Although we’ve yet to hear it on the radio, the Tea Party of Lafayette — a well-known opponent of the Parc Lafayette development on Kaliste Saloom Road — has produced a slick public service announcement urging the community to come out against the project. The Lafayette City-Parish Council will vote on ordinances Tuesday that, if approved, will clear the way for the creation of a tax increment financing district at the development or, as the PSA calls it, “a clever new way to impose a tax without a vote of the people.”
The TIF will allow for the levying of additional sales- and hotel occupancy taxes at retail outlets that later open at the development. Those additional taxes would be placed in a trust fund intended to pay off bonds issued to finance a large part of the development. Parc Lafayette developer Glenn Stewart has said the additional up-front revenue from the bonds will allow him to build a 300-room, four- or five-star hotel at the site along with a convention center.
“It’s not fair, it’s not right, and we need to stop it before it comes to a neighborhood near you,” says advertising executive and tea party confederate Carol Ross in the PSA’s voice-over.
TPL members have been vocal opponents of Stewart’s project. The two sides butted heads on Feb. 23 when District 8 Councilman Keith Patin hosted a town hall meeting to discuss Parc Lafayette and tea party members attended, fangs bared. Stewart famously and derisively referred to them as “idiots.” (Photos from that combative meeting by Ind photographer Robin May accompany the PSA below.)
Read more about the confrontation here. For an overview of the Parc Lafayette project, click here.
... written by Hidden in the pumpkin , March 11, 2011 - 12:45 pm
They ought to tax these folks on the size of their waistlines.
... written by James Melancon , March 11, 2011 - 01:21 pm
It is simple, TIF's are a back door to increased taxes without a vote. In time, taxes will generally increase in retail areas, and, of course there is no increase in non-retail areas making a joke of the rights of voters. Any one in elected office who does not see this is running the risk of a backlash.
... written by jgauth , March 11, 2011 - 03:16 pm
My question is who is going to own the property in question that the TIF's are designed to pay for? If it is the developer, I think it is a bad idea. Let him get his own financing and assume the risk.If it is for sewer, water, road development that the city (public) would own than that is a different deal. I think that part really needs to be spelled out to the public in more detail. If he goes out of business, who is responsible for paying the bonds, if no business is there to collect the taxes?
... written by Well... , March 11, 2011 - 03:31 pm
Not sure how Ron Gomez can be 'Mr. Tea Party'... He voted for hundreds of new taxes when he was in the legislature.
... written by Chicken Little , March 11, 2011 - 03:45 pm
written by Well "how Ron Gomez can be 'Mr. Tea Party'... He voted for hundreds of new taxes" ------------------
Maybe but none of them were on tea.
... written by Farrow , March 11, 2011 - 04:19 pm
I have no love for the Tea Party movement, but in this instance I agree with its stand on the issue at hand. A rare coincidence, I'm sure. Regardless, why is this NOT corporate welfare? And, as someone else asked, why should the developer not find his own funding through a bank, like everyone else?
... written by really? , March 11, 2011 - 05:49 pm
"tea party confederate"?
Really Walter? It's one thing to be biased in your posts, which you certainly are here, but it's another thing just to be an a--.
Just tie in a description of a tea party member with a southern slavery reference to keep advancing the lie that the tea party movement grew out of racism.
... written by Knowledge is Power , March 11, 2011 - 08:32 pm
My understanding is that the money from the TIF is used for the infrastructure which is like the parking lot, the lights in the parking lot, sewer, drainage and stuff like that (some one please correct me if I am wrong). I think a TIF was put in place in the area where the new JC Penny is on the northside and that is what the TIF money is used for over there. I would think that the city would be the one to maintain at least some of this any way so I can see how the proceeds from the TIF will be used to help offset the costs of building this in. I mean at some point these things will have to be put in anyway so we will pay for it at some point. It's not like this land is going to stay vacant forever.
I am not really sure if I am for or against the TIF (I see pros and cons both ways) but I wish people would calm down so we could have a civilized conversation about this issue and get the facts straight. Yeah, the developer sounds like a jerk and his attitude towards the people asking questions has been very arrogant. But the Tea Party people have gotten so angry over this that it has made it hard to have a reasonable debate and I don't think most regular citizens have had a chance find out what the truth is. Would love for some reasonable unbiased person to answer a few common sense questions and explain what the TIF is exactly, what it will mean for the tax payers, what the pros and cons are in doing this, what the funds will be used for etc. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail so the council will have a chance to hear all sides and make the correct decision (whichever way that may be).
... written by Al , March 11, 2011 - 08:40 pm
I want to thank the Tea party of Lafayette for calling this to our attention and having the courage to do something about it.
The Durel administration, and his seven rubber-stamp members on the council and LEDA (Greg Gautreaux) are "progressives" and think government has something to do with a successful city. They are taking us down an insane fairy tale road of financial irresponsibility and painting a pretty picture along the way. Walter be a real reporter and research the money. Get some help, you don't know how, and you won’t get straight answers from the “machine”.
1. LUS Fiber is losing 5mm a year, they just cut their projections in half and just raised your utility rates to cover the losses. They lied about the projections and they lied about LUS being on the hook for Fiber's losses and they lied about the reason for the rate hikes.
2.The lite building cost 28MM dollars and is losing 3 to 4 million annually, we have over 1mm sq feet of vacant office space in the private sector and the city is going to invest in more? They have vacancies and offering space at $2 below the private sector.
3. The convention center is losing money every year and we need another one?
4. The Cajun dome costs us 700M a year, we need new meeting rooms?
5. LCG just built an new building to lease to AOC in an area that is 20% vacancy, only the Government can be that stupid.
6. The number of hotel rooms in Lafayette has doubled in the last 3 years due to GO Zone money (GOV), and occupancy rates are plummeting Crowne Plaza is in foreclosure and you want to invest in a new Hotel?
At what point do we say “Just stop the insanity”. Do you really want the government making investments for you? When has that ever worked out? Politicians will sell the sizzle but never honestly show you the bill. Thank God for the Tea Party, someone has to have the courage to stand up for free enterprise and unravel the rhetoric. THANK YOU TEA PARTY OF LAFAYETTE WHERE CAN WE DONATE?
... written by Gaius Cilnius Maecenas , March 11, 2011 - 10:17 pm
The "Tea Party of Lafayette"--Dr. Stewart was kind, he called them "idiots." They are trouble-makers, scroundrels and fools corrupting our demoncratic, genteel Southern high-French culture in Acadiana.
This is an excellent proposal by Dr. Stewart. These fools cannot even solve a simple mathematical problem in calculus. They cannot read, write or speak French. Furthermore, they possess no understanding of what constitutes Government.
We should do to these dolts in the "Tea Party of Lafayette" what the King of Saudi Arabia does with his political scroundrels---cut off one of their fingers! Repeat the punishment for further vulgar dissidence.
Thank God Walter has exposed these fools to us!
... written by BeauPartae , March 12, 2011 - 07:25 am
I'm no tea potter proponent, but in this instance, I agree also. I DO see this as an attempt to tax without having to go to the voters. I'm getting pretty sick of legislators getting in "through the back door" and disregarding and disrespecting the process and the people. This particular issue, one of the wealthiest areas of the parish, should not be supported by government favors. I don't care if its for drainage, sewer, roads, lights. This project should go through the same process as any other has had to do. I still say Lafayette doesn't need another hotel there, much less one with gold bidets for the delicate behinds of the "behinds" who have inflated egos. BUT, I don't plan to stay there or shop there. I still don't like the underhanded way this is going & I resent the mayor/pres for doing it. I also agree with the premise of how are you going to turn anyone else down? I'm emailing my concilman & I have a postcard in the mail right now to Mr. Durel expressing my disfavor of this proposal.
... written by dodgedabullet , March 12, 2011 - 09:49 am
TIF to be pulled from agenda. "They" caved. Guess the council wasn't gunna give em their TIF, so "the developer" decided he did't need it after all. Hope this doesn't rear its ugly head later. Do not attribute this to the tea party alone. They're vocal, but there are a lot of us out here who were vocal too & are not associated with that movement.
... written by Sandy, Proud member of the Tea Party of Lafayette , March 12, 2011 - 11:20 am
We would like to invite everyone to come to one of our meetings so that you can decide for yourselves what the Tea Party of Lafayette is all about. We are ordinary citizens who have had enough of higher taxes, and more government intrusion into our lives. We have come together to restore the principles that our Founding Fathers upheld: our God given Rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Please visit our website for info on our upcoming meetings, as well as for timely information on the issues of the day www.teapartyoflafayette.com Welcome!
... written by Al , March 12, 2011 - 05:54 pm
Sandy, Thank you Mom. Al
... written by Resident , March 14, 2011 - 06:37 am
I agree, Sandy. The Patriot Act, warrantless wiretapping, the suspension of habeus corpus, a 40 fold increase in surveillance infrastructure, spending $700 billion a year on the military and overseas bases, allowing a private banking cartel to control our currency, government bailing out megabanks on our credit card, government telling us who we can and can't marry, and so on.
That IS what you were talking about, right?
... written by Gaius Cilnius Maecenas , March 14, 2011 - 10:23 am
How humorous---the rabid mob sanctifying itself in the drab robes of patriotism! I am an aristocrat--I would never join Sandy's ill-gotten brood of malcontents, guttersnipes and troublemakers wrecking havoc on our quiet, orderly ways of doing things to progress this city.
Don't forget it was "nasty" government that promoted these dolts into the middle-class, and now keep their sorry asses alive on Social Security. How do they replay such benefits? By ingratitude, of course. What does one expect from ugly, middle-aged, ignorant peasants?
... written by ragin_cajun , March 14, 2011 - 12:06 pm
Resident--Uhhh....yeah. That's what "had enough" of "government intrusion" means. It's that simple. Ther's a place for you, too in the TEA Party...
Gaius-- you're delusional. Gov't doesn't promote anyone into the middle class. One must EARN the wealth required to live at a certain level that you call "middle class". This is not a command economy--not yet.
... written by holeinthedonut8 , March 14, 2011 - 01:31 pm
Good move for Lafayette, now we won't be bothered by people coming to conventions in our Convention hotel, they can spend that money in Lake Charles or Monroe. At least NOW we won't be on the hook for progress..
Unless we aren't on the hook anyway. Know your TIFs.
... written by ragin_cajun , March 14, 2011 - 04:01 pm
"now we won't be bothered by people coming to conventions in our Convention hotel" Actually, Dr. Stewart could still levy his own tax, and borrow money against that revenue. Or, he could raise rent on the businesses that locate there. City Parish government doesn't need to be involved at all. I don't see why he didn't just do that from the very beginning.
... written by Gaius Cilnius Maecenas , March 14, 2011 - 08:16 pm
One must "earn their wealth" Ragin Cajun [sic]! How? By stealing, lying and cheating? Why do do think our prisons are so full? Wealth is earned by a good paycheck---saving post-tax cash. Business destroys wealth. It desires slave labor. Workers, public and private, do not make sufficent salaries to save post-tax cash.
By speaking ill of Dr. Stewart's sensible business proposal in this economic environment, you have destroyed wealth for hundreds of families.
The stupid cannot see further than their snotty nose!
... written by BoFred , March 15, 2011 - 04:23 am
Speaking of Lake Charles.... man, when I saw the drawings of that super casino "they" want to build there, I think someone must be on the right track. That casino hotel could take a lot of convention business. I don't particularly li ke going to conventions that big, or casinos that big. I happen to really like Kinder and Marksville and at twice a year, I don't think any casino is going to court me or miss me.
... written by Titus Pomponius Atticus , March 17, 2011 - 05:57 pm
Your point BoFred is? I don't think a Casino was part of Dr. Stewart's proposal.
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