Thursday, March 02, 2006

Valpo Parks need to raise $75,000 to buy a parcel for $100,000. First, it sounds like they are paying too much. Second, it sounds like the family has taken some nice tax breaks and now wants to cash in, if they were developers they'd be told to just donate it, or else. Third, how about the Parks use the funds from their parks impact fees ... isn't that why they started levying that "tax" fee in the first place.

How about this, they can keep their land and try and sell the lot for $100,000. The city can buy another lot for half that amount with funds from the park impact fee.


I've been asked a couple times for my opinion on the toll road. Frankly, I think the deal should go through as proposed by Mitch, no changes. This Republican Senator from downstate that is messing up the bill needs to go home. He didn't mess up the Colts stadium, how about he stays out of things here too. Let's take the $4 billion. Let's fund the RDA at the $10 million a year that was promised. Let's move into the 21st Century. Read the Times article today.
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

daltonsbriefs, you are attacking our parks department? Why?

this is where we need EFP to take you to task

Seems to Me

9:02 PM
Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Dalton,
You are criticizing a family who has generously allowed the community to utilize their property as a park for over fifty years. You have no idea why they might have needs to sell the property. When you don't really know the circumstances, it can be unwise to speculate in a mean spirited way.

The Park Department and Board want to preserve this property as a park, not another property. The park is a legacy park, named for two outstanding members of the Valparaiso Community who are now deceased. This is meaningful to their living relatives and many other people who were touched by their lives. Many people who currently play vital roles in our community grew up with fond memories of this park, not some other lot.

I am surprised by your lack of understanding of impact fees. Impact fees can only be used to fund future deficiencies created by new development. Impact fees protect current taxpayers from having to pay for Park Dept. services and programs desired by an increased population living in new development. Sometimes these programs and services require land. The park department has not yet collected one impact fee.

We cannot forget our older neighborhoods. They are what give character to our city. I believe it is the right thing to do to preserve this park in this neighborhood. Of course I would rather not have to pay for the park, however, the community will speak as to whether the cost is too high. I think the Park is valued by many and that we will raise the money to keep it.

Because you are very concerned about affordable housing, I would like to ask you to support our efforts to save a park in the downtown area where many of the homes are "affordable." Beautiful parks like Jessee-Pifer are one of the things that will continue to attract people to an older neighborhood and perhaps to fix up an older home and make it more appealing. For us to turn our backs and say that we won't even make the effort to save this park would be the wrong thing to do for many reasons. Please join us in our efforts. I'll put you on my list to contact!!!

5:56 PM
daltonsbriefs said...

Ms Emerson,

Thanks for the comments

It is not unwise to speculate. It is unwise for government to be given free reign.

I'll allow that in this case it looks like the parks department and foundation have done their homework.

Perhaps a park is needed in this area. I'll have to check it out and make sure it's a park that the department actually maintains.

Affordable housing was a good retort, you bet I think affordable housing is important to Valpo.

What the board and foundation want, still needs to be defended and speculation and questioning is one of those means. Good government allows and asks for the speculation of the public.

7:12 AM

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