Development, lack there of, Stepping in it

The Post Standard today is filled with stories of development in Syracuse. The Syracuse Industrial Development agency is buying up 3 vacant properties on Warren St. No word yet on what they’re going to do, but it has to be an improvement over the eyesore there now. OCC is planning to expand. And there’s an article about SU professors hoping to revitalize the Near West side.

There’s also an article again showing we’ve got to track how the money’s being spent, not just hand tax breaks out. The “Jefferson Clinton Commons” was given 1 mill in breaks because , among other things, it was supposed to create parking. It does in fact, have 180 spots. But it builds over 152 (28 net, for those who didn’t major in math). The good news here is the article implies the money is not guaranteed (a surprise in itself in New York state), so let’s see what the final product looks like before we render a verdict. (This just in, apparently some city councilors agree with me)

And in case you missed it, apparently when Spitzer ran under the slogan “Day one, everything changes,” he was in fact referring to his approval rating. It’s plummeted, since his proposal to let licenses be given without a social security card (which he has now dropped). Again, I personally think letting people have ID and knowing, to some degree, who the heck you’re dealing with is a good idea, but clearly most of NY disagrees with me on this.

Speaking of things NY probably disagrees with me on, let me, for a moment step into dangerous territory by talking about the proposed Salina Domestic Partner’s law. For those who missed it (it did come and go in like 24 hours), outgoing Salina supervisor Chuck Iavarone had proposed letting domestic partners (both heterosexual and homosexual, as opposed to only spouses) collect health benefits and be guaranteed civil rights such as visiting rights in hospitals and nursing homes. Then he changed it to just the civil rights thing. It still got voted down 3-2. Let me just say, that I am for everyone’s civil rights everywhere. To Mark Nicotra, who voted against it on the grounds that it was a state and federal issue, I say maybe it is to some degree, but that’s also passing the buck. Also, I’m going to assume you may have been misquoted, but who is “they” in your response. Seems Iavarone started this thing on his own near as I can tell. To County Leg elect Dave Stott, who’s campaign I supported and would still support, your answer that basically there were more vital and immediate needs to work on was also passing the buck. This site is about nothing if not about keeping our officials honest, even the ones we like.