Look out, Crestwood: a private consultant hired by the city has told the city that it has to renovate a privately-owned mall or lose tax revenue. Of course, he couched it in waivers and wherefores, but what do you think the local government heard?
While he proposes redevelopment, Melaniphy [the consultant] doesn’t advise Crestwood on whether the city should use public funds for the project. That’s something the city and Westfield will have to iron out, he said.
“If financial assistance can be used to keep a Macy’s or a big anchor store, the board should at least listen and see if we can accommodate that,” Robinson [Crestwood’s Mayor] said.
Translation: The government should use tax dollars to ensure that it continues receiving tax dollars. Serve the citizens? No, modern government serves itself first.
