Editorial: Board questions VBT DDA decision to pay Aerotropolis

Since Aerotropolis was formed in 2009, Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority has been paying $25,000 a year, making a total of $225,000 in taxpayers’ money.
And what has VBT gotten for that?
At Tuesday’s work/study meeting of the VBT Board of Trustees, Trustee Sherry Frazier said the answer is, “Zero.”
Board members discussed the DDA budget for an hour, with most of the time spent on Aerotropolis, which had been set up to market for development the 6,000 open acres between the two airports.
Rob Luce, who was hired in March to direct Aerotropolis, told in convincing words what he was doing to help VBT and he has no responsibility for the past.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara said Luce is the first professional put in charge of Aerotropolis. He said three of the last five in charge were political appointees put in place because they needed jobs. Half the communities in Aerotropolis didn’t pay their dues, he said, but VBT kept paying. (Belleville does not pay its dues.)
With new conditions set, the DDA voted to give Aerotropolis another chance and pay them the $25,000 for 2017, once conditions are met. Treasurer Sharry Budd said over the years, the DDA questioned paying and then gave them one last chance. “They all wanted to believe they would do what they promised,” Budd said. Let’s hope, this time, Luce can produce the big development VBT wants.