A different take on downtown

Perhaps it’s time. We have a downtown manager who can’t stay out of the newspaper with accusations of wrong doing that would have made John Gotti question his integrity. We have millions of dollars going towards bribes…err…incentives.  We’ve got a lot going on downtown, and none of it looks that good.

Now, that said, there downtown doesn’t completely suck.

For those who have lived here for a while, you remember how downtown used to look.  The newer buildings now present look good, and they blend well with the older buildings in the area like the Municipal Auditorium.   Fountains and statues, though admittedly I don’t get the one in front of the new law enforcement center.  All in all, it looks damn good.  It should.  We spent enough for it.

Now, the plan is to “lure” nightlife and residents.  They want people to live there and party there.  Of course, we’ll apparently end up paying for that as well.  The argument is that while there is bustling foot traffic during the work time hours, the sidewalks seem to roll up at 5:00.

My response?  So what?

In this town, we’ve got some serious problems and downtown isn’t even close to the primary ones.  Industry won’t get lured to Albany based on how many bars and clubs we have downtown and by sign ordinances.  They’ll be lured with a lower crime rate, an educated workforce, and a less corrupt government.  Period. 

Now, in all fairness, Chief Proctor seems to be holding up his end of the deal in regards to crime.  Criminals are being arrested and this may well help deter future criminals.  At worst, it just takes this batch off the street.  We, the citizens of Albany, have to do our part on this as well.  Crime is the one area where improvement is being seen.

Education, on a different stroke, isn’t something that the City has any authority on.  The School Board is responsible for that one, and they are hamstrung by the state in many ways.  While local officials can try to impress the importance of education the the citizens of Albany, much like Mayor Adams has done in radio spots, there’s not much else that can be done.

Corruption, on the other hand, is something that can be dealt with by the city and isn’t being done.  Don Buie, Rod Jolivette, Al Lott, Ken Hodges (as District Attorney), and Lord only knows who else have committed what are, at best, “questionable” acts in the commission of their respective duties.  At worse, it’s a sign of something insidious within the local government.

City officials are luring businesses to downtown with grants and subsidies that we, the taxpayers, are forced to stomach.  While downtown’s “favored status” is probably the result of good intentions, it’s time to accept it.  Downtown is a center for government.  The brick, stone, and glass are primarily for those who handle the day to day operations of this city and county, and that’s OK.  It’s not like the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is known for it’s booming clubs.

Let’s let government be at the center of downtown and be proud of it, instead of trying to turn downtown into something that the people of Albany seem to have little interest in.