Our current city administration has put the needs of its citizens behind those of developers and special interests.  Our neighborhoods suffer from chronic flooding, and our critical infrastructure and historic Sylvan Beach Pavilion are allowed to fall into disrepair.   Meanwhile, the city has increased the economic development corporation’s budget 4 fold, to $4.3 million in only 2 years.  This large sum of taxpayer money is being squandered on a pair of garish, 3 story gateway sidewalk towers on historic Main St and a unjustifiable 10 story building at 5-Points. (*)

Regarding the 5-Points project, my opponent, a lobbyist for AT&T, has stated that the “worst case scenario is still a positive result for the City of La Porte".      Lets analyze that:

1. •The city budgeted a whopping $2.7 million taxpayer dollars to this project.  Money that could be used for critical infrastructure repairs
   

2. •The city partnered with Garson Silvers, a developer with dubious credentials.  He recently stated that he is living on credit card debt.  He was denied a FEMA loan on his El Lago Marina, where he proposes building a “green mixed-use hotel with condominiums, spa, marina slips and a  living food cafe”  See for yourself - visit his website :  http://garsonsilvers.com/4011_nasa_parkway.html  Sounds great, except for one important detail - Garson doesn’t own the Marina, he has been leasing it all this time!  Thats why FEMA denied his loan request.  In desperation, Garson recently wrote to President Obama to plead his case for a stimulus package.  In the letter he referred to himself as the “eco-warrior” and to the La Porte 5-Points project as “the forefront or beach head on the battle of global warming.” Pure delusion !
   

3. •In August 2007, Garson Silvers purchased both the Alamo Building and the Triangle property for $60,000.  HCAD appraises the Alamo building at $64,000 and the Triangle property for $14,000, so it is fair to say that Garson purchased both these properties at below the combined HCAD appraised value of $78,000.   However, 6 months later when the City contracted Bilicek Company to prepare an appraisal of just the Triangle property, Garson successfully convinced the appraiser not to use his August, 2007 transaction in this appraisal as the seller (Wade Cooper) was under financial distress at the time.  Garson was successful in convincing the appraiser that he intended to purchase lots across Broadway from the the seller for $3.66/ft2.  In the end, the appraiser chose not to use 3 independent 2007 actual lot sales that ranged from $1.44 to $1.92/ft2 !  The appraiser chose only to use the pending $3.66/ft2 sale as the ‘best indicator of the value of the Triangle property’.  That resulted in the Appraiser recommending that the city pay Garson $52,500 for the Triangle property.   Sweet deal!  Especially when you consider that Garson never purchased the Broadway lots.  He never contacted the Broadway lot owner to close the deal.    As far as the appraisal is concerned, you don’t have to take my word for it - here is the link to the Bilicek Triangle property appraisal document - go to pg 20.
   

4. Appraisal of five points property.pdf
   

5. •But wait - the deal gets sweeter!   The City actually paid Garson $150,000 for the Triangle property.  Why?  Mayor Porter said during a speech at the March, 2009 Chamber of Commerce Meeting ‘that’s just the way it turned out’  So, in summary, Garson received $150,000 of your tax dollars for a property he purchased 6 months earlier for essentially nothing.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there for you the taxpayer, as the city has spent at least $70,000 to remove old gasoline tanks underneath the Triangle property. 
   

6. •It gets only sweeter for Garson - When the Alamo building is finished, the city has agreed to rent the building for $5200/month and pay all maintenance, insurance and property taxes.  This rent, based on the buildings square footage, appears to be 2X the going retail rental rate.  You would think that with all this taxpayer generosity Garson could at least pay his property taxes.   Unfortunately it appears that Garson has other plans for the money as he is still delinquent on his 2008 property taxes for all his properties.  
   

7. •Finally the City will purchase the Texas Parks and Wildlife building for $450,000 and demolish it as this is where the 10 story ‘global warming’ office building will be built.  Texas Parks & Wildlife will be moving to Channelview - a net job loss for Main Street and La Porte.
   

I guess you have to be an extreme optimist to see anything positive in what certainly is shaping up to be a worse case scenario !

(*)  5-Points area buildings to be designed using a South Beach (Miami) architectural style complete with neon lights, and pink flamingos!)

Pol Adv. paid for by Kim Powell, Teacher & Campaign Treasurer.