Robbie told me that in an attempt to prove to me that someone with a blog could not effect political change. The blogger was Ed Cone and he had caused quite a firestorm when he live blogged the Council's decision that night. So much so that after the meeting was over Council returned to chambers and voted to reverse their decision to stop the onslaught of e-mails and telephone calls.
But according to Perkins, in the end, they spent the money anyway. I wonder if any of that money came from the South Elm Street Redevelopment Project as several Million seems to be missing there still, and neither Mayor Vaughan, City Council nor City Attorney Jim Carruthers will discuss it or make the public information freely available to the public.
So I guess Robbie was right, in the end they'll do what they want to do with your money.
As a matter of fact, anyone who has read my series, Incentives In Greensboro, already knows we have a long history of local politicians always eager to give poor peoples' money to the rich.
And how well has that worked?
Well one only needs to check out Billy's Big List Of Documented Reasons Why Greensboro Sucks to learn that it hasn't worked at all:
*According to the City of Greensboro we are the #1 Hungriest City In America with 23%, almost 1 person in 4 not having adequate food to eat. And still the Greensboro City Council does nothing but make plans they never implement.
*According to the Triad Business Journal, Earnings in the Greensboro-High Point area are among the lowest in the country for the 18-to-34 age group.
*According to WFMY2 Greensboro Named One Of The Worst Cities To Start Career
*Greensboro was rated 175 out of 200 for comparable city's in 5 year job growth.
*Greensboro Ranks bottom 10 in Equality of Opportunity Harvard Study.
*Greensboro is ranked a Transitional City, a city on the verge of failure, by the Demand Institute
*Greensboro College School of Business Dean and economist William K. MacReynolds, Greensboro is falling behind the rest of the state in employment.
And all the while the Greensboro City Council continues to vote to give away "incentives" for prosperity that never comes.
It's time to draw the line. As I wrote in Part 12:
"I also believe it is very wrong to tax the poor and working classes in order to subsidize the incomes of the rich so that those same rich may profit by taking from the poor."
If you consider yourself a Liberal, a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Libertarian or a Conservative then you too must also believe it is wrong to tax the poor and working classes to give to the rich. Taxing those with the least to give to those with the most goes against every political and religious tenant that has been taught in these united states for over 200 years. Only Fascists support taking from the poor to give to the rich. Perhaps you remember Adolph Hitler as he was a well known Fascist.
And yet that is the very business model by which the City of Greensboro is run.
Why? Because our city leaders are puppets to those men and women who use their money, influence and power to steal your tax dollars for their own personal gain.
Again, it's time to draw the line.
As Mayor of Greensboro I will oppose any and all incentives until the City of Greensboro works out a new plan that puts the money where it is needed most-- in the hands of small business, local manufacturing, co-ops, local start-ups, local infrastructure, neighborhood businesses and blue collar jobs.
And we have to face facts, without first building a steel mill we will never attract an auto manufacturer no matter how many megasites we build. There will be no megasite to ever receive my vote.
Come back soon for If I Were Mayor Of Greensboro: Part 14 when I talk about healthcare and reducing the cost of doing business in Greensboro.
