Monday, June 11, 2007

City should justify investment of tax money

Our friend, architect Frank Carnovale, writes

For years, I lived on Purdy and Pierce streets at and across from Barnum Park. My kids grew up running, playing soccer, softball and generally enjoying this great open neighborhood park. I have logged countless hours in the sun and rain watching the trajectory of different balls while conducting a debate with myself about what should and could be done with Barnum School. For too long, this old brick school building has quietly enjoyed some reverence, but has endured more speculation and insults from the community and local neighbors. There is no doubt that this building, in its current size and condition and with its limited use, should be improved for the community as well as the surrounding neighbors. This improvement may simply mean that the building is demolished and given up to arborvitae. However, I can’t stop thinking that a slimmed down school building could convert to a fantastic art museum, concert hall, center for community creativity or a world research center for real estate gentrification integrated into a new city park.

Birmingham’s prosperity has been built with hard-working taxpayers' money and planned by energetic public debate mediated by professional planning as well as exceptional city leadership and insight. In consideration of the current economic condition of Michigan, this model of local government and past successful fiscal management would do well to incorporate one additional approval weapon to the decision arsenal. Which is simply this: Spending money collected from working Birmingham families should attract and generate future tax dollars sufficient to justify the initial investment.

The practical application of this sensible planning approach might be applied to Kenning Park. Kenning Park houses the ice rink, tennis bubble, baseball diamonds, and skate park. Additionally, the police pistol range, city mulch bins and local parking lot occupy space in the unimproved East End of Birmingham. Despite past neglect, Birmingham’s Rail District is an area of dynamic change and growth. This evolution is producing tax revenue for Birmingham which can build and sustain parks and parking meters. This fact begs the question: Where should Birmingham spend the taxpayers' money? Should it build a train stop? Should it build bike paths? Should it install sidewalks on Eton? Should it improve the prison-compound look around the skate park? Where will the employment of the people's money produce the most positive benefit for the citizens? This great city is in competition for business investment and Michigan tax dollars. I am an advocate for the improvement of Barnum Park. However, one dollar in the dumpster will not pay a dividend. One brick in the Rail District might feed the insatiable tax beast in Birmingham.