Pat Suter, Chair, shared with members a letter printed in the Observer
--a local newspaper -- that brought up something important and overlooked
about the Packery Channel project. Writer R. N. Baldwin asks, "Why is so
much talk of early ‘construction’ phases when the final cost and environmental
impact hasn’t been revealed by the corps of engineers?’"

Answering his own question, he cites the TIF (Tax Increment Financing for the project)
regulations which state in effect that if Packery’s projected cost is more by a certain
percent over the TIF proposed cost, then the TIF is considered null and void,
(Note: That would be the death knell for the project. And mounting evidence indicates
that the project will cost much more than the TIF estimate.)

"However," Baldwin continues, " there is a loophole which, in effect, states: ‘If construction
has already begun, the TIF will continue in force, without another vote being required....
That, dear taxpayers, is the reason --in my opinion-- you are hearing the phrase
‘preliminary construction’ tossed around. It will allow the leaders to throw a few
shovels of sand and call it ‘preliminary construction.’"

Other topics discussed were the City of Corpus Christi’s upcoming controversial proposal
to privatize the Marina, and a survey’s report that the general public does not feel that we
have to protect wetlands.