Redevelopment Frolics
Posted by: Ken Mettler | 09/21/2008 8:05 AM
Where are the "limited government" Republicans?
The City of Bakersfield, Republican controlled city council, approved a 70 unit taxpayer funded low income apartment project at Mill Creek. Yes, in the same Mill Creek that already has the defunct and nearly empty taxpayer funded low income condo project.
The vote was a rubber stamp without any questions, such as: Why are we doing this?; How much profit does the developer and consultants make?; Is this wise, since there are hundreds of empty housing units now that could be rented?; Why not just give low income persons vouchers to use for any existing rental property like the current Section 8 program?; Does this project further depress the over-supplied housing market?; In this meeting we are raising taxes on our citizens' utility bills and spending taxpayers' money on this project?; Are we creating a concentrated low income ghetto?; Why are we giving public property to a private developer?; and Would I spend my own money this way?
I know the argument will be that if we don't use the taxpayer grant money then some other community will.....so what. The Republican brand is "limited government", put the concept into practice.
The City of Bakersfield, Republican controlled city council, approved a 70 unit taxpayer funded low income apartment project at Mill Creek. Yes, in the same Mill Creek that already has the defunct and nearly empty taxpayer funded low income condo project.
The vote was a rubber stamp without any questions, such as: Why are we doing this?; How much profit does the developer and consultants make?; Is this wise, since there are hundreds of empty housing units now that could be rented?; Why not just give low income persons vouchers to use for any existing rental property like the current Section 8 program?; Does this project further depress the over-supplied housing market?; In this meeting we are raising taxes on our citizens' utility bills and spending taxpayers' money on this project?; Are we creating a concentrated low income ghetto?; Why are we giving public property to a private developer?; and Would I spend my own money this way?
I know the argument will be that if we don't use the taxpayer grant money then some other community will.....so what. The Republican brand is "limited government", put the concept into practice.
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