Another Great City of Cincinnati Business Decision (Not) (Hamilton, Lexington: taxes, living in)

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

I never seen a restaurant in this town receive more scrutiny than this one. Negativity after negativity about the loan kept people away. Good concept but when you allow the media to take over your business model. There is really little you can do.

Have you ever seen a restaurant in this town subsidized with taxpayer money to the tune of nearly a million dollars, either? Seriously, had Ms. Rogers just been willing to pay her own way like other restauranteurs do, I think it's a safe bet that the business's failure and its failure to pay its taxes and bills wouldn't even be news. There'd be a one-paragraph note on some inside page that "so and so closed."

It's the PUBLIC MONEY. Duh.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

Have you ever seen a restaurant in this town subsidized with taxpayer money to the tune of nearly a million dollars, either? Seriously, had Ms. Rogers just been willing to pay her own way like other restauranteurs do, I think it's a safe bet that the business's failure and its failure to pay its taxes and bills wouldn't even be news. There'd be a one-paragraph note on some inside page that "so and so closed."

It's the PUBLIC MONEY. Duh.

If this had been her money, it never would have been squandered on this crummy restaurant. How much she skimmed out of there while no one was looking is anybody's guess. Certainly the $80,000 embezzlement was a porky. Where is that money?

[unusualfire]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

Have you ever seen a restaurant in this town subsidized with taxpayer money to the tune of nearly a million dollars, either? Seriously, had Ms. Rogers just been willing to pay her own way like other restauranteurs do, I think it's a safe bet that the business's failure and its failure to pay its taxes and bills wouldn't even be news. There'd be a one-paragraph note on some inside page that "so and so closed."

It's the PUBLIC MONEY. Duh.

Not just Mahogany's; more city loans past due

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

Not just Mahogany's; more city loans past due

And those will (or should) make news, too. You asked specifically about scrutiny of restaurants. I explained.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

If this had been her money, it never would have been squandered on this crummy restaurant. How much she skimmed out of there while no one was looking is anybody's guess. Certainly the $80,000 embezzlement was a porky. Where is that money?

You're probably right, although I try to be mindful of that aphorism about never attributing to malice (in this case, crookedness) what can be explained by simple incompetence. And a big percentage of independently owned restaurants fail for a variety of reasons. What's a lot more concerning is the fact that the city ever thought she had a business that should have been subsidized in the first place, or that people in City Hall realized it shouldn't be subsidized and decided to throw a big sum of money her way anyhow.

[Wilson513]

I would have attributed the situation to incompetence, because there certainly is plenty to go around at Mahogany's. But, when she announced the $80,000 embezzlement and then refused the police inquiry, I think we know that there was money that went missing and she knows where.

[chet_kinkaid]

People come from mexico,africa,vietnam,china..and manage to open and run restaurants successfully..with no help from city hall..they work hard and succeed..many cant even speak english..yet they have the work ethic to learn the system here in the USA and thrive.When you give people something for nothing..they will never go the extra mile to succeed..look at mike brown and the bengals..look at mahogonys.

[unusualfire]

Originally Posted by chet_kinkaid

People come from mexico,africa,vietnam,china..and manage to open and run restaurants successfully..with no help from city hall..they work hard and succeed..many cant even speak english..yet they have the work ethic to learn the system here in the USA and thrive.When you give people something for nothing..they will never go the extra mile to succeed..look at mike brown and the bengals..look at mahogonys.

I don't know what you are trying to say, but the city came to her not the other way around.

[flashes1]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

I don't know what you are trying to say, but the city came to her not the other way around.

Like we all said at the time, the prior Mayor's office was not the most financially savvy group of folks, and tried to force a Black restaurant, that no one wanted, in the Banks using taxpayer money. Socialist utopia.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by chet_kinkaid

People come from mexico,africa,vietnam,china..and manage to open and run restaurants successfully..with no help from city hall..they work hard and succeed..many cant even speak english..yet they have the work ethic to learn the system here in the USA and thrive.When you give people something for nothing..they will never go the extra mile to succeed..look at mike brown and the bengals..look at mahogonys.

Your point is not only correct, it is important. One only has to compare the industry and the acceptance of personal responsibility of our recent immigrants from India, Thailand, Vietnam and Korea to see that the US has no structural obstacles to minority success and that the problem lies with them, our indigenous minorities.

A close friend of mine came from Mumbai 20 years ago. He lived in his sister's basement for 8 years while working at Burlington Coat Factory. He then took his savings and bought a convenience store in Sharonville. When his arranged marriage bride arrived, they bought a second store for her to manage. They have three lovely children and her parents are overjoyed to have a US citizen as their son in law. I met them when they visited. They are very proud. Neither had any experience in retail and learned our language and culture on their own. They have a nice house in Anderson and kids in private school. Griping minorities should learn from these folks and stop blaming Thomas Jefferson for their miseries.