OUR PLACE
The Lake Geneva Theater and the Grand Lake Geneva giveaway that’s not going so good.
Last week the Geneva Shore Report got another story wrong.
The retraction is carried here on the first lines of the GSR front page.
Tom Hartz did not complete the purchase of the old theater on Broad Street.
Yet.
He appears, allegedly, to be holding back on closing the deal, along with his ‘Bok Choy’ Chicago financing partner firmly held close in his vest pocket. What seems to be the alleged problem?
It seems that the eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000.00) vaguely promised, but not finally approved to be dished out to the deadly duo, has not been forthcoming as an upfront payment. Mind you that this amount of money, if handed out from the seven million ($7,000,000) currently held back in the TIF#4 fund, would have no accountability attached to it. If dispensed a priori (ahead of time) then the dispensing authority (the Lake Geneva City Council) would be totally dependent upon Mr. Hartz, and his foreign partner’s promises to use the TIF funds for improving the property. If the TIF funds were doled out ahead of the property close there would be nothing to keep the duo from holding the property while doing nothing, and then selling it at their leisure.
Think of Jabba the Hutt, but with his chain attached to the council members instead of Princess Lea. Now who would not want a piece of that kind of deal? That Mr. Hartz is a former alderperson in Lake Geneva simply, and very allegedly of course, adds a bit of tasty spice to the Broad Street theater meal.
Real Estate MSG, if you will
34% utility rate increase for what?
The utility department of Lake Geneva is supposedly paying its bills well enough to build parks and entertainment centers all on its own without oversight or assistance from the city itself.
So why the huge rate increase?
The money is not for the present. It’s for the future.
The future being the coming developments readied this very minute for utility support services (water, gas and electric).
- How about a few million here and there to pay for all the connections that have to be run out to the Hummel and the new Pollard swatches of land?
- How about dishing out current tax dollars in the hopes of getting money back through payment of utility fees and property taxes?
- Think about just how many Bocce ball courts and tiny expensive parks the utility commission might be able to build.
Automobile insurance companies are notorious for slanting all of their advertising toward the swift and generous payment of claims. In truth, all insurance companies are about getting as much money in premiums through the front door as possible, while paying as few claims as possible while using the money in to pay stockholders. The utility department, and city administration of Lake Geneva, has been using the same advertising tactics for years.
Collect as much as possible in fees and taxation from the general public, while advertising the great works it does by paying off it’s relatives and friends. There is no reason to raise the utility rates other than to pay off debt. Utility rates go up automatically with property values and use of service. Leave the rates along, and use park and ball court money to pay the debts.
If Pollard and Hummel want to develop, send them a bill.
Up front.
