tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post6255280147466674473..comments2024-03-25T17:49:41.408-07:00Comments on Salem Breakfast on Bikes: City Council, February 23rd - More Streetlight Fee and Historic PreservationSalem Breakfast on Bikeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15618055627843335993noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-62392500728233697052015-02-23T22:25:03.090-08:002015-02-23T22:25:03.090-08:00Inserted three brief updates with links to additio...Inserted three brief updates with links to additional staff reports and additional public comment. SKEF pulled their request for URA funds, and it looks like they are confident fund-raising can proceed independent of this source.<br /><br />Council also moved ahead with the streetlight fee.Salem Breakfast on Bikeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618055627843335993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-26122613347886662932015-02-23T08:49:56.972-08:002015-02-23T08:49:56.972-08:00Glad you mentioned the McGilchrist/Roth project. R...Glad you mentioned the McGilchrist/Roth project. Really quickly, the URA investment there is in round numbers about the same, $200,000 or $300,000. This comparison deserves more attention - it is paying property taxes, and has for-profit businesses in it, however - and maybe we can come back to it later. <br /><br />Also, in Northgate, the City did just approve the $1 million sewer project. That's a relevant comparison, too.Salem Breakfast on Bikeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15618055627843335993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-90553168079061453112015-02-23T08:44:11.047-08:002015-02-23T08:44:11.047-08:00The City denying the $300,000 grant likely wouldn&...The City denying the $300,000 grant likely wouldn't tank SKEF's project, but the City's rationale seems shortsighted. Any grant application for the Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area should be judged on its merits - if the project could serve to benefit the area and eventually increase property values and tax base. It is strange to see people so concerned about the proverbial "slippery slope" - is it really that hard to just analyze each application on a case-by-case basis?<br><br>The SKEF plans look pretty interesting to me, and after seeing how terrific the McGilchrist-Roth building turned out (and seeing the people streaming in and out of it!) I'm surprised the City doesn't seem more excited about the opportunity that SKEF's building renovation could lead to for the surrounding area. Barring the City's outright approval of SKEF's application, I at least hope that the City and SKEF can reach an agreeable compromise that will help kick start SKEF's capital drive.Jeff Schumacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08320652216233151117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-44084675908110218742015-02-22T21:43:22.656-08:002015-02-22T21:43:22.656-08:00Some of the details in the article on the SK Ed Fo...Some of the details in the article on the SK Ed Foundation building are interesting:<br /><br />- They bought it for $400,000<br />- They plan on spending another $2.2 million for renovations<br /><br />A former SJ reporter and now Foundation spokesperson said:<br /><br />"It would be a shame for the city to miss out on this opportunity that would benefit everyone," said Stefanie Knowlton, spokeswoman for SKEF. "No matter where SKEF goes in the future, this building belongs to downtown. It's the ripple effect of attracting other tenants to the area."<br /><br />It hardly looks like saying "no" to the $300,000 would tank the whole $2.2 million project!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-19741778434504097752015-02-21T14:30:40.651-08:002015-02-21T14:30:40.651-08:00I am opposed to putting the street light fee on th...I am opposed to putting the street light fee on the water sewer bill. Even though it seems like a small amount, when you add extra burden to the bill, it will mean fewer people on fixed income will be able to pay. The addition of funds to the elderly and disabled relief fund is a joke. When the average water bill is $68 giving $11.80 to that bill is not helpful, especially when you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get that $11 and you still have to pay the rest of the bill or you don't get it. About 200 households a month get their water turned off because they can't pay the bill in full. The City doesn't care who they come up with the money to pay the bill. They just refer people to agencies they know have no money. So some people are not paying for other essential things in order to get their water back. I know of people who just go without their medicine, or don't make a payment to another creditor and risk losing their car or heat for example. <br /><br />The City does not know what the impact is on the customer and does not care. I have heard staff say that this is a cheap way to collect the money. And some councilors think that a few dollars is easy to come by. Neither knows the impact in reality.<br /><br />The first step would be to find out how many people are impacted by raising the water fees. The second would be to check with charities to see what help they actually give. <br /><br />Other cities like Eugene and Portland have better systems for helping people stay in their homes and paying for services when emergencies happen.<br /><br />Salem is very cruel in their systems, IMHOSusann Kaltwassernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666195730630249633.post-39433836549976260642015-02-21T14:18:49.488-08:002015-02-21T14:18:49.488-08:00The link between the actions of the Hospital and t...The link between the actions of the Hospital and the City might be called into question around conflict of interest. If the city's hospital advisory board recommends and helps acquire bonds for a hospitla project and then those same people on the Council/advisory board vote to enable construction of that same project funded by the bond through their council votes, it could be a conflict of interest. This is what some say happened with the Blind School property. Deserves a review, I think.Susann Kaltwassernoreply@blogger.com