The city needs to know the cost of projects.

Here is a great piece about Councilor Stewarts ordince. It is written by Bob Hansen.

The source is the Duluth News Trib,http://duluthnews.com


City needs to know costs of projects upfront
Commentary by BOB HANSEN
When we purchase anything, we want to know its total cost. Duluth City Councilor Russ Stewart has offered the same information for city projects through a proposed city law. Ordinance 60 is expected to be considered by the council Tuesday.

The ordinance would require any city of Duluth development agreement to be accompanied by an information sheet that states the project's costs, the maximum amount the city can spend, and the source of the funding.

Duluth needs this ordinance because experience has shown that through inadvertence, manipulation or lack of straightforward information, city leaders sometimes make bad decisions.
Would any sensible councilor vote to obligate the city to pay operating costs that the city cannot control, forever, without a limit on the amount? The council did this when it voted for the aquarium deal.

Would any sensible councilor vote to use all, or almost all, of the state money the city receives to fix streets to build skywalks? The council did this when it built the tunnel to the Radisson. And councilors are looking to do it again with the new skywalks east of Lake Avenue. How many more years will we be without state money for streets because the city is using that money for skywalks? The city designates them as bridges over streets, thus relating them to street repair.
Would a sensible councilor vote to promise to build a parking ramp without a cost limit for construction and purchase of the property via eminent domain, and without the funding secured? The city did that with the ramp being constructed behind the Voyageur Motel on First Street. Up to an additional $9.6 million will be required for the project because of bonding and operation cost mistakes. Additional construction costs could be another $2 million.

Would a sensible councilor vote to promise to build millions of dollars of skywalks without funding and with no backup plan should requests for state and federal funding not be successful? The city did this when it approved the skywalk extension to the new St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic cancer center. Now, general fund dollars from property and sales taxes, along with other tax money, may be used to pay millions for the skywalk -- along with our state street money.
Would a sensible councilor vote to promise a private company that notified the city it would expand in the city if the city gave it $45 million? The city did this as part of the Northwest Airlines maintenance base deal. Northwest Airlines did not expand and could not claim the money. Reality is the city had no way to quickly raise that amount of money and was discussing the selling of the water and gas utility to fund it.

The proposed Ordinance 60 will provide upfront answers for both councilors and the public. All parties will understand what the councilors are voting on and the maximum cost to the city and its taxpayers. Ordinance 60 will assist the city in better managing our money.