Buy Local Lacks Council Buy-In
Posted by Scott Spaulding - 6/3/08 @ 8:17 pm - Filed Under City Council, Local Politics
G-08-05-29
AN ORDINANCE amending Chapter 37, Finance and Revenue of the Fort Wayne Municipal Code of Ordinances that establishes preferences for Indiana Business for the purchases of goods and services by the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana as allowed under I.C. 5-11-15 et seq
Common Council rejected a proposal by Councilwoman Karen Goldner along party lines that would have codified preferences for Indiana businesses within City government when purchasing goods and services.
Council debated the issue for over an hour and Jeff Pruitt will have video available tomorrow.
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10 Responses to “Buy Local Lacks Council Buy-In”
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Sad.
What is sadder is to set and watch how the City Purchasing Manager and Lawyer tossed around all kinds of crap to confuse several uninformed city council members.
The City Purchasing Manager said he tried to do the very thing Goldner was requesting. Then he says other government units he trys to tag purchase orders with to obtain larger buys may not like Goldner’s idea…. Now how can you have it both ways?
I am still trying to figure out how Liz Brown got to comparing the issue to having a heart doctor over a general surgeon do a heart operation. Then again when you have a bunch of people who don’t understand what is going on you confuse them with BS and we saw that first hand tonight.
It won’t be up until tomorrow night but there will be video…
Why should the city adopt an ordinance that would involve paying a ‘local’ premium of up to 5% when every attempt has been made to have local companies submit bids anyway?
I completely support the intention, but why should we have to pay a premium to make this happen. Part of Mayor Henrys’ platform was to improve the buying process anyway. This ordinance would only stiffle his ability to make this happen. Lets watch the mayor and Mr. Howard make this happen. And if they don’t, then the ordinance can always be re-introduced.
Liz Browns’ comment came in response to Tim Papes’ analogy.
I overall agree with the ordinance and I am very disppointed that it was opposed by the Democratic Mayor’s office and by all five Republicans on City Council.
I do not often find myself in agreement with Councilman Pape or Councilman Hines; however, on this issue I certainly agree with all four of the Democrats on City Council.
Mike Sylvester
What political planet was that?
I missed the meeting while covering the Urban League forums, and my news is from the morning Journal. Now did I understand this right? Here is what it seemed like for someone beaming down from another planet and listening to the Council ordinance discussion without knowing the olitical party or Who’s Who on the Common Council.
Karen Goldner, a Republican, introduces a local version of a successful State plan launched by a Repulican Governor and called “Buy Indiana.” Fort Wayne’s Republicans are moving to be the first local entitiy to adopt the plan locally and show the Republican Governor some local “buy in” to its principles.
However, the Democratic City Administration shows up and opposes it. And the Democrats on the City Council too question it, and they all vote against it.
Only the loyal Republicans vote for it. It gets defeated. Is that what happened?
I think we witnessed stereotypical party role reversal on the Buy Local proposal.
And parties “party-lined” it?? Why? This was economic development and a prudent fiscal purchasing proposal-not the selection of the City Council President.
Interesting times. This one should come back for a revisit, and then maybe the stars and planets will all be alighned so that a win-win policy wins.
Karen Goldner is a Democrat.
For the record, Karen Goldner, a Democrat, defeated 31-year veteran Donald Schmitt by 13 votes. And that was a razor-thin margin until the Guam primary of 2008 where Senator Barack Obama eeked out a 7 vote win, making the Goldner margin of victory appear now as a “landslide.”
My Comment is a political satire and I reversed the parties to make my point.
I have been an active supporter and volunteer for the Goldner for Council campaign, and do know her party affiliation. But what fun is it to make my point without a bit of humor?
Ah, sorry. I must admit I was reading the comment while heading out the door and didn’t read it thoroughly.
That’s weird, Dan.
I think everybody concerned from Mayor Tom to every last one of the city council wants to promote local business. I don’t see the problem here.