Big Box Blog

The Humboldt Taxpayers League is on record strongly supporting private enterprise and opposing tax subsidizes to private enterprise.

The standing justification given for development subsidies is that private enterprise can't do it without being subsidized.

This is simply not true in most cases, even when private enterprise is complicit in seeking and raking in the unnecessary subsidies.
As we understand it, private enterprise (Security National, owned by Rob and Cherie Arkley) has proposed to turn the long-vacant, 30-acre eyesore into a productive community asset — without using a dime of the taxpayers' money.

How rare — a proposed development where they say we don't need your subsidies; we don't want your subsidies; we won't take your subsidies.

This is a development and attitude we can only applaud — we need much more of this from the rest of the development community.

Love them or hate them, agree with them or not, there is no denying that the Arkleys have been a positive force in the development and revitalization of our community.

Their vision and efforts toward the betterment of the community they've chosen for their home and headquarters for their businesses are quite evident to all.

It's been eight years since the voters turned down Wal-Mart's Balloon Tract rezoning request.

This was followed by the Arkleys offering to buy it for a city park — based on the assumption touted by the city (that we now know was in error) that the site's contamination could be cleaned sufficiently for that use.
Since then the property has continued to languish, with no credible interest in its development until now.

The Arkleys have once again become actively involved in an attempt to do away with the eyesore. Recent studies have determined that the best way to handle the Balloon Tract's contamination is through partial cleanup and containment by capping to protect the public from contact with the underlying soils.

Considering the contamination problems, the current approach appears to be the most logical use of the property.

Any development of the Balloon Tract will face the onerous and costly task of following the extensive planning processes of the city and a multitude of state agencies, including rezoning if it is to be used for anything but its current “public use” designation.

Whether it's their business developments or philanthropies, the Arkleys have the resources, the ability and a proven track record of putting together projects that benefit the community.

Our governmental agencies would best serve the taxpaying public by putting aside special interests and supporting the current effort by private enterprise to develop the Balloon Tract.

We are very much afraid that doing otherwise will mean squashing this effort by private enterprise.

If that happens, the property will continue to languish as taxpayers' monies are dumped into it — as currently being advocated by Supervisor Neely and the like, who appear to be against any development unless it involves taxpayers' money and all the extra red tape they can heap on it.

Whatever happened to private enterprise?

It's under constant attack, and it's costing the taxpayers dearly.

Leo Sears is president of the Humboldt Taxpayers League. He lives in Eureka.

The opinions expressed in this My Word piece do not necessarily reflect the editorial viewpoint of the Times-Standard.