Economic Development Starts Where?
Okay, first things first; we admit it, we can’t wait for the new City of Tacoma website. Don’t get us wrong; we have a certain sentimental attachment to the old site, and it is much much better than some city websites we’ve seen. That said, we can’t wait.
Despite our glee over the potential for improved search functions, we can’t ignore the controversy over the city’s decision to award the contract for the project to Intrafinity, a Toronto, Canada firm, over several Tacoma companies. Of the two Tacoma companies that made the final round of consideration, one bid lower, and another claims to have added value outside what the city requested. But at the end of the day, the city chose Intrafinity as offering the best value for taxpayer dollars.
Intrafinity scored significantly higher on the point system used in the award process, and city officials point to state purchasing laws that they claim don’t allow them to take the location of a business into consideration. If the city’s hands are tied in this matter, the solution seems to be to either change the law, or do what can be done to ensure that next time a Tacoma firm makes a bid, they are the most qualified bidder in the room.
With $350,000 initially set aside for the project, which is now forecast to cost $65,000 to $70,000 up front, with a $5,000 annual maintenance cost, it sounds like the city has saved some money. Perhaps there’s a way to reinvest at least a portion of that savings in developing … hmmm so many opportunities. Think of the possibilities if you had an extra couple hundred thousand dollars to invest in improving the odds for local companies.
Read more from The News Tribune about Tacoma choosing Intrafinity and the city’s defense of the choice.
Filed under: Economic Development
4 comments
T the Jinxmedic October 18, 2011
The last time the city had a few extra hundred thousand dollars, they filled in a hole and made another surface level parking lot, instead of say, keeping libraries open.
I don’t think the city is capable of using any “savings” wisely, let alone having the good sense to support local business.
R RR Anderson October 18, 2011
“GO LOCAL” and kiss my grits. What would Norm Dicks do? You make me sick Tacoma leaders.
T T-town October 18, 2011
It’s easy to drastically inflate the budget with imaginary Microsoft fees and then say: “see, we all saved you a bunch of money.”
Investing in local firms means those people eat lunch in Tacoma and have a beer at Amocat every now and then. Hiring Toronto means what? McNair Huff says it is a legal issue. Does anybody think Toronto will sue Tacoma if they do not get hired? Wait – I just saw a unicorn fly by…..soo pretty….
M Mofo from the Hood October 20, 2011
If governments had savings to invest, or savings to extend credit to people free to choose the best use of their time, energy, and money…
Question: How did city government acquire their money?
I mean, are government functionaries doing favors for people outside of government by using the money of the people outside of government?
Even if a functionary was elected, isn’t it possible (and history shows) that some functionaries use the power of government rule making in order to diminish freedoms?
Diminsh freedoms like free enterprise?