tribune parrots developers’ propaganda
Sunday’s editorial by Rosemary Goudreau says we should “engage citizens in a discussion” about growth, but she doesn’t want those pesky citizens actually VOTING on their Comprehensive Plan, because that “could grind growth to a halt and destroy jobs.”
Never has the time been better to engage citizens in a discussion about how the region should grow, the attributes we want to preserve and the trade-offs we might accept.
Next year a state constitutional amendment called “Hometown Democracy” will go to voters requiring citizens to approve any change to a community’s “comp plan.” It’s a misguided proposal that could grind growth to a halt and destroy jobs.
Tuesday’s Tribune editorial adds:
“If [citizens] manage to slow down the construction of houses and apartments, they will slow the state’s economy…”
Contrary to these hysterical warnings of the economic doom that might come from letting citizens control development in our communities, unrestrained growth is NOT good for our economy. In fact, unrestrained growth is drowning us in debt. A new county study (the FIELD model) shows that unless we rein in development, in twenty years our county will be $3.3 billion in debt on roads alone, while schools and other infrastructure will increase that deficit. Each new house costs Hillsborough taxpayers several thousand dollars just in road costs not covered by impact fees. Our county is right now about to borrow $500 million against our future taxes just to make a small down-payment toward our $3.8 billion unfunded roadway need.
Furthermore, a healthy job market does NOT depend on unsustainable numbers of new houses being built every year. I’ve employed numerous plumbers & electricians, and bought new roofs & appliances, even though I’ve never bought a brand-new house. I’ve employed realtors too, each time I’ve bought another old house. And we all spend plenty of money on goods & services totally unrelated to the building of new subdivisions.
Our taxes subsidize development. We also pay for over-development in time wasted sitting in congested traffic. Our children pay sitting in overcrowded schools. We pay in water and other natural resources.
Yet the Tribune implies that we should be disregarded if we try to defend our communities (and our property values) against over-development that degrades our neighborhoods, lowers our quality of life, AND costs us dearly.
I’m all for “engaging citizens in a discussion,” but that would incorrectly imply that our elected officials would actually listen. Simply put, if our leaders consistently fail to vote the way we wish they would, then we need to take the reins ourselves and vote on these matters directly.
Tags: development, government, growth, newspaper, taxes
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May 30th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
[...] Whacking the Trib’s stance on growth. [...]
May 30th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
regardless of your position politically, a direct democracy is a formula for failure when it comes to managing the minutae of government. If growth must be voted on, then why not waste management, water policy and selection of the police chief?
As an example, for sheer convenience I’m sure most people would vote against water restrictions (despite being in a drought).
Sometimes you just have to trust your elected representatives to (hopefully) do the right thing — even when it isn’t the easy thing.
May 30th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
The Tribune has always done this, and they’ve endorsed pro-developer politicians time and time again with the weak admonition to them to “listen to the citizens”. Then, when Jim Norman or Kevin White or Brian Blair or some other developer lap-dog approves another huge subdivision on a wetland (on the theory that frogs and fish don’t vote or give them cash, I guess) they act surprised.
Why anyone still cares what the Trib has to say in its editorials is a mystery to me. They’re a corporate subsidiary, wholly owned and wholly subservient to Media General’s financial agenda.. which is *not* the same thing as the public interest.
May 30th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Chaalie, you’re making an absurd and fallacious leap comparing citizen approval of a comprehensive growth plan to managing the minutae of government. When lawmakers start working for their constituents perhaps they’ll earn the trust that would displace the need for this sort of oversight. Unfortunately I’ve lost faith that most citizens have the attention span required to even inform themselves about these issues since they repeatedly fail to show up at the polls when given the opportunity to oust the crooks or affirm the good guys. When we fail to speak out, our voice is assumed to be in harmony with those that do.
May 30th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
You know, if Florida’s economy depends on over-development (that destroys resources, invites sprawl and makes it difficult to manage services provided by local and county governments)…
Isn’t it about friggin’ time we took steps necessary to lead the state economy elsewhere? I mean, shit, we’re training our students in local high schools for service industry, retail and construction jobs with how poorly we are serving them…
The Media General Tribune takes that deep conservative route: “Change is bad, risk is bad, why change what doesn’t work when people at the top are paid handsomely within that system?”
May 31st, 2007 at 9:13 am
Yes, we need more growth. Look how wonderful life is now- traffic, less green space, less wildlife, more pollution. Aw who needs quality in your life any way. The Tribs new motto- “Uncontrolled Growth It’s Great”!
May 31st, 2007 at 10:40 am
Dollars speak. Home builders spend alot of money advertising in the Tribune. No new developments mean no new houses which means loss of valuable advertising revenue to Media General.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:56 pm
the trib’s editorials are extremely without morals or scruples in most cases.
May 31st, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Not to mention hideously incorrect in some cases. Anyone remember the day after the Lightning won the Stanley Cup?
The tribune mourned their game seven loss… I mean, HELLO?!?
May 31st, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Until our politicians decide to follow the will of the people and not the developers, our state will continue to go down the drain along with our water!
We have at least 4 County Commisioners who need their butts kicked out.
I think voters are becoming aware of this considering Joe Redner received 40% of the vote in the County Commisioner race.
Hey Jim, did you happen to wonder why? People are getting wise.
I haven’t heard any of our politicians offering to cut their salary or pension!
Politicians, Newspapers I think the public is beginning to “get wise to you guys”.
I have been a Tribune reader for 45 years, I just have one question: What good is the millions of dollars in advertising you get from the developers, if no one buys your paper?
May 31st, 2007 at 8:08 pm
When the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved a Community-Based Planning Program in 1998, my neighbors and I rejoiced over the expectation that our BOCC recognized that the most effective growth management plan should be from the bottom to up, rather than from top to down.
Community Based Plans are designed to address and offer solutions to the community’s critical planning issues and concerns, with emphasis on development and growth management.
Despite several communities with plans in place, neither the Tampa Tribune or the BOCC have recognized the role that Community Plans can play as an important growth management tool. In fact, the BOCC has missed the boat by characterizing these plans as “wish lists” at a recent public meeting.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Sorta like Jim Norman characterizing Mass Transit as something that only St. Petersburg wants so people will attend baseball games.
HCBOCC — Out of touch. I’m befuddled why these people got re-elected last year when they have a record of zero results!
June 2nd, 2007 at 12:17 pm
The issue is “sustainability” which can roughly be defined as “meeting one’s needs in the present without jeopardizing the ability of future generations from meeting there needs.” City, County, and Staate are trying to equate sustainability with smart growth…good luck. A paradigm shift is required to prepare ourselves and our communities for what lies ahead as demand for oil outstrips supply and we face the very real possibility of economic collapse.
June 5th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
[...] then we can begin to have a real conversation about how to spend our money. (First, let’s stop wasting our taxes subsidizing over-development!) Until my commissioners start spending my taxes responsibly, I’m not asking my state [...]
June 13th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
mariella is right on. FL Hometown Democracy is an idea whose time has come. Things are so bad and so far down the wrong road that strong measures such as that are necessary and desirable.
ron wolfe forgets one thing about the community planning process — the plans and the planning process are taken over by…guess who? developers! who crowd into the “community” and sit right up at the table by residents and take over the meetings. all in the name of being legitimate “stakeholders.” never mind that they don’t live in the community! they only see the community as a COMMODITY…to throw up subdivisions on. so much for “community” planning. it doesn’t work in Hillsborough.
June 15th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
florida cracker needs to understand that despite the extrordinarily undue influence from developers and their land use attorneys during the community planning process, their participation tended to provide balance to the discussions. With the help of county staff, those citizens who participated in the planning process were provided technical guidance, allowing their voices to be heard.
While the community planning process was not a perfect system, those communities who now have plans in place are thankful they do. However, they are frustrated that the BOCC continues to avoid implementation by referring to the plans as “wish lists”.
Finally, many believe that a better use for the 40 Mil funding that Jim Norman is pushing for the Sportsman Park project would be to distribute these funds equally to those communitities with plans in place, to begin the process of implementation.
June 30th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
I think many of us know exactly what is going on with (4) of our County Commisioners not all 7.
I seriously doubt I need to mention their names, it seems a great percentage of the citizens are becoming well aware of their names.
What I can’t comprehend is how they got elected in the first place.
In reply to Mr.Wolfe, if the BOCC refers to our community plans as “wish lists” it sounds to me as though they don’t intend to
implement any of these plans now or in the future. Since they seem to be in charge,I suppose we have to put up with them until the voters wise up and vote their butts out!
July 14th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Surfside Florid used to be the fantastic example of how a municipality can be run for the PEOPLE not for the developers, not for the greed, but for preserving and enhancing a great coastal community. Research it! Now in 2007 Surfside has sold out. Its new town officials cover their tracks and pretend to be one thing while being the monster in reality. Opening up zoning codes. Increasing density in a coastal evacuation and environmental protection area. Using deceptive language and misleading the state and the citizens. The zoning changes being made by Burkett Weinberg Imberman and Levine are disguised and deceptive. State audit needed. Local zoning changes inconsistent with comprehensive plan. Violates state policy. Its all a con job. Will Florida Department of Community Affairs do something or sleep though it?