rda comes through for hammond

its taken 3 years. and honestly this isnt my first choice on how to use rda money for hammond. but it appears the rda is finally showing its value to the city as an entity.

http://nwi.com/articles/2009/01/09/news/lake_county/docc2f6972c1ca325138625753900167bd1.txt

i believe this project will be a huge success over the long run for the city. it will finally initiate the proper utilization of wolf lake as a center piece for the city. it will turn wolf lake into a future gathering point of the city for future generations as well.

those of you that may recall past events at the civic center? in the future your kids will recall past events that occurred on wolf lake.

combined with the golf course, and casino, the calumet ave corridor of Robertsdale is going to become a huge attraction for business and entertainment.

i havent seen the final details (but i believe the mayor will be discussing some of them on wjob at 730 am this friday morn) but my big questions iwould be what about the north end of the lake? there are currently a lot of homes there... might they suddenly be of huge commercial interest once this project is completed for hotels and the like. or would the city be interested in possibly freeing up some of the current park property for such development to go along with the new development to the south of the lake? and how might this effect the long term condo plans that have been kicked around for the lake michigan area just west of the marina as well.

i dont know those answers. but its easy to see how this project will suddenly open the city up to some big possibilities.

One thing I like about our mayor is that the man always thinks big.

I'm not really feeling so warm and fuzzy about this thing. On top of the additional $22 mil that Hammond has to shell out at the worst possible time economically this part strikes a nerve, "McDermott also told the board he doesn't mind Hammond serving as an example in meeting RDA hiring goals for minority-owned and women-owned firms." In this day and time we need to break away from the entitlement mentality. If anything, it should be a city resident requirement.

Now is supposed to be for the construction jobs mostly? Seems like we've run into that problem before in LC anyway and had a hard time finding either a local or "minority" firm to contract.

I don't see that we need a way too expensive amphitheater or aquatic center in the first place. How about we forget about some of this nonsense spending and start concentrating on making the city more affordable, not more costly to live in.

I don't think this is a good idea

I agree with Mirage. Why are they spending money at this time, when millions are getting laid off nationally. Put the crap on hold. Everyone is hurting. No one is spending even at WalMart.

It's stupid to pretend parents have the money, the kids have the money to do anything. I've been driving a 12 year old neighbor kid to school. Gavit.

I asked her about why she had to be at school at 6:45 a.m. She needs her breakfast. Her dad is a single parent, working nights. She always walked to school before (imagine walking down Columbia, to 175th to where the school is all these years without getting attacked!)

Anyway, the point is, here is a single father who isn't around, because he works nights, and his baby has to walk to school and depend on breakfast and lunch there. I asked her if she got a discount on her food. She replied that her dad "tried, but couldn't". I asked her how much it cost.

Her reply was, "Well, it's initially not expensive considering what you get, it's $2.00 for breakfast, and depending on the food, at lunch, it can run you a little more, which gets quite expensive weekly."

Here's a twelve year old that knows the value of the dollar. Just to eat. Then you hear about all these places that the mayor wants to open up at a time when most parents are working their butts off, and a little kid kind of feels guilty for eating at school, and downplaying it.

I guess my point is, the economy is realy stagnant right now. Even the elite are not spending like they used to...stocks are down, the whole economy sucks, so why is it hard to just hold back on projects until we know things will be better?

There should be a "rainy day" surplus like the tight-wad governor downstate, even though funds could be used for the levee. But, maybe in hind-sight he is trying to tell the rest of the state to lay off on dream projects, and put the money where it belongs. Like on the levee. Maybe that is the message.

Look at Rudy Clay, and ask if we are doing better. You can build water parks, you can build anything you want...but if people don't have the money for WalMart, that should tell you how bad it is out there. NO Projects, please, and let's just settle for what we have now..ride it out.

Big Unit wrote:

One thing I like about our mayor is that the man always thinks big.

You know I like ya big unit, but I think we should be thinking small right now.

If the City of Hammond chooses to not go with this project because of the match we may never hear from the RDA again. It is a huge project and a great opportunity for Hammond the timing is way off though

At this point I think I might prefer it if the RDA just went belly up and stopped spending money period.

It's yet another case of an unelected board with little real accountability spending tax money. It might be nice to have some of these projects but it just kills me how government tosses tons of cash out there and then claims we need more of your money still. And nobody even asked you if you even wanted what they spent it on!

You know with all those $trillions alone the Federal tax dollar is spending on bailouts to private companies "for our common good" I bet they could have built quite a few museums. Yet had they not spent the money and had instead focused on reducing the tax burden maybe people would again have some spare change to support things like museums with private funding.

I swear for whatever reasons government is committed to spending on such things the end result will be that the currency will soon become so worthless that it will need to be replaced by a one world currency and the tax burden will be so crushing that only the most highly paid workers will even bother with earning an income. It's socialism! It really is.

It may seem like I'm needlessly going off the deep end on this little local project but I'm really not. It speaks to the mindset of government in general these days even in the midst of a major economic crisis that so far shows little chance of improvement.

Not to take this thread off topic but I have mentioned before that I think the RiverPark location would be a great spot for a childrens museum

It is confusing to hear cut cut cut and then find out that the RDA is willing to spend huge amounts of money

Now they say that the cuts needed might not be as deep as they thought? I wonder if that accountant is going to be cut?

i understand why some are wary of the rda building projects like this in hammond. i agree its a little askew of the original rda vision that was proposed when the rda was created.

however, if 10 million dollar beeches in porter county (with no local match) are considered fine projects for the rda (and the governor did sign off on that one). its hard to imagine how this one also isnt in its current purview (and the governors representative on the board, has already signed off on this one).

as for the 22 million that hammond is supposed to come up with for this project. its very possible that the new president is going to wind up funding much of that. also, the city has other dedicated funds, such as port authority money (casino boarding tax money)....that could be used for this project, but by law couldnt be used to fund the city budget.

i can virtually guarentee the funding for hammond's match, wont come out of property tax payers pockets. however, the likely benefits of increased commercial property values of the area surrounding it? the tax payers will likely see rates go down over the long haul, because of that.

You know what Oracle, this project's cost could finish the levee



Hmm maybe someone needs to go to the Regional Development Authority and tell them to forget this and instead finish the Levee.

If they can build a park in Porter County, they can fund the finishing of the levee

as for the 22 million that hammond is supposed to come up with for this project. its very possible that the new president is going to wind up funding much of that.

That's still tax money!

I never supported the Portage beaches plan. As you said Oracle this unelected board lost it's vision and I think it was off track from the start. All this spending and STILL we don't have a Regional transportation plan or a thriving airport. If anything parks and museums should be an after thought once revenues begin to build up from development. Except there is no development to speak of - just terminal spending!

As for the childrens' museum V proposed I have always said such things ought not be on the public dime. Not at all opposed to the idea, just who pays all or even most of such a thing. Sounds like the kind of thing Carnagy or the J. D. Rocafeller foundations would have done several decades ago, but of course as taxation has increased their participation in such philanthropic efforts have decreased, as is true of corporate and private donations in general.

heres the thing mike.

the levee project when completed is a project that would benefit several communities...from hobart all the way to the state line...including hammond.

the wolf lake project is a project that will benefit mainly hammond.

the levee project will probably have to be funded by the state somehow. besides all of the posturing. lets be real. its almost unthinkable the state republican government, would let that project go another year, on the heals of last years flooding, in republican bastion of munster.

so if your the mayor of the city of hammond. what would you do? support a project that will benefit your city with millions of investment, and include facilities that will employ people and provide entertainment to your residents, and increase commerce in your city...and hope the levee project gets done anyway (as i said it probably will) or would you say screw the benefits to my own city....i care about everyone in the region more than my own city, and thus dont want this rda money for wolf lake, and instead want to give it to the region as a whole?

i think the answer is obvious. as hammond mayor, you want to get all you can for your constituents...and that means trying to get both, the wolf lake project, and the levee, funded. and i believe when all is said and done the mayor and region will be successfull in getting both funded this year.

(btw the plan now is the wolf lake project will be built starting late summer after the festival of the lakes, and be completed in time for the spring of 2010).

as for the river park property. i think the idea of some sort of museam there is a bad idea. unless your going to build something akin to the chicago museams...there is no commercial (or property assessment) value to such a property. and that property over the long term can be much too valuable to spend on such a project. the business climate, obviously, isnt the best right now. but times will improve, and an open space like that on one of the busiest highways in the country is an extremely attractive parcel.

the tourism beureau...a generation ago...was promised as going to be a huge attraction to the city. mind you...i think the facility is just fine. but i dont see how anyone can say that that facility is more valueable to hammond than say...a target store would be....much less the possible future uses that could come available for that land.

EXACTLY ORACLE

Thus the REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT authority actually has a legitimate reason to fund the levee project

It benefits the REGION



So why does the mayor not go back to the RDA and ask to cancel the funding for the bullshit aquatic garbage and fund the levee instead?

Oh my god, a simple peon like myself has solved the funding issue for the levee without resorting to begging for a STIF, or raising any more in taxes. My god its win win for the region. which means because its common sense, the mayor is to stupid to do something like that

markh wrote:

I like the idea of development along Wolf Lake. I don't like the idea of an aquatic center. An amphitheater is a good idea for the end of the development process, not the start.

That area is PERFECT for an asphalt jungle of parking lots and tall buildings. Business development is great. Residential development (high-rise condos) is great. Both will bring in property tax dollars and both will increase the values of nearby properties, which will likely result in a demographics shift in Robertsdale -- a GREAT thing.

But then again, anything is better than what is there now...

i believe i have heard there are long term plans for high rise lake front condos.....south of the city's beach property near the marina. problem with that is there are currently railroads and a electricle plant near by at the moment. however its my understanding the electrical plant will likely be phased out in 5-10 years by its owners...and the railroad likely moved...thanks to the south shore and gary airport projects....that are also planned long term....so the condos are likely at least 10 years away.

the thing is...in the absence of a few hundred million dollars to buy those properties outright...we are forced to wait until the natural attrition of those properties takes place...and thus frees up the property.

as for the wolf lake area...the issue is a bit more complicated because of water tables and the type of sediments. im told only part of the land is actually buildable. so such condos or office buildings wouldnt be workable right on the lake, where the current project is planned.

and mike. my above message...explains why i believe the mayor is holding to his current position.

I know that oracle and McDermott is a idiot for doing so

The state already said NO to a STIF

He can beg and plead all he wants and try to force the issue, the state is NEVER GOING TO GIVE A STIF


But hey, its ok, my house will never be affected if the levee is never built, its ok,. let the state pay for it, and in 15 years, it will be complete.

Never mind that I found a way to pay for it all up front and at once and it would be completedlong before 15 years, but the Mayor wants a STIF and only a STIF, so I can't wait for the next big flood to ram the STIF down the mayors throat again, and he can't blame the state, because the state gave some money and yet he refused to use the RDA for what the RDA is suppossed to be for, the next flood will be all on him.

mark my words mike. in one manner or another...the funding for the levee will come through this year. and so will the funding for the wolf lake project.

and again....what part of the governor refused to allow the rda to fund the levee project dont you understand?

Mike why wouldnt you be upset with the Governor for not telling the RDA to fund the levee and allowing them to fund the wolf lake project? It is not as if the Mayor of Hammond can tell the RDA how to spend the money...Maybe if they just did the Hammond side of the river?

mike3775 wrote:

I know that oracle and McDermott is a idiot for doing so

The state already said NO to a STIF

He can beg and plead all he wants and try to force the issue, the state is NEVER GOING TO GIVE A STIF


But hey, its ok, my house will never be affected if the levee is never built, its ok,. let the state pay for it, and in 15 years, it will be complete.

Never mind that I found a way to pay for it all up front and at once and it would be completedlong before 15 years, but the Mayor wants a STIF and only a STIF, so I can't wait for the next big flood to ram the STIF down the mayors throat again, and he can't blame the state, because the state gave some money and yet he refused to use the RDA for what the RDA is suppossed to be for, the next flood will be all on him.

Mitch has already said that he will not allow the RDA to pay for the levee project. He has the final say on what the RDA spends it's money on since they are his appointments.

Only 2 of the 7 are appointed by the governor. The others are appointed by Lake County, Porter County, East Chicago, Gary and Hammond.
Theoretically the Lake County contingent could band together to fund the levee. But that would require cooperation.
The RDA is an independent body, the gov. cannot tell them what to spend money on.

yes thats true bill. however the pres of the board...appointed by the governor...has absolute veto power over rda spending. the gov had that power written into the legislation that created the rda.

Here we go again with appointed board members telling us how we will spend our money!

I think others have made the point that these types of optional building projects should at least be secondary to revenue generators but the levee project should take priority because not having the levee completed is contrary to growth and to health & safety.

As for high rise condos I am not in favor for a number of reasons, not the least of which I don't view them as the panacea that some do and in fact given the current housing market could actually evolve to become Cabrini Green II. High ticket condos have been talked about in Hammond for decades but there's a reason they haven't come to reality and I much doubt a fish museum is gonna be the magic magnet any more than the casino and marina has been.

the oracle wrote:

yes thats true bill. however the pres of the board...appointed by the governor...has absolute veto power over rda spending. the gov had that power written into the legislation that created the rda.

Sorry, missed that. I love how the laws are written...not!

Well then maybe the mayor should go and try to change the law then Oracle

this is the best example of what the RDA is for

You really think the state is going to fund it all int he next 2 years?

sorry, I disagree, because if the state says they will fund it, then I want funding restored to the schools and colleges as well. Those benefit way more than the levee will, and you think I am the only one who will say that? I guarantee that the presidents and administrators of almost every school will see that the state is giving $15 million to finish a levee while cutting education, and they will be pissed. and I bet a majority of the state will also be pissed.


But its ok, the mayor is to stupid as to know that NO means NO so keep pushing the issue McDermott, keep looking like a freiking moron, asking for something that is not going to happen.

try reading these stories mike

http://nwi.com/articles/2009/01/03/news/porter_county/doc67e3720e887248f7862575330007e7ff.txt

http://nwi.com/articles/2008/08/24/news/top_news/docec7e0447740d0f1e862574af000bfe8e.txt