George Hartzman discusses the tightening picture regarding downtown Greensboro parking. Decks are closing; and the city is now requiring use of an app to use surface lots. More money is being charged.
But he also explores the topic of taxpayers funding new parking decks downtown to assist the owners of downtown real estate. We are paying to make their investments work.
There was one interesting revelation. It turns out that City Council member Tammi Thurm used to be employed by Randall Kaplan and his wife, Kathy Manning, who own a significant downtown property slated to become a hotel. She was the CFO of their companies. One of those new parking decks funded by taxpayers is intended to help them with their project.
Huge amounts of taxpayer money have been thrown at downtown projects to pay off donors to city council races; but it is increasingly unsafe, unpleasant and/or inconvenient to visit there.
INDEED, IT IS NOT SAFE DOWN THERE.
I wish it were, Fred. I saw an article recently in Yes!Weekly in which various folks said it was safe downtown. One person said the presence of the homeless made people uncomfortable, but that does not mean it is unsafe. The problem is that people need to FEEL safe in order to perceive the area is safe.