Many Questions Unanswered

By Michael "Mike" Paolucci

Response to critics

More important than the claims he makes are the questions that remain unanswered. The questions unanswered are:

• Was the Anderson Center the best place to spend a majority of $30 million?

• Was the location the best place?

• Was building the most opulent office space in our community the right priority?

• What affect will this misspent money have on future levy requests?

• How can we ask private development to reinvest in Beechmont Avenue when given the opportunity we choose to place our "center" in the middle of a forest?

While Mr. Dietz claims that the water features ($5-$6 million) were for something other than the Anderson Center, he fails to recognize that without the Anderson Center there is no reason for waterfalls.

It is clear that Mr. Dietz is attempting to take some of the costs of the Anderson Center and re-categorize them so that they appear not to be part of the Center's construction cost.

What has not been answered is if the majority of the money was not spent on the Anderson Center, how much was spent?

He does not answer this question because the answer does not help those who are running for office who promised the community condo's, a theater and a parking garage.

The condo's are now gone. The theater is rumored to be dead. And what do we have left? An empty garage.

The notion that this Anderson Center is justified because only 30 percent to 35 percent of the floor space is used by government offices is a red herring.

The fundamental purpose of the Center, day-in, day-out, during working hours, is a government office.

The central thrust of my argument, and my candidacy, is that we need a new perspective in the township.

As a father of three young children, as a real estate developer, and as an attorney, I believe that I would bring a better set of priorities and a better plan for the future growth of our community.

If we do not do things with long-term focus and with growth in mind, we will continue to make mistakes like this one.

It is not enough to talk fiscal responsibility, it has to be followed by acts of fiscal responsibility.

The Anderson Center was not the best use of our tax dollars.

It is even more difficult to explain why that location makes any sense.

Any real estate professional could have warned the trustees of these errors. I believe I bring that perspective to the community, and I believe a vote for me is a vote for future growth.

Michael Paolucci is a candidate for Anderson Township Trustee.