2 MAY 07: NO LOVE SEATS

The Phenix City Council took two steps Tuesday which may have left residents scratching their heads. They decided NOT to give a tax break to one business - then voted to remove a tax break for a similar business. Like an old song says: it's a long, long time from May to December....

A proposal was on the Phenix City Council agenda to give a sales tax incentive to Tate Furniture, because it's adding a Broyhill distribution center. Owner Billy Tate decided if the council could give Turner Furniture an incentive to locate in the city, he should have his own. But this could cause trouble - with criminals claiming to be "distribution centers" for cocaine next.

When the topic of Tate Furniture came up, a proposed tax incentive died - apparently because no one on the Phenix City Council made a motion to bring it to a vote. Then how did it get on the agenda to begin with? Did City Manager Bubba Roberts get a discount on a new bedroom suite?

(Things might have been different if someone made a motion for a sales tax incentive, but it died because it "lacked a second." Billy Tate has all sorts of seconds to offer the officials, in the form of grandfather clocks.)

But then came the big surprise of the session. A majority of Phenix City Council voted to withdraw the tax incentive they gave Turner Furniture several months ago. In 2007, I believe the proper and correct term for these council members is "Native American Givers."

Phenix City Councilor John Storey said Turner Furniture never should have received a tax incentive in the first place, because it would hurt city finances. This may explain why Mr. Storey does NOT go by the nickname "Developing."

Mayor Jeff Hardin supported the tax incentive for Turner Furniture all along. So he was disappointed by Tuesday's vote, saying it will set a "bad precedent." Well, not necessarily - because the talk of giving the mayor a big raise last year was revoked, too.

Mayor Jeff Hardin is concerned businesses will be reluctant to locate in Phenix City, if the city government doesn't follow through on the incentive packages it offers. To reinforce this, Hardin may invite "runaway bride" Jennifer Wilbanks to address the next council meeting.

It's not yet clear how Turner Furniture will respond, to losing its sales tax incentive for a distribution center in Phenix City. The company has several options:

+ It could move the center outside Phenix City, but to another part of Russell County. All those new workers drinking soft drinks with an extra tax would be a bonus.

+ It could shrug its corporate shoulders, go ahead with construction in Phenix City - and offer this situation for a business version of "Punk'd."

+ It could file suit against the city, especially if a contract was signed. Phenix City would have a large-scale version of an Albert Paley sculpture on its hands.

Billy Tate had talked of suing Phenix City, to get his own sales tax incentive for a distribution center. Now Turner Furniture might sue, because its own incentive was revoked. If the city council hoped to save money, it's wrong - because it's probably going to attorneys now.

Yet the Phenix City Council was in a giving mood in another area Tuesday. WRBL reported it's allowing the local Board of Education to borrow city money as needed, for new construction at Central High School. I think the school superintendent would agree this is a case of "share and DiChiara alike."

E-MAIL UPDATE: There's breaking news from one of our most-watched places - something which may be long overdue:

Hurtsboro has it's own blog! This is a forum for people of Hurtsboro, by the people of Hursboro. Comments are welcome.

http://hurtsboroalabama.blogspot.com/

Oh dear - this blog has some new competition. And given some of the writers to OUR blog from Hurtsboro, the new one might be a whole lot more interesting.

The host of "The Blog of Hurtsboro" is anonymous in Monday's first post. The theme is relatively folksy, with mentions of two local restaurants and a hardware store. I think I know who did NOT set up this blog - because the word "mayor" is spelled correctly.

We'll be watching the discussion there - but now let's see what else caught our attention Tuesday:

+ Mayor Jim Wetherington submitted his first budget plan to Columbus Council. WRBL reported it totals about $205 million, increases city employee pay, and adds a new position of "Assistant Police Chief." You mean the mayor hasn't been doing that, since he took office?

(The proposal fiscal 2008 budget reportedly includes cuts in some areas - but no details were mentioned on the late news. Our mayor must have hidden those pretty well....)

+ Columbus Council voted 9-1 for new dormitory-style apartments on South Lumpkin Road, which are likely to house Fort Benning soldiers. The apartments will be across the road from the new National Infantry Museum -- which should assure that Imax theater will have a few regular customers.

+ Rome conquered the Columbus Catfish 2-0, in an "Education Day" matinee which lasted 13 innings. I hope I'm not spoiling some teacher's project here -- but for all the students who attended this game, you watched 44.4 percent extra baseball.

+ Instant Message to the Children's Miracle Network: So who won the grand prize Tuesday night in the "Miracle Ride" raffle - that $20,000 pickup truck? Did the winner mind that the truck was a year old?

SONG OF THE DAY: A TV station's current giveaway doesn't have me "watching and winning." It has me thinking back to my youth, and - well, you'll have to hear it to understand....

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