My take on creating more layers of government for Southern Dallas

by Michael Davis of Dallas Progress

A lot of discussion has occurred with respect to the idea of creating a new public-private development corporation to work on southern Dallas.

While I like a lot of the things that the DMN is talking about, I disagree with this idea.

I figured I would post my comment from their blog and find out what my readers thought about this issue.

My comment:

We do not need another layer of government to fix this issue. Development can occur without creating any more committees or ad hoc business corporations.

What you need are a Mayor and City Councilpeople that are adamant about things getting done. The current set is more focused on such issues. We have had multiple northern City Councilpeople that have visited District Four (Sheffie Kadane, Linda Koop, Pauline Medrano, Ron Natinsky, Jerry Allen). They have seen the problem first hand, and support our efforts.

In District Four, for example, we have multiple developments coming. These developments include:

* New medical center in Piedmont with $30+ million investment with no TIF and no city funding, 150-200 jobs.

* Quality TOD such as senior housing with over 20,000 SF of retail.

* Job training center with additional office space where two hot-sheet motels used to foster all types of mayhem in the community (actually this is a 1/2 block outside the district but we closed the motels and Dwaine got the deal done).

* Three other major developments to be announced.

* Dozens of rundown houses have been closed, and more will be closed with new urban nuisance laws.

This was done simply by having an engaged Councilperson in less than one year.

We must also realize that federal help is needed because the degree of neglect is quite high and will require a higher level of investment that the city can support in the near term. Also, the 2006 bond package is particularly focused on the issues in southern Dallas. Let's see where we are in a couple of years as that takes shape.

Your thoughts?

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John McClelland, says:

I don't believe in public private partnerships. It amounts to government subsidized free market projects. And yes I realize the irony of that statement because it is what it is.

When I ran for Council a year ago against Natinsky, people wondered why I would go to Oak Cliff for forums, etc. It is because the southern sector is just as important as the north of Dallas, and the city needs to get away from this ward mentality of governing.

Speaking with organizations like ACORN, I realized that you have to be able to provide people affordable housing, but also provide neighborhoods worth living in. You can't have abandoned homes in every other lot, and expect the property values to increase. And because of that, you can't expect economic development like retail or higher end living projects.

You have to start at the bottom with the little problems first. Once they're dealt with, then the free market will take over. And there won't be any need to subsidize corporations be it with PPP's or TIF's.