HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-27-2020 Public Comment - J. Schmidt - Aviator bad timing for tax breaks for wealthy developersFrom:agenda@bozeman.net
To:Agenda
Subject:Thank you for your public comment.
Date:Monday, April 27, 2020 10:47:36 AM
A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted.
Form Name:Public Comment Form
Date & Time:04/27/2020 10:47 AM
Response #:381
Submitter ID:26266
IP address:97.121.220.116
Time to complete:5 min. , 4 sec.
Survey Details
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Public comment may be submitted via the form below, or by any of the following options.
Public comment may also be given at any public meeting.
Email:
agenda@bozeman.net
Mail to:
Attn: City Commission
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
In-person delivery to:
Due to City Hall's closure in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person delivery of comments is not
available until further notice.
First Name Jay
Last Name Schmidt
Email Address zar7007@yahoo.com
Phone Number 4065994676
Comments
April 27, 2020
Bozeman City Commissioners and Director of Community Development,
It is now common knowledge that the 1.5 trillion dollar Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 was a gift to the
wealthiest Americans and the Opportunity Zones portion of that legislation, intended to spark investment
in poverty stricken communities, has turned into an additional gift to politically connected wealthy
developers, including ex-con Michael Miliken, to subsidize high-end developments in relatively wealthy
communities. Currently the City of Bozeman is asking for comments on two new building in the Rosauers/
Kohls shopping district that fall in our local Opportunity Zone. These buildings, one called the Aviator
Building that boasts an escalator and a helicopter on the roof exemplify the failure and flagrant abuse of
the original intent of the Opportunity Zones Program.
At a time when many of our public institutions, like Montana State University, are receiving federal bailout
funds and the City of Bozeman is once again asking us to vote on a levy to support our local schools, to
approve these new high-end buildings in the Kohls/Rosauers shopping district and perpetuate the
Opportunity Zone tax giveaways is morally and ethically lacking. With our national debt growing by trillions
of dollars weekly and when many are suffering the economic devastations of Covid-19, now is not the time
to give even more tax breaks to wealthy real estate developers. We need to seriously evaluate what our
local community gains from the Opportunity Zone tax breaks other than increased economic inequality and
public debt.
Jay Schmidt
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Thank you,
City Of Bozeman
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