Citizens Oak Ridge

Letters to the Editor

Examining Crestpointe from moral viewpoint

5/3/2007

To the Editor:

I am opposed to the use of public monies for Crestpointe as a matter of principle.

I am opposed to our city going into debt or draining its savings account to subsidize a private, for-profit venture. I do not believe it is the function of government to provide retail shopping for its citizens. The law of supply and demand should be allowed to operate without government interference. Taxpayers should not be sharing the risk when they have no say in the business decisions determining success. Let the individuals who are set to make a profit take the risk.

The idea of selling people on this deal as a way to fund our schools is repugnant to me. If outsiders contribute to local coffers when they shop in our community or we in theirs, so be it, but it is immoral to make it our policy — "Let's bet our city's bank account and/or its bond rating on a shopping center to lure people from surrounding counties to shop here so we don't have to raise our property taxes." To be associated with this policy is shameful.

The moral policy is to raise the property tax as necessary to pay for the public education we want to provide our children. I am willing to pay more property tax to support our public schools. Any Oak Ridge Schools supporter with integrity should be willing to do so, too. Let’s not deliberately transfer our responsibility to those who don’t live here.

This land deal also violates the principle of fair play. It is unfair to small businesses already in Oak Ridge. Will every locally owned business benefit from the hypothesized increase in shoppers coming to town? Those that don’t may be forced out of business, paying for what drove them under with their own tax dollars. If it happens to only one current business owner, it is morally unacceptable.

Can anyone name one moral principle in support of the bond issue? The only principle I hear coming from those favoring this gamble is this: It is better to have someone else pay your school bill than to pay it yourself. I don’t share this ethic, and I don’t believe the majority of people in Oak Ridge do as well.

You can study the details. I’ve made my decision based on my principles. I will vote against the bond issue and against any candidate who supports using our city’s reserve funds for this deal.

Tom Burns

Oak Ridge

http://www.oakridger.com/stories/050307/opi_167230853.shtml