Lake County International Expanding -- Where's Their Handout?

KJAM notes that Lake County International, which I bike or drive by on every trip from Lake Herman into Madison, is expanding this summer. Jeff Bloom says they'll be doubling the size of their 34-year-old building. And we all know that in agriculture, you either get big or get out.

I haven't heard yet whether the City of Madison or LAIC plan to offer Lake County International a housewarming gift. Our leaders favored competitor James River Equipment on the Lake Madison side of town with over $300,000 in government prizes. Where's the love for our other big implement dealer?

Or do you only get presents from the taxpayers when you play ball with the city and help them fill their favored industrial park?

Nothing Runs Like a Deere Wind Turbine!

I've previously floated the idea that our newly expanded John Deere dealership in Madison's Earmark Plaza could boost its profile (and Madison's) by erecting some wind turbines along Highway 34.

Some John Deere dealers in less windy states are already jumping on that idea:

At his Perry, Iowa, dealership, for instance, [Don] Van Houweling has installed an S-Series wind turbine by Endurance Wind Power capable of producing up to 20,000 kWh per year, about 20% of the site's needed power; and a larger unit capable of producing over 200,000 kWh per year is scheduled to produce about 85% of the power needed at his upcoming west Des Moines, Iowa, site ["Wind Energy Nets High ROI for Farmers, Equipment Dealers," AgricultureOnline, 2009.12.01].

Oh yeah, return on investment: Van Houweling says that between energy savings and government incentives, farmers and implement dealers can get 12%–15% return on their investment. (And what percentage did you get from your CDs and stock portfolio over the past couple years?)

Now this is a John Deere dealer, telling us a John Deere product will save you money, so take that for what you will. But I sure hope the fellas at James River Equipment are reading....

Abraham Bucks Chamber, Dissents on Hwy 34 Funding

Madison City Commissioner Nick Abraham shows a welcome glimmer of willingness to stand up to Madison's big money interests: at Monday's commission meeting, he cast the lone dissenting vote on a proposal to spend $125K of city tax dollars on widening Highway 34 east of town. No, Abraham didn't rebel against the Highway 34 Four for the Future campaign—that would probably get him run out of town. No, James River Equipment, one of the current industry darlings of the Chamber/LAIC crowd, is building a turning lane outside its new lot in the industrial park southeast of Madison. As if $190K in federal earmarks for curb and gutter isn't enough pork, James River asked the city for $125K to pay for the turning lane.

Note that this turning lane is on the portion of 34 east of town that already is a divided four lane. But I guess folks are in such a rush to get out of town that we just can't expect them to slow down a touch near the JRE entrance or take a moment to swing over into the left lane. Once again, Madison's Republicans choose big government spending over personal responsibility.

But not Commissioner Abraham:

Commissioner Nick Abraham pointed out that the new turn lane is located outside the Madison city limits, and the city has no direct responsibility toward paying for the project. Abraham added that the city won't have the $125,000 used for the turn lane project available for street construction projects within Madison. He said the reduced availability of stimulus funding could delay city street improvements [Chuck Clement, "City to Fund SD-34 Turn Lane," Madison Daily Leader, 2009.07.28].

What? Did someone say stimulus money?

The commissioners asked Chad Comes, city engineer, if the money needed for building the new turn lane could come from federal stimulus funding that Madison received earlier this year. The stipulations for receiving the federal economic stimulus money included directives to use the funding for construction projects that were active and "shovel-ready," not just under consideration.

Comes told the commissioner that transportation officials will probably perform the necessary financial transfers that would direct the $125,000 needed for the turn lane construction from Madison's stimulus funds [emphasis mine; Clement, 2009.07.28].

Necessary financial transfers—a.k.a., bookeeping tricks that would essentially allow us to cheat the stimulus rules. Clever.

James River Equipment's move a mile up the road for more visibility is costing us a lot of tax dollars. Given that JRE sits outside city limits, the city won't even get to recoup its investment in increased sales tax revenue.* Commissioner Abraham is to be commended for saying that, on this issue, the good capitalists at JRE should get their hand out of the public pocket and pay their own way.

*Correction! Elisa Sand sends me looking for a map, where I find JRE does appear to lie within the city limits. Looks like that turning lane could pay itself off... if James River can sell 6.25 million dollars worth of additional John Deere tractors and lawn mowers!
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Additional Reading:

• JRE wins exception to state rules on highway access.
• LAIC handouts are covering 60% of the cost of water, sewer, and electricity infrastructure in the industrial park. Too bad all new businesses and homes can't get a break like that on the hook-up fees they pay the city.