Redevelopment plans off base

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Back in the 1990s, the Turlock City Council created the Redevelopment Agency as a two-pronged approach to stimulate our local economy.

Our goals were to enhance existing businesses and bring new businesses to Turlock. The end result would be job creation and new or renovated buildings downtown. The agency would pay for itself with the new revenue brought on by increased commerce.

Today, it seems the City Council has its own agenda with our Redevelopment Agency. They are discussing building a parking structure, rebuilding Carnegie Hall or renovating Joe Debely Stadium. While Carnegie Hall needs to be rebuilt and Joe Debely Stadium is in dire need of renovation, neither of these projects meet the criteria set up in the early 1990s. Downtown businesses will not create jobs or see new customers because we build a parking structure.

In fact, none of these projects enhances existing business or attracts new business to Turlock. Unless the council has job figures that they have not shared, I do not believe any of these projects will create a single long-term job. Finally, since all locations are owned by the city or the school district, they'll not pay a dime in property tax.

The Redevelopment Agency was never set up to be a pot of money the council could use for the earmarked projects. It is time the council use the agency the way it was intended.

LARRY RUMBECK

Turlock

Editor's note: Rumbeck is a former Turlock city councilman. The council will discuss redevelopment projects at its meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday.