Location, Location, Location...

People planning projects in St. Cloud seem to keep picking locations that are just not suitable for the project they want passed. First we had the government subsidized housing project that special interest developers and non-profits tried to force onto residents on Michigan Avenue. Using state and local money, one developer and a host of financially supported elected officials (Mayor Hart, County Commissioner Ken Smith), elected official wanna-be's (Fred Hawkins Jr. and Wade Davis), and those who just generally support governments roll in development (School Board Member Tom Greer, School Board Member Jay Wheeler) have been working hard to get "The Preserve" passed. County Commissioner Bill Lane also originally supported the project and giving county taxpayer money to the project until he realized that the "location" that the developer and the Education Foundation (also know as the Umbrella Corporation by County Commissioner Smith) had picked was upsetting just about the entire community. He then changed his mind, like many others, noting that the location of the project was going to be a problem.

We all know that this cast of characters has not given up on the project and they are now trying to find a way to move the facility's location near the turnpike. This despite the fact the School Board and the Education Foundation's original baseless claim was that they needed to house all the teachers they were going to hire, is no longer an issue because now they are in the process of reducing the number of teachers they have instead of hiring more. Sounds like the magical math of public-private partnerships to the WayneWho staff.

Now, a whole new "location" issue has taken center stage in the fight between government and the residents of St. Cloud. The Transition House, of which Councilman Tom Griffin is the CEO, is now trying to put a drug rehab center next to a school because (wait for it) a "grant has become available" to pay for an 80 bed facility. The facility is also meant to serve (again wait for it) "primarily" homeless veterans. Weren't these the same arguments used for the subsidized housing project formerly known as "The Preserve." We have to do it because if we don't we will lose the money, and we need it to house teachers even though we cannot really control who lives there. "Primarily homeless veterans," sounds very much like we will take anyone if we can get the state dollars for saying we treated them. So now we have community leaders who are willing to risk the safety of our children just because a grant has become available. Sounds like a great resume builder.

After talking with many people throughout the county, the WayneWho staff believes it has figured out what the real push is to get a new Transition House facility in our county. Election season is upon us and the developer friendly candidates need walkers and people that will hold signs for them. The Transition House residents are used every election year to do the campaigning work of candidates that cannot get real support from community members, and with so many on the ballot this time, we need to bring in more forced help to get them elected. Candidates such as Kissimmee Mayor Jim Swan, Former Mayor of St. Cloud Glenn Sanjiovani, and of course Councilman Tom Griffin himself have all made use of the state tax funded, forced support of those who are trying to put their lives back together. We have often wondered why the state has not investigated these abuses of not only its funding, but the care its funding is supposed to be providing, but hey, winning an election takes supporters whether they want to support or not. Maybe all the candidates who are going to be loaned human workhorses during this election season should just use one of the conveniently located Transition Houses as their campaign headquarters. Our only question is if the State of Florida should be listed as a campaign contributor on the financial statements of those who receive this state paid help? Just call us curious.

If the St. Cloud Council chooses incorrectly to allow the drug-rehab center next to school children, we might be able to create a positive Public Service Announcement for the children. Don't use drugs because it is bad for you and you will end up as free labor to some candidate that is really only supported by seedy special interests groups. Let's put Access Osceola on that project!