Opening Letters

Enough With This Crap, Let's Move Ourselves Forward

Nick Meyer |

Over the next seven weeks it’s officially “game on” in Eau Claire as far as the Confluence Project is concerned. Recent action by both the County Board and City Council means we’re about to have the most critical spring election this community has possibly ever seen. To be clear, Volume One is very much in favor of you putting the Tuesday, April 1, election on your calendar and getting 10 (or more!) of your closest friends and family to the polls to vote YES on the County’s referendum question of supporting the Confluence Project, and NO to a separate (and ridiculous) question on the City ballot.

The Confluence Project brings economic growth that supports new and existing jobs, increases City and County revenues, revitalizes downtown, enhances tourism, invests in our arts and culture, and advances educational opportunity. So let’s drop the drama and get down to business. Vote on April 1 to move this project forward and build a stronger community.That City ballot question – which, to paraphrase, basically asks, “Should the City always be forced to go to a referendum if they wish to invest $1 million or more in any project or building even remotely related to anything artistic” – that City ballot question asks to radically change how our local government functions, completely misunderstands how the Confluence Project will be financed, and ignores the enormous and multi-faceted positive gain a collaborative and forward-thinking endeavor like this one can achieve.

If such a misguided referendum like the one posed on the City ballot were to pass, instead of solving a problem, it actually creates more. First, it forces a separate, later referendum on the Confluence Project that would delay the endeavor into irrelevance, likely killing the project outright. That’s because after two years of discussion, the opportunity for substantial state funding through UW-Eau Claire will soon expire. But that’s not the worst part. Passing the City referendum would create destructive reverberations on countless future City projects since the vague and awkward wording would be up for considerable debate. So it would negatively affect much more than just the Confluence Project.

The Manufactured Appearance
of a Divided Community

The original question posed on the referendum petition to the City of Eau Claire was so bloated and obtuse that it had to be simplified to work on a ballot, and even now it’s still a complex and ill-advised question. The measure was essentially forced onto the ballot by a small group of obstructionists who ignored readily available facts but pushed against the project anyway. And according to varied reports (including on record at a recent City Council meeting), some people circulating the petition possibly misled those signing it – whether unintentionally or otherwise. So now, as one City Council member rightly put it, this marginal group essentially “manufactured the appearance of a divided community.” But there is simply no division. There may be a vocal (and petty) minority who don’t get what this community is trying to do, but there is nothing close to “division.”

The fact is, the Confluence Project has been widely and enthusiastically accepted because it’s a remarkably collaborative and creative solution to many very real community needs. What’s more, it’s blazing a bold trail for continued economic expansion of not only the downtown area, but the entire city and county. There have been dozens of unanimous votes of support for this project across a broad political spectrum – from individual businesses, the entire Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors, local arts groups, and numerous governmental bodies. Support has been there at the state level too – and will still be as long as we do our part to back their investment in our community. That’s why it’s important to understand that the referendums you’ll be voting on aren’t only about the wise investment and clever leveraging of local public funds, they’re about proving to Madison that this project has broad local support from voters.

This Isn't Politics, It's Community Building

So despite what a handful of extreme saboteurs would have you to believe, the Confluence Project proposal does not represent divisive politics. It’s not even politics at all – it’s community building. And if you’re against that, you’re not paying attention. Conservatives support this project. Liberals support this project. And so does the massive swath in between. But these referendum-hungry individuals have let the toxic posturing of our dysfunctional national politics bleed into our community’s local consciousness. They pretend it will cost you money when the fact is the City’s investment will cost taxpayers exactly zero dollars.

These referendum-hungry individuals have let the toxic posturing of our dysfunctional national politics bleed into our community’s local consciousness. Fortunately in Eau Claire, we are reasonable and forward-thinking people – we’re not going to let the gridlock of destructive, fake polar politics take our community hostage.

The City’s investment would be funded by a clever economic development tool called a Tax Increment Finance District which is used (to great effect) in our community all the time – including for Phoenix Park and the surrounding development. The City has already shown a 177% return on investment from the public funds used there to build the park and attract private development, a figure that will only rise with another $15 million worth of construction happening now and more on the way. So there’s no financial risk up-front to any citizen. Fortunately, in Eau Claire, we are reasonable and forward-thinking people – we’re not going to let the gridlock of destructive, fake polar politics take our community hostage.

The radicalized City referendum group is trying to force a culture of stagnation onto a community that has unequivocally shown that those days are long gone. We’re ready to move ourselves forward and create the kind of economic growth that supports new and existing jobs, increases City and County revenues, revitalizes downtown, enhances tourism, invests in our arts and culture, and advances educational opportunities. And if someone out there is against these benefits, you can surely be skeptical as to what they’re up to.

An Echo Chamber of Growth

One very exciting piece to this economic puzzle is the spin-off investment the Confluence Project has been inspiring. Nearly $4 million in private community funding has already been pledged towards the arts center by individuals and organizations. There’s $21 million in private investment from the developers for the fully taxable mixed-use building part of the project that will hold restaurants, retail, and more. Young local entrepreneurs are making substantial private investments – redeveloping hotels, building new restaurants, setting up corporate headquarters, and planning their next moves – all under the promise of what this project will do for our community. Even our local tourism board, Visit Eau Claire, has pledged to locate a substantial tourism center in the project alongside the arts center and beautiful public plaza on the river. This many-sided support is simply enormous, and the positive energy is palpable. Thanks to this proposed project, people all around the state and even the country are looking to Eau Claire as a remarkable leader in public-private partnerships for the greater good. Let’s not drop the ball now.

None of This Matters Unless You Vote

That’s all great and good, but here is the most important part: regardless of the project’s overwhelming support, it’s still absolutely critical that you take this April election as seriously as any election in which you’ve ever participated. Spring elections are rarely sexy – but with these two questions looming, not to mention a critical contest for City Council President (hot tip: Kerry Kincaid truly has our community’s best interest at heart and deserves your vote), rarely is there a local election that has such a direct impact on the future of the community in which you live. It’s imperative you get your family, friends, and co-workers excited to get out and vote in support of the project. As citizens we rarely get such a huge opportunity. So the time to get fired up is now. Together we will create a growing chorus of voices so loud and clear that the turning point we achieve together will create serious and meaningful change in the course of our town’s history. We can’t wait anymore. We will create our own future. We will step into that voting booth and get this done. Get ready, and spread the word.

On April 1, vote YES to the County’s clear-cut question about supporting the project, and vote NO to the destructive question about future referendums that has been forced onto the City ballot.

If you want to take action and help move this city forward, join up at CommunityfortheConfluence.org and learn how you can play a meaningful role in developing your hometown.