I just posted the following letter to the City Council, with respect to the
Monday evening meeting.
Sincerely,Vivian Ramalingam*****************************In a single evening,
without prior public discussion of any note, the citizenry of Roseville is to
be presented with a Closed Session on the development of an offer for the
acquisition of the Roseville Shoppes; followed 2 1/2 hours later, without
intervening time for private thought and taxpayer private discourse, by the
public proposal for a resolution authorizing Eminent Domain for the purpose;
followed immediately by a request for consideration of the acquisition of the
property of the Roseville Shoppes. In the documents attached to these
proposals, at line 22, it is flatly stated that the costs for the acquisition
of the Roseville Shoppes (and the adjacent gas station), as well as other
expenses attached to this purchase/enterprise "have not been fully determined
at this point" (!). Why, in the middle of a bleak mid-Winter, are the citizens
of Roseville being presented so suddenly with a pig-in-a-poke, a Potemkin
Village of a shining deal? What's the rush? Who is the real beneficiary? Does
the City really have so much disposable income? What will have to be given
up/given away if this *purchase* is made? What about the consequences for the
neighbors across the road, on the other side of Lexington Avenue? Bottom line:
*Shouldn't a financial deal of this consequence be a true public proposal, put
up for a vote on our November ballot?* The old warning about putting the cart
before the horse, putting a deal through without informed public support,
unambiguous public funding, and responsible meticulous planning, seems
particularly apposite in this case.