Terrell Brown wrote: > [TB] I find it difficult to except that the differences are merely > interesting or to simply dismiss any cost differences. > > If our costs are higher than standard, I'd rather see an explanation than a > cover-up.
[GDL] I'm sorry if I was misunderstood and thought to be dismissive and "covering up" something. I honestly don't have any figures or answers to cover up, though, and I'm dismissive just because the numbers don't mean anything without context. I need the same figures and breakdowns as most folks do to make honest and appropriate comparisons between a nonprofit development and a for-profit venture. I've asked CVI to provide me with the figures and I hope to be able to break the cost down from the figures--it's worth doing the comparison so we have an honest discussion about it rather than one that relies on amortization schedules and estimates that have no real contextual basis. Robert Anderson also asks some good questions that are worth asking and looking into, and that was the gist of my point: getting actual figures and answers to make such real comparisons--not comparing a square foot figure that is guestimated with an actual square foot figure that has no true breakdown. I think one of the difficult questions/answers we may find is that large subsidies are currently necessary for one good (or bad, depending on your politics) reason: maintaining real affordability in the long term. One final point: Craig Miller rightfully raises an issue of tax relief that has been raised time and time again. And, all due respect to the Mayor and those who applauded his focus on remedying the 1986 tax shift by rallying the feds to change it, it's a solution that Sayles Belton looked at, the affordable housing task force looked at, and nearly anyone involved in the affordable housing debate has looked at. But, what's to be done here in the meantime in addition to continuing to poke the feds? Gregory Luce N. Phillips (work) North Phillips Press is a publication of Project 504, a housing related neighborhood organization based in the Phillips neighborhood. _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
