Is this a waste of money??

Last year I wrote about these two guys council gave $300,000 they just had laying around.  These two didnt have a plan but wanted the money for an ambassador program downtown.  Their goal is to greet people and give them information on where to eat, park, etc. Part of the their job is to try and get people to stay longer downtown and not just see a show or eat and leave.

A representative stated “What we have to form is the [impression] that there is something to do downtown,”

The impression?  Listen there is either things to do downtown or there isn't.  Honestly, there is no safe nightlife unless you want to get shot at.  There are a few decent restaurants there, but Billy's Diner left and so did The Hamilton.  The businesses that downtown offers are nothing special.  There arent places people say "That is the only place where you can get that," or "that is the best place to eat this or that."  

So the city, and all these other organizations throwing money at the Downtown Allentown Alliance are wasting their money.  This is like that dumb saying "putting the cart before the horse."  You need busineeses-good ones.  You need restaurants that stay open late.  You need cops walking Hamilton St. at night.  

This ambassador idea is great, but the city doesn't have the infrastructure that needs it.  I think its just premature to throw money at this and at $300,000 last year could have been used to knock almost 1% of the tax increase.

I really think this is just lining the pockets of some people.  

As council President Santo Napoli stated on Mcall: the million-dollar question is, how do you measure results?” Napoli said. “Everyone’s going to have their own version of results, but ultimately, it comes down to our cash registers. And if OUR registers are ringing, that’s obviously how most merchants will measure it.”

Oddly, Mr. Napoli owns a clothing store downtown and voted to give the $300,000.  So basically, voted for something that may make him money.  Smells like shitty old man tighty white-eeez.

I drive thru downtown maybe once a week or so and I have never seen one of these Ambassador people.  Have you? 

Oh to answer the title of this post. Yes, yes it is.