I started out watching and listening with mouth agape at the discussion about the Living Word Church assessment waiver request, but as the discussion continued I actually became encouraged!!!

Ms. Scott-Jones’ analysis of the request for assessment relief on behalf of the property owned by the Church near Towne Boulevard was very interesting. One might even speculate that this property was very much more likely to “spur economic activity and growth” than PAC-M is likely to.

Obviously, the entire council was AGAINST breaks for economic activity. This became especially clear as phrases such as “fiduciary duty to the taxpayers”, “pie in the sky” and “no business proposal” were bandied about.

It seemed almost certain that at least THREE “NO” votes were in the offing for the Pendleton question.

Later, one is then left to wonder why the same strict fiduciary standards were not being applied to both the Living Word and the Pendleton deals.

Phrases such as “fiduciary duty”, “pie in the sky” and “no business proposal” being used as a NEGATIVE and in favor of the taxpayers in one case, and simply ignored in the other were especially astonishing!!!