“If the Border Region Act was left to people like you, NOTHING would happen. Because you’re a NAYSAYER!”
The words, which were literally being shouted at me, rang like a bell and I could feel wave after wave of vibrations penetrate deeper and deeper into me, as if barbed wire were being wrapped around my core.
I had obviously upset someone last week with the column I wrote about the border region act. In it, I questioned in general the results we have seen thus far in East Ridge. I questioned the amount of money being spent and submitted for state reimbursement. Now, I was taken to task for that article and given the full court press in an attempt to change my opinion.
The problem is the high-level person pressing me assumes I hate the Border Region Act or just completely stand against it. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I think the border region is a great tool the city can use to make smart investments to better the lives of the citizens. I do not believe that it will ever live up to the hype that has been routinely pushed upon us.
The person shouting at me rightfully declared that East Ridge is on the decline. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that. While I think East Ridge is still a wonderful place to live, its not the Mecca it once was.
The Border Region Act is about commerce. It’s about pulling in people from out of state and getting them to spend money in Tennessee. One requirement is creating an “extraordinary retail or tourism facility.” This facility or string of shops must be expected to pull in 1 million visitors per year, require capital investment of $20 million and submit to the state $2 million a year in sale and use tax.
Now, this is quite a feat, especially considering that the Tennessee Aquarium only draws about 700,000 people a year through it’s doors. Rock City and Ruby Falls bring in about 500,000 people a year each. In fact, in the entire area, only the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park comes close, drawing 900,000 people a year to the area. (source)
It’s assumed that Bass Pro Shops will bring in that million people a year, which triggers the Border Region Act. The rest of this is about spending money to support additional developments around the Bass Pro and Ringgold Road corridor which comprises the border region district.
Plans are set to streamline the exit ramp heading north on Interstate 75 to provide better access for motorists to the development and Camp Jordan.
If this all works out as designed and we make a larger Camp Jordan with a string of amazing businesses adjacent to the park and force traffic right past them what would the end result be for the rest of us?
Take a minute, close your eyes and think…
If you could choose to live anywhere or have an “ideal” town, what would that town be? For many of us the answers would be varied and complex. I will venture to guess that no one who actually did that would come up with the answer of “Gunbarrel Road.” None of us would want to live next door to the mall.
That’s ultimately what this comes down to: What is best for East Ridge as a whole, and what kind of town do we want to live in?
I believe that decades ago when East Ridge rejected liquor by the drink, many businesses moved on from the idea of locating at exit one. What would have naturally been the place to locate was moved up the interstate to exit five or other locations like Brainerd Road. Many of those businesses will never come to East Ridge, and I honestly don’t want them to.
While we all say it would be great to have a nice sit-down restaurant in East Ridge, I have to ask why? Honestly, it’s as easy for me to get downtown or to the mall as it is to go Camp Jordan or exit one. Do I really want to fight Gunbarrel Road-type traffic to go buy some milk at Food Lion?
What I want in East Ridge is a thriving community. I want a place where you can raise a family and go to the park and spend a day free from the headaches of snarled traffic. A place where you can relax and feel safe letting your kid ride his bike around the block.
The repayment by the state of money spent under the border region act isn’t guaranteed. It is a risk. I was told if you want to have great shops and good retailers and the money that brings to the city, you need to spend money to take that risk.
Take a risk…
I think we absolutely should take a risk on our own community. We need to take drastic steps to change the tide in East Ridge. Currently, over 50 percent of our population are non homeowners. While I know many fine people who rent, I do think we need to take steps to encourage people to buy homes in East Ridge and live in those homes.
Let’s take a risk on our schools. Let’s take them over, and change the course of our kids’ education. Let’s spend money to make the schools in East Ridge the “Crown Jewel of Tennessee.”
Next, let’s take a risk on homeowners. The city should consider incentivizing people to buy homes and remodel them. Let’s take these homes with the excellent bones of homes built in the 1950’s and turn them from three bed, one bath into three bed, two bath homes. Let’s see them grow from 1,100 square feet to 1,800 – 2,000 square feet homes that are demanded by modern families.
Finally, let’s take a risk on citizens. Le’ts increase our police force and work to make East Ridge a safer place to live. Let’s get tough on crime and make criminals realize crime in East Ridge does not pay.
By taking these risks and encouraging young, middle class families to take a chance on owning a home in East Ridge we will stimulate the housing market in our town and increase property tax revenues.
A town that skews towards a higher percentage of middle-class home ownership will see cash advances and pawn shops replaced by restaurants, boutiques and other businesses. These businesses seeking to take advantage of the additional spending power of the residents will contribute to city coffers through sales tax, and property tax.
If given the choice between a town where people want to live or a town where people want to shop…
Personally, I want a town that’s worth living in not a town that has an exit worth visiting.
