As of Tuesday, June 26, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Albany Herald
Faced with raising taxes, the Albany City Commission on Tuesday voted 6-1 to give $50K to the Albany Civil Rights Institute. Commissioner Jon Howard voted against. The city commission tabled a request for funding by the Flint RiverQuarium.
The commission voted against developing a multimodal transit terminal behind the courthouse.
More details as they become available.
UPDATED: 11:21 p.m.
ALBANY, Ga. — After lengthy discussion, Albany City Commissioners voted down a measure that would have continued work on a controversial transit center site.
The 5-2 vote effectively prevents city staff members from contracting for architectural and engineering work on the $10 million project, and could threaten millions in stimulus dollars that were allocated to that particular site.
Commissioners Ivey Hines and Tommie Postell voted to hire an A&E firm, while Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, Mayor Pro Tem Bob Langstaff, and Commissioners Jon Howard, Christopher Pike and Roger Marietta voted against.
Hines said that he was concerned about what the city would tell the federal and state government when they demanded a reason for why the project site had become “unfeasible,” — a requirement to change sites and keep federal funding.
“I think the federal authorities are going to ask why,” Hines said, “and I don’t think that we have an answer.”
More like this story
- City moves forward with multimodal project ( March 27, 2012 )
- City OKs nonbinding local preference policy ( May 7, 2013 )
- City tables multimodal site discussion ( August 28, 2012 )
- Transit center bid tabled ( February 28, 2012 )
- Commissioners reject multi-modal site (updated with video) ( June 19, 2012 )
Comments
Sister_Ruby 10 months, 4 weeks ago
Won't pay for a 7-Series BMW in full but it's a great start! Congratulations!
Cartman 10 months, 4 weeks ago
I could see this coming a mile away. They have no sense of fiscal responsibility whatsoever. Pretending to be generous. Which commissioners who voted for this - gave any of their own money?
MRKIA 10 months, 4 weeks ago
LET THE NAACP FUND ACRI. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN CONSIDERED BEFORE? THE INVOLVEMENT OF ANY GOVERNMENT BODY SHOULD GO NO FURTHER THAN THE APPLICATION FOR TAX EXEMPT STATUS. LET THE PEOPLE WHO WANT IT THE MOST PAY THE TAB FOR IT. THE WHITE GUY THAT WAS RUNNING IT BAILED OUT MONTHS AGO. MAYBE DCSS CAN "REPURPOSE" ACRI TO TRAIN STUDENTS CONSIDERING A CAREER IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS BUSINESS OR OBTAIN A PH.D ONLINE. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!
Weetzie 10 months, 4 weeks ago
So why exactly would you vote down the one project that was totally funded from outside of the local budget. By taking this action the commission has effectively shifted the burden of funding the project to the local budget. I am no mathematician, but that basically means that the local budget goes up. I guess that is what you call smoke and mirrors. What this smoke is also covering up is the several MILLION $ associated with the development of this project that would have been a direct benefit to local businesses. The City owes an apology to the hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, contractors, construction materials companies, and other businesses that just lost several million dollars that will no longer be spent on the LOCAL economy. It makes you wonder who exactly will benefit from cancelling this project that has been in the works for over a decade.
Abytaxpayer 10 months, 4 weeks ago
Weet... First it was NOT totally funded from outside of the local budget. Second there is a group that is not telling the whole truth about the funding which if they tell the truth Albany will keep almost 100% of the funding, but if they can delay a couple more mths it will cost Albany several Millions. And then they will say see we told you so.
Weetzie 10 months, 3 weeks ago
This makes no sense. The city received 10 million in stimulus funds (i.e. not from the local budget) and have federal funding for a 3-4 million (also not from the local budget). They cancelled the project and the 10 million goes away and the other funding will also now be in jeopardy. This money would have gone to build the facility. When the money goes away where exactly do you think the money will come from? I will enjoy watching this one unfold, and will certainly remember who stole 10 if not 13 million dollars from the Albany Economy.
Abytaxpayer 10 months, 4 weeks ago
Thank you Commissioners for voting down the bad bus site. Now Please move forward with building the bus terminal where it is now. At least there it will be where the community wants it and it will help redevelop the Harlem district.
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