tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551647111924186318.post7905170294601755061..comments2023-11-28T22:36:11.846-05:00Comments on Matthew Stone Dot Org: Evans' Party Switch Still Raises EyebrowsBlog Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15900497671781531454noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551647111924186318.post-37302505878821305332013-03-07T11:48:50.693-05:002013-03-07T11:48:50.693-05:00Christine, I certainly understand your tireless ef...Christine, I certainly understand your tireless efforts on behalf of the proposed Meadows TIF. I know that you have publicly expressed these in committee meetings and at the full council. But when Democratic councilors attacked you during a full council meeting last month, I think there might've been one other Republican councilor who stuck up for you that night outside of Twitter. And there certainly was no comment on the disrespect shown to you from Acting Mayor Vaughn's office. <br /><br /> I know I've had conversations with both Republicans and Democrats on past issues and they swear up and down "I'm a big supporter of X issue/proposal" and I just tell them that they need to show it. Be a co-sponsor, hold a press conference, put out a press release, be vocal and upfront about it. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, say its a bad proposal and vote accordingly. <br /><br />Unfortunately, the proposed TIF of yours comes too close to the original purpose of a TIF, which is to help out a struggling area and hopefully make it better. The modern purpose of a TIF is to ensure that the lobbyists who dot both sides of Washington Street get to keep as much money in their pockets to finance private development while the public services that average citizens rely on struggle to keep their operations going. <br /><br />There might be a handful of council Republicans who truly support it, and there's probably a handful of Democrats who would like to support it but feel pressure not to so that a "win" isn't put in the Mayor's column. But I highly doubt it has the support of the council Republican caucus or Acting Mayor Vaughn. I would be glad to be proved wrong, because that area is so in need of some assistance.Blog Adminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15900497671781531454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3551647111924186318.post-21016037709420724132013-03-07T11:23:08.941-05:002013-03-07T11:23:08.941-05:00"The TIF did not have support from either the..."The TIF did not have support from either the Democrats or Republicans and never made it to a vote on the full council or committees." The proposal was postponed in committee several times, with each Democrat voting to postpone and each Republican voting not to postpone. When the proposal was finally heard in committee, each Democrat on the committee voted to table the proposal-a means of killing it so that a negative vote on it won't be reflected on their record. Each Republican on the committee voted against tabling it, and were ready to vote for it in committee. If the proposal finds its way to Council, I would wager it would receive unanimous support from Republicans.<br />Christine Scales, City County Councillor, District 4CEShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11653258226265674239noreply@blogger.com