Bettencourt Plan is Wrong Move

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The "complete" version of the Bettencourt Plan was presented to the City Council and it includes specifics such as income requirements and the need to be current with all City charges. The problem still is that this is using money already earmarked for a different purpose... and using it to duplicate many programs and services already offered to those in need from federal, state and local programs. Read the Salem News article here. And... a Salem News editorial is here.

Ted Bettencourt and the whole City Council want to spend AFFORDABLE HOUSING MONEY, after scolding the City for NOT using it to build new units, to help people pay their heating bills.

Read the Salem News story here.

Now, don't get me wrong... I have been accused of being so liberal I make Obama seem like a Republican (I would dispute that but there you go) and as a champion of the less fortunate, I would gladly support helping people in need during the cold winter months.

But the utter disdain that the City Council has for both the rule and spirit of the law is quite startling. This money is supposed to be used by the City to create AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. It should NOT be used to install new backstops at the ball fields; it should NOT be used to buy the Fire Department a new engine; it should NOT be used to pay for A FULL ROUND OF DRINKS at the City Council Christmas Party.... AND IT SHOULD NOT BE USED TO FUND A CHARITY.

I am all for charity - heck I have given to the local institutions every year since I can remember. But this money IS NOT and CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT be used for this purpose.

And wouldn't you agree that this is just a tiny bit disingenuous. Less than 6 weeks ago, the City Council voted to REMOVE the ability of the City to collect just such a fee from developers. The reasons for doing this?

The inclusionary zoning buyout option was intended to give flexibility to developers and the city, which could use payments to fund affordable housing programs or directly develop housing for low-income residents. But City Council President Arthur Athas highlighted its limited impact during a meeting last week. "We have actually nothing to show for it," he said.

...Councilor Rico Mello said he could see the advantage the buyout gives developers but not the benefit it offered the city.

The vote was 8-2, with Dave Gamache and Barry Osborne objecting. Getting something was better than nothing, they both said. "We might as well take the money," Osborne said.

So 8 of these so called leaders were angry with the City for not having created affordable housing with this money... even though Community Development is creating a revolving loan program to help create affordable units out of foreclosed and abandoned properties in Downtown.

I guess a whole lot can happen in 6 weeks time.

And don;t even get me started with the way the brain trust of some on the Council works... You come up with a tiny fragment of an idea... and instead of researching the rules and regulations, instead of seeing the feasibility of such actions... instead of DOING YOUR HOMEWORK LIKE YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO...

You make a grandiose proposal in order to garner LOTS OF ATTENTION ON YOU... and then hand it off to someone else to put the lipstick on your pig.

And if they bother to point out all the PROBLEMS you never even bothered too address... well then THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH.

Such 3rd grade politics. I opine for the days when Peabody was considered an actual hotbed of political energy and was filled with politicians worth of the public trust.