Arent’ gov’t officials always talking bout increasing the tax base? I bought a lot, built a house and didn’t get a freebie. This is completely ridiculous. Mr. Mayor doesn’t pay property taxes on his new house, how convenient.

Why the “Tax Abatements”, I was led to believe that this project was going to earn money?????????

Jeff:
You echo my sentiments EXACTLY!
BTW, I mentioned you in my post today after seeing you on TV last night…don’t worry, it’s all good!

Dan:
ROFLMAO…I love that picture!
Now THAT’S the kind of posts I’ve come to cherish over the years!

Keep stirrin’ it!

B.G.

This is a load of crap. The city has been whining for last few weeks about how they are going to make up for the property tax cap that is making its way through the General Assembly in Indy. Then they decide those people who are buying high end real estate downtown don’t have to pay property taxes for 10 years! My question is, how long has this proposal been floating around the city building? When was it seen by people on the ninth floor? Did Mayor Henry know this was coming when he decided to purchase one of these tax-free condos? Isn’t this something like insider trading? Please, someone pass me the duct-tape!!

It is hard to argue with such a solid argument such as “this is a load of crap” but the whole idea of tax abatements is to generate economic growth that is above and beyond the relative “cost” of the abatement. The Harrison Square development will entice companies to retain and attract jobs to the area. Harrison Square is already having a positive impact on our community’s brain drain.

[...] I happened to like the coverage Fort Wayne News gave to the abatement vote. Posted in Uncategorized [...]

“Then they decide those people who are buying high end real estate downtown don’t have to pay property taxes for 10 years! ”

That is not true. they will pay taxes/

” Did Mayor Henry know this was coming when he decided to purchase one of these tax-free condos?”

They are not tax free.

Sam T.,

Would those be more of those minimum wage jobs that INC said Harrison Square would bring in. How about we give a company with real paying jobs 20 Million dollars of tax abatements to move to Fort Wayne. You and your ilk don’t seem to remember that Fort Wayne used to be a manufacturing town. Until we stop catering to these low-paying, service-oriented companies, Fort Wayne will never return to its glory days.

It is pathetic that the Upper class of Fort Wayne, including are over-paid, $130,000 a year mayor, will get a huge tax break while the rest of will no doubt be paying more in property taxes over the next few years and beyond. We are dumping huge amounts of money into this project and we don’t even have a guarantee that it will work. But hey, keep the faith man!

Are there some official or unofficial brain drain studies somewhere?

Mr. Knuwt,

Okay, I’ll give you that abatement doesn’t mean free. What I want to know Kevin is where is the outrage? The democrats are supposed to be the defender of the little people, the poor and down trodden. You tout things like tax hikes for the rich and tax breaks for the poor and Universal health care. This really doesn’t jive with that line of thinking. Giving tax breaks for people making 6 figure incomes (like our $130,000 a year mayor) but sticking it to people making half that or less trying to keep from foreclosing on their house because of enormous property taxes. Where is the outrage, Kevin?

Hey, Don’t you all get it! People like SammyT., don’t gave a damm about Ft.Crime, as long as they get there’s!!!

FW Conservative,

That Democratic outrage was on display last night as I spoke against this abatement TWICE and declared that giving tax abatements to people that can afford $300K condos is a travesty…

Bob,
Thanks for the post but the original commenter on this thread was a different “Jeff”. I always post with my first and last name…

Sam T. — Could you explain your statement about how HS is already having a positive impact on our community’s brain drain? I would think that nearly an unmeasurable number. I’m not sure how a big hole in downtown is already having a positive impact, so I look forward to your answer.

FW Conservative-

You are not comparing apples to apples.

However, I am humored by your statement- “The democrats are supposed to be the defender of the little people, the poor and down trodden.”

So you admit that the GOP doesn’t give a damn about anybody but the rich?

Somehow some people have forgotten that reducing the tax burden of some taxpayers by government fiat increases the burden on all other taxed entities.

Somehow it has been forgotten that we, the taxpayers of Fort Wayne, have already had our money doled out to pay for land and stand to pay out more when the new Marriott fails to make money and when Hardball Capital folds its tent after a short stay in Fort Wayne. Folks, we are guaranteeing the bond.

Somehow someone is forgetting that deposits have already been collected for most of the condos without a tax incentive. Go figure. Tax incentives should only be paid when and if new jobs are created …and the last time I checked home servants for a few condos would not make much of a dent in the $2 million giveaway.

I think there is enough blame to go around. After all, didn’t the Republicans on the council - with the exception of Mitch Harper - vote for the abatement also?

Both sides are supposed to represent certain values. Republicans - conservative fiscal values which apparently they also forgot about.

Tax abatements are getting out of hand. The council gave them to fast food restaurants and now to those who can afford to buy the condos. Weren’t the condos already purchased? Why back up and give an abatement that isn’t necessary - unless the condos were purchased with that understanding.

Jeff, re: brain drain issue. Just my opinion based on anecdotal evidence that I have seen. Such as some young professionals specifically telling me that they are now interested in coming back to fort wayne based on the exciting developments downtown. You are correct, nothing reliable or measurable at this point.

FW Conservative. I cant argue with you on your points, because you are so off based. Fort Wayne’s future success will NOT be based on returning to the glory days of manufacturing. Fort Wayne must change with the times.

P.S. Please tell me how our Mayor is overpaid? He makes less than the director of our Library and less than the manager of the Coliseum, and you think he is Overpaid??!!

Jeff, by the way, feel free to call me and I will give you specific examples on the brain drain which I do not want to post on a blog. Numbers in the phone book.

Sam,

Why wouldn’t you want to back up your argument here?

Dan, because I am referencing personal anecdotes that I have experienced. It would not be appropriate for me to lay them out on a blog.

At the Harrison Square vote Sam brought up that he talked to a guy living in Washington D.C. that was excited about these new developments in Fort Wayne. That person is probably the anonymous entity known as “Park or Die” from the Change FW blog as I remember reading something about that on that blog at that time… specifically, that he was was from Washington D.C. and excited about the H.S. doings.

From my experience moves are mostly made because of jobs. Secondly, there is a younger crowd that does move because of climate. Those, more often, come back…

Sam,

“The Harrison Square development will entice companies to retain and attract jobs to the area. Harrison Square is already having a positive impact on our community’s brain drain.”

Where is the evidence that supports this claim? The David Corcoran argument was at best great theater when made, but hardly a compelling argument for a $160M taxpayer funded givaway to local developers, attorneys, and of course, the City’s newest partners, Hardball Captal.

Here are some facts you can check, bids on the project are coming in over budget.

I know you never recovered from the Downtown Arena defeat, was your Harrison Square vote just a way of getting even? So much for doing what’s right for “my City”. You can’t think people are buying that stuff, can you?

Squarefinger, Can you read? Did you see my previous posts in which I said that the brain drain comment was anecdotal and I never claimed to have documented evidence?

The Downtown Arena “Defeat”. The Downtown Arena debate was a resounding victory leading almost directly to a newly invigorated County Council, and leading indirectly to the Harrison Square Development. Nice Analysis Squarefinger.

You know folks, I don’t have a dog in this fight, but being in the real estate biz, I have an affinity for pro-growth projects of all kinds and I really hope this works out for Ft Wayne, but it sure does seem like you are putting a lot of eggs in one basket. That can be a risky situation if your local tax base is holding a big part of the speculative risk as opposed to say, venture capitalists or institutional investors. It’s been my experience, average ol’ taxpayers get pretty yanked out shape when they end holding the bag, so to speak.

I wish you luck!