Sunday, March 11, 2007

Sam Talarico, Fort Wayne Republican on City Council

Sam Talarico and I disagree on quite a few things; however, I actually have a lot of respect for Sam...

I respect Sam because:
1. He spends a great deal of time responding to and meeting with his constituents.
2. He is willing to vote for what he thinks is best.
3. He has been more then willing to state his opinions in every media outlet he can; including various blogs...

I find that I disagree with Sam Talarico more often then not; however, I think that he does want Fort Wayne to grow and improve. I truly think that Sam and I want the same things for Fort Wayne...

Sam Talarico and I often COMPLETELY disagree on how that should be done...

I think it should be done by LIMITING the scope and size of government and by eliminating needless regulations that effect business owners and citizens...

Sam and I 100% disagree on Harrison Square... I do not think we will never agree on Harrison Square and I imagine that we will both continue to think that the other is "wrong."

So be it...

I imagine the argument will continue on this blog and on other blogs. This argument will continue throughout Fort Wayne as well... I would ask that everyone ON THIS blog make sure that you keep you comments to each other respectful and do your best to argue about the issues rather then insult each other...

I TRY to follow this rule myself; however, I could do better and I will do better!

P.S. Sam, there is still no DOUBT in my mind that a majority of Fort Wayne residents oppose moving the Baseball Stadium AND there is ABSOLUTELY no doubt in my mind that both a majority of Conservatives AND a majority of accountants in Fort Wayne oppose the Harrison Square Project as it is... Most accountants are conservative and I think that most accountants will want to look at the financial plan (Which currently does NOT exist).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike,

I do not disagree with you that a poll taken right now would likely show a majority in opposition.

However, this is inherently a very difficult issue to poll because it is uneasy to get all of the details across in the short time a poll allots.

There is no way the JG poll would have been 73% if the each poll respondent had been given all of the details (ie. no general property tax dollars etc etc etc.).

It would be ridiculous for me to believe that a majority support Harrison Square, but I find the 73% equally ridiculous.

Mike, I have had more people call me on this issue than any other issue ever. Atleast 50% of those who contact me that are against it, end up softening siginificantly after i tell them 1. No general property tax dollars; 2. Using TIF and CREd; 3. The extent of private dollars; 4. the other elements of Harrison Square; and 5. the need to spend millions on the current stadium to rehab.

The poll created a very hostile environment for those of us who support it because we now have to live with the 73% whether it is accurate or inacurate.

I think the meeting on Thursday and the recent op ed pieces show the passion of the Harrison Square supporters.

This is a critical moment for our community and I truly believe that it is the type of decision that may greatly impact whether your children and my children find Fort Wayne to be a place they want to return when they are done with college.

Its not about a baseball stadium, its about moving beyond the status quo and trying to change the negative momentum that leaves us at 80% of the national average wage.

I urge everybody that is against this project to watch the videos of business owner Dave Corcoran and 19 year old college student Pat McAlister which can be found at Downtown Baseball blog. If these two videos do not at least make you pause and think at least a tiny bit differntly about this project, then check your pulse.

Sam T.

Anonymous said...

Sam,
You guys have had plenty of time to give details of this plan. The public understands that details are not final. But we want to know what framework this deal is under.

If you guys can't give us a flexible idea of what this deal will be right now, then you are not ready to put it to a vote next month.

If you guys do have an a working deal in progress and are unwilling to disclose it to the public then that is a violation of the public's trust of the most severe.

People are against this project because they have heard nothing but pseudo-intellectualism on how this project will work.

We want the facts behind the decision. We want to know what other options were explored. We also want to know exactly what private funding is because not all forms of private funding are equal.

The burden of proof is on the developers and administration to prove that this is a viable idea and is the BEST value to taxpayers.So far you have failed to do so.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Anonymous. Please read post again. i said impossible to give details in a TELEPHONE POLLING QUESTION!! Please excuse me while I go pound my head against a concrete wall.

Sam

LP Mike Sylvester said...

Sam:

There actually will be a general property tax increase; however, it will be less then .1%!

If we are lucky the financial projections will account for this and we will know exactly what size the increase will be!

All of the properties demolished that are not in the current TIF will be removed from the property tax rolls and the new buildings will generate property taxes that are captured by the TIF. So there WILL BE a slight increase in general property taxes...

I verified this with Pat Roller and Greg Leatherman. So I would suggest that you tell people that there will only be a very slight general property tax increase and that you NOT tell them that "there will not be a general proeprty tax increase."

I 100% AGREE with you that the supporters do seem to be more passionate! You are 100% correct about this and I find it very interesting and surprising. I actually think it is encouraging for Fort Wayne that so many people are energized about downtown development!

Mike Sylvester

Unknown said...

I don't know Mr. Talerico, but I'm pretty impressed with an elected official who asks a constituent, in response to his point, to "excuse him while he goes and pounds his head against a concrete wall." Now I know humor, and that's funny!

Scott Greider

Andrew Kaduk said...

Sam's response was classic, but I was literally jumping up and down and cheering when I read Mr. Anon's line about "pseudo intellectualism."

That's been the problem all along...Mayor & Co. have been using big fancy words and some pretty fringe concepts to create a brilliant hologram of this "gateway to the future" project...with no substance. My question has always been "how are you going to get people to drive downtown for that which they will not currently drive to the coliseum to see."

I have heard no reasonable answers to date.

My take is this: If I have a friend who REALLY REALLY REALLY wants a motorcycle so people will dig him, but he actually NEEDS a car to get to work, then I will do everything in my power to convince him to buy that friggin' car and wait to get the bike until he has a better idea of how his budget will look.

Please apply parable to downtown Fort Wayne.

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