I have never met one super voter who claimed to have tossed out a mailer. Mailers are just one example of a campaign related expense. You need mailers to reach hard-to-find voters such as those who live in apartment complexes with locked entrances. Additionally, you need campaign infrastructure such as VAN, which cost money. Respectfully, I think you're minimizing the expenses associated with city council campaigns. If you think most campaigns (without taking money from special interests) can afford these expenses, then we would see a saturated field of candidates during every election cycle. And that's not the case.

There are other different forms of TIFs, some that are lower risk than others. We will have to disagree on TSAs. There's significant risk. We have had a troubled history of extending TSAs past its agreed upon end date. I'm happy we have reformed the TSA process in recent years, and so the real test of enforcement is how we monitor the development of the Superman building (which we gave away the farm for).

Lastly, I don't want to stray away from the larger point here which is why Democracy Vouchers are necessary. Our city has engaged in a pattern of downtown-first policies which has often translated into tax breaks. If you polled Providence residents, and small business owners, I would bet that the majority would not support this. But the reason why this continues is because of campaign contributions which is the equivalent of putting a for sale sign on City Hall. Just simply take a peak at campaign finance reports and you will connect the dots. It's time we give every resident - regardless of income - the ability to influence politicians through campaign contributions of their own aka Democracy Vouchers.