Tag: Paris Chamber

On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, the City of Paris council members voted to demand rental properties in the historical districts to pay “registration” fees. On all rental properties? Even above ground-floor apartments and condos being recommended as a way to have more people living in the downtown area?   

The city grants – gives – taxpayer’s dollars to downtown owners who will improve the appearance of their buildings, but charges regulation, restrictions and fees for others to improve their property. Why?

Think about the thinking: Creating more regulations, restrictions, and fees on rental properties is the way to (a) create more affordable housing and to improve Paris; or (b) hope higher rents will keep the (wink) undesirable “low income” folks out of the neighborhood?

Will increasing rental fees win the war against blight, decay, and rot in the area’s older neighborhoods?

Let’s face it: Large areas of Paris are a disgrace; ugly to the eye and an insult to humanity. Especially, when the city allowed the property to decline to a point where it needs repairs.

We’re not against equally applied standards – or fines – to prevent litter, junk in front yards, weeds, maintenance neglect, etc., but restrictions, regulations and fees to tell owners what they must do?

“…com’on, man!”

Three short weeks before, the Paris Texas Chamber had suggested the city be prohibited, by ordinance or Charter change, from adopting or enforcing regulations that requires an owner of a vacant residential or commercial property to obtain a permit to do repairs to their property, (a) if it is necessary to protect public safety; or (b) to prevent further damage to the building.

So the city’’s guiding hands did the very opposite of what needs doing.

The city has planners and other sellers of services who find regulations, restrictions and fees successful ways to use the taxpayer’s money. Somehow, those ways seem to benefit them, seldom the community. Everyone knows the examples:

  • Incentives to builders for 5 little-bitty $200,000 affordable homes (1150 to 1250 sq. ft.); a million dollar guarantee

  • Approving really tiny (750 to 800 sq. ft.) homes in established older neighborhoods or in retail and commercially zoned areas

  • giving incentives to apartment complex purchasers or builders; and

  • Using an estimated $7-million to build a street for a residential development with a small retail or commercial area thrown into the mix.

None of those things, nada, are doing anything to improve the older existing, ignored for years, city discriminated against neighborhoods.

But $7 to $8 million, not counting the other incentives, used wisely, could – the catch here, of course, is being “used wisely”.

Millions of dollars to builders and a few wealthy corporations, but Paris will not purchase in bulk-at-a-discount building fix-up, paint-up, and clean-up materials to provide families willing to use sweat equity to repair or improve their home in an older neighborhood?

Why not?

As the Paris Chamber previously stated: There are only two reasons to penalize the improvement of property: Greed for fees or stupidity.

Paris does both, often at the same time, and calls it progress.

 

                       return to  Paris Texas Chamber of Commerce

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.