The new printing of Howard County Issues is available. In it, Greg Fox has some interesting (in a foolish way) comments about the proposed horse farm:
It will help preserve land, both the land for the horse park and other land that will now be worth keeping agricultural to support the horse park. It will increase our tax revenues through increased tourism and business, from restaurants to hotels to any number of support businesses. Further, it will give residents another form of entertainment and recreation making
I have some questions for Mr. Fox:
1. When did rich people riding horses become agriculture?
2. Why does the local government need to provide “entertainment” for the citizens, particularly when that same government can’t even keep up with school maintenance?
3. Why should the local government spend money on a horse farm to boost business revenues through tourism? I heard the horse farm would cost $114 million. If the local government funds some or all of that, will my taxes ultimately be lowered since all of this additional tax revenue from tourism will be rolling in? I’ll answer this one: HECK NO!
Update: I should include a link to the Bill authorizing a task force to study the horse park.
10 comments:
FM- For ag pres purposes, "people riding horses" counts. So do people keeping livestock as pets and even beekeeping as a hobby.
My own concern is that while a horse park in the county may be good for tax revenue, is it the smartest idea to put it in the rural west?
If the people who are going to use the horse park can afford to buy and care for a horse, and can afford to transport a horse to the park, then is this really a target demographic for a $114million welfare scheme?
Of all the things for government dollars to subsidize, entertainment for the rich sounds like it should be lowest on the list.
How's this- 160 people in the rural west can sell their $1.5 million dollar homes, buy a $650k condo in the beautiful new Plaza Residences, and donate the difference to the Save the Horse Park Fund.
Whoa.
Let's first dispell the urban myth regarding horse owners and wealth.
We're most definitely not wealthy. Can someone research our stats? I don't have the census data, but I can tell you that we definitely have to work for a living.
Anon 1:16- as a horse owner, do you support the horse park? If so, why should I, as a non-horse owner who does not want my tax dollars spent inefficiently, support it?
As a horse owner, I naturally would like to see the horse park come to Howard County (More people to share my hobby with!).
As a resident living in a growing suburban area, I'd also like to see more space preserved rather than filled with housing that we do not have roads or schools to support.
As a taxpayer, I'd like to see money spent on areas that will increase our revenues from sources other than income tax.
As a person who appreciates the amenities of urban areas like Baltimore and also Columbia, I still want the diversity of culture and environment that living in the psuedo-country provides after a long long week of working and driving to Baltimore or Washington DC. Horse Park will set aside a large number of acres which will remain countryside.
As a taxpayer (again), I like the idea of money coming into our county from outside, and remaining here for our business owners.
As a mother, I like the idea of having more places for kids to get jobs because there's nothing like a good work ethic to soothe a parent's soul. I like the physical component of horse park work and believe we need more of these options for Howard County youth.
As an experienced citizen, I like the idea of preserving our history.
The Horse park is healthy, financially, culturally, historically speaking. It would be enriching for all of us.
A horse park would not share your hobby, it would force people who are indifferent to horses to subsidize your hobby. As far as open space preservation, why should it be a HORSE park, and not a regular park (like Centennial Park). For that matter, why can’t we just up the dollars paid for agricultural preservation? Even better, increase the density allowed in the county and require more open space. As much as I love the smell of horse manure, I don’t think a giant horse facility is a good use of open space. In fact, it is probably bad for the environment.
Btw, I don’t think this park will generate significant tax revenues. Where would these revenues come from? Fees paid by people using the park? The thought is that people from out of town will come to use the park and have dinner why they are here. In that sense, the additional revenue is from income taxes businesses serving the horse park. This park will not be tax revenue generation machine that you seem to think it will be. It will be expensive to build, and expensive to operate.
You say you want your children to get jobs. How many jobs will be created by this park? At a cost of $114 million, these are some pretty expensive minimum wage jobs to bring into fruition. Are your kids currently having difficulty finding a job? Our economy is not exactly hurting.
The park has nothing to do with preserving history or culture and I don’t why you suggest that.
If the citizens demand this park, private business will respond to the demand. Is the Columbia Horse Center at over capacity with no possibility for expansion? Why is there a need to have the government subsidize this project?
Sounds like I've responded to rhetorical questions posed from the position of firm disagreement.
It’s not that I oppose the horse park, I oppose government funding of it. If private individuals want to build it and a charge fee for its use, I have no problem with that.
Your comment about my “firm disagreement” is cute considering you want all residents in the County to support your personal hobby.
I was surprised that Greg Fox would support this idea. As a Republican who would want to keep Government size and the expenses as well as taxes down, this seems to be a very unwise venture for the local or for that fact any government to be subsidizing.
Years ago in the 1980's there was a harness race track in Laurel. The name was Freestate Race track.
The track ran into financial problems. When this happened the bank holding title did not go to a government, but to an individual business man, Frank Defrancis. I knew Frank and worked close with him for three months when he purchased the track. The man loved horses, and knew as much about horses as any one I have ever meet.He was an excellent business man,having made his fortune many times over. Like many other people there I worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week and Frank worked circles around us, he was that devoted. The tract did well for a number of years.
Ride by the location of the tract today and you will find the space occupied with homes, not horses.
It is my believe that it was Frank's passion for the business that made it work. When he passed away the powers to be could see a greater value in developing the land for housing.
You may feel I have gone on a tangent, but I see the horse park idea having all the values that anon 11:11 has brought to our attention, but I agree with F.M.
As a government venture I believe it would fail. This very concept was turned down by Ann Arundel Co Gov. Why should we make the mistake that A.A.co does not want to make.
I believe it might succeed if it was performed by the private sector, but even if that is true why hasn't the private sector come forward.
Greg is smart, he is walking the fence, throwing this out for discussion. It is an attention getter, gives him name recognization, and wins friends in the Western part of the county.
But it will not fly, Greg would not want this Albatross around his neck, or should I say horse's head in his bed.
Instead of a horse park let's fix up Glenelg High school and Mt. Hebron High school, they are both in Greg's council area. There is nothing of more value to us than taking care of the basics.
Comments are being twisted.
You asked about the postion "as a horse owner".
The answer, "as a horse owner.." came through and you say that the responder WANTS everyone to pay.
That's not what was said here.
“As a horse owner, I naturally would like to see the horse park come to Howard County (More people to share my hobby with!).”
Who do you think is paying for the park to come here, anon 4:07, if not the taxpayers?
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