Thursday, July 17, 2014

Two Big To Fail

The shakers and movers trying to shake and move their way to the cities of Briarcliff and Lakeside have decided to form a conga line and dance down to the Gold Dome to jointly promote their merged effort to form the city of Cliffside.

Arrogant? Yes. These two groups have been sparring over prime business tax revenues as if they are the only two that can lay claim when in fact several key pieces really belong to Tucker. Or so would say an objective outside observer. As would almost anyone who has lived around these parts for a couple of decades.

Greedy? Absolutely. By joining forces they hope to (and will) force Tucker (against THEIR community will) to cede prime revenue generating properties because all these crusaders for local control simply cannot afford local control. At least not on their own. They need tax revenue from non-voting businesses to pay for what they will then call "Their City." These folks are part of Romney's forty seven percent--takers, not makers.

Bullying? Without a doubt. And they will bring in their back pocket muscle--State Reps and Senators--to ensure that resistance is minimal and easily steamrolled. Tucker will be eviscerated and left with little choice but to sink into decline or be annexed and lose its identity.

And that will be a great loss since of the three communities it is Tucker which has the most cohesive, longstanding sense of community. It is so strong that newcomers are often surprised to learn that Tucker isn't already a city. Now the forces of greed and arrogance will conspire to ensure it never is.