Brookings should stop corporate welfare
Over the course of what the mayor admits in his Nov. 21 editorial has been at least a decade, our city government has had agreements with three different out of town developers, for the 26.2 acre site they call the Brookings Marketplace. The first was from Kansas, the second from Sioux Falls and the current one from Minneapolis. Besides being outsiders, what does each of these have in common?
The answer is that none of them have had any out of pocket investment in this land. No, instead they have received thousands of taxpayer dollars to fund their studies, promotions and travels. Now the current one, reportedly a billion dollar company, wants to buy only the best of the land, at a fraction of its real value, so they can reap huge profits by bringing in some low hanging retail fruit a gas station, furniture store and possibly a grocery is what they say.
It is time to stop this corporate welfare to outsiders at the expense of Brookings taxpayers.
The truth is local people can do this. People with names like Bielfeldt, Bowes, Drew, Kneip, Kurtenbach, Kreyger, Mills, Minor, Moriarty, Parks, Voss and others have and continue to do retail commercial development. No government subsidy required.
Years ago, local developers asked the city to simply auction the property.
We dont know what would have been here if they had listened, but over a similar time frame and in this same area, local developers have brought us the new Comfort Inn and Suites, the Wilbert Convention center, Taco Bell, Blue Tide car wash, a renovated Brookings Inn, the My Place hotel, a Whiskey Creek restaurant, TJ Maxx and more. These have all added valuable products and services to our community, and each pays the taxes that support our schools, city and county government.
In contrast, the Marketplace has contributed nothing to our community since the city bought it. In fact, it has cost us hundreds of thousands in out of pocket expenses, and even more, considering the lost property tax revenue the land would have contributed if anyone else owned it. Those are tax dollars that you and I have had to make up.
It is time for the city to do the right thing. Stop meddling in commercial real estate development, auction this property off, and get back to what government should do keep us safe, our streets open, our fire and police departments equipped and fully staffed, and our parks and recreation facilities ready to enjoy.
There are folks circulating petitions to bring this to a public vote. If you dont find one, please stop by Mills Development at 1323 Main Avenue South to sign.
John Mills,Mills Development,Brookings
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