New hotel complex displays confidence in Mac downtown

This evolving success story happened with the self-starters in town - Worrix's, and other property owners, the city of McMinnville, most downtown business owners and volunteers working through and with the McMinnville Downtown Association. Did you see "Urban Renewal Agency" in there anywhere? No.

Government projects, like the Housing Authorities project and the State Services building have been a drain on local taxes, just as Urban Renewal projects would be if the City Council falls for the something-for-nothing siren song of the consultants pushing it.

Urban Renewal is like a giant squid sucking the life out of its surroundings. Please don't allow it to do the same to McMinnville.

Some people are fond of saying, "Guns don't kill people; people kill people."

It's like that with urban renewal. Some people don't make the best use of urban renewal development opportunities. Fortunately, McMinnville city government and local leaders understand that, and would be good stewards of that process here.

McMinnville has important downtown development needs that have been "on the shelf" for years, from utilities to tree issues, from an expensive transportation plan to streetscape improvements, from sidewalks to parking, and now, the exciting prospects of Northeast Gateway infrastructure development.

Urban renew is just a funding mechanism for smart projects managed by smart people, used appropriately in many communities. McMinnville, I think, is up to the task.

Jeb Bladine
News-Register