When County Commissioners keyed the resolution against the Urban Redevelopment/Renewal Plan, Commissioners stated they were still willing to talk and work through the program to find mutually beneficial concepts and rewrite portions that were unacceptable. Stock’s answer didn’t appear to include any negotiation.

“Without negotiations,” said Commissioner Gene Milbrand, “we can’t allow that plan to go into effect. It destroys the increasing revenues for the hospital and cuts education benefits. Nobody wants those services cut.”

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The Coffee Clatter
Enjoy a great cup of coffee and conversation with the morning press, folks you know, and times you’ll never forget, with a stop by the shop.
http://coffeeclatter.com
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In searching the Urban Redevelopment/Renewal Plan, I found numerous places where tax revenues will be limited to what is CURRENTLY available for hospital and education purposes, with the exception of a very limited amount of annual increase reserved for original use. TIF or Tax Increase Financing is about the difference between current EXPECTED values of property and the increased value the newly redeveloped property assessment.

In simple terms: after your property has been condemned as a blight (Section 1:1 of the Urban Redevelopment Plan) on the community, you are forced to renovate using low cost money garnered from the tax increases of new business, of course, and the increased value of YOUR newly renovated business will generate more of those tax increases. Do you STILL want to know who pays?

During the Lamar City Council Meeting Monday night, Ron Stock stated that the City Council, nor the City Administrator would have any more right than they currently have to condemn your property. This is true, the CURRENT CITY CODE gives the City Code Inspector and anyone who is given that position of Enforcement Officer the right to condemn your business/home if it is a detriment to public health, or they determine that it’s not up to the City Code. The City of Lamar doesn’t NEED this new Urban Renewal Plan to accomplish this task.

How tall are the weeds surrounding your property?

Do they ever get to more than 8 inches in height? Are those flowers growing in your garden? Or weeds?

Stock continues to discuss the option of leveraging TIF revenues to increase the amount of money available for Urban Redevelopment Projects. Leveraging money sounds like a great way to increase funding, BUT there’s something bigger in this picture. LEVERAGING MONEY is another way of saying BORROW money. Small town businesses, notoriously and historically, do not borrow money for renovation, they SAVE it. In fact, many small town businesses use “found objects” to update the facades of their businesses. What better way to use up “old stuff” than to find new ways to use it in front of your store, to provide a welcome atmosphere?

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ORIS GEORGE
Need some light summer reading? Remember the times of yesterday along the back roads, where a boy, his dog and his mule could explore until sunset.
http://orisgeorge.com
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Recently, a client called to ask if I could give directions to another client’s business. I offered directions and mentioned washtubs filled up with flowers near the front entrance. The client said, “Ah, I found it. Wow, what a great way to use found items. I should do that with my front door!”

I can assure you, neither of those clients would take too kindly to the City Administrator or anyone else coming to their home based business telling them their decor wasn’t “up to the City’s liking and they considered it a blight on the neighborhood”.

I’m personally NOT against Urban Renewal. I am against the City Administrator or anyone else telling me that my property isn’t up to their standards. It’s MY Property!

If the Urban Renewal and Development Team suggestions are what the business owners of the community would like to adopt, fine, let the business owners do that. If the city would like to help with financing, finding grant money, or even offering incentives for updating and cleaning up around the properties, FINE! Do that. But do NOT take it upon yourselves as a government AUTHORITY to FORCE the community to comply with arbitrary demands set forth by some pompous arrogant person who chooses to make himself (or themselves) the END ALL Controller of the Community.

What ever happened to FREE ENTERPRISE and CAPITALISM? In the 1700′s, our forefathers determined that the socialistic form of government wasn’t working. People were starving on the shared commodities of a fascist government. When our forefathers split up the land, and gave each family responsibility for making the food for their own family, raising it or growing it, each family took on the responsibility and America Flourished.

In the City Council meeting, when members of Council indicated a willingness to negotiate with the people of this community and with other Community Leaders, Ron Stock, City Administrator said, “If we’re not going to do it as is, cut it.” Councilman Ron Cook made a motion to cut the Urban Redevelopment Plan at that point. His motion was ignored and the discussion continued.

As it reads, and anyone can read this Urban Development Plan by clicking on THIS LINK The Urban Redevelopment Plan bears no benefits for the community, for the tax payers, nor for the leaders of this community. I would encourage everyone to READ the document and ask your City Council person to VOTE “NO” on the Urban Redevelopment Plan.