Greensboro City Manager Jim Westmoreland pitches the city’s proposed $56 million downtown parking decks. Cutting to the chase:
As in the past, the proposed parking decks will be funded and built using city-issued bonds. The debt service on these bonds will primarily be financed through monthly and hourly parking fees (in the new decks and the existing parking decks), and through new city sales and property taxes to be generated by the new private development projects that are expected to occur as a result of the city building the new parking decks.
Probably no coincidence that two things are missing from Westmoreland’s op-ed—the price and the fact that the newly sworn in City Council must sign off–definitely not a given considering the council’s liberal makeup:
hree people, including members of Democracy Greensboro, urged council members to reconsider using public money for the decks. Lewis Pitts, a local activist and former attorney, said the plan smacks of “crony capitalism” and “corporate welfare.” Pitts said the plan is “inconsistant with the well-being of the community,” especially when the real needs of the community haven’t been met.
Again–stay tuned.
