February 01, 2005
In Sunday's Tribune article, John Braun, DDA Chairman, says that
opposition to DDA's new plan is based on inaccurate and twisted
information, and *personal agenda*.
Mr. Braun might have been able to clarify what was *inaccurate or twisted* in our information if he would have made a presentation to City Council and the public when the Council met to debate the public hearing.
No one presented DDA's plan at Council at all.
Mr. Braun might have been able to clarify what was *inaccurate or twisted* if he participated in the online discussion at www.shwatchdog. org.
No one is presenting DDA's plan here, and they've been invited.
DDA has previously had a lot of success hanging out in the shadows like that.
Mr. Braun also seems surprised that citizens and City Council thought that the DDA's budget proposal WAS actually a budget proposal.
No, Braun says, actually the Plan offers:
"simple examples and amounts of what possibly could be done and not what would be done".
Welcome to the light of day, DDA.
That ambiguity is just ONE of the reasons why City Council sent the Plan back to DDA requesting details.
City taxpayers and City Council are finally recognizing that DDA needs to be understood and monitored.
Now DDA wants City Council to grant them very broad new power given "simple examples" for expenditures in the multiple millions?
I hope those days are over.
We have been discovering that the DDA has wealth and independance.
DDA operates with very little accountability to the public or City Council.
We question their debt, past projects, future plans and their
addition of large waterfront residential areas to their tax capture district.
That is our *personal agenda*.
Our *personal agenda* is to direct our huge property tax burden to be spent to make South Haven a prosperous, livable and beautiful hometown community.
We've been willing to do the work and join our voices in this effort.
But let's clarify the main issue so that our focus is clear:
Many residents of the city and county feel strongly that their
PROPERTY TAXES SHOULD NOT BE SPENT ON MARKETING.
"Simple examples" of several million dollars for highway billboards, print and television advertising only add emphasis to our opposition.
We would like the DDA to withdraw their request to City Council to approve an amendment to their mission (known as "The Plan" ) to include marketing.
We want City Council to refuse to amend DDA's Plan and deny city property tax revenues from being used for marketing and advertising.
We believe that marketing is the job and budget of The Chamber of Commerce, South Haven Visitor's Bureau and private business itself.
If downtown businesses wish to tax themselves or their customers to create a marketing arm (like lodging has with The Visitor's Bureau) they have an option to create a Principal Shopping District (PDF). Or simply take up a collection amongst themselves. We suggest they do that.
We would like Mr. Braun, City Manager Kevin Anderson and the DDA Board to kindly acknowledge and respond to the issues.
Posted by Elaine at February 1, 2005 08:23 AM