NEW OR RECENT POST

Jointly, currently, the City of Paris, the Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDC), and the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce are paying a Florida firm (Florida?) to develop a Branding/Identity – a common new tagline – which they can use to try and sell a perception of the three being one united group.

As all three have lived off the taxpayers, like parasites over the last 30 to 50-years, when have they not been united?

Yes, even the Lamar County Chamber, supposedly, a “voluntary” organization, has had their hand in the local Occupancy Tax till, which is generating over $700,000 annually.

Voters have forgotten or don’t care that for years, the city leased the Depot building on Bonham Street to the Lamar County Chamber for one lousy dollar, annually. Then, after the chamber moved out, the PEDC still gave the bunch around $60,000 of the taxpayer’s money annually for “office space” – or some such silly excuse. It was an insider’s game at the taxpayer’s expense. All three organizations knew full well what they were doing and were okay with it – until the Paris Chamber exposed the unethical (and possibly an illegal action) that was going on.

After we pulled the plug, the three closed the funneling of tax dollars (in that manner) down, while griping about the Paris Chamber, which is the second best thing they do well.

Let’s face it: The three already walk and talk in-step. They seldom fuss, only brag about who has the power. They never dissent about issues, only power. And if that ain’t loving one another, then God didn’t make little green apples and it don’t rain in Indianapolis…

Branding, in the final analysis, only promotes or sells an identity. What they want to change is not how they do things, but the perception that people have of them.

But if you’re going to brand something, shouldn’t the first objective be that it is legitimate, functional, compelling, attractive, and different?

For years, they’ve believed their process is more important than Paris’ progress, and what we see them doing is just another process to make themselves look good.

For a decade the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce has repeatedly said that Paris needs to restructure its community and economic development organizations, and given our reasons for the restructuring need: Property owners and tax-payers need a program that sells people on Paris, not on the existing organizations or on a series of some annual one-time event being held in Paris.

Branding failures are the state or condition of not meeting the intended objective or the expectations of people. It can also be viewed as a failure of the product.

The three organizations are only trying to brand a hope that people in the local marketplace will see them as hot stuff, the saviors of Paris.

But behind the perception they’re hoping for is a reality that these three have ridden Paris downhill for the last 50-years. Fix that, and the perception will fix itself.

A fish at the end of the fisherman’s line may or may not know that it just had a bad idea. Not Paris taxpayers. When we grab a-hold of a bad idea, we think it’s wonderful. We must be the most gullible breed of taxpayer. On that point, we’re hooked on the idea that tax subsidy programs, cash economic incentives, and restrictive improvement rules and a closer incestuous relationship between the Three Mustyrears will spur community and economic growth.

We have such a mouthful of that bait, we can’t answer the simple question, “Where does government get its money?”

While we’re floundering around in the muddy water of government inspired inflation, higher taxes, and a disintegrating society, with the line getting shorter to the frying pan, we’re still believing that paying out cash in the form of grants and relinquishing revenue (thru’ tax abatement, fee waivers, and other subsidizes, such as a special tax for a special purpose – examples being the PEDC, the Visitor’s Tax, TIF Districts, a new ridiculous ‘5 for 5’ Program’ or the recently recommended PACE Program) – promotes growth in the private sector, and that higher taxes will make everything alright.

Studies show that hungry cities, like hungry fish, often do desperate and – usually – dumb things.

We forget that, at its core, every government program sold as a public purpose has a way to fleece the public.

Consider: After 2-years of government mandated mask wearing and shutdown of businesses, schools, and social gatherings, for this fiscal year the City of Paris hit taxpayers with a 3.5% tax increase; the highest allowed by law (without a vote). This, on top of a series of yearly rate increases on water and sewer bills that add millions to the budget annually.

The results? The City’s revenue budget for this fiscal year is $58.6-million, which includes an operational budget of $47.3 million (a $7.3 million increase).

We’ve done this after two decades has resulted in a loss of population inside the city limits, according to U. S. Census reports, while most of Texas has seen rapid growth.

Like most government programs the promotion is better than the product. Listen to government and everything sounds good. So does an artificial bait to a fish.

Instead of contributing or building a prosperous economy for all Paris families and promoting the creation of good jobs over the last 25-30 years, Paris has actually deepened the expenses of small businesses, created income inequalities for working families, encourage blight and decay in many neighborhoods, and increased the tax burden on every citizen. This is not good government.

But whose fault is it?

Good government can only be achieved by its citizens.

Based on the Paris Chamber’s knowledge of economic incentive programs, gained through years of community and economic development work, we believe that every citizen should be held accountable for the actions of their government. Good government is their responsibility.

It’s why we have a vote.

The development and implementation of policies that encourage private business investments in local families and neighborhoods, encourage business growth and innovation, and reward taxpayers are how communities are likely to achieve success.

The good stuff is free from chemicals, harmful organisms and weed seeds. At least, that’s what we’re told. The good stuff is the plants and produce that are grown without the use of artificial pesticides, herbicides; and organic livestock for our meat, eggs, and dairy are raised on only organic feed – free from hormones, steroids, and antibiotics.

In short, the commonplace definition for anything labeled “organic” in a grocery store is free of man-made chemicals.

Most of the stuff that Paris citizens are told is also organic –

Currently, we’re told to celebrate the fact that the City of Paris is giving “incentives” to four businesses and, especially, the owner of the Towne Center Shopping Center.

The owner gets a 5-year, 50% property tax abatement (worth $167,500-or so). Then, a 50% reduction of the 2.5% local sales tax for 3-years go to the four stores, which is another $300,000 (rough guess).

Then, the city claimed all this would add around $70,000 of new income for the city. But wouldn’t that be losing income, as an anticipated one-half of the sales tax goes to each store? Or even a percentage of replacement income, as these outlets only fill spaces vacated when four stores previously closed?

If we had given those stores the same incentives, would they still be here?

If this new policy works, why not try and be as generous to every business in Paris? Think how much “new income” that would generate–

But how long can you continue to rob Peter to pay Paul? Taxpayers with inquiring minds or no minds at all want to know . . .

Since July 1989, the following has been the policy of the City of Paris:

  • (1) a spokesman for what used to be the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce was quoted in the Paris News as saying that no incentives would be available for retail businesses
  • (2) A Director of the PEDC stated to the head of real estate development department of a large retail outlet chain that no incentives are available for retail.
  • (3) City of Paris officials told the top 3 officers of a $1.5 billion firm that was interested in building a shopping center on the west side of Paris that no local incentives are available (and businesses don’t do well on the west side of Paris).

The city can talk about how it can make money by giving away money, but the Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce knows manure when we we hear it. The same goes for the ridiculous claims that the state’s Chapter 380 Program could add to the city’s tax base and increase revenues.

The only thing for sure is that somebody wins and somebody loses . . .

Under this new policy, local retail businesses are force to subsidize the new retail businesses. It’s a way to finance competition for those forced to pay full taxes. Or, a really stupid way of penalizing them.

Organic fertilizer is also called “organic manure” as it is made from animal waste or animal and plant residues. Examples are livestock and poultry manure, guano, finely pulverized fish, dried and powdered blood, ground bone, crushed shells, phosphate rock, and wood.

In terms of nutrients, a radish or a tomato or an ear of corn or a potato doesn’t know the difference between conventional or organic fertilizers.

So a lot of folks are willing to pay a higher price for manure-based food, which is no big deal: Citizens of Paris are paying to be fed the basic ingredient.