Georgist Conference in O'Fallon, Part Six
Sep. 13th, 2017 11:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ndrosenBack to the morning of Friday, July 28, 2017. You may remember that Professor Theising was talking about ferries and bridges across the Mississippi, and how, at last report, Jay Gould had bought a bridge.
Professor Theising went on to say that another bridge was built in 1890, and in 1893, Jay Gould bought that.
The Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) was institutionalized to own bridges, tunnels, and railroads. Now what? It was proposed to build another bridge, with public funds, so that the government would own it, and there would be no tolls. However, it sat unfinished for five years, because the voters wouldn't approve the bonds.
The TRRA now owns it, but for good reason. It had light rail over the Ead Bridge, so it exchanged bridges.
Who owns the land in 2017? He showed a picture, I believe, likely an aerial view. There' s a casino, and there's the Continental Grain Company, which loads grain on barges. The government owns a park, the TRRA owns some wooded land, and the Wiggins Ferry Company still owns a strip of land. The East Saint Louis waterfront is stuck wi legacy landowners and low utility land use.
Professor Theising said that significant change only happens in East St. Louis when imposed by the state or e federal government.
There are various possible projects. How do we get people to consider them?
The TRRA still sits on land, because it can. To give it credit, it has been good about releasing excess land.
By contrast, he said, there's a wall in Quebec City, around the Old City. They have built a boardwalk on it, and there's a marketplace anchored by a gorgeous hotel, with views of the St. Lawrence River. Could they do that in East St. Louis, with the flood wall? Could land value taxation be the impetus for rerouting the railroad, and putting the waterfront to higher use?
That ended the lecture; I will follow with the Q&A session.
Professor Theising went on to say that another bridge was built in 1890, and in 1893, Jay Gould bought that.
The Terminal Railroad Association (TRRA) was institutionalized to own bridges, tunnels, and railroads. Now what? It was proposed to build another bridge, with public funds, so that the government would own it, and there would be no tolls. However, it sat unfinished for five years, because the voters wouldn't approve the bonds.
The TRRA now owns it, but for good reason. It had light rail over the Ead Bridge, so it exchanged bridges.
Who owns the land in 2017? He showed a picture, I believe, likely an aerial view. There' s a casino, and there's the Continental Grain Company, which loads grain on barges. The government owns a park, the TRRA owns some wooded land, and the Wiggins Ferry Company still owns a strip of land. The East Saint Louis waterfront is stuck wi legacy landowners and low utility land use.
Professor Theising said that significant change only happens in East St. Louis when imposed by the state or e federal government.
There are various possible projects. How do we get people to consider them?
The TRRA still sits on land, because it can. To give it credit, it has been good about releasing excess land.
By contrast, he said, there's a wall in Quebec City, around the Old City. They have built a boardwalk on it, and there's a marketplace anchored by a gorgeous hotel, with views of the St. Lawrence River. Could they do that in East St. Louis, with the flood wall? Could land value taxation be the impetus for rerouting the railroad, and putting the waterfront to higher use?
That ended the lecture; I will follow with the Q&A session.
