Why would the "Non-Biased PAC task force" hire what some believe looks like a biased, rent seeking "consultant" to study feasibility?

Keynote: The evolution of the performing arts center

Steven A. Wolff, CMC, Principal

AMS Planning & Research Corp. Presented October 20, 2011

to the annual convention of the Association of ...Pacific Performing Arts Centres...

We are committed to the arts.


Your success is our success.

From AMS Planning & Research Corp. PAC Stats brochure

Does the brochure give anyone the idea

that AMS Planning may provide a biased feasibility study

in exchange for an annual fee after the center is built?

Does the last page of the brochure where AMS shows their annual fee

give anyone the impression that the PAC task force is rigged?

Economic Impact / Feasibility Task Force

Patrice Hinnant, co-chair

Reid Phillips, co-chair

Betty Cone

Notable Robbie Perkins 2011
Campaign Contributors:

Roy Carroll, whom Robbie works for
Betty Cone
Susan Schwartz
Samet - had a representative on the study
Randall Kaplan
David Craft
Joseph Gorga - Study Group
Charles Hagan - Study Group?

Ross Harris - Campaign Manager

Florence Gatten

Nancy Vaughan 2011:

Jim Melvin
Florence Gatton - Study Group?
Ross Harris
David Craft
Sue Schwartz
Daniel Craft
Charles Hagan III

Larry Czarda

Laura Way

Len White

Lewis Cheek

Mac Sims

Jim Kee 2011 Campaign Contributors:

Don Linder - Study Group?
Jim Melvin - Study Group
Henry Isaacson - Study Group, Roy's attorney?
Mac Sims
Robbie Perkins
Zack Matheny
David Craft
Ralph Shelton - Study Group?
Nancy Vaughan

Randall Kaplan

Richard Beard

LINDA SHAW 03/24/10 Richard Beard
ROBBIE PERKINS 09/21/07 Richard Beard
ZACK MATHENY 08/10/09 Richard Beard
ZACK MATHENY 09/13/07 Richard Beard
ROBBIE PERKINS 10/11/09 Richard Beard

Rich Whittington

Roy Carroll

Susan Schwartz

Zack:

Susan Schwartz
Richard Beard
Chip Hagan
David Hagan
Henry Isaacson
Jim Melvin

Tom Sloan

Yvonne:

Betty Cone
Henry Frye
Ralph Shelton
Charles Hagan III
Don Linder
Jim Melvin
Robbie Perkins

Charge: develop comprehensive report

of the projected economic impact on downtown by a performing arts center.

 

And hire nationally recognized consultant

to review past studies and assess current market conditions.

Should Robbie recuse himself?

"This is going to happen."

Robbie Perkins

...(c) A public servant shall take appropriate steps,

...to remove himself or herself to the extent necessary,

to protect the public interest

...from any proceeding in which the public servant's impartiality
might reasonably be questioned... 

§ 138A‑36. Public servant participation in official actions.

Mayor Robbie Perkins says trying isn't enough.

"This community is going to get this done," he said Wednesday.

"It's not an option.

This community has got to get things like this done."

Robin, Doug and Allen

"(e1) A member of the board or any other body

exercising quasi‑judicial functions

...shall not participate in or vote

on any quasi‑judicial matter in a manner

that would violate affected persons' constitutional rights

to an impartial decision maker.

Residents have also said they feel the outcome of the task force,
which aims to “create an open, candid and constructive dialogue

around the needs of a performing arts center,”
is a foregone conclusion because of who is leading the process.

The Community Foundation,
which supports creating a new [taxpayer funded] performing arts center,
hired Mayor Robbie Perkins’ former campaign manager [Lobbyist]
...Ross Harris to manage the task force.

...Perkins has expressed his strong support for a performing arts center,
particularly one built downtown...

Ginsburg at Yes Weekly

Impermissible conflicts include, but are not limited to,

a member having a fixed opinion

prior to hearing the matter that is not susceptible to change,

undisclosed ex parte communications, a close familial, business,

or other associational relationship with an affected person,

or a financial interest in the outcome of the matter.

If an objection is raised to a member's participation

and that member does not recuse himself or herself,

the remaining members shall by majority vote rule on the objection.

§ 160A‑388.

I object.

George Hartzman

“Necessity; the tyrant’s plea.”

John Milton

"If anything, this ...should be transparent to a fault,

tell all gladly, to anyone who asks

and give the conspiracy theorists nowhere to go"

Allen Johnson

How about disclosing who owns all the properties 
that will dramatically increase in value
and how much they have given to whom
and how many are involved in the "non-biased task force? 

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/3155-downtown-greensboro-developments/page__st__580__p__1160672#entry1160672

The News & Record buildings are directly above the proposed PAC.

Hat Tip: Ed Cone

"...rent-seeking is an attempt to obtain economic rent

by manipulating the social or political environment in which economic activities occur,

rather than by creating new wealth.

...spending money on political lobbying in order to be given a share of wealth

that has already been created.

Many current studies of rent-seeking focus on efforts

to capture various monopoly privileges stemming from government regulation

of free enterprise competition.

Since resources are expended but no new wealth is created,

the net effect of rent-seeking is to reduce the sum of social wealth.

Rent-seeking generally implies the extraction of uncompensated value

from others

without making any contribution to productivity.

...a more common example of rent-seeking is political lobbying

to receive a government transfer payment,

or to impose burdensome regulations on one's competitors

in order to increase one's market share.

...such behaviors may result in substantial social losses.

Wiki

The board of directors of the Greensboro Chamber Foundation,

which Gave the Quarter Cent Tax Committee $10,000

Deborah Hooper

Dan Lynch

Jim Melvin

Susan Schwartz

Ralph Shelton

Steve Bowden
Denise Turner

Richard Moore

Patrick Danahy

Charles Hagan

Tim Rice

1/4-Cent Makes Sense Steering Committee

Steve Bowden
Pat Danahy

Roy Carroll

Shirley Frye

Henry Isaacson

Skip Alston

Greensboro Partnership Board Members (partly publicly funded),

which gave the Quarter Cent Tax Committee $10,500.

Mr. Arthur Samet

Mr. Roy E. Carroll III

Ms. Deborah L. Hooper

Mr. Randall Kaplan

Mr. Kenneth C. Mayer Jr.

Mr. Jim Melvin

Mr. Charles E. Melvin Jr.

H. Walker Sanders

Mr. Robin Saul

Mr. Richard L. Moore

Mr. R. Steve Bowden
Ms. Susan S. Schwartz

Mr. J. Patrick Danahy, Greensboro Partnership President & CEO

Ms. Shirley Frye

Nancy Hoffman:

Susan Schwartz

Tim Rice - Study

Henry Isaacson - Study? and Roy's attorney.

Samet