Our city government is looking to get a large bond measure approved by the city's voters later this spring (May 12), and the campaign to do so is apparently kicking off:
With a large group of political, business and civic heavy hitters behind him, Mayor Phil Hardberger officially launched a campaign Friday to sell voters on the city's $550 million bond issue.
Hardberger said the bond package, the city's largest, is about rebuilding the city's basic infrastructure and laying a foundation for future growth and economic prosperity through 151 public improvement projects throughout San Antonio.
"The problems will get worse and the costs will go up if we don't do something now," he said. "We move and we move now — that's what the bond is all about."
...
Four 32-member citizen panels spent two months vetting the projects that will be presented to voters in five categories.
I'm not yet sure exactly what to think of this. On the surface, it sounds like an excellent idea to ensure that our city's infrastructure is enhanced and maintained. But with so much money and so many projects involved and without an independent assessment from reliable organizations, a lot comes down to trust. Do we trust our city's leaders to have put together a set of worthwhile initiatives and not sneak in local versions of the "pork" that Congress is so well-known for. Do we trust that all of these projects are wise and encourage responsible growth, not the landscape-destroying sprawl that we already have way too much of?
To get more information on all the projects involved, and other aspects of the bond program, see www.sanantonio.gov/2007bond.
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