Your Opinion: City oversteps into development business

Dear Editor:

So, the city held it first public meeting Monday night to see if a subsidy is warranted above the $9 million already committed and to see if parking could sweeten the deal. The majority of citizens have already spoken on this issue, but these elected officials have failed to hear us. I didn't need space or time to beat this dead-horse issue at a council meeting; only a change to a more frugal-minded electorate will help us.

The U. S. Postal Service typically operates "in the red," but do you believe FedEx or UPS would have a business model that allows for a loss each of the next 10 years with no guarantee of profit thereafter? Hardly.

But, also of issue Monday night was the city's agenda of using public money to develop private property for the sake of getting dedicated right-of-way and voluntary annexation. So when is the city's responsibility to develop private property which will allow private property owners to reap profit from the development? What private property owner wouldn't want free roads, sewers, drainage and other improvements so he could sell property and make money?

I have already spoken to both my councilmen with my opinion. Let developers plan and develop, assume risks and reap the rewards of the efforts. I do, however, believe the county and city could be associated with coordinating future needs, land-use intent and projected growth, but not to the extent of actual design and construction with public funds. That the city would consider a $5 million outlay without an immediate bonafide need and immediate return on the money spent, such as safety or unexpected growth such that occurred with Algoa Spur -- now Militia Drive -- or the sewer expansion to Maytag property, is totally ludicrous.

When will government learn to stay out of the concerns that are better left to business alone? All governments need to stick to providing fire, police, streets, and public works with a balanced budget and leave it to private business to take care of orderly growth if that is a worthy cause.