Also left out is the amount of tax dollars that the Northwestern receives from the city of Oshkosh for advertising that is not required by statute. At the request of councilor Paul Esslinger, Finance Director Ed Nokes prepared an itemized list of 2007 advertising dollars the city has paid out to Gannett. The total advertising bill for 2007 (as of this week) is $24,363.53. That's enough money to hire another part-time librarian, or plant more trees in the city, etc. etc.
State law only requires the city to place a few legal notices in the local newspaper. While I am not sure if we should suspend all other advertising in the paper, I do think it is time for us to examine how much "bang we are getting for our buck." It may well be, for example, that the city's website and/or local blogs are more than sufficient to advertise certain activities.
One of the consequences of the print media monopoly enjoyed by Gannett in our region is that they can charge literally whatever rates they wish without any fear of competition. All I am suggesting here is that, where possible, we should compete with Gannett via use of the city's website and other sources. Who knows, perhaps Gannett might then be compelled to lower their rates or--gasp--even provide some free advertising to give the taxpayers a break.
1 comment:
I'm an outlander as far as Oshkosh is concerned. I'm from Appleton.
While in tutorials and workshops going on up here about The Natural Step and other means by which communities can become sustainable and self reliant, I came up with the following idea.
The idea is that thinking of the Fox River solely in terms of recreation and scenery will never solve the looming problems which the Fox Valley will face over the coming years.
To begin thinking of this in a new way I've started to use the phrase 'working river' to convey the idea of new industry in a mixed use context which is more than the passive notion of making facilities for recreation and enhancing the view. The working river concept means that new industry can be envisioned to harness the natural hydro power of the river. This may take the form of a boutique sawmill for instance-- a small production facility for harvested wood to be used by craftsmen rather than homebuilders and the like.
Here in Appleton, the Riverheath project will incorporate hydroelectric power from a facility owned by Kaukauna Electric which will provide electric power for the development.
That development is on a brownfield site-- an abandoned factory location. I do not think that there should be more Riverheaths. It, after all, is one of the new 'lifestyle centers. What Riverheath is provides an example of the way the working river can be sed.
The idea is to change the thinking about what produces new jobs and new wealth for the community. Pursuing the 'retirement community' market will have the Fox Valley looking like what one wag described Palm Springs becoming out West: A whole town on assisted living. My premise is that the likes of Mickey Dolenz and Peter Frampton have appeal only to an aging population.
I hope it doesn't burst anyone's fantasy to say that the Fox Valley is boring and not attractive to new populations. Mickey Dolenz and Peter Frampton will not change that one iota. What will provide vitality to the Fox Valley is new ndustry based on a new idea not involved with catering to retirees.
What you see in Oshkosh in the lack of response to new hotels proves my point. For this reason, new ideas based upon a working river is an alternative to a failed notion of business as usual.
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