Letter: Government capital infrastructure spending – the plankton of the community

Letter to the editor

According to science, if an ocean were to lose its plankton, there would be widespread starvation for fish, whales, sharks, and other marine species: no more schools — schools of fish, that is. A total community, marine community breakdown would occur. The entire marine ecosystem would fail. Hard to believe the loss of such a small, insignificant thing like plankton could cause such devastation to the mighty ocean. But then, this is all according to science.

Since it is hard to see plankton with the naked eye, one could easily argue that plankton is a hoax. 

The impact of County government capital infrastructure spending can easily be perceived as a hoax, too.

Therefore, hypothetically, communities depend on phantom government capital spending in order to survive, just as oceans depend on phantom plankton.

Alachua County employs a quadrant system; if the quadrants were oceans, here is a snapshot of how the phantom plankton levels would appear for each ocean, if measured by ongoing County capital infrastructure spending.

If the impact of County government capital infrastructure spending on communities is not a hoax and does make a difference, there should be some evidence of that.

The most tangible evidence would be the state of the area’s infrastructure, property values, and the quality of schools. The results of a capital infrastructure project are visible and cannot be hidden.

County Road 2043 (SE 15th Street) is the busiest bad road in the county, without a doubt. It hasn’t seen any major work since before the Kennedys were killed.

[Editor’s note: SE 15th Street is scheduled for “minor rehabilitation” from SR 20 to SE 41st Avenue in 2028, rejuvenation from SE 14th Avenue to SR 20 in 2030, and rejuvenation from SE 14th Avenue to SE 41st Avenue in 2031.]

Several schools in the southeast quadrant have been placed on the chopping block.

It’s hard to believe the loss of such a small, insignificant thing like County government capital infrastructure spending could cause such devastation to a community; it has to be a hoax.

Just what is County government capital spending and who pays for it?

County government capital infrastructure spending refers to large-scale, long-term investments in physical assets — such as roads, bridges, water systems, and public buildings — designed to enhance community services and support growth. These high-cost, non-recurring projects are often managed through a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that balances necessary facility construction with fiscal capabilities.

Funding Sources: While supported by federal grants, counties rely heavily on local revenue sources, such as special tax levies.

Social engineering tool

The impact of County government spending on capital infrastructure has led to a fallacy of composition for many.

Successful communities closely monitor their County government’s capital infrastructure spending and consistently advocate for increased funding. I find it interesting that this is the case, given that the effects of such spending are often portrayed as insignificant for strengthening communities. After all, communities that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick, right?

Reducing capital infrastructure spending acts as a sanction that undermines a community’s ecosystem.

Programs aimed at uplifting underserved communities cannot succeed if the community’s ecosystem is broken. Who wants to spend taxpayer dollars on a community that has a broken ecosystem? 

The County uses a biblical approach to allocate capital infrastructure funds: For whatsoever community hath, to it shall be given, and it shall have more abundance: but whatsoever community hath not, from it shall be taken away even that it hath. AMEN?

Anthony Johnson, unincorporated Eastern Alachua County District 4 

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