Representative Cecil Brown released a letter concerning the state's attempt to place a new building for the Department of Revenue costing $72 million on Lakeland Drive by Ridgewood Road. Mr. Brown wrote:
"Northsiders were understandably upset at reports that some legislators were considering building a new building for the State Tax Commission on Lakeland Drive. Here is what I know about the issue.
Early in the legislative session I was told that the Tax Commission was pushing to put the building on Lakeland. I immediately met with the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of Public Buildings and Grounds, Representative Mary Coleman. All of us were opposed to the site and agreed that there are many other appropriate sites in Jackson and Hinds County. Based on that meeting, the Lakeland location appeared to be off the table.
Later in the session, I had several conversations about the proposed Tax Commission building with Rep. Coleman and the director of the Bureau of Building (the office that oversees state construction projects). Some of those conversations were with developers promoting their own sites. All of those conversations were about locations other than the Lakeland site. I was assured that the Lakeland site was not being considered.
A few days ago Ted Duckworth, a northsider and developer, called to ask if I knew about a meeting about the Tax Commission that was held in the Governor’s office. I did not, but quickly confirmed that such a meeting was held. As I understand it, the meeting included the Governor, his staff, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Chairman of Senate Finance Committee and Ed Morgan, the Commissioner of Revenue. I also understand that the group agreed to support the Lakeland location and funding it with $50 million in state bonds. Based on that information, I called the Governor’s Chief of Staff and expressed my concern about the location and, on behalf of the voters in my district, asked the Governor to reconsider his support for the project. In that call I was assured that the Governor was neutral on the issue and was simply agreeing to the recommendation of the Commissioner of Revenue. A later conversation confirmed that the Governor had reconsidered.
I reported my findings and concerns to Rep. Coleman and the Speaker. The Speaker immediately called the Chairman of Ways and Means and asked him to work with me to stop the project. The Chairman agreed. I also called Ted Duckworth and reported my various conversations and suggested he contact Leland Speed to bring him up to date. The Governor had recently appointed Mr. Speed director of the Mississippi Development Authority, and the two are apparently close. Subsequently I met with Mr. Speed at the Capitol and reiterated my opposition to the project. I understand he also met with other House and Senate members and Lt. Governor Phil Bryant and expressed his opposition.
The final bond bill did not include the Lakeland location but did include $3 million for the first phase of a new building to be built in Jackson on a site selected by the state agency that oversees all public buildings.
So far as I can tell, the only person who is pushing the Lakeland location is the Commissioner of Revenue. As those of us who live in the area know, we already have significant traffic problems on Lakeland Drive, and adding the Tax Commission traffic to the flow would be a nightmare. I will continue to monitor the project and do everything I can to insure that wherever the Tax Commission goes, it will not be on Lakeland or anywhere near the proposed Lakeland location."
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Cecil Brown opposed to Lakeland Taj Mahal.
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24 comments:
What a colossal waste of $3 million. Just pick out some vacant space downtown or in Clinton and be done with it. Better yet, SoJack needs some business. Either way, there is plenty of abandoned/vacant space to fit their needs.
At least it seems somebody in the legislature is fighting this. What I want to know is why nobody has the stones to tell Morgan to go to hell and make due with what's available.
the arguement that traffic is a nightmare on Lakeland drive is a straw man, and for any elected offical to get up in arms over that false issue is comical. If "traffic flow" was such an issue, then Cecil Brown should be more worried about the mass exodus that is occuring in Jackson and focus is efforts on citizen retention. This whole issue is not about NE Jackson socialites or old farts living in Eastbrook, or the less than .01 percent increase in traffic a building on Lakeland drive would cause, but about control of development and profit by a group of power brokers. Pure politics. Shift the blame to a scapegoat (Morgan) and cause a panic (traffic and trees) while the real deal occurs in a smoke filled room.
Uh, 1:43, how can Morgan be a scapegoat, when it's his idea? Or maybe you're right, and some secret group is manipulating the whole thing. Which means that Leland Speed, the ultimate power broker, is just pretending to be upset about traffic on Lakeland to hide the fact that he secretly wants the project to be located on land that he controls through various shell companies. Or not.
Have you driven on Lakeland at any time during the last ten years?
I drive Lakeland daily. Do you really think a government building in going to generate that much traffic? If you figure 80,000 people a day drive down lakeland and a few hundred work in the office, then do the math, the arguement is without merit. With that kind of logic, we should tax all those who live in Rankin and work in Jackson for the right to drive on the roads. Morgan stands to make how much from this project? Seriously? nothing last time I checked. He isn't a real estate developer and other than wanting a nice place to work and being the director, he has no real stake in where it goes. If I was the director, I would like a new building as well, but I am sure it is no skin off his dick where it is put. Watch as those who stand to profit cry the loudest and offer a solution to save poor NE Jackson and all the trees. Funny how Eastbrooke is all upset about the tax comission building when it is indeed flanked by a public park, fire station, nursing home, noisy baseball stadium and bar. You gotta have standards by god.
Ever seen UMC at 4:30 on Lakeland? Nope. no traffic at all.
Someone wants to make money on building an office for State government and someone want to rent a building to State government. That is about it.Also someone's nest is getting messed with.
1:43/2:59 is ignoring the main thing: $50 million to build, and then the state rents from itself on top-of-that. It makes about as much economic sense as running into traffic blindfolded.
No, make it $72 million. Always add the interest on the bonds.
Always add the interest on the bonds.
Except, of course, if one is talking about the various debt financing schemes and scams being used downtown. Then nobody (Kingfish notwithstanding) wants to reveal or discuss the true cost of the taxpayer largesse being silver spooned to the select few primarily white moneymen there.
What about Blue Cross, Dogwood festivus (for the rest of us), Castlewoods, and Pinelake. Ever been to Lakeland Wine and Spirits? Or any of the offices in the Quarter, or Penn's, and don't forget Primos. Yes Jimmie, the Univeristy Medical Center and St. Dominic's Royal Hyatt Hotel is also on Lakeland, along with a few dozen other establishments.
Its not about traffic on Lakeland. Its not about Eastover or Eastbrooke. Its about whether the state should be spending $50 million plus on a building to house a bunch of people that do nothing but shift papers. The employees that will be in this building - wherever it is put - have very little if any contact with the public. They don't need to be in prime space in an expensive building on Lakeland Drive. THEY ALSO DON'T NEED TO BE IN DOWNTOWN OFFICE SPACE, MR. SPEED ET.AL. The state shouldn't be spending millions on building the type building (design, style) as would be required if it is located on Lakeland. They also don't need to be paying top dollar rent downtown or anywhere else.
They do need a better space than they currently have in Clinton - that 'temporary' warehouse is not appropriate. But just because Senator/Mayor Morgan wants a billboard space for 'his agency' doesn't qualify as a reason for such a waste of taxpayer dollars. But I guess - Morgan can just collect more from all of us to pay for his extravagence.
NOOOOOO more debt.
Good to know Cecil occasionally makes a good decision - even if it's primarily for PR in Eastover.
Why spend $70Million on a new building as shrine to the tax commissioner??? What a joke! And spending $3Million for some dumb ass to play pin the tail on the donkey and pick a spot is just as ridiculous. Other cities have the majority of state agencies in the downtown area. It generates growth for the downtown...hundreds of people eating lunch, shopping etc. Last time I looked, there were plenty of vacant offices in the downtown area starving for a tenant.
When the people are screaming, "No More Debt" one has to wonder when and which politicians are going to run on the platform of "NO MORE DEBT".
The only issue is, they too will succumb to the cozy groupthink that is politics - read, what do I have to do to stay in office?
5:04 - The State won't be paying top dollar if they go in a private building. They'll play the $12.50 a foot or close to it like the two state agencies that moved into Regions Plaza downtown. And what's the deal with all the paper talk? I thought this was the 21st century, and everything is going paperless.
This smells like the Butch Brown MDOT administration.
Old farts or not, ... this is the last remaining MAJOR tax paying neighborhood left in
Jackson. Let em' enjoy what they have earned in what little peace remains in their neighborhood.
Eastover Mansions or not , I'm actually surprised that so many of these "rich" tax payers
have chosen to stay in Jack-town.
It'll be fun watching the research numbers released.
9:21PM that was interesting..."into a private building"...Can you give me a little bit more to chew on that? It was a bit of an obtuse comment.
Madison property values are declining as the city continues to creep.
I suspect any decline in Madison property values has to do with the prolonged national recession, affecting how long it takes to sell a property, which prompts more sellers to lower their asking price so they can move, take a new job elsewhere, etc.
i second the comment about cecil standing up to morgan for whatever reason. And i am as surprised as anyone that it is him and not a white councilman. In the past the colors seem to flock together.
Or the plethora of $350K McMansions all over the place out there, 9:10.
Kangaroo - State agencies pay DFA (State of Mississippi) $12.50 a square foot in rent no matter what building they are in. If they go into a private building it has to be close to that number. Why do you think this has caused such a stir? There is over 1 million square feet of vacant office space in the metro area so why do you need a brand spanking new building. You pay $72 million to construct a building and pay $12.50 a square foot in rent. It doesn't makes sense.
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