Budget: Economic Development: Council Discusses Options to add person, cut other budgets: Mason Speaks on "Different Missions at Hand"

In the Thursday night budget meeting of the Evansville Common Council, there was a broad discussion of the current situation in economic development, and specifically about the proposal to add a promotional person that would have as funding backers the Chamber as well as the Econ Devevelopment Committee.

Fred Juergens spoke to the issue that whatever has happened in the past has not been the solution, and without someone to answer the phone so to speak, and be the "go to" person, future business will be lost and the financial solvency of TIF 5 as well as TIF 6 could be affected.

Tony Wyse saw the possible additon as an "investment," rather than an expense.

Mason Braunschweig voiced, that with all due respect to the notion of "investment," this was an expense, and in fact one that was not realistic given that there are "two different missions at hand"---and that it was very easy to see cases in the future where a project that might be very good for the city as a whole would in fact be opposed by a memeber of the chamber, and that this type of split loyalty of funding would likely not be workable.

Click on the audioblogger for Mason's remarks:

On Page Three (3) of her memo to the Council, Jennifer Petruzello had explained the status of the request:

"At a September 27th special meeting, the Economic Development Committee voted to submit a budget request in the amount of $15,000. Of this $15,000, $12,000 would be allocated to fund 40% of a proposed evansville Chamber of Commerce Promotional Director position (estimated salary of $30,000) The Economic Development Committee's 2006 budget if $5000. This request was not included in the proposed budget because it would cause the city to exceed its expenditure restraint cap. If the Council would like to include this request, reductions in other areas would be required."

There will be budget hearings later where the public can voice their comments, but at last night's meeting, everyone was observers. Yes.

If you attended last night's meeting, and would like to add to this post, feel free to do so.