Comments on: On Point: From Point A to B http://www.theislandofalameda.com/2009/11/alameda-point-a-to-b/ Alameda news. Now. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:56:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Richard Bangert http://www.theislandofalameda.com/2009/11/alameda-point-a-to-b/comment-page-1/#comment-2680 Richard Bangert Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:17:30 +0000 http://www.theislandofalameda.com/?p=5527#comment-2680 One way to reduce our risk in redeveloping Alameda Point would be to change the business model from a purely local reuse authority to a partnership with the state. The Joint Powers Authority model has worked at a number of closed military bases in California. Outside California, one of the most notable successes with local/state partnership has been at the closed Ft. Devens Army base in Massachusetts. At Ft. Devens their infrastructure was funded by the state. Take a look at the roster of businesses that have located at Devens following base closure in 1996. The state may be broke right now, but their bonding authority is not defunct. And they would have a built-in incentive to make something happen because of the eventual tax revenue that would accrue to the state. Wouldn't it be better to have the state backing us up when the talk turns to who is going to build those levees? One way to reduce our risk in redeveloping Alameda Point would be to change the business model from a purely local reuse authority to a partnership with the state. The Joint Powers Authority model has worked at a number of closed military bases in California.

Outside California, one of the most notable successes with local/state partnership has been at the closed Ft. Devens Army base in Massachusetts. At Ft. Devens their infrastructure was funded by the state. Take a look at the roster of businesses that have located at Devens following base closure in 1996.

The state may be broke right now, but their bonding authority is not defunct. And they would have a built-in incentive to make something happen because of the eventual tax revenue that would accrue to the state. Wouldn’t it be better to have the state backing us up when the talk turns to who is going to build those levees?

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