economic Development Director Tim Cooley claiming 170 or over 300?
IN CASE YOU ARE LIVING UNDER A ROCK.
Ride the Drive is this weekend. I gotta say, I don’t get it and I’m tired of hearing about it everywhere. But, I’ll be there, stop by WYOU (600 Block E Wash) for some lemonade and to sign a petition in support of city funding for WYOU! PEG funding doesn’t end until 2011 (thanks to the state video competition act), but the Mayor has plans to cut the funding early, even tho your cable fees will still go to the city and be used for something else.
OH, BRIDGET
So, my announcement that she had dinner with folks from the Edgewater elicited a rather rude response from Alder Maniaci which has since been amended (see the url address for the original title of the post: http://riotinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/08/b-is-being-b.html) wherein she denies having dinner with Bob Dunn. So, I feel compelled to say what I was told. Bob Dunn was outside of the Old Fashioned talking on his phone, Bridget rode up on her bike, alone. She briefly talked to him, walked in and went to the restroom. Dunn walks in, talks to an alder in the room and goes and sits down. Bridget walks out of the restroom and goes and sits by him. Was it a chance meeting? I don’t know, but as well all know, in politics, perception is reality and that is what more than one person told me happened and they told me the same story independently. And I’m not sure why anyone would make that up.
As always, I have much more, it was a busy, busy week!
