On March 23 a request from a developer in the business park was made to the City Council to borrow $4.9 million to pay for infrastructure projects within the new business park using the City’s general fund as collateral. The loan would be paid back by the developers. Their advantage would be a lower interest rate. The general fund is money that comes mostly from property taxes and sales taxes and is used to pay for public safety and general government expenses. A failure of any business park development to pay for its share of the loan payment would have to be made up by the Fillmore taxpayer.

Arguments made by council members Hernandez and Conaway in support of the action centered primarily on the opinion that without the City’s involvement in securing the loan the business park would fail. Arguments by Mayor Walker, Mayor Pro-Tem Washburn and council member Brooks opposing the action were that the people of Fillmore should not be exposed to that great a risk, particularly in today’s economic climate.

A short time after the request for the loan was made the same developer hosted a public meeting at the Senior Center reviewing the plans in his portion of the business park and said there was no need for the City’s help. One could reasonably conclude that if the balance on the council was shifted by just one vote the Fillmore taxpayer would be saddled with the burden of an unnecessary $4.9 million loan.