Comments on: MCDP president asked to divulge salary

By: formerly known as concerned

formerly known as concerned — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:05:33 +0000

The bottom line to me is this: Columbia/Marion County is losing, not gaining jobs. Tax money has supported these groups for too long. It’s time to end paid economic development and go back to property/business owners promoting their own through advertising, etc.

IMHO, it’s time for someone to look into the ends and outs of the links between MCDP, the county economic development district and any and all private individuals/businesses/groups that reaped benefits from IMHO again, strategically hidden tax expenditures.

Come on. Someone else surely would be willing to organize Winterfest, an awards banquet and some Friday breakfast meetings for free, wouldn’t they?

By: what!?

what!? — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:20:00 +0000

There was no underlying meaning in that statement. I, like you, wondered why someone involved in the group had not come to its defense by enumerating successes and activities that are contributing to the community. I personally have seen items where the MCDP has been active but am not knoweledgeable about all they do. Seems logical that those involved would speak up and say…”Look, these are all the good things being accomplished or pursued.” I know nothing of anyone being instructed to not speak up…and there was nothing sinister about the “Be brave,” just speaking as one would to a person who just needs some encouragement to something out of their comfort zone. And finally, if those who make the decisions for the organization can’t find anything to brag on, then they should do something to fix it. No smoke and mirrors here, just pragmatism.

By: evil twin

evil twin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:01:15 +0000

To what!?: I have been curious why members of this organization have not come to it’s defense. “If you can’t speak up for it then do something to fix it so you can.” Uh-oh! Maybe you should tell us what you meant by this, before we jump to conclusions. Have some of the members been instructed not to speak to the press? They have to “be brave” to defend their support of the MCDP? “Do something to fix it”??

By: formerly known as concerned

formerly known as concerned — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:37:34 +0000

Your comment deeply offends me. What more support do they need from the community. Seems they already get tax dollars.

The other reason I’m so offended is this: Businesses, it seems, are forced to pay dues before this group of what I call “exclusives” will lend support. That’s not right. That’s taxation without representation, and there’s nothing that makes me hotter than to see that. It’s roundly UnAmerican IMHO.

By: New Voice of Reason

New Voice of Reason — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:43:46 +0000

Well played and well said!

By: New Voice of Reason

New Voice of Reason — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:38:40 +0000

Beg pardon, but it is a sentence. A questions is a type of sentence known as an, “Interrogative sentence”… Just for the record.

By: evil twin

evil twin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:40:52 +0000

I hate to say it, but you make 2 very good points here. If the MCDP is a non-profit group, and their main objective is to promote Marion County, with funds provided to them by the taxpayers, it is wrong for them to ‘favor’ their dues-paying members over any other taxpayer in the county. And there is (was) a general perception by the public that it is a ‘members only’ organization, sort of elitist, by it’s nature. I don’t think the average person feels one bit represented by this group.
LoGo and Ivan said it all; I commend them. People don’t think of a volunteer group as being this well funded. And for MCDP to not even be accomplishing their task with that budget. . . it should be obvious. Quit throwing money at them; it ain’t working!
I’m gonna be mad if the BOS votes to raise my taxes again so they can keep this outfit funded!

By: pick & choose the sentencing

pick & choose the sentencing — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:16:47 +0000

If your first “sentence” needs a ? at the end, then, it is not a sentence, it is a question. It is hard to find positive in something that you cannot get information about. Just a thought.

By: ivan

ivan — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:13:07 +0000

With a $140,000 dollars of taxpayer money, no one should have to volunteer to help them do their job. I volunteer at organizations that actually need help because they are not well funded. Whether it is hard or not to attract industry to columbia is beside the point.One man, with one desk at a city or county office, working all day(like the rest of us) could attract industry to COlumbia if there is any to be had.As far as someone assuming that they are out to “get your money,” I don’t think that there would be such an assumption if there were an honest and forthright answer to a simple question. Without such an answer, no one knows, and therefore folks are left to assume that there is some dishonest reason for not being upfront about what taxpayers are giving their hard-earned money to.

By: what!?

what!? — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:00:09 +0000

Just as I thought, only negative feedback. Want to share with me one POSITIVE thing YOU have done to contribute to uplifting the community? You are right…people who are being paid are responsible for doing the work…but in this instance they have to have community support to achieve anything. I’m wishing our local board members, who are volunteers, would speak up for the activities in which I’ve seen this organization engaging to explain just what has been accomplished with them. I’ve seen coverage of several things in which they’ve had a hand, like the airport improvements, the property at the training school becoming available for use and some sort of coooperation with the vo-tech for training or something. Come on board members…be brave and speak up on behalf of this organization! If you can’t speak up for it then do something to fix it so you can.