Wednesday, May 28, 2008
 
City Needs Thumb On Scale, Tax Increase, To Remain Competitive
My, is it already the eighth year of the 20th century already? Must be why Creve Coeur has fallen into a development rut that only raising the costs of doing business in the city can cure:
    City officials are asking voters next Tuesday to authorize a half-cent economic development sales tax that they say would keep the city competitive.

    Creve Coeur's economic circumstances are uncertain, said Paul Zimitzsch, chairman of the city's Economic Development Commission. "Town and Country is opening a big box retail center. Clayton is pursuing redevelopment. We've become the hole in the doughnut," he said.
Let's see, in the last eight years, Creve Coeur has thrown up a massive business development (CityPlace); a set of mixed use buildings (King's Landing, et al, ca 2006); tried to run a longtime auto dealer, a country club, and an American Legion post out of town to build more of the same (2001); and in 2006 put out its own fluff piece entitled WHY CREVE COEUR IS THE HEART OF COMMERCE.

Pretty damn impressive run for a municipality crying poverty.

You know what an actual business owner and resident thinks?
    But David Caldwell, a resident and owner of a business in Creve Coeur, sees that kind of hole as a blessing that prevents overdevelopment.

    Creve Coeur also needs to keep its sales tax low to remain competitive, Caldwell said.
That's not the sort of thinking that wins you elections; that's the sort of thinking that allows you to make an honest living. Which is why he's ultimately doomed.


- posted by Brian J. @ 12:45 PM
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To say Noggle, one first must be able to say the "Nah."