MASON CITY – The Mason City council approved a development deal with a car dealership at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
The council unanimously approved the proposed terms to be included in an agreement for private development by and between the City of Mason City and Hosmer Honda for the relocation from 808 South Monroe Avenue to the 3800 Block of 4th Street Southwest on the city’s west side, adjacent to a Toyota dealership also owned by Hosmer.
The city offered a staggered 5 year tax break/rebate (tax increment financing) on the supposed higher value of the property to which the Honda dealership will move to.
Hosmer must create 4 new jobs within three years and must employ 11 people at a minimum of $15.00 per hour, peaking at a minimum of 15 employees by the end of the development agreement (5 years).
In year one, Hosmer will receive a 75% refund on the incremental taxes (the higher value of the property after it is developed, minus the current assessed value); in year two, a 60% rebate; in year 3, a 45% rebate, in year 4, a 30% rebate, and year 5, a 15% rebate.
In a letter to City Hall, Hosmer Honda said “We are so pleased to be working with you on a mutually beneficial tax refund for our new Honda Store.”
94 thoughts on “City Council approves development deal with car dealership”
The bottom line is this. Government shouldn’t be picking and choosing who gets special tax breaks. We are all in this together or we are not. Using their logic all “job creators” should get a break. It should be equal for everyone or no one. Either all businesses get a break or none.
A better idea is to pay someone a percentage who finds a way to save government money and then give EVERY individual a tax break.
@ anonymous oh so I am on drugs sorry wrong number hell no, never been. I am saying, the Globb tells retired NIACC no then they go put out stuff from Blodgett’s. Not fair. Unless your on drugs. Doc he is retired, you know.
jerry-And as I asked retired, has he ever gone to the Globe to find out why his articles were not printed? And to your comment that it’s not fair for the Globe to print Blodgetts articles and not NIACC, perhaps it’s about time you learned that life isn’t fair, not even remotely so. And I did not say you were on drugs, just that you sounded like you were. Your spelling, punctuation, and thought process was a little difficult to decipher.
Retired NIACC-I find it difficult to believe that anyone can be so filled with self pity. Judging others because they have more than you do, accomplished more than you have, are more wealthy than you are, and belong to the country club. it’s ludicrous. How they get what they have is completely irrelevant, as long as it’s legal. And if you claim it’s illegal, please show me some proof. People can’t choose their parents, or the state of wealth or poverty they are born into. YOU PLAY THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT. And I feel your post is the epitome of Aesop’s “The Fox and the Grapes” fable.
@ anonymous, it is not self pity, it is reality. Let me tell you, over the last four years I have submitted three full length guest editorials to the Globe. All were painstakingly researched, footnoted, and written about issues relevant to every citizen. All of them were rejected. And here I am, a former college professor. I don’t mean letters, by the way. I am referring to what they call guest opinion columns written to appeal to educated, literate readers. All rejected. But the same people over there keep publishing the right wing nut crap that Blodgett, Sr submits, and the semi-literate, asinine drivel written by his Nazi son the drug addict. Now, why is that, do you think? It certainly isn’t because they have anything worthwhile to enlighten us with, is it? Is it? I should think not. I have a right to be upset. And you need to mind your own business because you are probably a Republican who cares about nobody but yourself. Good day.
Ok so now we know where your coming from retarded, oh I mean retired.
Yes.
Retired NIACC-Have you gone to the Globe to find out why your articles were rejected? And again your article reeks of the “poor pitiful me” attitude. Nothing you wrote contradicted any of the statements I made in my post. You sound like a person who had a position at one time, and that position was his identity. And when that position was lost, so was the crutch that made you what you were. So now, instead of realizing that you are no longer a viable part of the entity you belonged to, you find succor in attacking those you feel are successful to bring them down to what you feel is your present level. Also, you say you’re upset. Tell me, does anyone really care? We all have our crosses to bear, Just because your feelings were hurt will not make me lose one wink of sleep. Though I will admit I did like your closing. “Good day.” Classy.
@ anonymous ok NIACC is retired it is still his right to be upset, Blodgett is retire right, ok. Well his stuff still gets in? Yes it does. Your wrong because if your right then it should be fair, it is not.
I don’t really give a rat’s about this but Jerry what you said reek’s of naive. So NIACC is pissed the Globb won’t run his editorials and they run stuff from Blodgett. Whoopy do. Blodgett has been in federal and state office, he does still have a following. NIACC there is your reason. I do agree the Globb puts out way to much of the rightwingnut shit that Toddy boy cranks out, he probably thinks slinging Republitard bs keeps him in daddy’s Will.
Jerry-Please clarify your post. To me it sounded like you were on drugs.
@ 4ever49, you asked about unjust advantages. Unjust advantages are enjoyed by people like Hosmer, who married money. The unjustly advantaged get things and privileges denied to people like I and my wife and our adult children. Bookmeyer caters to such advantaged people, who bring their friends along for the ride. Unjust advantages are what Minert and Blodgett have because their daddys are rich. The unfairly advantaged have Country club memberships, drive nicer cars, wear finer clothes, get special favors, have automatic access to the influential, retain superior lawyers, dine in more expensive restaurants, take nicer vacations, and live better lives, undeserved as they are. If they earned it, fine. But if not, then their undeserved, gilded lives are, indeed, unjustly advantaged.
Niacc I do not agree with the Blodgett’s, always voted against doc. The son should of been born 100 years ago he is in the wrong time, yes he is too much rightwing. You though sound like a sore looser. Maybe grow up some try again or try, to get Matt to run your columns.
@ 4ever49. You asked about unjust advantages, which are like those possessed by Hosmer, who married money. Unjust advantages are enjoyed by Minert and Blodgett, who have rich daddys. The wealthy get to take shortcuts that we cannot. They have special access to the influential which is denied to us. They bring their friends along for the ride, sometimes to enrich themselves at public cost. Their unjust advantages include, but are not limited to Country club memberships, receiving favors like those Bookmeyer does for the favored, nicer automobiles, boats, an account at Moorman’s, summer lake houses, better lawyers, etc., are all just a small part of the unearned lives of the undeserving rich. Yes, alas, they have unjust advantages.
You all piss and moan because someone has the guts to invest in business. Stick your balls out there and try it once. You work for someone else that built a business, then whine because you are not rich.
Mark-I agree with your sentiments, but not with your language. For someone who can elucidate his point so well, you should have been able to choose some more tactful terms. Not a criticism, just an observation.
@Mark-If you are so smart, and he has so many guts and is such a good businessman, why does he need or want our tax money to finance his business? Maybe he is just like you and just has a smart, nasty mouth. He hangs with Crookmeyer so he has to be crooked himself.
lvs-Why shouldn’t he ask for the tax money? It’s out there for him. Any good businessman takes advantage of any legal benefit he can get. It’s out there for you as well as him if you would get the drive to open your own business instead of always complaining on here as you do. And I challenge you, if you are the man you claim to be, to prove in a court of law that Mayor Bookmeyer is crooked. You can call people names, you can vilify their reputation. What you can’t do if prove any of these allegations that you throw out.
lvs-Please answer my question. Why shouldn’t he ask for the tax money? The city code allows him to do it. He’s just exercising his rights that are available to all citizens of Mason City.
The more I read the posts here, the more I feel that most posts are from jealous, angry people who hold it against many of the successful people in town due to the very fact they are successful. Talk about people getting special help, about special deals made in social settings rather than city hall. The angry ranting’s of the have-nots against the have’s. These business owners have taken the risk, the initiative to become successful, while the rest of us tucked our tail between our legs and took the easy way, the safe way to live. I challenge any and all of you who choose to malign and vilify the business owners and city officials to take a lawyer, go to city hall, and press legal charges against those you accuse of wrong doing. There comes a time to put up or shut up. This is your time, people. Come out from behind your screen names and be more then just a shadow.
Hosmer didn’t take any risk. He married the owners daughter and inherited a dealership that his father in law got many years before Toyota is what it is today. The only risk he took was marrying the owners daughter. Give me a break!
Also, even if owners did take risk it doesn’t mean they deserve welfare. Pot dealers take risk.
Hey what happened to the guy hosmer punched in the face? Is there any lasting physical trauma? I think when you enter the dealership, hosmer should offer optional catcher’s faceguard to all customers. That way they will be safe from Mike Tyson like uppercuts and so forth.
Face the truth, people, nobody likes a crybaby.
I have a question?
Retired NIACC is very correct when he says, “local politicians do favors for their friends”.
Everybody in this town knows that statement to be true.
Why do the educated folks in this town keep voting for this kind of leadership? Surly they know how destructive it is. Granted Weaver was clearly the wrong candidate for Mayor in this last election but these folks have been voting this way for decades.
Everybody that votes for these cronies don’t get in on all the goodies.
Why keep voting for them?
Watchdog, not all educated people vote for Bookmeyer, Urdahl, and those who bestow favors on their supporters, friends, and friends of friends. My wife and I each hold a Masters degree and we voted for Max Weaver and Leonard Foster. Most better educated voters here tend to support candidates backed by big money, and me thinks the reason is the desire for money, and love thereof. Money has been the problem for oh, so long, too long. Scroll down a bit to Jerry’s comment about the campaign between his friend Mike Dunn and Gary Blodgett, in which Dr. Blodgett spent more than 20 times what Dunn had. Then think back to last week’s election. Did Bookmeyer not outspend Mr. Weaver by at least that much? Then there is also what I shall call a social factor, which benefits candidates with money on their side. Does this answer suffice?
@ 4ever49. We do not disagree on what you called business as usual. The frustration I and others feel centers more on how the privileged affluent around here are able to get Bookmeyer, Urdahl, Kuhn, and other local politicians to do them favors and do favors for their friends. If you own Vicor or MetalCraft, or if your name is Hosmer, Minert, Blodgett, etc., north Iowa politicians respond to your requests and will do what you want them to do for your friends. These people are used to getting what they want, and because they grew up with money they have unjust advantages.
Retired NIACC – your post has this interesting phrase – “they have unjust advantages” because they “grew up with money”.
Could you elaborate on this?
LVS your saying Blodgett is a liberal well I got news for you, our neighbor Mike Dunn run against doc. Mike would of won except all that right wing Republitard money, Gary out spent Mike like 20 times over. We know what RINO is, old doc is not it.
@ Lvs so now that Bookie beat Max and Urdahl stayed in last year this will mean more of these secret scams. These politicians deals with a nazi crack smoker should get all around, they do not win again if people know how they do.
@Jerry-I never said he wouldn’t use every bit of influence he has to keep himself in power. That is how the game works with those people. They are only loyal to a party as long as they have something to gain from it.
lvs-Wondering when you are going to respond to my post of Nov. 9 @3.26pm.
@anonymous-I don’t remember seeing a post from you. But there are so many anonymous it is hard to tell. If it was something smart I probably just ignored it. If not, send it again and I will try to answer.
@anonymous-Never mind, I found it and as I suspected you were trying to be a smart mouth but your lack of brain power failed you once again. Your opinions do not mean squat to me and your lack of professionalism is very apparent.
@WeSuck,
There is a big difference in “types” of welfare. You should not lump them all together.
When someone is hungry I don’t have a problems with workfare. It makes them a better person. Welfare on the other hand makes them weak.
As for Business Welfare, that is just plain greed.
Worst of all it has been forced upon us by elected officials. How lame is that!
No one should EVER vote for an incumbent. I don’t!
@watchedog-there is something to what “We Suck” posted. Although I agree that we should never vote for a incumbent. Term limits for all elected officials.
Yes yes yes this stuff is greedy. Hypercrites do deals the rich one’s get welfare like they need it right. Bookmyer his rich friends they are no better then me, to bad Eric does not know. This is why he does these rip off’s with the richys. Hosmer and Minert and them they should be ashamed so should pukey Republicans like Blodgett takes people out to the country club for a shadey deal. They will answer in the end.
@Charlotte-I agree with your post. However, I think Blodgett is a RHINO. Just as Urdahl is a closet Republican Blodgett and his partners in crime Crookmeyer, Rowe, Tornquist and Kuhn are all LIBERALS hiding under different names.
@ LVS, if you ever took the time to read the fascist columns Toddy boy writes for the Globe you would see that he is a right wing nut case. RINO, no.
@Retired-I have read them an I know what you mean. I was talking about his daddy. All of them are liberals that are on a power trip. The rest of us do not count. That i pretty obvious to me. Look at what Bookie has done with the council meetings. There is no public input and they absolutely refuse to answer any questions from the public. They are setting themselves up as dictators.
Let’s face it. Let’s come to terms with what the IOWA heart and soul is all about. Iowans simply hate welfare…for everyone else except themselves!
Farmers hate to see baby mamma’s at Hy-vee using SNAP food support, but have no problem taking government pay outs.
Business’s LOVE to complain about welfare but have no problem taking corporate welfare.
This is because we are all SELFISH and self centered. Even the working poor hate poorer people getting anything free. It’s universal for everyone, dems and repubs. WE ALL want free stuff…FOR OURSELVES, not the other guy.
Most of us are jealous, selfish idiots and that’s just a fact of life in Iowa. It’s who we as a people. We hate to see someone else get anything unless we can get some too.
Hosmer got him a good deal off Booky, you wait we will see alot more. Republitards say no welfare but oh it is ok for their friends. Look what Booky done for the Harley, that would of not been but the Republitard druggy Blodgett he lines it all up for Eric to meet Minert out to the Country club. Next thing you know the council gives Minert the money. Still that don’t stop Toddy boy from hating on poor people.
How many of you have ever created jobs for the community? At an average of $15/hr? I’m guessing none.
This has nothing to do with job creation and all to do with corporate welfare paid for by the rest of us. How much revenue will be lost for public good on the possibility of 4 jobs being created. And there is no promise these jobs will be here for very long if at all. If you believe this is job creation and good for communities you must be nuts.
@ RuKidding, superbly well stated by you and Jerry about well connected, entitled Republican hypocrites who connect their friends at costly expense to us. The turpitude of our mayor and disingenuous silver spooners like Hosmer, Minert, and Blodgett infuriates citizens of good conscience. The results of last week’s election shall mean more of the same.
Me!
When Hosmer sells out and retires with millions is he going to pay any money back? Heck no!
Please poor folks, can’t you help fund a car dealers business? Please, won’t you help out a brother in need?
You bufoons that think Hosmer getting tax money to do business have absolutely no understanding of our historical business model.
Yep, the new way is to finance or help finance business with our tax dollars. This is called spreading the wealth, UP.
It is a new day and you educated fellers have been taught that this Public/Private venture concept is the norm. May have become the norm, however, it has brought America to it’s knees,
It has destroyed the work ethic. Most people go to work today for the paycheck.. Before the big change in financing business’s with tax dollars, loyalty was the norm and work was as natural as play. Not so anymore!
Welfare at all levels has made you all a bunch of week kneed beggars who think all this Tax Subsidy and Govment giveaways are ok, even normal. Well it ain’t!
You all have a rude awaking.
Incredibly articulate post.
“Job Creators” deserve free tax money. We’re you ever hired by a poor “job creator”? LOL
I sure was hired by a poor employer. No tax subsidies and wouldn’t except them. The struggle made the business and my boss better.
I retired 30 years later and the business is still going.
I went on to become a poor employer without subsidies and hired many people. When I sold out I had 27 employees.
No one needs or should get tax subsidies of any kind.
I agree with anonymous. This is what happens when candidates for political office are judged on their ability to create jobs using tax dollars.
Since when did politicians become such business savvy types? Answer – they haven’t. They are just responding to a misconception held by voters that government is the answer to everything.
Business will continue to operate as usual – tapping all resources available, particularly those that are low or no cost – like tax dollars. No surprise here.
Really please stop whining. Everyone complains that the only jobs that are being created in Mason City are at fast food restaurants…here is a local employer wanting to employ people in decent paying jobs well over minimum wage and they are getting a return from the city on their re-investment in this town. The Hosmers already employ over 50 people at the Toyota store and 10 at the Honda store. And with taxes do you all forget that they will pay taxes on an ongoing bases beyond this? These people donate without complaint to many causes in and out of this town without taking the tax breaks they very well could for it and i do not believe we should fault them for working hard and earning a good living for themselves and their employees.
@defender-that does not give them the right to take taxpayer money. They also make a huge profit on their business. You forgot to mention that.
So, it’s bad to work hard and make money…I just want to make sure that I’m clear. I think I’m going to quit my job and apply for food stamps and disability…I wouldn’t want to go offending anyone.
However they have no problem taking any government money. That’s Iowa for you and me. I grew up with it. It’s similar to the Iowa rednecks we grew up with and see in bars with a drink in one hand and cig in the others bashing drug users.
Real Iowans can do drugs and farmers with 1800 acres can take big gubment checks, however if you smoke pot for medical reasons…why you need to go to jail, do not pass go and do not collect $200.
Merlin Bartz doesn’t want you to get a dang thing. He campaigned on the free water thing, however it’s OK for him to take $$$ from the government. He deserves it and you don’t. He wanted to be elected from your hatred of poor welfare recipients. That’s what Iowa is all about.
Iowa stubborn they call it.
Alex Kuhn gets free cash from the gov too. For his farm.
Is taking a subsidy against the law?? Anyone I know takes all legal loopholes in the law. You’d have to be a fool, not too. We need to change the laws, that’s what we need to do!!
Yep he gets two checks, one from the feds and one from the city.
ANNA: are food stamps legal??? yes so why are people bitching about that??? the real deal is that the people who havnt got much get dollars from the gov, while those who have more get thousands from the gov.
L O L!
One freedom I still have? I don’t have to buy anything from Hosmer.
I own a Toyota and you can bet you bootie that I won’t be buying another one from him. Ever!
That is the only power I have and I intend on exercising it.
My next purchase will be a new Nisson Maxama in Minneapolis, Des Moines, or Waterloo. If not a Nisson then another brand in those cities. Surly not Mason City!
Why not Hosmer? I heard it is a wonderful experience buying an automobile from the Hosmer family. Maybe you should try going there again.
I will not do business with a wealthy man that would take advantage of people of less means who can ill afford to give them their tax money. Against their will no less.
Welfare for rich people is absurd!
The City Council and Mayor are completely off base giving Toyota/Honda and Hosmer tax money to relocate any business!
I won’t do business with Hosmer but it has nothing to do with this deal. I’ve had two bad experiences with their sales staff. The first time I went there expressly to buy a new Camry. Salesman wouldn’t show me a Camry and kept insisting I try an SUV. Second time I wanted a VIN number to run a Carfax. They wanted me to sign a sales agreement before they would give it to me. Got a very rude call several days later from the salesman wanting to know if I was going to buy the car. I don’t know of anyone who has had a positive experience with them.
@Anonymous-I have heard that for years. I know several car salesmen that say they will never work for him again. They say he is a real jerk. Just the kind of guy Bookie likes.
your statement can be applied to many successful businesses. pick any business and see if they didnt get any benefits in any way. simply cause you dont know of them does not mean they do get them in some way. think about it
The voters have spoken, quit crying and go to the council meetings and let your voice be heard
Why they don’t listen to us hillbillies anyway!
@Jim-The voters have not spoken. That is the whole point. Most of them didn’t vote because the think it will make no difference. Why would you go to a council meeting. They don’t care about anyone’s opinion. The issues’s are settled long before the meetings and they could care less what the people want.
lvs-How can you say the voters have not spoken? There was a vote, the incumbents won, case closed. The voters are not the ones who are able to vote, but rather the ones who chose to exercise that right, and went to the polls and voted. Therefore, the voters have spoken. So learn to live with it, since there is not a whole lot more you can do about it.
@anonymous-I voted and that gives me bitching rights. And, there was a lot more voters that didn’t vote because they didn’t think it would make any difference. Put that with the ones who did not vote for the incumbents (like me) and there were more against than there was for. They got in because of apathy, not because more liked them. Get used to it because you are going to hear it until next election. My views have not changed a bit.
lvs-First, there’s a big difference between bitching and crying like a baby as you do. Second, why those people didn’t vote is irrelevant, the fact is that they didn’t vote. Third, You don’t have a life. Your whole existence is wrapped up around sitting at that computer, insulated from the real world, and letting your imagination run wild. You lack both the courage and moral conviction to act. And your inability to face reality is almost scary. Not being able to accept the results of a simple city election reeks of paranoia. I admit I am not a professional, but have you ever thought of seeking professional help?
@anonymous-you are correct. You are a long, long way from ever being a professional unless you mean smart mouth. You opinion means jack to me.
lvs-I notice you always have a smart mouth answer, but never a logical rebuttal to a post. You have thoughts, but you can’t explain them. You have ideas, but you can’t defend them. So to hide the fact that you are basically illiterate, you attack with vile name calling and insulting innuendos.
That’s cool, another vacant spot in the middle of town!!!!
Can anyone explain why this is not a form of welfare. As a tax-payer I don’t want to give incentives for a retail business.
I don’t see the outcry over corporate welfare like I do when the fat poor mom lady or Mexican mom uses her food stamps at Hy-Vee.
Well said, lets on forget the farmers, there welfare is a crying shame.
If anyone is really dissatisfied with the city council v Mercy Hospital, Harley Davidson, Fareway ,Community Motors, or any other business, either do something about it or move. It’s getting old to read your whiny posts about how unhappy you are here. So many of you Neanderthals try to be Einstein’s with your suggestions and ideas, but all you do is talk. Get people together, get organized, get them to go to the council meetings and be heard. Show some solidarity for the city. The council can stifle one or two people, but get a group of 15-20 people with an agenda, and they’re not so easy to ignore. If you need a leader, Max or Matt would be great. The two of them together would be a very dominant force. Carl Grover would also be a good suggestion. To be heard you must first be noticed.
Really~ that is your answer did you not pay attention?? We just went through an election and all incumbents won and the big stink was the council will not listen they lock in step vote. They said Matt was Max on steriods if Matt or Max try to lead anything I can guarantee they will get a police escort out of the Library just like they did Sandy S. Mason City had their chance for change the voters went to the polls and nothing changed so nothing will change for the next 4 years. Get over it, the elite will continue to be elite and not give a hoot about your so called get people together and make them pay attention. They won’t their past record should prove that to you.,
9-And it’s cowardice and stupidity like yours that has prevented any progress to be made to end the downward trend that mason city has been making these past few years.
@ anonymous, please be the first to step up to the plate and make that difference.
yellow-Why should I step up to the plate? I don’t really care. Mason City is dying and no one can bring it back to life. My post was directed at the crybabies who whine on here every chance they get, but do nothing to correct what they feel to be problems in the city.
how I read 9 statement people did step up to the plate and the election stated no change, past conduct is the best predictor of future conduct. They would be escorted from the meetings from the direction of the Mayor as he as done previously to a female who voiced her concerns.
I think you took it wrong. Or maybe I am, but either way I get what you are saying lets be done with the bickering.
yellow-If people had really wanted a change, then they would have gone to the polls and voted for that change. By not voting, they gave tacit approval for the way things have been run and will continue to be run in the future. I don’t understand why people are complaining. Maybe some people didn’t vote because they just don’t care, did anyone ever think of that?
@anonymous-I thought you were leaving here never to return. Why are you still here?
lvs-I never said I was leaving. You must be reading things that aren’t there, which is consistent with the mental degeneration which I feel is affecting you the more I read your posts. But, hey, that’s just my opinion. Your welcome.
I’ll bet that Community Motors is real pleased to hear this. He just invested 75K of his own money in his dealership with no help from the city at all. Just like the Harley deal screwed Honda.
I think that the city should move south bridge mall to the west side of town, reopen federal avenue to traffic, and pay back to it’s citizens, any tax money that went into the mall.
Allen, The City of Mason City doesn’t own Southbridge. I don’t think they ever should agreed to close Federal Ave for a development but that train left the station decades ago. In order for the City to tear down the mall, they would have to buy it.
I heard the city pays for the lights in the mall parking lot. Big bucks.
Doesn’t the City own the mall parking lot?
no, the city does not own the parking lot nor pay the electric bill for it.