The Tea Party, in their effort to fight against "big government regulation," has an ally on their side, the Homebuliders Association of Northern Kentucky, and thus an enemy, the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission. In their quest to eradicate NKAPC, and other local planning initiatives, they are in effect trying to undermine the principles of "smaller govenment, fiscal responsibility, and free markets" they claim to uphold.
In full disclosure, I have visited the NKAPC office in Ft. Mitchell several times, either for meetings, tours, or job interviews, and know people who have worked or do work for them, either as co-workers from co-ops or classmates at UC. The provide planning services to jurisdictions in Northern Kentucky that otherwise can't afford to do so on their own, services that I believe are important to improve the quality of life for residents and municipalities, and sustain economic and social health.
Some claim that the services of older northern Kentucky communities are not needed, because they are built out, and in many cases, with only a few vacant lots/buildings here and there. Sure, that may be the case today, but what about 10, 20 years from now? In turn, many of the buildings in a community may become vacant, dilapidated, and even a crime magnet, a drain on a city. We need planning in our communities to explore new land uses, opportunities for development, and ideas that would not only enhance tax revenue and the quality of life for a community, but to also sustain that health for decades to come.
What the HBA and Tea Party want for northern Kentucky is to continue to go down the same road, of one-size-fits all single-use zoning, building whatever, wherever they see an open piece of land, and create this illusion that they are creating many jobs and providing homes and business opportunities.
What they are doing in reality is leaving behind already developed areas that simply need to be re-tooled, and adding to the capacity demand of highways like I-75/71. This highway is being reconstructed at the inconvenience of more and more people using it than ever, and also the need for a replacement of an overloaded Brent Spence Bridge, which will cost well over $2 billion. Meanwhile, we are lacking ways to pay for the bridge, which will certainly too be overloaded due to the unbridled growth policies espoused by the Tea Party and HBA.
People seem to forget that what led to our struggling economic state was the rapid housing boom that easily led to a bust, and thus a glut of housing, shopping centers, and office buildings and parks. We're duped into believing that we'll be back in order once we get back to our old ways, when reality says that our old ways are precisely what got us into this mess. We simply cannot afford to keep building more schools, roads, and other infrastructure, when other infrastructure is either falling apart, left behind or overused.
Does NKAPC need to be retooled, reformed, so that it is more transparent, accountable, and efficient? Possibly. Having a healthy discussion on the right balance is always welcome. But the combined power and propaganda of the Tea Party and HBA is not the right solution to a looming problem that puts the region at a disadvantage.
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