While I wasn’t able to attend Thursday evening’s mind washing, I was able to glean enough by scanning the propaganda from the front page story in the Globe and compare it to the stark reality of the naked truth which resides here at NIT. This I feel will allow me to reach cognizant conclusions that will bring this dog & pony show out of the darkness and into the stark light of day.
As is common in these settings, in democratic surroundings people have a tendency to become seduced by “city officials” – this is a serious mistake. That official behind the podium knows less than you. Don’t be tricked by these people; in most cases they were appointed by voters like you.
Here is some sound advice; no matter what, no matter how fruity the cool-aid tastes on your dry, raspy tonsils…. vote no regardless of what you may have heard…. just vote no. Fill in that little circle – you will sleep like a baby from it. You will feel like a man lost in the dessert who found a map to a tall, cool glass of water. Your loins will tingle like the first time you opened daddy’s Playboy collection. What is taking place here is tantamount to a criminal act. These people are lying to you, to me, to our children, foreclosing our future to save their dead retail shops because they think they should get a handout every few years.
Everything they are telling you is baseless, without credibility.
NO. NO. NO. All day long.
Peter Children
Mason City, Iowa
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Voting NO is the most positive thing we all can do for Mason City.
Reality Check has it spot on! Outside of a few new buildings this project will do NOTHING POSITIVE for the Communtiy as a whole.
It will not bring one new meaningful employer to town that will provide decent employment to Mason City familys.
In my opinion, the Tim Ordell’s and anon’s that are pushing and promoting this “disaster in waiting” have a vested interest and will be making money off the project.
So many times in the past these rah, rah, rah folks make their money and few years later leave town. We have been there and done that.
Vote NO!
I won’t make a penny off this development. But I hear so many in this community voice that they want good paying, career-type jobs to be brought to this city (I want to see this too).
This is where we are at: The industries Mason City is strongly positioned to land are retail, food service, and ag processing type jobs. Retail and food service do not pay well and we just saw that this community doesn’t have the stomach for ag processing type jobs.
So many seem to think traditional manufacturing is Mason City’s ticket to prosperity – problem is, traditional manufacturers need access to low cost labor above all else. So unless we can move Mason City to Mexico or China, traditional manufacturing isn’t coming.
The industries in this country which are growing and pay well (pharrma, hi tech manufacturing, financial services, technology) need access to qualified employees above all else. They won’t find the workforce they require here. So we need to do something to make Mason City more attractive to this type of worker by investing in quality of life enhancing projects like a multi purpose entertainment center.
MASON CITY SUFFERS FROM ‘GETTING THE CART AHEAD OF THE HORSE SYNDROME’
You and I are going to have agree to disagree.
First the work force is here. So many have dropped off the labor rolls because of the long term decline in jobs that your statistics are skewed. Second, if the pay level was such a person could support a family they would show up in droves.
Also, I don’t agree with you that Mason City is unattractive and therefore a prospective employer would pass us by on that account.
To repeat myself, this particular project will NOT entice one single employer to locate in Mason City.
So if you are not money motivated then what is? If you have nothing to gain then why are you so motivated by promoting something that has been proven to be a pie in the sky project?
As far as bringing in industrial growth to the community, one has to think long term. The current trend in Washington (if successful) is to reverse the 35 year trend that has seen 72,000 industries moved overseas. America DOES have the technology and labor rates to compete on the world stage once the tax rates and laws are passed making America competitive again.
For me, rather than spend our wealth on this project that helps few I would save our money and offer it up as incentive for prospective employers that provides meaningful jobs.
The REAL NEED for Mason City is NEW MONEY!!! Spending all these tax dollars for nicety’s makes no sense at all. If you really want what is best for Mason City then join me pushing for community investment for GROWTH INDUSTRIES that will proved long term benefit to everyone.
I take this attitude because without growth and new money development as our HIGHEST PRIORITY, the future of any project like this will never be successful.
Lets put the HORSE IN FRONT OF THE CART where it belongs!
PS, leaving for the day. We can talk later. I do enjoy the discussion. Thanks.
Watchdog, I get nothing, not a penny out of the deal. I just believe it will be great for Mason City. Its really needed in a city like this.
Tim, to say we “really need this” is something I can’t agree with either. Why? Before a “multi purpose center” can be viable without risk, we need the population base to support it.
I have watched Mason City wither from 35,000 to under 25,000 over the years. (ya, I know they say it is more than 25,000 but once again those numbers have been manipulated upward to receive more state revenue) I have to live in the “real” world.
Because of the INTERNAL negative policies, guidelines, and directives of Mason City’s movers and shakers we have no real meaningful growth.
Until those movers and shakers become a more positive force for good paying jobs I am not willing to use the TAXPAYER’S purchasing power for a multi-purpose center. I want that option to be used only for NEW MONEY growth. A multi-purpose center does not create new money, it only passes it along.
We need to see a change in attitude by the Chamber and movers and shakers before the people in the cheap seats are ever going to support another project of this nature. If you have any influence I would urge you to use it to encourage our elite to change their development Directives, Policies, and Guidelines.
I see those in control of Mason City as the nay-sayers and aginners!.. Those are the folks that have hurt this community and they must change.
So, help me get the HORSE IN FRONT OF THE CART so we can look into our future without all these projects at the expense of the taxpayers that do not provide any benefit for the folks paying the bills.
Good to know you don’t have your hand in the till!
Just interviewed 15 people this morning and could not find one person who is voting yes.
Just thought I would make your day!
Stop being a baby about it Peter and vote yes. No one cares what you think. This is going to be great for Mason City. Get over it!
Hey Tim, you have to quit smoking your socks.
If it is so great then why don’t Gatehouse and all you smart fellers build it with your OWN MONEY!
Hmmmmmmm?
Hmmmmmmm
Gatehouse is building it with their own money….,duh
No, they are not, TIF is our tax money.
The hotel is almost entirely private investment. TIF is used only to pay the interest on a 20 year loan which constitutes about 20% of the construction cost (the remaining 80% is paid by private investment). Gateway repays the entire principal of this loan in year 20.
This deal is even better than it sounds because if you understand how TIF is structured in this project, the VAST majority of TIF repayments are being made by the mall and the new hotel in the form of their property tax payments.
Bull Crap! The city just finished paying off the mall debt about 10 years ago, Just in time for it to go bankrupt. All lost taxpayer money. You Bull shit artist need to screw off. Vote NO!
LVS, the hotel is almost entirely private investment. I’m telling you 2+2=4 and you’re trying to tell everyone its 5.
I’m not old enough to know/remember how the Southbridge Mall deal was structured, but I am smart enough to know about sunk costs. You are emotionally tied to investments made almost 40 years ago and it clearly affects your ability to see opportunities which are in front of you now. Look at every project on its own merits, don’t get caught up in your emotions on a 40 year old project.
Sadly Anonymous, you’ll never get through LVS’s small brain. Vote yes for a better chance in Mason City.
LVS-Why do you have to be so bitter when interacting with other posters? Do you have some sort of anger issues or do you just need to grow up a bit?
LVS- It is plain to see by your comment you do not understand the TIF program and how it will be used in this deal.
They have public meeting to explain these things and you should Consider attending one of the meetings. I think it will help you better understand this TIF and this opportunity.
I understand it just fine. It is nothing more than a way for the chamber and it cronies to steal money from the taxpayer that should be going for things that could benefit all the citizens, not just the elite. Things like streets, sidewalks, lights, sewers, and cleaning up blighted areas owned by elites.
Well what do you know? Tim Ordell is a made up fake name used by Anonymous just like a lot of the other fake names he uses. A lot of creditability there from someone who lies about their name. You phony bastard.
You are a Bitter bitter bitter Man
Here is the scoop about who invests what AND who benefits.
IT DOESN’T MATTER!!!!! (someone tell anon)
The movers and shakers don’t care who invests what. They don’t give two shits if the project is successful.
THE MONEY IS MADE ON THE FRONT END DOING THE DEAL. FROM THE CONTRACTORS, CONSULTANTS, ARCHITECTS, LAWYERS, LEASING AGENTS, MALL OWNER, ETC.
There is one group that gets NOTHING! THE TAXPAYERS.
History has shown us from every project this city has done we the small people get nothing but higher taxes and future expenses.
Mason City’ property taxes has doubled in the last ten years alone.
Anyone who believes this crazy project is a good deal for the Community is SMOKING THEIR SOCKS!
Yes, I disagreed with one of LVS’s comments and he deleted my comment. I then asked him a simple question why he deletes comments he disagrees with, I ask him why he does not believe in free speech. Instead of backing up his comment or answering my simple question he has deleted everything that I have posted. I can’t believe this guy can get away with it, just not right!
Farmers get welfare and reduced property taxes every year and pollute Iowa to no end every year because they OWN the iowa legislature.
The real negative people and Nay Sayer’s are the Chamber of Commerce and the little band of elite that have kept Mason City down with negative population growth and poor job growth for decades.
In fact this current project is very negative for Mason City. It stifles the focus on meaningful economic development.
If you were a business looking to relocate, would you honestly consider Mason City? Probably not knowing how unprofessional the conduct at city council meetings can be and knowing that a garbage ‘newspaper’ written by bitter, black-hearted senior citizens will likely slander your organization.
Ashley Furniture? Big re-furb of dead Kmart building happening right under your nose. Will be beautiful. Your negativity and laziness is holding MC back, not the common citizen with the brains to analyze this so-called development.
Yes, Mason City is poised to land retail, food service, and ag processing jobs. No doubt about that. Retail and food service businesses need access to customers above all else and Mason City is the largest city for some distance – so food service and retail will come. Ag processors need access to raw materials like hogs or grain, so an ag processing business could be lured here relatively easily.
But the consensus seems to be that people would like to see Mason City land better paying, more career-oriented type of jobs, agree? What do these types of employers need above all else?
If you dummies think a 38 million dollar ice arena to nowhere is going to change things, you are sadly mistaken.
Mason City don’t want real growth and good paying jobs. If they did they would offer this 38 million dollars to Fortune Five Hundred companies seeking to grow their business.
You could create a whole lot of good paying jobs with 38 million dollars instead of padding pockets of an elite few.
Do you see the fallacy in your argument? First, a large portion of the $38M is private investment – they’re not funds the city could ‘offer up’ to a Fortune 500 company because it is not the city’s money.
Next, we already offer the incetives to any employer that would locate here and so do the thousands of other city’s accross the country. Financial incentives are not enough. Growth industries biggest need is usually access to a qualified workforce. The city that has this qualified workforce will attract good paying jobs. Investing in quality of life enhancing projects is one way to attract a young, educated workforce.
Bull, they are not coming here. All the city projects over the years have claimed the same thing. All the money is spent with the same results, no one comes. The money would be much better spent on quality of life projects for the people who already live here, not some pipe dream by the chamber of commerce to try to make more money for the elites.
Bull, they are not coming here. All the city projects over the years have claimed the same thing. All the money is spent with the same results, no one comes. The money would be much better spent on quality of life projects for the people who already live here, not some pipe dream by the chamber of commerce to try to make more money for the elites.
Very true. Go to where the money and jobs are when your young. This gives you the best chance at success. There isn’t a lot to do around here for the young at heart in the form of an active social life. But hey if you like top notch groceries stores Iowa’s got’em.
LVS-I think the poster is stating the a large majority of the money being invested in coming from a private investment not your tax dollars.
Have you seen the checks? Have you seen a list of the names? We have been told this kind of lie over and over and it was always a lie. It ended up with the taxpayers footing the bill. I have no reason to believe anything Eric the liar tells me.
No, I have not seen any checks or a list of names. Only what Brent and Eric have said.
That is exactly my point. The private investor is probably Gateway and he has a questionable past at best. He will also be reimbursed through T.I.F which is the taxpayer. Smoke and mirrors.
The investor is Gatehouse and it is their money. Much like I don’t care how LVS gets his personal money, I don’t care how Gatehouse gets theirs. TIF is a very small percentage of the hotel financing, almost all of the money is coming from Gatehouse (private investment).
You have talked about private investment money being offered. If you know thst then please tell us the source of these private dollars, are they pension funds….what are they? I simply do not believe you, no one who had thst I
Kind of money….even a fraction of it would never in a million years invest it in this proposed hotel.
Don’t you consider yourself a ‘journalist’?!?! This information is easily attained to anyone who puts in a ounce of effort. But I’ll play your game just for fun.
The hotel is built by a private investor with most of their funds from a bank loan secured with private equity.
He may be paying for the hotel in theory, but in fact he is getting tax breaks for years under TIF and that is taxpayer money. Nice try but we have been here before.
I don’t think there is $5.00 in private funds going into this project. Unless you count the eventual property. as private money.
Meant to say property tax increase
There is no skilled labor force here; that said I would have to blame the Development Director for dragging all the crap into our living room….the place were we live. Several small companies add up to something meaningful.
Austin has Hormel and a Hy Vee Distribution center coming in 2019; Cedar Falls has Tyson and a Target Distribution Center. Osage has Wallace, Tops, Fox River Mills, Valent Bio Science, A-Z Drying, and this week announced Stover Adventures – $20 Million Dollar investment is approved. Keep posting negative and you will get the same results —Nothing. The $7-$10 Million from the state tax credits will go to someone that appreciates growth because evidently Mason City does not want it! Vote No and Find out where your property taxes GO – sure not down!
Bookmeyer made sure our taxes WENT UP via Ms. Naumann and her band of property assessors.
Branstad is to blame for the increase in residential assessments by way of his commercial property tax breaks.
Just another lie by the establishment.
Just another lie by the establishment.
The sad thing is you don’t realize you’re stupid, do you?
I not think it’s the entire reason but Governor Brandstad’s policies have definitely contributed to the reason our local property taxes have gone up.
The former governor gave so many tax breaks to his big business buddies it took away state aid to Iowa town’s & city’s local governments. A little research will show this to be true.
If you want Mason City to look like Peter Children’s residents just drive by 830 South Tyler, then vote NO, and that will be the look of Mason City in the future. Nothing but SLUMS and Slum Lords! He is nothing but a Negative for the community and bleeds negative.
What a stupid comment. People that live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Where Mr Children lives is irrelevant to the issue of wasteful spending by the Mason City Government.
Yes, I agree. Very sad. Imagine if it was their address. Probably a so called elite many are rambling on about. This is why anonymous is offered for a name. Anyways, what a colorful commentary. lol
Very entertaining read. lol
And there you have it folks, straight from the horses mouth. The silver tongued siding salesman & hard hitting paid poison pen writer for the Globe, says you should vote no, so you must vote no. Too bad he couldn’t make it to the meeting to ask his fact filled questions in person, but when Gunsmoke and I Love Lucy reruns are on, you gotta make tough choices.
Everything they are telling you is baseless, without credibility. Hello Pot.
Why bother to ask questions when you will just be lied to again just like so many times before.
Yep, You Trump supporters are used to being to.
No kidding! Trump lies everyday and these fools still support him.
Eric lies all the time as well, must be a republican thing.
Have you ever noticed that all the things that Trump has been accused of lying about ended up being factual?
You folks with the Trump Derangement Syndrome have been hijacked by the Main Stream Media which is the Fake News Industry.
The far left has taken over the DNC and their agenda of stripping our Constitution and set about brainwashing everyone into hating America.
I suppose you Socialist/Progressive/Communists that support all this anarchy will love this 38 million dollar tax subsidized boondoggle. Well, I am afraid you are in for a rude awaking, The Make America Great agenda is supported by most Americans, regardless of party.
Slow by steady you fascists promoting anarchy will lose. The no vote should be a wake up call for you.
Get well soon.
We would love to make America Great again because your boy Trump is ruining our country. Can’t wait until Trump is gone so America CAN be great again
Trump will go down as the worst President in the history of our country, easily, hands down the worst. History will view him even worse then Jimmy Carter and that is bad, very bad.
As long as he is not as bad as Obama he will be a success and he is well on his way to that. He is draining the swamp and that means get rid of criminal Democrats.
Here’s your free speech. if you don’t like it, don’t read it. You probably couldn’t understand it anyway.
What are you talking about? I liked what I read in fact some of the comments you deleted I wrote. My question is How can you be this Great American when you don’t believe in free speech?
You just delete comments you don,t agree with. In my comments I did not attack you at all, I just did not agree with your political stance as did some of the other comments you deleted. So why did you delete the comments? Do you think you are better then the rest of us or are you just the dictator type?
I don’t know about that but he sure doesn’t seem to want to answer a simple question that is for sure. I guess that says a lot about his character. My guess is LVS will just delete these comments instead of answering the question.
NOBODT CARES, but you
That’s funny, but you are probably right .
I just can’t believe you readers & commenters just let LVS get away with this. Why even participate by commenting and debate topics if one guy is aloud to just delete your view if he disagrees with it?
He not only deletes you view but doesn’t even have the guts to defend his view. I can’t believe I am the only one who care about having free speech taken away by some gutless poster that calls himself LVS. If so that is just sad!
I really can’t believe this LVS is allowed to just delete comments that he does not agree with! All I have done was ask him to back up his comments with facts and disagreed with his point of view. He has deleted all of my comments and I am sure he will delete this one as well. What the heck is up with this guy?
Hey LVS, some of the these people really get off carping about you. You must strike a nerve.
Keep it up!!