CRA IMPACT on Local Business

Fair competition from others or even responsible development is OK if there is an even playing field and opportunity, (like a uniform set of building rules) applied to everyone.

Residents need to know when there is a $4 million dollar RDA land subsidy and $800,000 in street improvements included in the Town Center, and Drive Tru's, and now no substantial sales tax revenue and no library the only real added feature to the development will be more traffic and need for law enforcement.

With all the city owned land they could sell some & build a library without holding a favored developer hostage to "give, Rent" it to them as a return on the above city/RDA "investment".

The businesses existing in Grand Terrace should not be hurt by new development. Demitri's should be allowed a Drive Thru if Migueles and others are allowed a Drive Thu. Is SubDepo being put at an unfair advantage to Subway because the developer was in some way able to avoid city fees? Was the Liquor License approved for CVS/Savon over the Grand Terrace Market a pre existing business, (Both have limited parking)?

City Redevelopment perhaps should be limited to Refreshing what is or sustaining it, rather than creating competition for existing businesses. Perhaps, if there are to be New Businesses and Development it should be done the old fashioned way, without government involvement. Perhaps, sustainable or potential sustainable would involve the keeping of some farms, fruit trees and animal production in Grand Terrace. When the Containers stop coming from China to fill Walmart, and the Containers stop from the Central Valley, and Chile. What does Grand Terrace produce to sustain itself? PUMPS.... and a Labor Supply.

It would be a social improvement if Parents of the Children who live in Grand Terrace can work in Grand Terrace and afford to live here. CRA Development should be used to bring employment opportunities that provide income levels that would develop local jobs that are sufficient for Citizens of Grand Terrace to live on.

Grand Terrace is Like the Philippines, and Mexico, we export our labor and import cash payments or earnings. The only difference is that the commute is closer and the citizens are free to travel out of the city without a passport or green card. While a few get rich, most struggle and our children suffer. Perhaps our children are not suffering from poverty of hunger but they do suffer from a poverty of parenting and adult interaction. The idea of development in Grand Terrace needs to be re-thought about. Sustainability and Social Impacts should be included in the decision matrix.

One thing is for sure, the GT Tax Payer should not be spending their limited tax funds to support businesses by waiving of fees or selling of assets that will distress existing businesses, and lower the quality of life, and not provide employment for residents in Grand Terrace. CRA Debt is sucking funding from other areas of need so that Developers and their new competiting businesses can benefit from the Citizens paying off CRA loans, street improvements, and fee waivers. IF a fee waiver would be provided to all Citizens and Businesses why have the fees, or requirements at all? The only reason is so that some may recieve an unfair advantage over others.