By Curmudgeon
Several interesting recent stories which might be of interest to Ogden and Weberites.
First, eminent domain powers to take private land, including homes, to sell to other private developers, are it seems about to return. Full story in the SL Trib here. The Trib details the enthusiastic support for the return of eminent domain powers to take private property to benefit another private entity by Ogden's very own Godfrey administration spokesperson Mark Johnson:
And then yesterday, there was the opening salvo in Hizzonah Mayor Godfrey's re-election campaign, fired appropriately enough by Godfreyista Councilman Stephenson in an op-ed piece in the Standard Examiner. The evidence of Councilman Stephenson's enlisting in the Corps de Godfrey can be found here."Two years ago, the Legislature stopped cities from using eminent domain for redevelopment projects.
At the time, Ogden's effort to replace homes and businesses in a blighted downtown neighborhood with a Wal-Mart was cited as an abuse by legislators who subsequently put a moratorium on such use of eminent domain.
Under an amendment to HB365 approved by the committee, Ogden would be able to pick up where it left off in trying to acquire homes and businesses in that area north of Union Station - as well as in the Ogden River Project area.
Mark Johnson, Ogden's management-services director, praised the measure."This really helps some of the key projects in the city, such as the river project, which is part of the downtown rebirth."
The second phase of the Ogden River Project - a plan to transform 60 acres north of the LDS Temple downtown with new homes, shops and restaurants - has been stymied by the moratorium, he said. "
Stephenson's piece is remarkable as an example of political sophistry at its best/worst [pick one]. It rings all the old Godfrey Gondola Amen Chorus chimes... like wondering what would have happened to Ogden if naysayers back in the day had prevented the railroad from coming here, and likening current opponents to vague un-named plans of the Mayor and others to the non-existent RR protesters in Stephenson's imaginary history. Stephenson insists that we "must" -- all of us -- actively support the plans of Ogden's Mayor to bring new business to the city, whatever those plans may be. Stephenson notes that a dozen companies have come already, and he concedes [somewhat grudgingly] that fast access here to mountain recreation is at least a reason they came. But that's not the major reason they came. What was that reason? Well, let Councilman Stephenson explain it for you:
"However, most of those that I have communicated with admit that the most compelling reason they came to Ogden is the excitement generated by projects and proposals currently under way, and because of the progressive and can-do attitude of the mayor, his administration and other city leadership. "
I found it interesting that nowhere in his op-ed piece does Mr. Stephenson so much as mention any of the following terms: "gondola" or "Peterson" or "Peterson proposal." Not to be found anywhere in his essay. Not once. Imagine that. Nary a mention.
Notice too that at the recent Godfrey-organized "Envision Ogden" announced at its founding meeting that it is taking "no position" on the gondola proposal.
From which I think we can conclude two things: (a) The Godfrey campaign brain trust has concluded that the gondola and Peterson Proposals are not winning issues for the Mayor in his pursuit of re-election. So the Mayor's surrogates like Mr. Stephenson have been directed to keep them out of their campaign screeds. And that (b) should the Mayor be re-elected, all the vague "plans" mentioned in campaign tracts like Stephenson's will be revealed as [ta-da!] the gondola and Peterson proposals to buy Ogden's public open space on the benches and turn them into a real estate development to finance the Mayor's crony Chris Peterson's development dreams.
Just like last time. We know now that Hizzonah was already canoodling with Mr. Peterson about selling the golf course and public bench lands to finance gondolas here, gondolas there, gondolas everywhere! before his last re-election. The Mayor just didn't happen to mention it during the campaign. Looks like he's working from the same playbook this time: keep the gondola/Peterson proposals off the stage as campaign issues, until the morning after the votes are counted, when he will trot them out yet again. And no doubt he will be campaigning hard to elect compliant Council members as well.
