Its Modesto Politics Stupid! Thoughts on Gallo Center for The Arts

The Gallo Center for the Arts has requested some additional funding from the City of Modesto to get the project completely paid for. They have already raised over $20,000,000 privately and now need an additional $8,000,000 to come in to existence with no debt load.

I read the article on the Gallo Center for the Arts and our City Council's opinion that our city can't afford it in the Modesto Bee. Janice Keating is quoted as saying "I would not support anything that would create a significant burden on the taxpayers of Modesto, because we have basic needs," Councilwoman Janice Keating said. "Like more police officers, that, despite our best efforts to control the size and cost of government, still are not funded."

What Councilwoman Keating has left out of the equation is that we as a city haven't been able to afford the amount of Police that we need for literally decades. I have another prediction. We won't be able to afford more for many decades to come. The City of Modesto has an annual budget of $320,000,000 a year. Is the thought of making payments on a loan of $8,000,000 really going to have an economic impact on our community or effect our ability to hire police officers? Absolutely not. Its called grandstanding, its something politicians do, and its why some people vote for them.

$8 million is a pittance compared to the half a billion that the city just spent replacing the sewers. We seem to have been able to afford that. Where was the Keating grandstand when the council approved that? I have a feeling some taxes will be raised and probably create a significant burden on tax payers?

The Gallo Center will create not only entertainment, but additional economic development in an already thriving nieghborhood of Modesto. It will increase both sales and property tax income. A perfect example is the construction of 10th Street place and the development that followed it. The City of Modesto should support this project simply because it is in its own best interest to see it succeed.

However, our city is still healing from a lingering disease. I call it post tramatic Red Lion syndrome. It has plagued anyone that has a memory of the investment in and construction of the Modesto Centre Plaza and what is now the Doubletree. That deal was a disaster. A lot of people lost a lot of money including the City of Modesto. Yet... fast foward to today Modesto Centre Plaza and the Doubletree are doing exactly what they were designed to do. They are helping our city, giving our city a decent hotel and a very well booked out convention center. However, no one can get past the initial failure. Our politicans need to let the wounds heal and take some new risks.

Alas, it appears its a sickness that they can't get past.