Blighted Designation Plans

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Topic 1.5

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“Blighted designation plan draws objections”

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Source: Omaha World Herald, May 14th, 2012

TD Ameritrade has built their new headquarters in Omaha, Ne. The city has declared to label the area in which Ameritrade now resides, as a blighted area. Many residents here do not want to carry that label. When an area is considered to be ‘blighted’, it is distinguished as being deteriorated. The City Council approved the decision to blight the Old Mill neighboring areas. This allows TD Ameritrade to get a tax break for helping to revamp the area. City officials will use up to $3.5 million in the diverted tax revenue from TD Ameritrade’s headquarters project, towards fixing up the streets.

I am choosing to cover this topic because I live in this area. I don’t understand where they conjure up the assumption that this is honestly a ‘blighted’ area. My neighborhood and all the streets around me are well standing. The fact that the city is favoring TD Ameritrade’s location over the interest of the people living in this area is beyond me. The mayor completely supported this move and felt that it would help put the diverted taxes towards improvements.

This extra income may support the city’s budget, but it doesn’t help my future turn-around when it comes time to put my house on the market. When something is established as ‘blighted’, it causes people to stray away. In other words, “I wouldn’t choose to move into a blighted neighborhood, even if I loved the house.” How does this justify fairness? It doesn’t because the concepts are not justifiable in supporting the overall benefit of the community.

The City Council and the Mayor failed to scrutinize the depth of the situation. The decision to blight the area did not address the complexities of the entire problem. The city had Ameritrade’s interest as priority...