Model City?

Part of Charlie Grapski's pitch while asking for people to support his legal defense fund is that I said that Alachua is a "model city."

That is, simply, not true. I am not sure what city is a model city. Every city has its problems, but Alachua has the potential to be a model in our county for policies that drive job creation and good wages. That is what was said. If Mr. Grapski had spent some time listening instead of arguing, he would have gotten that message.

For the Republican Executive Committee, this debate is about job creation, wages and diversifying the tax base.

Once again, it all boils down to the same debate about what kind and how much economic development we are going to have.

Unfortunately, the debate has shifted from discrediting policies, to using accusations of corruption to discredit people as an end-around on the policies, themselves.

In the debate about dual office holding, Mr. Grapski has laid out his case for why more than one title could be a problem for the city manager, but he continues to hold it up as an example of corruption and to completely ignore the approval of then Commissioners Robbins and Rothseiden when that arrangement was approved by the Alachua City Commission. In fact, current and then Commissioner Lewis opposed the hiring, at the time, but he is being associated with the supposed corruption reflected in the city manager's contract.

This isn't about corruption. It is about discrediting people as an end-around to their policies.


Posted by SJ