Birmingham muzzles citizens during commission meetings

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see the start at 3:12 mark
https://vimeo.com/event/3470/videos/345594611

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...on/1722151001/

also - how is describing a parking garage as 'open air' considered an amenity?

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City Manager Joe Valentine said planning groups selected the site four years ago as “the best location for increasing our downtown parking capacity.” The new parking deck would boast “modern amenities” such as bright LED lighting, improved entrance and exit designs, an “open-air appearance” and enhanced security.

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If I were a Birmingham citizen, I would be absolutely appalled about a $57.4 Million developer handout to build a 7-floor parking deck + Restoration Hardware so they can abandon their somerset location. :confused:

To give you some context, Milwaukee gave Northwest Mutual $73 TIF for a 32-Story 1.1 Million Office Tower
https://news.northwesternmutual.com/building-the-future

Sigh!

Birmingham, MI. has now become the mini metropolis for the rich and famous. Look what happen to downtown Royal Oak.

I'm trying to do the math on this $57 Million.

The RFP states 1150 spots in the parking deck. High range for structured parking $25K/space, so $29M - but likely much lower based on the garbage design. What is the remaining $28M buying? The RH Gallery Store?

Birmingham Now Project Site

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Originally Posted by hybridy

I'm trying to do the math on this $57 Million.

The RFP states 1150 spots in the parking deck. High range for structured parking $25K/space, so $29M - but likely much lower based on the garbage design. What is the remaining $28M buying? The RH Gallery Store?

Birmingham Now Project Site

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The FAQs you linked to tell you what the costs are. The $57 million is not just for building the new structure. It includes demolition of the current structure and ancillary infrastructure costs which include extending Bates from Maple to North Old Woodward. And the new structure will include 3 levels below ground, which are more expensive to build. So I think your $25,000/spot estimate is a bit low.

Yeah, there is the extension of Bates Street [[which had always been planned for and needed) and other ancillary items. I actually like the proposal. During the work day, there are almost no parking spots available and that particular garage is well over 50 years old and falling apart - it has to be torn down soon as it is not safe. The bond will only be reimbursed using parking fees and not raise our taxes. The individual in that video is well known in Birmingham, he has been doing the same shtick for years. Anytime there is a bond proposal he fights it and contacts all the media. The article seems to indicate that he is using it as a means to get free publicity for his run for city commission.

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Originally Posted by hybridy

D R A M A


If I were a Birmingham citizen, I would be absolutely appalled about a $57.4 Million developer handout to build a 7-floor parking deck + Restoration Hardware so they can abandon their somerset location. :confused:
e

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What handout? Says this on the page:

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Is the City providing tax incentives for the project?

No, it is not

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Originally Posted by scarecrow

What handout? Says this on the page:

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think you should study up on what TIF funds are -
https://www.lincolninst.edu/publicat...ment-financing

https://www.citylab.com/solutions/20...th-tif/569815/

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But in practice, TIF doesn’t always play out that way. Critics often charge that it funnels money out of the taxpayers’ pockets into a special fund that, by and large, works in a pretty opaque manner. While some of that money funds essential public works, much has also gone towards erecting new Whole Foods, renovating glitzy hotels, and building stadiums—the type of projects, one might argue, should not require such incentives. And the evidence Merriman analyzes suggest they may have a point. He shows that, in most cases around the country, the tool did not fulfill its main goal of boosting economic development.

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“If property taxes are higher—if the rates are higher—then the TIF money has come of the taxpayer’s pocket,” Merriman said. “It’s a diversion in that way.”

In other words, TIF doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Like other tax incentive programs, it may have the adverse affect of creating competition between neighboring jurisdictions in a way that is not always beneficial—all for outcomes that are mixed, at best.


Perhaps the biggest concern with TIF, though, is that of transparency, because of the way this mechanism effectively bypasses the public municipal budget process.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_increment_financing

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• The TIF process arguably leads to favoritism for politically connected developers, implementing attorneys, economic development officials, and others involved in the processes.
• In some cases, school districts within communities using TIF are experiencing larger increases in state aid than districts not in such communities. This may be creating an incentive for governments to "over-TIF," consequently taking on riskier development projects. Local governments are under no obligation to recognize when TIF designation would adversely affect a school district's financial condition, and consequently the quality of some schools can be compromised.
• Normal inflationary increases in property values can be captured with districts in poorly written TIFs, representing money that would have gone into the public coffers even without the financed improvements.
• Districts can be drawn excessively large thus capturing revenue from areas that would have appreciated in value regardless of TIF designation.
• Approval of districts can sometimes capture one entity's future taxes without its official input, i.e. a school districts taxes will be frozen on action of a city.
• Capturing the full tax increment and directing it to repay the development bonds ignores the fact that the incremental increase in property value likely requires an increase in the provision of public services, which will now have to be funded from elsewhere [[often from subsidies from less economically thriving areas). For example, the use of tax increment financing to create a large residential development means that public services from schools to public safety will need to be expanded, yet if the full tax increment is captured to repay the development bonds, other money will have to be used.

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Pretty corrupt that they're using a cable contract as an excuse to prevent citizens from commenting on city council's decisions,.. as that's the reason the meetings must be public in the first place.

With all due respect, I don't quite understand your argument. The language specifically states that only parking fees can be used to fund the new parking deck. It would make no sense to secretly / corruptly raise residences property taxes to pay off the bond as property taxes are barred from being used to pay off the bond. Only parking fees, its the same bond used for all other birmingham parking garages during my lifetime.

The opposition is out there everyday handing out yard signs and perhaps they will win. Who knows. They seem to have enthusiasm. The reality is, within the next 5 years or so, something has to be done with that parking garage as it is long past its useful life

I read the Freep article and the last line really struck me. "Reagan said he and others believe there are corrupt ties between various parties involved in Birmingham NOW. Still, he added: “I can’t see a money trail” and “I have seen no evidence of bribes.” I don't find it useful to accuse people of corruption and then in the next line say but I have no evidence to support my claim.

Just as a final note, in Birmingham, revenue from parking fees [[that will be used to pay off the bond) are not allowed to be used to pay for any other Birmingham service - so it won't be diverting money away from another Birmingham service.:

parking fees generate revenues in the fund only support the Birmingham Automobile Parking System. Thesefunds may only be utilized to reinvest in parking infrastructure and operations. These funds are notavailable to support other City initiatives,such as senior services, parks, sewers, etc.

Something up at the Wabeek properties! And its more parking garages to create a New York Birmingham, MI.

Birmingham residents sue after being silenced at city commission meeting