May 13, 2008 05:17 pm
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Commissioners’ meeting was joke
I was proud to sit with the people who favored the plan to purchase downtown property for development of a new YMCA as presented, including the county joining in at $300,000. This is a unique opportunity for an $8 million to $10 million development in the downtown. We were an overwhelming majority.
As a county resident, I pay the EDIT tax, and as long as it is used for economic development, that’s fine. There would be no better use of the funds, period. Trust me, the county commissioners are not going to give EDIT money back to the taxpayers. Don’t fall for that! Also, the tax will not be terminated. Don’t fall for that, either.
What agitated me most was after all the so-called discussion, a prepared statement was read, and then while looking at each other and laughing, the county commissioners took their vote. It was a slap in the face of the people who had given their time and had come to the meeting thinking there was a chance this would be approved.
Commissioners Brad Bagwell and Paul Raver were at least polite in their positions, while Commissioner Dave Trine was combative, arrogant and insulting.
He even went so far as to ask where were we when the YWCA was lost!
Believe me, most of us were trying to save it, too! The question should have been, where was the county at that time?
I applaud the Kokomo Tribune for calling for town-hall meetings to present the facts. Partnering with the Kokomo Perspective also shows this is not about politics or business. Let’s put all the cards on the table and then decide what’s best for the community. It shouldn’t be up to these three commissioners to make it or break it. It’s too important. But we also should not let the county off the hook by going elsewhere for funding, if the majority of the people are in favor of it.
Dave White
Kokomo
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