by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Though Mayor John Peyton’s office was hoping to withdraw it this week, the City Council refuses to let a revenue bond proposal die. Potentially authorizing up to $140 million to fund various capital projects, they say the money is very much needed, but could be better spent.
Growing increasingly frustrated since a Tuesday morning meeting, Council members Sharon Copeland and Michael Corrigan met with three of Peyton’s top aides Thursday.
“My general feeling, and really the feeling that I think we all were having, is that the bill was too broad when it was first introduced,” said Corrigan.
Aside from removing all language that would have allocated funds to the City’s Parks and Recreation Department — that department can be addressed in a separate bill, said Copeland — neither Council member understood why there was no mention of drainage improvements.
Included were hefty sums for the sheriff’s office and the Fire and Rescue and Public Works departments.
“Public Works could receive upwards of $38 million out of this and we’re still not talking about making any kind of investment in our drainage,” said Copeland. “Just last week I was told that the drainage in my district is about the worst in the City. I know my constituents are sick and tired of it and we’re still not doing anything about it. Our ditches aren’t being cleaned and there’s still no place for that in the budget. It’s ridiculous.”
Working against Copeland and Corrigan is Peyton’s insistence that the bill had too many needless amendments and costly projects. The mayor wanted to remove it from the agenda and introduce a more streamlined version in a few months.
“I just don’t think that’s a good idea. I want to see something move forward now,” said Copeland. “Withdrawing it like that doesn’t give me or anyone else a commitment that we’ll ever see what we’re asking for. I know they want me to back off but I’m not prepared to do that.”
Corrigan said he wanted to be sure his constituents’ concerns were being taken seriously by the administration.
“I think we have a responsibility to do that,” he said. “I’m hopeful we’ll be able say we can by the time we’re finished with this process.”
The Council is expected to send the bill back to its committees at Tuesday’s meeting.
“I really do want to see something go forward so that, at the end of the year, we can say we did something,” said Copeland. “A lot of people are tired of waiting to see things happen. I know I am.”