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M OTHER DISCUSSIONS (Cont'd also, the Commissioners have to do what they can. What Commis - sioner Cira says is right. You can't stand by your cash register and expect business to come to you. We are expending money sub - sidizing the outlying shopping areas. We all have a responsi- bility and we are all responsible for the things not being done, if that is the problem. The people elect the officials and the elected officials must meet their responsibilities, and, if not, the people should see to it that they do. If there is nothing we can do about it as individuals, then we are all wrong. Let's all accept that responsibility - -I, as well as you - -as well as everybody in this room--in this City. In reference to Ms. Derbeck's question on the shopping center, Commissioner Wiggins said, "What you can-legally do with it, with that or any other shopping center, is that the community can assess a fair price for the land that they park cars on, instead of assessing it on the basis of farm land, and, in effect, doing just what Ed Soltesz said, 'subsidizing.' Now, in many communities, this is already happening. They are re- evaluating the parking areas and jacking the price up where it belongs, because if they didn't have a rip -off situation, they wouldn't.be building them out there. They wouldn't be so much cheaper to build them out in the cornfield and it is much easier than going through all the problems that we have with the down- town areas, but when the downtown goes to pot, you lose a large portion of your tax base, and the 'John -Q public' sitting out here in the residential neighborhood is going to pick up the difference. He has a stake in what happens downtown. Now, he may not recognize it; he may not be aware of it, but he has a very definite financial stake in the wealth of the down- town area. Now, they need to know this. Further lengthy discussions followed concerning a lack of imaginative and aggressive leadership in the downtown. Commissioner Wiggins submitted an idea which he said may have some possibilities, and that is to have a giant garage sale in the supergraphic area because garage sales seem to attract all sorts of people and generate all sorts of traffic. Mr. Dan Caesar, WSBT -TV Reporter, asked, "Where are you on the negotiations ?" Mr. Butler answered: "We are at a point today and I am confident that we will have something concrete to report on the negotiations at the next Commission meeting." b. Plaza Office: Ms. Derbeck asked if the Plaza Office will re- PLAZA main open, and Mr. Brownell advised the Plaza Office is open OFFICE, and will remain open. The announcement of the new Plaza R -66 Director will be made by the Mayor. - 12 -