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twitterlas vegas city council:
Lonely voice against mountains of debt
Woman implores council to scrap city hall plan, but council’s support is firm
Steve Marcus
Rochelle Abram raises her objections to Las Vegas’ plan to build a new city hall as part of a downtown redevelopment effort. The City Council, however, voted unanimously to go ahead with the plan.
Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009 | 2 a.m.
New city hall
Sun Archives
- Union cheers agreement to fund city hall project (2-18-2009)
- Complicated deal, powerful partner (2-7-2009)
- City committed to project as Culinary pushes to handicap it (1-28-2009)
- Culinary to take beef with city to voters (1-22-2009)
- Old opinion could bite union with ballot issue (1-13-2009)
- Culinary moves to block LV redevelopment & City hall project (12-9-2008)
The woman waited quietly for her turn to speak, her hands clasped in front of her, her head unbowed.
Save for a couple of exceptions, it seemed the whole room was aligned against her: politicians impatient to tout their idea of a new city hall, hundreds of out-of-work laborers and their supporters eager to work on the project.
Rochelle Abram was one of the few who spoke against the project at Wednesday’s Las Vegas City Council meeting — and one of just two who were not a Culinary Union official or a neighborhood activist.
Just a concerned citizen.
The seven-member City Council, including Mayor Oscar Goodman, unanimously authorized a “lease-purchase” agreement to fund the new city hall project, which the city estimates will cost $150 million to $267 million.
Most council members used the opportunity to weigh in on behalf of the project. They said it would provide jobs, spur further downtown redevelopment and wouldn’t take funding away from schools, despite what has been claimed.
In December the Culinary proposed two ballot measures the city is fiercely opposing, including one that would repeal the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency’s current plan and force the agency to submit future redevelopment projects for voter approval. The other is designed to stop the city hall project by requiring voter approval of lease-purchase projects.
At a council meeting the month before, when the Culinary made its intentions known, more than 100 union members wearing red T-shirts loudly expressed their opposition to the project. Goodman responded by accusing the union of intimidation.
The city had been waiting for its chance to show some muscle. On Wednesday it got that chance.
More than 300 construction workers from Laborers Local 872 packed the council chambers, cheering and pumping their fists at the remarks they liked and booing those they didn’t.
The workers backed the council members and the city’s top staffers who detailed the city’s financial justifications.
In all, 10 people came to the podium to support the new city hall, including seven laborers. Five spoke against the project, including Culinary attorney Richard McCracken.
Abram, who wore a yellow suit, a patterned tie over a white shirt and long, braided hair, followed McCracken. She went on the offensive immediately.
She claimed the city hall plan would mean the city would incur $100 billion in additional debt that it hasn’t disclosed — that’s “billion” with a “b,” a distinct unlikelihood, to say the least.
Numbers aside, Abram echoed the concerns that many in the community have expressed — that incurring hundreds of millions in debt amid a deepening recession is not wise, and that the current city hall is functional and paid for.
“I understand everybody in this room would like to have a job, income, but let’s not do it forsaking our children’s interests,” Abram said.
Soon after, Abram broached another topic — the closure of F Street near Interstate 15, which has become a hot-button issue for many residents of West Las Vegas.
Goodman saw his chance.
“OK, that’s it, that’s it,” he said, interrupting Abram to raucous cheers from the crowd. They wanted another speaker, someone in favor of the plan, to come to the microphone.
Abram stood for one more brief moment at the podium. She then turned and walked backed to her seat.
Discussion: 21 comments so far…
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Taking on more debt at the front end of a years long depression sounds pretty dumb. Governments should be finding ways to pare down costs now.
Tax reciepts are declining and will continue to do so for years to come. Do the math.
The saddest part is that the 'workers' who will be put back to work will, in all likelyhood, NOT be American citizens but rather illegal immigrants with some kind of fake id (shades of identity theft). I'm all for whatever (within reason) will create jobs for people but this country needs to focus on taking care that it's the citizens of this country who are, in fact, the ones getting any newly created job. And since the politicians are the ones making the big bucks let THEM figure out how to do it (verify legality). If I had the know-how then I'D be the one making big bucks but quite honestly I don't have the answer to this dilemma.
This is not the time for any pet projects.The states bail out money needs to put as many people back to work,stop the further lose of housing and stop the bleeding.People need and have the right to know where those dollars are going.
"...the 'workers' who will be put back to work will, in all likelyhood, NOT be American citizens but rather illegal immigrants with some kind of fake id..."
I see you say that a lot. I want you to know that I never see these illegals you talk about. Not that I check IDs, but it's clear when to talk to someone where they are from. Accents and poor English cannot be overcome with a false ID.
If this is actually a big problem, as you say it is, I can't help but wonder where all these people are. With the exception of lawn maintenance, certainly they are not pervasive. At least as pervasive as the picture you like to paint.
azsk8fan
This smells very much like protectionism, and this is the last thing that the USA needs.
"Taking on more debt at the front end of a years long depression sounds pretty dumb. Governments should be finding ways to pare down costs now.
Tax receipts are declining and will continue to do so for years to come. Do the math."
Unless, of course, it is a trillion dollar "stimulus" plan from the Messiah, then all is good. After all, IT'S AN EMERGENCY AND WE MUST DO SOMETHING NO MATTER WHAT IT IS!!! Right?
(Oh and johne, I know your comments about our use of the Messiah when describing BO, but heck we can't call the current president with the previous term du jour, chimpy, without being called racist so we have to have a new fitting term of derision. After all why should democrats be the only ones to get enjoyment out of mocking a sitting President?)
"we can't call the current president...chimpy, without being called racist"
Right. So you're a racist. No surprise there. It goes with your other shallow minded beer-logic comments. As if there was any doubt.
Spend as the city empties is like playing a fiddle while Rome burns. The audacity of stupidity.
I regret I could not attend the meeting.
I do not support the idea of a new City Hall.
Such a project is not appropriate at this time.
The council seems to be approving a large amount of debt to attempt this ill-timed project. More debt is the last thing we need. I respectfully suggest the City
consider laying off a small percentage of its employees and making do with the facilities it has.
I think it is hilarious that nobody wants more debt for Las Vegas but it's OK for our country. Do you hear yourselves?
Where was all this uproar when the stimu-crack bill was being discussed?
Simu-crack is going for $1.10 a week nowadays.
"our country" is not my problem
one problem at a time please
Did Goodman have his name changed from Dalitz?
"Right. So you're a racist. No surprise there. It goes with your other shallow minded beer-logic comments. As if there was any doubt."
OH NO YOU DON'T Johnny Boy. You side called a sitting President a chimp for eight years and *now* it's racist? Ok fine calling an african american an chimp is racist, your side was a bunch of freaking biggots for making a term (chimpy) synonymous with a job (President) that can be viewed as racist when an african american actually becomes President. I guess your side was so bigoted that you never could imagine an african american as President. John, why are you such a racist?
Your side is so bigoted that any criticism of an african american President = Racism. What are you saying that african american Presidents are so inferior that they can't handle any criticism?
Hmmm what's next, your going to tell me that you are so bigoted that you fundamentally believe that certain races are so inferior that unless special preferences are made for them in the work place they will never be able to compete. Oh wait a minute, that does describe affirmative action, never mind.
Yep, any criticism of The Messiah's plan is racist!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090220/ap_o...
"COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The highest-ranking black congressman said Thursday that opposition to the federal stimulus package by southern GOP governors is 'a slap in the face of African-Americans.'"
Funny who racists always defend their racism by saying the other side does it.
I said you were a racist because it was you who was making the comment, and I have been around here long enough to see where you are coming from.
I never called Bush a chimp. But if I had, there is not one person who would see that as racist. Calling a black person "chimp" shows an obvious racist connotation. Your "I'm not being racist if you weren't" logic doesn't apply.
Oh no you don't. Funny how people who are racist project racism onto every thing. Kinda like Sharpton and yourself. Look in a mirror much Johnny boy?
No I am claiming that we are using a freaking word or thought that was "good and proper and describes that drunken and coke snorting disgrace of a resident who has taken away our fundamental rights via the unPatriot act and oh, but the way stole the election" back just 32 days ago and now is racist.
Hmmm let's see for eight years we have this: (quick google searches)
"Results 1 - 10 of about 3,570 for "chimp bush". (0.12 seconds)"
and this
"Results 1 - 10 of about 5,290 for "chimpy bush". (0.16 seconds)"
and this
"Photo summarizes Chimpy Bush presidency - soc.history | Google Groups"
and this
"Welcome to www.bushorchimp.com!
Welcome to the "George W. Bush or Chimpanzee" webpage. This is a little project I decided to start once I realized how much George W. Bush looks like a chimpanzee. I'm not a member of any political party, and I have nothing in particular against the man. I just think he kind of looks like a chimpanzee. -Bill Feldspar"
and this
"I don't think anyone can accuse DownWithTyranny of being slow to recognize the historic dimension of the Chimpy Bush presidency. Howie has never been shy about describing Chimpy as the worst president in U.S. history."
and this from "urban dictionary"
" Chimpy McFlightsuit 256 up, 25 down love ithate it
A clueless, drunken, arrogant silver spoon who usurps power through family connections and fuels a wartime economy on the backs of future generations. Resembles a monkey in facial expressions as well as oratory skills.
Chimpy McFlightsuit took the oath of office in January 2001"
It has been perfectly acceptable to call the President a chimp for eight years. *Now* it's racist?
What's a matter, did the left think that african americans didn't have the "facilities" to be President so a term that was offensive to them could be used, with impunity, to describe a sitting President. Was someone with the Dodgers publicly flayed, to the point of a very public firing, after making a similar comment on Nightline in the 80s? Man Johnny how can your side be so racist? Believing that african americans don't deserve to be President. Oh your side didn't come out and say it, but that is what they believe.
Cannon - The fact alone that you can't see the difference between a white man being called a chimp and a black man being called a chimp is quite frankly, ridiculous.
What makes me laugh is all the outright racists hiding behind the 'everyone who disagrees with Obama is a racist' card. Nice try. These are the same people who use 'clever' nicknames for Obama, not realizing most of them are outright racially motivated. Whooops!
I look forward to your next 500 word mind-numbing 'justifications' on why you and your views are not racist. Better hurry up though, Hannity is on in a few hours.
*eye roll* Ok wise JahReb and Johne, what term is acceptable to show my displeasure with the fine gentleman who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. After all anything "clever" which was used in the past eight years is off the table. What do I have your enlightened permission to use?
How about this?
"What term is acceptable to show my displeasure with the fine gentleman who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave?"
It sounds both respectful and definite. I would pay attention to it and take it seriously. Say what you like, just know that if you really want to be heard, this works better.
Johne, so comparing him to Hitler is out, correct? Comparing him a war criminal is out, correct? Saying that since BO has been elected I am leaving the country is out, correct? Saying GOD DAMN AMERICA because my party isn't in power is out, correct? Saying I am not proud of my country is out, correct? (Oh I guess it is perfectly acceptable to say that because BO is President, for the first time in my life I am proud, correct?)
Damn, I get to miss out on all the fun of behaving like a spoiled brat. Your side had all the fun over the past eight years so now if we join in that fun we are branded racists.
"It sounds both respectful and definite. I would pay attention to it and take it seriously. Say what you like, just know that if you really want to be heard, this works better."
So why have the rules changed as of January 20, 2009? Why do we have to be respectful now when you didn't January 19, 2009?