SarahB1- What is your comment
"more like 400" refer to

sarahb1. 54000 is the number of people that pay to play open hockey,youth hockey,open skate or watch bluebird/jets games and figure skater shows or any other time you pay to use the ice. its not mom and dads picking up kids. Because they are not the one using it. there are lots of services in this city that are subsidized and dont make a profit. Janesvillecounts you are right.

sandman"And does anyone one want to take a bet that by the time it's all through the present rink site will be deemed unsuitable for a new fire station and that proposed station will be built elsewhere, at an even greater cost?"
that is my guess that I stated in another blog. they already said "not sure if it will work in today article

spark-"Those of you on here complaining about your taxes being raised. You better not have voted for Obama.
If you did, you're a hypocrite. A blind one."

sure didnt but I am stuck with him too for now.

tmcdonald; What I would like to know is this, will the City be "the owner" of the new facility? or will it be owned by the private group. I ask this because I want to know if the new facility will be on the tax roll or be tax exempt as a city property. Who will determine / hire the manager & staff? Will they be city employees? What happens to the profits from this venture? Who gets naming rights/sponsorship fees? - I think you can see where I'm going with this, without these and many other questions answered, it leaves taxpayers on the hook for millions all the while a group of investors could sit back and reap the profits from a “joint venture”
After answering those questions - Why only 3 choices? If the City Counsel feels we need to subsidize this venture, why not get out of the box and make this a "win" for all. How about donating the land and defer the taxes for 5-10 years. In the end, this could end up being the same as $2 million without "costing" taxpayers a dime of cash.

ne1but24n18, if both facilities are subsidized, then neither one collected enough money from it's user base.

If the Ice Arena charged each of those 54,000 people one dollar more, they would show a profit instead of a loss. That doesn't sound like an unreasonable fee hike to me.

Every one will have to pay more tax'es or are we just going to take from the {rich}

The 54,000 is not the number of people who used the ice arena; it is the number of visits to the place. My question is whether this number includes just actually people using the ice or does it count fans in the stands, parents attending practices, etc.? I would hope not, unless one starts counting parents waiting for their kids to exit the pool, those who teach classes at the senior center, etc.

Never used ice arena before nor do i want to. I think it only fair those who support this be only ones to fund it, not everybody! Nothing against ice hockey or ice arena but i wouldn't expect any of you to pay for my trip to florida!

janesvillecomments
54000 people last year used the ice arenathe city subsidized $45000. less than $1 per user.
Senior Center had like 45000 user last year.
City subsidized over $100000. I think ice arena users payed there share

I have no idea how many people use the current Ice Arena, but as it consistently requires subsidies from the city, the users aren't paying their fair share. Let's postpone building a new Ice Arena for a couple of years and raise the rates for current usage to cover ALL costs of operation. That will let everyone see if the claimed attendance will remain high when people have to start paying a fair amount.

It will also give the hockey club time to raise the full 50% of the funds to build a new facility. No more investments or expenditures on a new Ice Arena should be done by the city until the hockey club has the full 50% in hand and we can see that the current Ice Arena is capable of supporting itself without subsidy.

RECALL !!!!!!! Oh and RinkRat smells his own farts .

More like 400.

So how many of you who do'nt like this or what the council does is going to run next election. None of you, that's how many. Bring on the new rink. As befor I do'nt use bike trails, pools or senior center. I want all my tax's to just to the rink. Not going to happen

Stupid. Just multiply/divide the cost per resident. Any bets on council members with kids they figure are the next world champion? Oh how cute! Added benefit if a bro-in law or somesuch gets the contract.

Protip: Get the streets plowed instead.

I say go ahead and build it.They say it's going tobe such a money maker let it support itself, If it thrives great put the money back in the city and make it more appealing to real employers who may even want to help sponser a team. They say you have to spend money to make money. on the other hand if the ice areana we already have is so popular it must be making money where'd it go, why was it in disrepair, couldn't it maintain itself?

It's way past time for the city to get their (our) fingers out of anything that doesn't involve the infrastrucure of this city...PERIOD.

Sorry Sarah but the young people have been leaving Janesville long before GM closed and a few other places closed. And ifiruled the people who want the new rink know a little more about the subject than alot of people complaining about it, so maybe some of the complainers aren't the 'brightest bulbs' out there either.

all said and done, the council does not listen to the people! they do what they want to and always will. that has been the norm in janesville, for many years. it will never change until we get another form of govrnment! end of story.

What a hoot!

It's darn easy to figure out which side the folks who wrote these comments are on. But for a few exceptions, the rink proponents don't sound like the "brightest bulbs" on the planet...Sorry folks...you just dont.

Your comments scream: "I don't give a damn what anyone thinks! My kids play hockey and I WANT THAT RINK! Wha, wha, Whaaaa!!!! I don't care about your intellectual commentary on our City's financial condition, I WANT THAT RINK!!! Economics Schmeconomics!"

I anticipate a lot of hateful responses. So be it.

ALL that post,I love this "debate".I only wish COUNCIL would read,listen to the citizens views.Janesville we citizens were (have been) again sold out.Council caters to the few,elite whiners (I want,want,want).Easy solution...Users of rink pay (attendees) taxes,maintaince,etc.keep name's bill accordingly.
Unlike "normal" households who only spend when funds are on hand,council will spend for sake of spending.
As one post stated "council is a payless,thankless position"correctly the position should be held by those who care for all citizens ,not the few.

Rooster- Attendence is entered at every Jets game. If you look on Pointstreak, which has a link on the Jets website, you will see what the attendence is. It has ranged between 600 and 725 for all games except the one Sunday afternoon game when it was sunny and 75 outside. That game had approx 525.

I suspect that the new "two-sheeter" will be built near the railroad property on the south side of town, as this issue was certainly "railroaded" through the council right from the start.

A few years ago I recall the discussion being that the ice arena should be closed due to low use and high costs. Then, this year, when the facility was known to be in need of exorbitant repairs, the city made a deal with a shadowy, sinister "group of backers," proposing to spend a few hundred thousand to get the present rink operable. How curious, when the rink was in such bad shape!

Once the council committed to hosting the junior league hockey program, then suddenly the facility needed a million in repairs, then the better part of two million, and now two-to-five million to build a new rink! By the time it's done, does anyone seriously doubt that taxpayers will be left holding the bag for a three-to-five million dollar project. And, um, how much did the city say the projected annual maintenance and personnel costs for the new rink were expected to be over the next five-to-ten years? OH YEAH, THEY DIDN'T SAY HOW MUCH (curiously, but not surprisingly, by all reports they never even brought up the issue of long-term ancillary costs)! Business as usual in this town. Anyone remember the old "we don't need a swimming pool at the new Marshall middle school" ploy?

And does anyone one want to take a bet that by the time it's all through the present rink site will be deemed unsuitable for a new fire station and that proposed station will be built elsewhere, at an even greater cost?

I realize that being on the council is a thankless, unpaid job, and that it's probably difficult to attract qualified candidates. Sorry. The present council's decisions do not appear to have been above board. Many do not even seem interested in acting on taxpayer's opinions, much less reality and economics, and some are apparently prone to "vote their conscience" (whatever that means -- I doubt that was why they were elected!).

Elections will come again, and perhaps the public will vote itself a courtesy flush to rid itself of the present collection of fools, hacks and lackeys.

And then there's the problem of this new city manager...I hear he's a big hockey fan! Hmm -- coincidence that we suddenly are committed to a new rink? When all you've got is a hammer, everything looks like a nail! Where do we get these people from anyway?

My younger relatives would have made more use of the Rockport and Palmer Park pools if the Council hadn't voted to cut back the season at both. Councilman McDonald did give figures last night on how many visits to the various facilities are made on average, but his comment here also brings up another concern of mine. Since the Council has decided that the present ice rink is not worth the money needed for future possible repairs, what is the plan if the hockey folks are unable to raise their portion of the $5 million? Will we trudge along with the old rink, tear it down for a new fire department, or go ahead and finance the new ice arena with city funds only? Also, did the hockey group mention how much funding they have secured thus far?

tom1cass1: I hate to break the news to you, but I think some of those younger people might be leaving because there are no jobs to be had in this area. Just ask those in Beloit; that community's unemployment rate was close to 18 percent all summer.

If done right, the new ice arena could bring much interest, and use, from outlying communities for tournaments, exhibitions, etc. People will come to Janesville and spend money. How can that ever be a bad thing. Just because a few businesses are no longer here, there still are a lot of businesses that are and people still do have money to spend. Why roll up the sidewalks just because GM is gone? Get the thing built already.

Why not put the issue to a referendum? Is that possible? Let the people decide if they want a new ice arena or not. The winner can gloat and the loser has to shut up.

What is the hurry? Why does Squire have to break ground next spring? Why did they HAVE to vote on a location LAST NIGHT, and why does the location have to be vacant land, when the City is awash in vacant buildings, that could be utilized? Sure, inner city locations may have environmental or other issues, but if we are simply going to PAVE OVER the site, then why not demolish some crappy building in town, that already has infrastructure, can be easily accessed by everyone, and will help revitalize the inner city? What about the old Robinson's Cleaners? Not big enough? I am sure there are other locations - Gilman's, GM, the list goes on and on. No money? Well apply for an environmental mitigation grant! The current facility may be held together by duct tape (according to Steeber), but so is my Toyota, and it gets me to work just fine. It's called MAKING DUE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. This decision was rushed through - and on the agenda, it said "discussion and possible action" on the ice arena. POSSIBLE ACTION? I don't get it. McDonald said this isn't about the Jets. Without the Jets, we would have fixed the site that we have. A new facility is about the Jets taking one sheet of ice, while the City's user groups use the second. More people use the ice arena? Well of course they do! It is open year round, unlike our pools, which we pay to be open for 67 days per year! The numbers also reflect the SAME people using the rink. If the City wants to pay for entertainment opportunities for residents, then lets cover the majority of residents! The ice arena was shoved through Council years ago, by a few hockey families, and now it is getting shoved through again! If the hockey user groups and the Jets want an ice arena, let them build one! I would rather see the current location turned into a community center, or something that everyone can use - instead of just a select few. And one more thing, how do they figure it will cost 1-2 Million for a site??? Is that how much the City paid for the current sites being considered? Because lets not forget that part of it - besides the cash donation to build the property, WE THE TAXPAYERS, ALREADY PAID FOR THE LAND ALSO.

rooster, you are basically calling Tom McDonald a liar. Is it really hard to believe that the ice arena, open year round, gets more attendance than the pools and Tallman House?

As someone else pointed out, here is a list of groups that use the ice arena:
The Janesville Jets
Varsity and JV Boys Hockey Teams
The Rock County Fury Girls Coop team
Adult Men's league teams
Figure Skating Club
OPEN PUBLIC SKATING

I want a new place to skate. It is high time for we the people who love the greatest game on earth to be presented with a new facility.

There are alot of people out there that want this you just don't want to see it or want to believe it. Also I don't live under a rock I just don't have a negative gloomy attitude about things. Also my child is a skater and we are far from rich we are an average middle class family just like every other figure skater that skates at the ice rink.

a crisis has in fact been pointed out by a council member. lets not waste a good crisis. build it bigger and better and make the taxpayers happy. what i didn't see were stats to back up his attendance position. being in a position of power and making such a statement he should present facts and not leave us thinking speculation. one i would like to see is how the attendance is at the jets games. i see scores but no attendance figures. how much money is the arena making the investors; i.e. the city of janesville and the business it partnered with to bring us youth hockey. that said, it should have been put to a vote anyway. (maybe the hockey moms could call everyone in janesville begging us to vote yes on the hockey referendum.) fat chance.

Has anyone started proceedings to recall the council members that voted for this??
Very clearly this is NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT!

Funny isn't it that if anything is to be built in Janesville and someone doesn't like it they say "I don't want my money to go to the rich kids". Well lets not build anything and the rich kids, the middle class kids and the poor kids will just have nothing and you still have your money. There do you feel better now?

tmcdonald - Thank you for shedding some positive, sensible information on this subject.

Those of you on here complaining about your taxes being raised. You better not have voted for Obama.
If you did, you're a hypocrite. A blind one.

Hi all,
Although I have not posted on here in the past, I decided that I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight regarding some misinformation pertaining to the Ice Arena. First, I am not sure why people have the notion that “no one uses the Ice Arena.” Figures show that the Ice Arena has a higher attendance than the Senior Center, Rockport Pool, Palmer Pool, Riverside Pool, and the Tallman House. In fact, after the Library, I believe that the Ice Arena is the most utilized city owned recreation facility in Janesville.

Next, there have been comments made that the council did not allow time for the public to speak at the meeting. That is false. At every regular council meeting individuals wishing to speak may sign up and be called upon to speak toward the beginning of the meeting. I would suggest to anyone who may be interested in an issue that you attend your city council meetings and sign up to speak. If you are unable to be present at a meeting, you should feel free to give us a call or send us an e-mail. We receive many e-mails and phone calls each week from various constituents. Our phone numbers and e-mail addresses are on the City Council website.

Finally, people have questioned why we would plan to build a replacement Ice Arena now. Given the current economic climate, this is certainly a reasonable question. As taxpayers of this city, all of us are faced with a difficult decision regarding this issue. The present Ice Arena is in need of major repairs just to stay operational. Thus, we are left with three options: 1) Close the Ice Arena and end all arena related operations and activities. 2) Spend approximately $1.5 million on the aging facility to keep it running. This money would include needed repairs to the roof and a new ice making unit; however, there would still be other issues with the facility that this money would not address. Additional funds would need to be spent in the not too distant future. 3) Invest $2 million - $2.5 million to build a new facility. This new facility should have lower annual operating costs, be more efficient, and would be expected to last for many years prior to needing any additional major capital investment. It may also provide more economic and recreational opportunities than the current facility.

I hope you find this information useful as you continue your discussions on this issue. If you have any questions or would like any additional information, feel free to contact me or any of your other city council members

Tom Cass, I am not sure what rock you have been living under but Janesville's economy is in deep trouble. Where is this money coming from? We do not have it. I don't have it to give as a private donation and the city does not have it to give as a public donation!

I do want things for Janesville. I want jobs, jobs, jobs!! I want good things to happen for our once great city. I DO NOT want ice arenas for rich kids, tunnels for bike riders or air conditioning for high schoolers.

Wake up before it is too late.

Wrong sannio. Government spending is how we've gotten out of EVERY recession, and the Great Depression. Lowing taxes in a recession simply lowers government revenue, and causes people to put any extra money in the bank, which doesn't help business. Neither Bush's nor Obama's tax credits did anything for the economy.

igotclout - I have heard that argument, and it's compelling except history shows otherwise. The best thing to do in a bad economy is to allow individuals to keep more of their money to invest the way they want to, not have the government "reinvest" it in projects.

+1 tom1. I, too, am tired of the gloom and doom. Some people watch too much TV, and believe that whatever is happening in the national news must be happening here. Of course, if you don't have a job right now, it must seem like the sky is falling. It isn't for everybody, or even a large percentage of people.

I'm interested to hear how the city plans to fund this. Everyone complains that this will raise taxes, but there is no evidence of that yet.

I have some questions.

1. Where is the reporting on what happened at the council meeting before they decided for us to partner with the group and spend the money? Was the reporter not there yet during the discussion?

2. How much will this raise each of our property taxes per year and for how many years?

3. If the group fails to raise their part of the cash, what happens then? No new rink or will the city pick up the groups part then too, since they want it?

4. If the new fire station is going to go where the current rink is, will they use the building there already or will the tax payers have to pay to have the old rink demolished on top the cost of the new rink and the new fire station?

"No Riverside park swimming, no lagoon skating, no skatepark, no waterpark, no dogs in a park."

There is a dog park. It's interesting that all the other things you mentioned cannot be used year round. Could that be why they don't get supported?

I am so tired of hearing nobody has any money! The whole city of Janesville and the surrounding area is not laid off or not working. There are alot of people are still working and spending money. Don't lump everyone into one group. Everybody makes it sound like the sky is falling. Some of you people have to get a life. I for one am glad that they are going to build a new rink, I have no one that plays hockey but I have a daughter that skates. So beat on me all you want I won't back down from my opinion or how I feel about. Janesville needs someplaces and things for the community to do, but if you all had your way Janesville would have nothing. I can see why all our younger people are leaving Janesville for a bigger city. They want to get away from people who want Janesville to have nothing and a city that all the people do is whine and complain!

Another pet project. No Riverside park swimming, no lagoon skating, no skatepark, no waterpark, no dogs in a park. If we have so much money to throw around, why not buy the GM plant. We can open all the windows in one part and flood the floor for ice skating, We could flood the pits in another area for swimming and add a few waterslides in for fun, and I'm sure the skateboarders would have a blast in the rest of the plant. Big enough to let the dogs run around with their owners too. Oh yeah and plenty of free parking.

Once again, Janesville continues to operate like a rudderless ship sailing into financial oblivion. Throw these bums out of office! We need people who know what being fiscally responsible actually means.

The excitement displayed by the hockey boosters reminds me of the kids who groan and moan about needing a skateboard park and then leave the park to rot in a few years once they are too old or move on to another hobby.

How much is Larry Squire and Johnson Bank putting up for the ice arena? He jammed the unnecessary multi million school improvement project down our throats and now this?! Enough is enough!

igotclout,valid points.Maybe when economy recovers people will spend,create jobs,invest .etc.Today is the one we live in,and not many people will,nor can spend on "extras".I ,spouse cannot even eat out cheap.We have had to trully "hunker" down ,why can't council proceed in beter days?These projects are worthwhile,but when no tax money comes in (unemployed )who pays for this?

Badgerlvr what do you consider few people???? Ever been to the rink??? I bet you haven't.. Between youth hockey, The Janesville Jets, Varsity and JV Boys Hockey Teams, The Rock County Fury Girls Coop team, Adult Men's league teams, Figure Skating Club, and the Open Public skating that ice rink is used seven days a week from morning until after 10 pm. Are the pools in Janesville used that much?? The Softball diamonds ???

Hello city council, it's time to wake up. This was a careless, stupid decision. Janesville has changed and you need to also.
This is not the time to waste or spend big money on a project like this. This is something a city spends money on in good times when they can afford to waste money.
It will take allot of tickets, popcorn and pop to pay for your mistake and even more taxpayers money.

Incredible! The city council wants to build a new ice arena when few use the old one. What kind of economic sense does that make? I guess if they're going to do it, it should be built next to the new water park and adjacent to the skate park. Then they can eventually declare bankruptcy on all three at once.

ShotgunWillie and Rosewood - everyone has the chance to speak their minds at the city council meetings, it only requires signing your name on the sheet at the door. That is how those who did speak were called by name to come forward.
I wonder where all of you were when the city decided to spend 1.5 million on the baseball fields and the 3-4 on the downtown parking ramp.
For all of you with this constant need to complain, get off of your computers and come to a meeting.

I too went to the meeting, no one had a chance to talk-it was deceided long ago to build a new one. Why bother anymore, they do what they want.

I went to the meeting, and they did not allow time for people to voice their concerns.

We need to form a group to decide on a special project people opposed to the Ice Rink want, and demand the City of Janesville for it. I want to hear Eric cry we do not have that kind of money. We all have pet projects we would like.
** When you can not bet them JOIN THEM.
Starting a list**
1. City employees mow every residents yard weekly.
2.City trims, and prunes tree.
3. City cleans all side walks of snow.
4.City delivers to each hold once a week a case of their selected beverage.
5.City pays someone to check my oil, and pump my gas.
6. City provides a grocery delivery service.
7. City Installs a NHRA Drag strip.
We need to conform to socialism people.

I applaud the city council for passing this last night. There is a reason they are making the decisions and not the individuals who make comments here. People with any financial background know passing this was the right thing to do. The old ice arena would have cost the taxpayers $1.5 million to repair. Instead, a brand new facility can be built, with twice as much ice, for only $2.5 million to the taxpayers. Additionally, the cost of acquiring the land for the new central fire station is estimated to be $1-2 million. Now, the city can use the site of the existing ice arena for the fire station and not spend the money on land acquisition. Unfortunately, too many people on here are way to quick to complain instead of looking at all the facts first.

to my_3_kids, Did you read the same article as I did? It says it will cost $5 million. The tax payers paying half of that! That comes out to be $2.5 million. DUH!!!

Going to the meeting to protest the ice arena would not have helped! It has already been proven over and over in this city that the majority of the people are not listened to. It's pretty sad that in the same day we were told that the snow plows were coming around less often because of money, we were going to be expected to foot the bill for an ice arena that a lot of people do not want.

THE JYH HAS UNTIL MARCH FIRST TO RAISE 1.5 MILLION.. that don't sound like tax dollars.. that sounds like PRVATE DONATIONS...DUH!!!!!
most of the money comes from Interested hockey people... If you don't WANT-LIKE or CARE about hockey .. (and heres the best) DON'T GIVE TO IT... !!!!!

igotclout: Your economic theory may not work for one reason only: NOBODY HAS ANY EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND. (Good grief!) I watched part of the Council meeting on television last night as I could not attend in person. I was shocked at how quickly this project was approved. At one point, it even looked as if the Council members were seeking advice from the hockey-rink fans on just what would work best for them. (Maybe all 60,000-plus Janesville residents were there supporting this. I don't know; the camera never shows the public in attendance.) I thought: "Wow, we give $15,000 to combat poverty in Janesville and up to $2 million to build a double-sheet ice rink for a small percentage of the population. Why is one more important than the other?"

Thank you City Council the hockey people of Southern Wisconsin will enjoy this rink for years to come.

This is crap. People don't have this money right now. Now we are all suppose to fork over our money to cover a new ice arena that I'm sure I can safely say most of Janesville doesn't use, then turn around and pay higher electricity costs, higher water bill costs, pay for our garbage to be picked up since most families have more than 3 bags a week, and now this! Any jobs that do get created from this or a new hotel/ waterpark are going to only pay around $7/ hour, which doesn't even begin to cover living expenses. Oh, and don't forget, food costs keep rising too. Maybe since the council was so eager to vote yes and "listen" to the community members, they would all like to foot the bill on this one. What about the companies that are going to be closing/ laying off? More people out of work and they're worried about this???? Give me a break! Maybe it is time to move out of Janesville! Way to go council members!!!!!!

Wise up City Council-We are in a terrible economic crisis. We should worry about heating our homes and food for everyone then the fun stuff comes after the economy improves. When spring comes and alot of people lose unemployment, who is going to go watch the games? There is so many people hurting right now that it will just turn out to be an empty building. I just learned last night that Blockbuster on Court street is going out of business-there's another empty building soon.

Did any of the complainers go to the council meeting last night to speak out against this???
Not one.... no surprise that would mean you would actually have to get involved.

Will revenues exceed expenses. I do not think so. I refer to Janesville as the City of White Elephants.

what is this, Chicago politics? build it and they will come. b.s. i wish janesville would save some cash for the snow plowing. this city council and family brothers and sisters on the school board can't spend OUR money fast enough. it is all part of the same liberal bull. they all must be on the Obama cash cow train.

Dear COJ,

Please don't use my taxes on this project. There are many other, more important ways to spend money in Janesville, i.e. homeless shelters, food pantries, and other support services currently underfunded in our town. Please get the money from people who support this and don't force my hand in this matter.

"The council gave the group until March 1 to raise the first $1.5 million."
*************
And what if they do not? Will the city cover the shortage?

Hooray for the council members that voted for this. It is nice to see a governmental body with some foresight and ability to make the correct decision.

ShotgunWillie, businesses aren't looking to expand anywhere, and won't be for several years. Besides, the cty/state has already set up a new TIF around here, if I'm not mistaken. The city of Janesville does not have high taxes, when compared to other cities in Wisconsin. The tax problem is at the State level.

Your accusation of conflict of interest is baseless. You've been asked several times: what is the conflict?

ShotgunWillie - you sound like that nutjob McCoy. I hope you had verifiable evidence as a basis for your claim to the attorny general. If you don't, you shouldn't be wasting their time.

Now is the perfect time to do this. Prices for commodities are down, and bids for construction should be competitive. Financing is cheap. The cost of land/commercial property is down from historic highs.

I disagree that the south side location will spur other development, however. There are reasons businesses don't develop on the south side. I'm all for building the rink there, but unless I see some concrete analysis, the council shouldn't promise something they know nothing about. I don't see a two-sheet ice facility attracting other businesses.

Zoom
Janesville could reduce the tax levy which would attract future employers.
> I will leave the investigation of Eric Levitt up to the State Attorney General.

Now might be a good time to pass around another petition to get rid of this style of city government. The council has no accountability to the people for their actions.

I didn't know Janesville could solve the homeless and hunger problem with a $2.5 million investment. Thanks for the info lovemycountry!

Great..another soon to be empty building on the south side of town. Why not wait and see if this lasts?
Can skateboarders use it when there are no games.

Wow, I can't believe this. I was all for the small investment to bring the hockey league to Janesville when it meant using an existing faciltiy. Now, we are talking about a couple of million? First the council "listened" to people and turned down the bar/volleyball idea (no cost to taxpayers if approved). Now they "listened" to us and they think we want this? If they really listened, they would have heard that majority of us don't want this cost. Not now. The timing is not right.

Yo, Willie, the investors haven't even been named. So what are these personal relationships with Mr. Levitt? Are you confusing these potential ice rink investors with the Janesville Jets investors? The 2 groups are as unrelated as GM and Toyota investors but I'm trying to make some sence of your ridiculous claims for the rest of us scratching our heads.

PS: the Levitts have no part in the Janesville Youth Hockey Club.

ShotgunWillie has gone off half-cocked. Levitt did not even live here when the proposal came to the city, and the decision was up to the council, not him. He had no vote to "recuse" himself. Do you understand that? The city manager does not have a vote on the council. Sheesh. The bar for a legal conflict of interest is considerably higher than enjoying a sport, or even having developed a "personal relationship". If that were the standard, no judge in any small town could hold a trial.

More people use the ice rink than you people think. Just because you few don't use it or will never use it doesn't mean it isn't used.

lovemycountry: Although I do not agree with you regarding what got us into the current financial mess...I do applaud your apparent desire to care for the homeless, and the hungry. On that we are in agreement. Many thanks.

This is ridiculous. The small amount of the population that will use this does not merit the investment- paticularly at this moment in time. And, IF there is a conflict of interest IT MOST DEFINITELY is something that should be looked into. Morality is lacking in society, and, if he is pushing this through because it is his pet project that is corrupt, and, should definitely be exposed! 2.5 million to build it and how much to maintain it every year? Ridiculous. Our property taxes should be going to infrastructure- school, etc. NOT because someone wants to play on the ice. I hope someone can get to the bottom of this useless spending...

Shotgun you never told us the conflict of interest, beacause there isn't one.

The article I posted the link to says 2 mil from the city. The other three is supposed to come from the hockey league. If this is an even split, the city is going to hand out another $500K. What else aren't they telling us?

This is a trick - not a treat

Roadking: the article you posted the link to does say the cost would be 5 million.

$2,500,000.00 from the city (taxpayers) for hockey. When people are homeless, living in the streets. When children are hungry at schools. When snowplowing is being reduced and safety becomes an issue for everyone.
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Borrowing and spending is what got the city, state, and country into the economic crisis. Now more borrowing and spending will get us out ?

So if the city manager had known the CEO of General Motors...you wouldn't have wanted Eric to help get GM to stay in town? C'mon ShotgunWillie...regardless of his supposed relationships with whomever...this new facility will bring in jobs, and a steady stream of revenue to this city. That's a plus in my book.

http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-ne...
I thought it was going to be 2 mil. What else aren't they telling us?

I would love a new hockey rink in Janesville

His personal relationship will the investors, and the Rock County Youth Hockey. Under Wisconsin Eric was not allowed, and should have removed himself from this project because of his conflict of interest. He is not even suppose to be involved in the planning phase.

Just sent my e-mail at 9:30 this morning after hearing the News, and already heard from the Attorney Generals Office who seemed concerned, and will to research further.

ShotgunWillie
What is the conflict of interest?

Get over it already people. And for contacting the Attorney Generals office that is ridiculous.
I can't beleive you people.

Because you have seen what is wrong with America. People have confuse who the tax payer is with a magical rich uncle instead of them self, and other poor residents.
**Today you have witness one of the the most selfish, and evil attacks one could do to people that suffer. I compare it to what we have seen food lords do in Ethiopia.
** Nice Job Eric Levitt. I have contacted the State Attorney General to investigate Eric's conflict of interest, and fraud with tax payers money.

Sannio: At first glance it seems backwards to spend money when no one seems to have any, but it's the right thing to do. Consider the alternative example: The economy starts to go south, so every business, local government, and family slows or stops spending. This would result in disaster. Families stop spending, so they are no longer purchasing goods and services...at least at the rate they were previously. This causes local businesses to start laying off workers to maintain their bottom line...if nobody is buying their products, they can't afford to pay people to work for them. If everyone simply stops spending then how does the economy ever recover? The answer is that it won't.

But if we build the hotel and waterpark, wouldn't that be CREATING jobs? Those are businesses right?

That will be very convienent to the "New" Hotel and Convention Center and Indoor Water Park that should be built on the south side during a time where unemployement is sky high and businesses continue to LEAVE Janesville. Brunner should have stuck to his guns a left this mess of a council.

Why are we building an ice rink during the worse economic crisis I've seen in my life?