City spends $400K on new facades

This is like repainting a car that's need of a new transmission. It makes things prettier but ignores what's important. With a looming budget crunch, this $400K could have been better spent on essential services.

But perhaps some of you think that there is a critical facade problem in Fort Wayne. Here is a streamlined approach to the problem:
1. If a facade presents a threat to the health and safety of the community, then the owner must be required to fix it at his own expense or be fined.
2. If the facade in question is just plain old or ugly, then it just gives the building character and there is no need for the city to take any action.