By Amy Joles
(Contact / Staff Bio)
September 26, 2009 - 11:26 a.m. EST
Click on photo to enlarge
CARO — A nice lump of federal cash was awarded to the Village of Caro Thursday.
The village received $260,000 in infrastructure improvement funds, made available by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation with funds provided by the federal Community Development Block Grant program.
The funds have already been put to good use, fixing two village parking lots and an alleyway behind local businesses. The village’s downtown development corporation matched some of the funding, making the $400,000 project possible.
The lots, located at on Joy Street and nearby at Almer and Adams streets, also include a new storm sewer, sidewalks, LED lighting, curbs and landscaping.
“This is the first green lighting project for us,” said Mike Bauerschmidt, DDA Chairman. “We’ll be reevaluating other areas for this type of lighting in the future.”
Jim McCloskey, Tuscola EDC Director, said he was pleased that the project will create additional parking for businesses to help retain jobs in Caro.
“So often, people complain that local dollars are going to fund federal level projects, but we don’t hear about federal dollars coming back to the local level very often,” he said.
The final layer of asphalt on the new lots and alley was to be poured at the end of the week.
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September 26, 2009
3:52 p.m.Report inappropriate content
No word in the article on the fact that all this "free money"
was confiscated by force from the people who earned it.
If I broke in Amy Joles' house and stole all her stuff
and then gave it away on he street corner, I would be
arrested. Why is it Ok for the government to do this?
What's changed morally here?
September 27, 2009
1:52 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Interesting........Have your taxes gone up? How much of the money being spent on improvements came from you? It's true that someone is going to have to pay for all these improvements eventually, but for the time being no one was forced to give up any money.....These are areas that improve the community and are much better spent here than they would be rebuilding Iraq
September 27, 2009
7:25 p.m.Report inappropriate content
It's too bad that we couldn't have used that $260,000 to go along with the $400,000 that the Thumb Narcotics Unit received to continue the war on pot in our community.
The people of this community think that filling our jails with our children and grand children that use marijuana is much more important than having nice parking lots and a beautiful city.
Come on people, where are your priorities? Contact your elected officials and tell them to spend that money attacking our kids instead of beautifying our city.
September 29, 2009
3:38 p.m.Report inappropriate content
Hey vito,
Have your taxes gone up? Don't worry Obama WILL jack them up. He has to to start paying back the Commie Chinese, who he borrowed all this so called "stimulous "money from. Yes, the communists are financing our debt. If you think you are not going to see an increase in the taxes you pay then you are just stupid. The money has to come from somewhere and as far as I can see the government has NEVER "made" money. It can only steal it from others who do.