You can always go downtown

Not too many candidates are talking about reigning in economic development incentives. I should be happy about that, but I'm not. Every candidate wants their own issue that rings with the voters. Unfortunately, if you start talking about scaling back TIF and tax abatements you're threatening to cut off the money fix to a lot of organizations. Organizations and individuals that donate a lot of money to campaigns. The kind of money that gets you elected, or re-elected. I'm not happy because we all should be talking about responsible economic development policies. Not just paying it lip service with a bullet point on a campaign flyer. Not taking money from these organizations is surprisingly liberating. I can speak my mind. I can write things in this blog or in my position papers that won't infuriate my contributors. My economic development postions certainly aren't infuriating the voters I meet. Tomorrow I meet with the Political Action Committee arm of the Downtown Council. From the leading questions on their questionnaire I know in advance I won't be a very popular guy in that room. Like most groups I meet with though, I understand where they're coming from. They have their issues that are a priority for them. Nothing wrong with that. The Downtown Council's name says it all. Their thing is downtown. Build downtown, live downtown, funnel every dime to downtown. I agree that downtown is our centerpiece. I REALLY agree that the success of the Power and Light Districtis crucial for all of us. (If it isn't successful we're all paying for it) I don't agree that Downtown continues to need incentives for companies to want to move there. So tomorrow I head downtown to say what's on my mind and probably agree to disagree. I understand respect their position. I hope they understand mine.