Although mightily tempted by the cooling water jets, the toddler above stayed out of the Laurel Clark Fountain downtown, oblivious to the fact that last year kids had a grand time running through it on hot days like today.
But now the city has given in to a new state regulation requiring kids to stay out -- choosing not to challenge the new rules imposed from afar. To the adults at City Hall, this issue is nowhere near as important as extending the time limit for TIF districts, something they hired a lobbyist to get changed last year.
It is all about priorities. Not like the Dem mayor couldn't get his dem state reps and senator to help or anything. Why bother just kids right big John.
ReplyDeleteIf Cory Mason was in town maybe he would read this and take some initiative himself. Oh it is those darn priorities.
Why did Dickert spend tax money on a lobbyist to drive us deeper into debt? Which "friend" for Dickert got our money this time?
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't Dickert, it was Mayor Gary Becker who hired former Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian.
ReplyDeleteAntaramian is credited with the Legislature's extending the time limit of a city TIF district by 10 years, which allows the city to keep approximately $10 million, rather than share it with other taxing districts. Hard to see how this "drives us deeper into debt."
Let's get back to the formerly splash fountain for the kids this summer. Or at least next summer. What can/are we going to do about this?
ReplyDeleteOnce a few kids get tazed and ticketed, they'll learn!
ReplyDeleteExtended the life of the TIF district just enables the city to shift the funds from the one TIF that is making money to bail out all the others that are failing. Fiscally irresponsible. That tax money should be rolling into the city's budget. Imagine all the police officers that could pay for, or expanded library hours, etc.
ReplyDeleteTo our elected representatives:
ReplyDeleteWE WANT THE FOUNTAIN BACK FOR IT'S INTENDED USE. LET THE KIDS ENJOY IT AGAIN.
Signed,
Public Citizen
It's a waste of energy if kids can't play in it. Turn it off or let the kids splash!
ReplyDeleteThere are other ways to work with the budget... let the kids play! Racine does not have any public pools, so this is a decent alternative to help kids cool down in the summer. LET THEM PLAY!!
ReplyDeletePretty funny watching the new city health director chase kids out of the fountain tonight around seven
ReplyDeleteI want to see that video, That might go viral. Lets call a meeting at the library to get people together to work on saving the fountain since we can't get our elected representatives to do the job.
ReplyDeleteI really think that there are bigger things pulling the strings on this puppet. It seems like a no brainer. They could get the fountain a pass from Madison. Fountains like this operate all over the US.
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm confused. Reason kids can't go run in fountain is because water is not clean enough. But, blocks to the north, we encourage people to visit our beaches and romp in "clean" Lake Michigan. What am I missing here? There must be something. Could the real reason that the city does not want kids running in the fountain is that they are concerned about the potential liability that will accrue when some poor kid gets hit by a car on 6th Street? Problems with design can be corrected. Again, could someone enlighten me?
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