As we head into the last weeks of the District 1 Augusta Commission runoff, the engaged citizens of the district are asking basic questions about the fundamental positions of the two remaining candidates. As a resident of and property owner in District 1, I have a vested interest in the answers to these questions.
The Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance is an idea that has been discussed for many months, and it has gained significant support among not only the citizens of District 1, but also many in our city/county government leadership. The use of this approach has been successfully adopted by many cities across our nation that face the problems of a blighted urban city core.
Having personally heard both candidates discuss prospects for the redevelopment of our city's most blighted district and their support for a Chronic Nuisance Property Ordinance to help achieve that end, I am prompted to encourage the residents of District 1 to vote for Matt Aitken.
Matt Aitken will vigorously support the appointment of a research committee to develop the right ordinance for Augusta, and will actively work to adopt this valuable tool to help revitalize not only District 1, but all of Augusta.
Matt Aitken has the support of every racial group in the district because we know him to be a man of character who will support the revitalization of every part of our city. Matt Aitken represents a dynamic break with our racially divided past, and offers a new unifying opportunity for every resident of Augusta.
Phillip A. Williams, Augusta
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I voted "present". May Augusta get who it deserves.
Let`s end the stalemate in the Commission...get something done. It`s not race but willingness to adapt that is needed...
the scary aspect of mr. aiken is his support for the TEE center, it's going to turn out to be a 40-50 million boondoogle, based on the word of one of the stakeholders who will benefit...the question that should be asked is "where is the marketing, demographic data to support the TEE CENTER?"..and to all the "so-called" republicans on the commission....since you whole-heartedly" believe in the private sector, then why are you supporting the GOVERNMENT footing the bill for the construction and operating expenses of the TEE CENTER????...it's called publicizing risk, and since riverfront llc will be menaging it, instead of county employees it will be privatizing profit...mr. bowles, could you please tell me what RUSH LIMBAUGH would call the county footing the bill for the TEE CENTER'S construction????
lifelognresident -- if the local government built and ran the TEE Center it would be exactly like the Civic Center was for years. The 'old boy' system -- go good to it -- ran the Civic Center almost into the ground and finally we have a private operator who is moving the Civic Center closer to being in the black. For you who do not support the TEE Center -- remember if it goes so does the $1 a night hotel tax for renewal of the Lanie Walker area -- and the people running that project have already spent over $800 thousand dollars of the collected money from this room tax. I do not think that anything approved by the voters of Augusta-Richmond County could be denied being built by the Augusta Commission. This whole TEE Center thing is a money grab by some Commissioners who do not care about progress -- only what is in it for me. Vote them all out and address changing the charter to an odd number of Commissioners.
my sentiments exactly native....just step back and take a look at the whole TEE CENTER PLAN..you have supporters who claim to be republicans (the party that adamantly extols the virtures of free market and the ability of the private sector to rescue the economy..except for this project....they are now supporting government building and ownership..so my question to them is if the TEE CENTER is such a fantiastic idea then where are ALL THE PRIVATE INVESTORS????????