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I am dumbfounded by two impending actions by a majority vote of the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners. Both of which will hugely benefit the richest and largest corporation in the world, WAL-MART.
WAL-MART will be a $2,000,000.00 beneficiary by the elimination of the Transportation section of county impact fees. The citizens and tax-payers of our county will be forced to make up any and all shortfalls in county revenue due to this inexplicable action.
Secondly, the majority of this Board of County Commissioners has indicated at a work shop its intent to apply for a block grant in the amount of $750,000.00 to bring water to the SUPER WALMART Center to be constructed in the vicinity of US 19 S and Cardinal Street in Homosassa Springs.
WAL-MART will build whether or not we profer them this largesse. The construction of this complex will do great economic harm if not the demise of three existing commercial centers in US19, towit: the Sweet Bay Center, the Publix Center, and the Winn-Dixie Center all located in Homosassa Springs.
For those of you who do not understand block grants, let me explain: They come from funds set aside annually in the federal budget that may be applied for a variety of things, usually economic development, job creation, etc.
The problem is that there is no identified source of funding except our federal taxes. Our nation does not have enough money to buy a roll of toilet paper without borrowing it, so what does our government do? It borrows the money on our behalf from our old friend and largest creditor, good old China. That’s right folks, we will borrow $750,000.00 to benefit WAL-MART.
Does this give you a warm fuzzy feeling or if you are like me, does it make you want to throw up?
James C. Bitter |
