From: Tom Heller
Columbus
Recent news stories in this paper suggest movement toward more responsible local government. County officials, contemplating riches in the $100,000 range for their TIF district, believe maybe an attorney experienced in redevelopment is called for to watch over that nest egg.
News reports suggest the city has been particularly busy, preparing the way not only for paid parking downtown but also expanding the city council by three seats. That would come with a new city officer, to be appointed by the mayor, taking over financial control duties from the clerk-treasurer. (Not to be ignored in all this is the mayor would no longer preside over meetings of the now higher-paid city council.)
These city stories come mere months after 1) establishing a new 273-acre Midtown TIF to assist financing improvements related to anticipated development of the 34-acre Fair Oaks Mall site (now NexusPark) and its environs and 2) selling $40 million in bonds to construct a fieldhouse and to create a new Parks Department headquarters there.
Of course, all of this has been thoroughly explained and agreed to by us — or so we would be told if we had the temerity to ask our community’s leaders. We should be so proud to have leaders who know where we want to be led.
