Amazon's Opening Contradicts A Moore Campaign Argument

This week Amazon began operations in Jeffersonville in its new distribution center.  The facility will employ 1,050 workers and even for more peak months. 

This is a great event for the city of Jeffersonville.  Many of the workers will no doubt come from Jeffersonville which is good for our residents.  But many will also come from other areas including Clark County, Floyd County and yes Louisville.  Which means that workers from outside our normal base will be spending their money, at least at some points, while inside the Jeffersonville city limits.  Which means further job and business growth and increased tax revenues.

And standing right there at the "opening" ceremony was Mike Moore.  How ironic.

Now don't get me wrong.  He should be there.  He is the mayor of the city in which this large employment opportunity is taking place.  Any mayor would be there.  It is a great day for the city and it should receive as much hype as the city can possibly provide.

The ironic part, is this destroys one of Mikey's campaign arguments against former mayor Tom Galligan.  Mike would tell everyone who would listen that Galligans policies were making it difficult to attract new business to the city.  That his spending on city projects would take tax rates to point that business would shy away from the city.  And  his promise was to change that and make Jeffersonville more attractive to prospective businesses.

One problem for little Mikey's theory.  Amazon announced its intention to move here and the very beginning of the year.  Meaning they have been interested in and exploring opportunities in Jeffersonville and River Ridge for some time before he took office.  Thus thumping Moore's theory on Galligan's policies scaring business away. 

Now Mikey will no doubt try to take full credit for Amazon.  Hell, he tried to take credit for Accent which had been building in Jeffersonville since the middle of last year at least.  And he'll tell you it was his policies and direction that landed Amazon and the 1,000 plus jobs.  But don't be fooled.

It was indeed Galligan's (and certainly Mitch Daniels as well) policies that first attracted Amazon to Jeffersonville.  What company wants to make a large investment into a city that doesn't want to invest in itself.  Under Galligan's watch, there was a clear message that the city was moving forward and  investing in itself.  Accent jumped on board.  So now has Amazon.  If your counting that's about 1,600 jobs that can primarily be credited to Galligans administration.

You want more examples of Galligan knowing what he was doing when it came to attracting businesses?

Look no further than River Ridge Director of Marketing Paul Wheatley, a former member of the Galligan Adminstration who was hired away by River Ridge.  Naysayers often criticized Galligan for his choice of personel, especially outsiders.  But whether it was an outsider or a local guy like Wheatley, Galligan was smart enough to put people knowledgeable and educated in development in positions with in his administration.

Moore, has chosen local guys because they are cheap, and because... well I'm sure you've heard the rumors about how Waiz got that job.

Now Moore's time is upon us.  Remember, it took Jeffersonville a good two plus years to dig out from underneath the mess that Waiz left us in.  Now we are left with him teaming with Moore. 

And what is Moore's vision for the future?

Well according to his statements to the News and Tribune: “We certainly need another gas station or two and a couple of fast food restaurants up this way,”

How exciting.