Fort Wayne on wrong track, again…
Posted by Mike Sylvester - 7/2/08 @ 7:21 pm - Filed Under City Council, Featured, Local Politics
I was not able to attend the City Council meeting last night so I am forced to accept the newspapers version of events.
Both reporters witnessing the City Council meeting infer or state that the City Council seems to favor the creation of an additional five “Economic Development Target Areas” in southeast Fort Wayne. You can read the newspaper reports here:
From the JG:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/LOCAL/807020345
From the NS:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/NEWS/807020310
Creating an additional five districts in Southeast Fort Wayne in order to grant tax abatements to restaurants and retail establishments will just shift the tax burden and create a “playing field” for businesses that is not level.
This will allow City Council to grant tax abatements to more fast food restaurants (Those in Economic Development Target Areas) at the expense of fast food restaurants in the portion of the City that are not “Economic Development Target Areas.”
I am extremely disappointed that this proposal to establish five more “Economic Development Target Areas” was not laughed out of the Council chambers.
Please realize that I cannot understand how any City Council member could support granting tax abatements to retail establishments and fast food restaurants in the first place.
If City Council expands the “Economic Development Target Areas” they will once again prove that they, along with the City administration, support policies that encourage “Economic Re-arrangement” rather than “Economic Development.”
Mike Sylvester
Comments
4 Responses to “Fort Wayne on wrong track, again…”
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Mike,
The entire process is such a waste of time and effort. Nobody is going to be denied a tax abatement at this point so why all the red tape? I’m sure it has to do with state requirements but there has to be a more efficient way.
For example, instead of subsidizing new businesses at the expense of older businesses they could simply lower the tax rate across the board…
This is an outrage. Folks if you pay taxes; think about the taxes we are paying to care for our elders that did not plan their future or their predecessors. This same analogy is what we are facing in Fort Wayne, IN.
We are responsibile for our-selves. Fort Wayne government, lets try a hard love approach.
Earn it first. Is anyone one feeling taxed to death and no government entity is at the helm?
We are not a welfare city, are we? If you desire to do a business in Fort Wayne we welcome it.
A good business venture, just like a sound family
does not need welfare.
Jeff,
I have been saying for years we should just lower the tax rate for everyone and get rid of tax abatements…
Mike Sylvester
Regarding red tape - this is what we call in the corporate world, a-checking-the-box-exercise.