Works almost every time.
I am not as certain of the outcome of the Sonic SUP request before BBurg town council.
See, this is a rigged game. The beginning score is not 0-0.
Scenario 1: Pre-approval. The BTC has already decided to grant the SUP to make the lawsuit go away, and tonight's vote is just a formality. Clearly they need this to go away for a number of reasons. First, they really can't afford it. Second, if they go to all the trouble to make an exception to allow Sonic to reapply early, and to get a recommendation of approval from the planning commission, then it would just be intentionally mean and nasty to refuse the approval at the TC meeting. Plus, it won't look good for them in January when the state supreme court hears the vested interest suit regarding the big box. But most importantly, the TaliBURG members hiding among the council know that this project has popular appeal, and they don't want to give voters any opportunity to toss them out. So they need to take one for the team in this case. Live to fight another day and all that.
Scenario 2: Pre-denial. It is possible that the same bozos, plus a couple of new bozos, who voted this down last time either because they are TaliBURG or because they fear TaliBURG, will do the same thing this time. If so, this, too, has already been decided, since the TaliBURG faction on the TC has enough votes to determine the outcome of any issue ahead of time. I suspect they have secret meetings at Gillies to make sure everybody is on the same page, singing from the same hymnal, etc. I don't really see this as a likely outcome, given that most of the TaliBURG strategists are not totally stupid. However, like the real Taliban, they are also not totally under anybody's control. There will be a lot of vehement opposition at the meeting tonight. Expect to see Emily Satterwhite, Carol Guest, and a host of other TaliBURG regulars speak during the public comment session.
So, my prediction is scenario 1. I think that probably the TaliBURG have already met with Don & Co. and have found out that TC is going to approve the SUP. Individual TaliBURG members will still get to state their opposition, but there will be a lot of winking going on. Before the vote, TC members will get to thank Sonic for making the required changes that allow them to approve this time around, providing political cover for the appropriate TaliCouncil members, while removing the Sonic lawsuit from the playing field.
OF course, it is possible that the TaliBURG are not as smart as I think they are, and that the TC will vote to deny the SUP. That would actually be good in some respects, especially in that it gives me more fodder for tearing into them. Also, it makes them look arbitrary and capricious in their behavior which will not help them in January.
Either way, I win. Just like Rush Limbaugh, I have predicted both outcomes and will now be able to say "I told you so" no matter what happens.
This is almost too easy.
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3 comments:
Well done Mike. I also think they'll go option 1 since the F&M site is slated for Arby's and a Dunkin Donuts drive-through and I'm sure they won't want 2 additional lawsuits filed for when they would ultimately turn them down, just to stay in the same precedent as their original bad Sonic decision.
Excellent call Mike! I've got an extra $20 if you want to lay it down on your bet.
It looks like Scenario 1 took the honors. Other than dropping the background Sonic radio, how much really changed? From the few new sentences in the massively recycled story* in the RT, it sounds like you called it right on the TaliBURG folks walking the fine line between doing what the public wants and what BURG wants -- ensuring continued support from the minority. Did Don really say "he wished Sonic had addressed the community concerns in its first application."? The only concerns I'm aware of from the majority were that the Sonic get built quickly so they didn't have to drive all the way to C'burg for a fix. And if "pedestrian access and safety" is such a major concern (like there is great pedestrain access across the McDonald's parking lot), that explains the North Main abomination that the town and VDOT want to unleash. Why not do a Charlotesville and close off Main Street from Ehart to Progress St.?
*How many times do we have to read the tired line about "the big box rumored to be a Wal-Mart"? Sounds like Tonia has had a cup or two of the TaliBURG kool aid and wants to keep that constant reminder out there that nasty Wal-Mart might come to town.
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