Monday, July 25, 2011

Pioneer Days Weekend News Roundup/Wrapup - UPDATED

Plenty to discuss as the 2011 Pioneer Day Holiday wraps up, Yes?

A few semi-chewy weekend back-burner items for our gentle readers to gnaw on, as they trickle in from our L-O-N-G (and H-O-T) Pioneer Day weekend:

1) For the benefit of those folks who've been living under a rock, Ace Reporter Schwebke finally got around to reporting on Sunday the results of the July 12, 2011 Council Session, wherein the Ogden City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) Board, voted unanimously to essentially give away 6.1 acres of land in the River Project area, with an assessed value of $2.4 million, to SouthRiver LLC, for a planned development of townhouses, apartments, and retail space:
Boss Godfrey is of course thrilled and says "it's gratifying to know that construction will finally be starting," (after languishing under his ham-handed mismanagement for the last nine years or so.) If Boss Godfrey's clownishly-executed Ogden River Project isn't a classic real-life illustration of why local gummint shouldn't get involved or even dabble in ambitious and intricate real estate development, by the way, we'll be hard pressed to find anything which could possibly be more persuasive.

2) Despite some questions about the selection process used by the Casper (Wyoming) City council, the Casper Journal reports that Casper's municipal legislative body has now cured all legal defects, and has now formally given its official approval (by a 7-2 vote) to hiring John "Pureheart" Patterson as their new city manager. It's in this connection, of course, that one of our sharp-eye WCF readers asks the obvious question:
3) We're hoping you're all no worse for wear after a Pioneer Days celebration which, (taking into account the mega-tonnage of fireworks and other personal incendiary ordnance which has been blown up or otherwise ignited in our Emerald City neighborhoods over the past month)... has plainly gone on for way too long (if you know what we mean and we think you do.)


Utah's legally sanctioned "24/7/30 Annoy Your Neighbors Kit"

Update 7/25/11 3:52 p.m.: Just to flesh out as fully as possible the entire array of discussion items which we may have inadvertently failed to address over the now dwindling Pioneer Day weekend (and in the recent past), we're pleased to add this Dan Schroeder 7/23/11 WCF comment to the mix:
Plenty to discuss as the 2011 Pioneer Day Holiday wraps up, NO?

So who'll be the next WCF Reader to chime in?

9 comments:

althepal said...

"If Boss Godfrey's clownishly-executed Ogden River Project isn't a classic real-life illustration of why local gummint shouldn't get involved or even dabble
in ambitious and intricate real estate development, we're hard pressed
to find anything which could possibly be more persuasive."

There's an important lesson here, Rudi.  With an Ogden Mayoral election coming up, it would be a terrible mistake to elect another wet-behind-the ears youngster to the Mayor's Chair.

This time, let;s elect someone with experience in government, and perhaps just a little "gray hair."

Ray said...

Brain Fart for Monday:  If recent developments with the FAA tax on airline tickets are any indication, the oft repeated statement that lower taxes will be better for the common man is BS. Major airlines have pocketed that $22 or more surcharge per $200 ticket and in effect increased airfares by a hefty percentage.  Just as oil speculators did when the government recently released oil reserves. We the people get the shaft.  When the surcharge comes back will the Republicans refuse to reinstate it, as it is by their recent logic a “Tax Increase?” More proof of our congress and US business’s mantra of “Don’t do what’s best for the country; do what’s best for me (us). Putting their personal ideology ahead of the good of the country!  “As I watch our country slip towards the debt limit cliff, I’m utterly disgusted by the lack of grown-ups ability to act as such and compromise on a solution while willing to play chicken with the financial health of our country. Sick, just flippin sick.  I will vote accordingly in the next election.

blackrulon said...

Will it be legal to shoot off fireworks to celebrate when Godfrey finally leaves office? 

BikerBabe said...

aren't they allowed on New Years Eve?

js
BB

Danny said...

"The development agreement calls for the RDA to retain all of the tax
increment derived from the development to cover conveyance of the
property to SouthRiver."

This is a government con.  It means that for the added value of the property, the added tax will go to the government.

Well, doesn't it, usually?  In other words, they gave the SOBs the land for free, just because they promised to build an insta-slum on it, then actually pay the taxes they owe on it.

Want a deal like that?  Pay off Tom Christopulos.

Dan S. said...

There's still the question of where exactly the taxes go. Until 2019, they all go to the RDA (not the schools, library, city general fund, mosquito abatement district, etc.). But the city intends to ask these taxing entities to give up the tax for another seven years, through 2026. This would presumably allow the RDA to pass some of the money on (in one way or another) to other developers in the River Project area. Any bets on whether the taxing entities will agree?

Dan S. said...

Oops, Rudi, here's another recent story that WCF seems to have missed:

http://www.standard.net/stories/2011/07/20/hilton-garden-inn-coming-junction

rudizink said...

Dang, Dan.  Your blogmeister is fast learning about the folly of trying to take a coupla days off over a long and hot July holiday weekend.  Thanks for the additional link, in any event.

rudizink said...

Intriguing question indeed, Dan.  And I'm not getting any easy answers from my crystal ball.  Here's an interesting wrinkle however. 

The Ogden School District, which has two seats on the taxing entity committee, is now mired in a dispute with the teachers' union, in a context where it's apparent that school district finances are very tight. 

The school district voted to defer its soon-upcoming Junction tax increment during the summer of 2009 as I recall.  It'll be interesting to observe whether the school board adopts the same course of action, as Boss Godfrey looks for another tax increment deferment, in an atmosphere where the board is already pleading poverty, dontcha think?

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