Tone deaf

The Underground Railroad Museum was caught off guard with the public sentiment when they tried to charge the city and county $1 million for land they were given by the same people for free.

Excerpt

He said the Freedom Center organization was assured during months of negotiations about the land that the funding was available and that the "political concerns had been taken care of."

"That's the only reason our board voted in the first place to seek compensation," he said.

He said he was surprised at the community's negative reaction.

Commissioner Pat DeWine called the $1 million request "extortion."

Councilman Chris Monzel also said the request should be rejected.

The county gave development rights - but not the land itself - to the Freedom Center in 2002 on the condition that the center build a park there. The park was not built, and many thought the Freedom Center should give the land back for free.

I'm going to forgo my usual criticism of the county and city on this one for the time being. My question to Mr. Murphy, what made you think the "political concerns had been taken care of"?

Maybe it was the public outcry when this white elephant went on valued space on the river in the first place.

Or maybe it's when you promised that no public funds would be needed for the project only to have your group come back before the project was finished with your hands out for more money....from the public.

Yeah, the love between the freedom center and the public is so strong, I can see why you would need to have the political concerns taken care of.

My hope is that the whole museum goes under so we can use that property for something productive... like a casino.