1993-11-08 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e Regular Meeting of La Porte City Council November 8, 1993 Mr. David Kaup "Mr. Mayor, members of the Council, my name is David Kaup and I am president of the Fairmont Park East Homeowner's Association. I also chair a recently formed Political Action Community known as FAIR PAC. I can honestly say that I am here representing the interest of approximately 1,600 voters that live in our subdivision. I am here to speak about the proposed second election for the so-called land swap of the Cedar Bayou Park. In it's current form I would ask my board and advise my membership to strongly oppose any further attempts to bring this land swap into reality. First of all, I really don't understand why the city wants to buy land at an appraised price of $795,000.00. Reason for this is the land's listed on your tax rolls for $123,000.00. Either your tax assessor is seriously under appraising that land, or your commercial appraiser is seriously overestimating the value of that land. Either way you are giving the appearance of a very serious conflict of interest with the parties involved. Secondly, residents of subdivisions, not just Fairmont Park East, have been complaining about the lack of neighborhood park space. Parks and Recreation have told me that there is a five year plan for park acquisition. Fairmont Park East isn't even on it despite the new construction going in and the further parts of the subdivision that have been registered. You want us to approve almost 1 million dollars of spending to buy and developing land down on this part of La Porte that really is not going to be of every day use to alot of the residence of La Porte. I would make the following suggestions to you: First, either raise the property taxes on the land you want to buy or seek a lower price more in line with the current taxable value of that property. You might also want to consider acquisition through some type of eminent domain action. Second, selling off the current park land to raise funds is possible. We would want the excess funds from that sale put into small parks in the subdivisions. Third, given that this is the second questionable appraisal of public purchase of land I've seen given by the same agent, I strongly suggest you get another appraiser. In conclusion, I would like to say there are those of us living in subdivisions that have the opinion we're being used as a cash cow by the city of La Porte. You take out over $300,000.00 a year in taxes from Fairmont Park East alone. You are only putting a fraction of that money back into that neighborhood. We can't even get prompt requests on requests for street signs. Copies of your Budget Report require Texas Open Records Act requests. Gentlemen, we are really getting tired of being milked by the City of La Porte."