Davenport could receive $1 million to help establish ferry service below Lock & Dam 15 between Davenport and Rock Island, as a component of the city’s River Vision plan. The Scott County Affordable Housing Grant Pool & Revolving Loan Fund is also poised to receive a $300,000 grant to provide support to modest-income families to buy their own homes and to support multifamily housing. Both of these projects are part of a $5.1-million grant to support eastern Iowa transportation, economic revitalization, and housing initiatives that was included in the Fiscal Year 2007 Transportation, Treasury, Judiciary, Housing, & Urban Development appropriations measure recently passed by a Senate committee. Both the House and full Senate must approve the measure before it becomes law.

Davenport's opulent "Barley Corn Hall" was built with only two years' proceeds from the notorious saloon/brothel "sin tax" in 1895. The marble plaque in the lobby immortalizes the mayor (former saloon association lawyer/lobbyist), police chief (licensed two brothels in his wife's name), and Alderman Malloy (broke the nose and ribs of a citizen who criticized the council for selling out).

Genesis Health System has been recognized for the third consecutive year for its investment in technology to achieve high standards of patient safety. Genesis was been honored as one of the nation's 100 Most Wired hospitals and health systems by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine based on its use of information technology to accomplish key goals, including safety and quality objectives. Genesis Medical Center in DeWitt, Iowa, was recognized for the first time as one of the 25 Most Wired small and rural hospitals.

Kenny on "Hardware Wars," River Cities' Reader Issue 588, July 5-11, 2006:

What is interesting here is the reasons they need the incentive. The developer, Mr. Raufeisen, stated that in order to get these business (Panera and Ace) into the property, they needed lower rental rates than he could offer, given the price of the land. The land price is clearly over-inflated by the land owner, who in Mr. Raufeisen's words "knows what he has."

So, it seems, to get this deal closed, and keep all the developers in profit, the City of Rock Island will spend our tax dollars to pay the difference. That difference is the fat profit to the landowner, and the developer.

Maybe the site business case doesn't wash?

The developer could not care less what happens after the deal goes down. He will have made his money in one shot. While there is nothing wrong with making money, I do have a problem with Rock Island favoring this developer at the expense of two established businesses. Why do it?

It also seems that the city will need to circumvent the law to even make it happen. That is not right.

If this is such a good thing for Rock Island, and Mr. Raufeisen is concerned at all about the future of the city, let him or the landowner take less profit and make it happen without spending tax money that is needed for schools and firefighters.