This isn’t news to those in the know- but, it’s something the Dayton Daily News won’t dare dig into. Austin Road Interchange is just one more key to destabilizing what is left of our urban core in Dayton. Ever wonder how a little interchange becomes a BIG INTERCHANGE? Take a look at what Jeffrey over at Daytonology has revealed through good research:
Daytonology: Mike Turner and the Real Estate/Development Interests [1]
Mike Turner has received significant contributions from a cluster of donors best described as the real estate/development special interest community. This includes PAC and individual donors from real estate, contracting, construction, engineering and architecture, and building trades unions.
In fact some of the largest individual contributors are associated with this special interest donor base.
My campaign treasurer, Mike Robinette, was head of the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission before his retirement before the hatchet fell. He was opposed to the Austin Road Interchange boondoggle, and was being targeted for asking the right questions. Unfortunately, the developers and construction community are counting on our tax dollars supporting their incomes for the next 10 years and beyond through this overpriced, unnecessary project.
Read Jeffrey’s whole post- and you will better understand why I feel so committed to running for Turners seat. Enough is enough already. It’s time to return our government to the people, instead of the campaign donors.
I should note that the City of Dayton is a partner in the Austin Road area, as I believe it has some sort of revenue sharing agreement with Miami Township (JEDD?).
I can see why the city would support this as it would give them more revenue, and would increase the value of their airport, should they ever want to develop it or sell it. Absent any true regional planning or growth boundary I can understand a “if you cant beat ’em, join ’em./”get what you can get” mentality from city governemnt
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As for my post at Daytonology, I question why such a small earmark given the size of the project.
And I would like to hear Robinette’s story on the interchange. I figure since he is retired he can speak freely about the issue.
The City of Dayton owns and manages that airport. There is an airport development plan for Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport and it calls for moving a lot of the existing operations over to the “far side” of the airport and developing the property along 741 as light industrial.
You should be able to get the “Airport Master Plan” from the folks over at Cox-Dayton International as that is where all of the managment is. If a ton of people want it, why doesn’t someone see about getting it as a PDF and posting it here instead.