Quote Originally Posted by jt1 View Post
Another issue not being addressed is taxes: The county/court complex pay a total of $0 in taxes. Moving these to an area with exceptionally low value and putting something else in will add to the city's tax base.

Property taxes, to which you refer are meaningless for this debate. Should Gilbert get the land, the abatements and credits he'll receive means he won't pay property tax either.

The issue, as stated by many others, is the full economic impact of the justice center [[jails, courts, law enforcement, bail bonds, lawyers etc.) compared to whatever Gilbert envisions as a replacement.

Downtowns and CBD have always been the locus of government offices and functions. Government offices and their economic externalities are the result of and an expression of a regions ascendancy and shouldn't be dismissed when not fashionable.

Frank Murphy, 36th District and the jails kept downtown Detroit afloat with activity and consumers long before Gilbert arrived. Should Gilbertville not live up to expectations, it will be the constants like our justice institutions that will always be there.