Structural check of downtown buildings a goal

Thx for the input. Always a pleasure to hear another opinion stated so well.

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Cyndi, One could use your justification,about any privately owned prooperty. How is downtown any more important? All property owners should be responsible for their own property. If they want it inspected,they should pay for it,not the taxpayers. It is the mindset that taxpayer dollars are being spent to supposedly protect the public,that has gotten us into the financial mess that this country is in. After we have this structural inspection and conditions are found what is next? Grants to repair them? Can you see where all of these type programs,are programs that need to be scrapped,not used by communities just so we can get our fair share of the money grab. Tax and spend programs need to be held in check at the local level and work their way up from there. we need to rid ourselves of the idea that we need to cash in on the big government spending programs. That is the only way we are going to be able to stop big government spending. Quit feeding the pig and it will get smaller.

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Concerned, I understand your point. Yes, these are privately owned buildings but their condition affects the public safety when and if they are allowed to deteriorate as we have seen with the Tanfastic and Butler buildings. Also they ruin the appearance of our downtown which negatively impacts our cities ability to attract new business. Someone is going to get the money, why not claim it for Salem. I don't want to see more yellow tape blocking our sidewalks and businesses.

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Sorry for the double post.

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cyndi I understand your thinking, however these downtown buildings are not publically owned city property,they are privately owned buildings. So actuallly just a handful of the taxpayers are getting some of thier money back. This is one of the problems with government, they tax the masses to benefit a few. One can only imagine how much lower our taxes could be if government was limited to spending money only on projects that benefited the pulic as a whole rather than the few.

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cyndi I understand your thinking, however these downtown buildings are not publically owned city property,they are privately owned buildings. So actuallly just a handful of the taxpayers are getting some of thier money back. This is one of the problems with government, they tax the masses to benefit a few. One can only imagine how much lower our taxes could be if government was limited to spending money only on projects that benefited the pulic as a whole rather than the few.

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This is a grant that requires no money from the city budget and let's Salem taxpayers get back a little of the money they paid in State taxes. It also helps downtown building owners by offering inspections for their buildings free of charge. It is totally voluntary and may make owners aware of problems with their buildings before more walls fall.

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Doing a poor job of sneaking.Publishing their plans in the newspaper for everyone to see.

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They are sneaking this in through a back door gist. Heard through the grapevine a letter to the attorney general for an opinion on all of this is being set into motion.

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No one is asking why this would be suggested when your tax dollars already pay for two city depts. to do inspections????

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