Reader Response: You're Wrong About Downtown
29/08/2008 06:56
Your skeptical side
dominated
your
logical
side:
Don:
I often (not always) agree with your point of view on St. Albert issues, but this is one I think your skeptical side dominated your logical side, and I really think you are off base.
Our Mayor really needs to be congratulated for taking an initiative to get things going from an economic development point of view.
If we want to even think of achieving an 80/20 split in residential versus commercial/industrial tax revenues, we need to start applauding those initiatives that at least attempt to address some of the issues.
I am not sure how much this will cost the taxpayer, but my experience with these type of committees is that there is an awful lot of volunteer time that is expended, and there may be some staff support from City Hall, but that is usually about it.
From what I see this is about revitalizing downtown, so people use if for more than the farmer's market in the summer and to go visit their doctor, lawyer or visit city hall to pay our taxes.
Many shops have tried to make a go of it in the area, and have had to close because of the lack of daily, weekly and yearly traffic.
We should promote the initiative, and not look for the negatives in every action that comes from City Hall. Lord knows, there are enough real problems that emanate from that place, but this is not one of them.
Andy von Busse
SINC SAYS:
Well Andy, we can't agree all the time, but I should tell you I spoke with four local business owners yesterday who are not located downtown who agreed with my opinion. They all said you can do what you want, but St. Albert will never have a viable downtown. They also stated that if the city coughs up money for downtown, they will approach council for the same treatment for their venues, just to be fair. And those four business owners pay taxes too. Opening Pandora's box creates a slippery slope indeed.
Don:
I often (not always) agree with your point of view on St. Albert issues, but this is one I think your skeptical side dominated your logical side, and I really think you are off base.
Our Mayor really needs to be congratulated for taking an initiative to get things going from an economic development point of view.
If we want to even think of achieving an 80/20 split in residential versus commercial/industrial tax revenues, we need to start applauding those initiatives that at least attempt to address some of the issues.
I am not sure how much this will cost the taxpayer, but my experience with these type of committees is that there is an awful lot of volunteer time that is expended, and there may be some staff support from City Hall, but that is usually about it.
From what I see this is about revitalizing downtown, so people use if for more than the farmer's market in the summer and to go visit their doctor, lawyer or visit city hall to pay our taxes.
Many shops have tried to make a go of it in the area, and have had to close because of the lack of daily, weekly and yearly traffic.
We should promote the initiative, and not look for the negatives in every action that comes from City Hall. Lord knows, there are enough real problems that emanate from that place, but this is not one of them.
Andy von Busse
SINC SAYS:
Well Andy, we can't agree all the time, but I should tell you I spoke with four local business owners yesterday who are not located downtown who agreed with my opinion. They all said you can do what you want, but St. Albert will never have a viable downtown. They also stated that if the city coughs up money for downtown, they will approach council for the same treatment for their venues, just to be fair. And those four business owners pay taxes too. Opening Pandora's box creates a slippery slope indeed.
