Presidente Carlos Figueroa Held Debate Forum at Ave Maria | James Pat Guerréro

“If you want to have a debate, you can do that on your own time,” Presidente moderator Carlos Figueroa said as he held a Debate Forum at Ave Maria, Collier county, Florida, on Project Peet (Jackson Laboratory project). The procedural informational setting was a forum paneled by three persons and a question and answer period. But the forum predominately responded to a debate. Carlos Figueroa corrected the opponents to “hold their thoughts” throughout the forum, and the panelists had to “[refute their] characterization of the project’s opponents.”

The panelists were in order of presentation, Ave Maria University Theology professor Michael Waldstein; Jackson Labs Vice President for Advancement and External Relations Mike Hyde; and Barron Collier Cos. President of Real Estate and Minerals Blake Gable. There were 100 people in attendance to the first forum (debate) on Project Peet at the retail establishment, The Bean at Ave Maria, Ave Maria, Florida.

What happened at this forum-debate? Obviously, the hired moderator Carlos Figueroa made some miscalculations on the opponents and their views. He reckoned opponents who have very little patience and less money and property, would remain silent. More foolishly, he intended there would occur a one-way informational forum that didn’t occur. But hasn’t this been what Project Peet has done all along. Consequentially, it’s time to have a debate, perhaps, many debates to get to the real issues for opponents and supporters, in and out of Ave Maria. … Now who can handle a debate in this fired-up cause? Surely, professors could. Just in time for training, students could. Forget Thomas Monaghan, Nicholas J. Healy, Ave Maria University and Ave Maria Foundation Board of Regents, and Ave Maria special district; they’re too busy with politics as usual. The Ave Maria residents definitely want to have a debate; they’re in. The Ave Maria businesses need market share and must debate because there is no place to even hold a debate and Ave Maria University is private property.

What really are the issues? There are two, and they’re real; embryonic stem cell research and economic funding. These two issues affect non-Catholics and Catholics in Collier county.This writer offers just one of many examples on the issue of embryonic stem cell research. Quite clearly, at the Republican Club meeting when Jackson Labs Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Chuck Hewett gave a presentation on Project Peet, this writer asked him if Jackson Labs had ever done embryonic stem cell research. Chuck Hewett replied that there were two doctors who did embryonic stem cell research. One has to predict the future on how to decide at this point. The question remains whether a non-profit genetics research institute should consume taxpayer funding now and in the future after which it has admitted to researching embryonic stem cells. For anyone, not just Catholics, this is an important issue. Success depends on support from residents and businesses, those who pay taxes. For Jackson Labs, this isn’t as important because federal law supports embryonic stem cell research. The United States federal law is a conundrum to deal with: on the one hand it funds almost everything, and on the other it funds immoral goals. It’s time to depend on the principle of subsidiarity on which the residents and businesses depend on themselves in their locality.

Professor Waldstein bowed out on the economic funding issue which could have been the deciding issue. If opponents don’t like what the non-profit genetics research institute does, it certainly will not fund it. Pockets are empty (period), but maybe  not as empty as professor Waldstein’s pocket. The point is that economic funding of Project Peet is a moral issue as well. Here’s an example. On Labor Day Jackson Labs was anxiously awaiting the passage of stimulus funding ($700 million) on which the first funding of Project Peet depended. (The Obama Democrat flux is spending mighty heavily at the moment.) It passed, but it was rather late in passing. So late, in fact, that Gov. Charlie Crist has no time left to approve it. Jackson Labs explained away this failure on their confidence that they would receive the funding. Meanwhile, there are groups who already are setting their sights on that conjectured funding of $130 million. But really, the failure of the federal funding coming through in time is not the economic immorality. The immorality is the taking of property (government funding by taxation) owned by the residents and business of Collier county. This writer means “legalized” misappropriation of property rightly belonging to those who pay taxes for the use by push-down non-profit genetics research organizations. Another example. Barron Collier Cos. Blake Gable said it well,“We’re not in the business of pursuing a project that is going to be an abject failure for a company that bears our family name.” What this means from the property owner perspective is that the property owner has the right to first own the property and then give the property based on his just means of using the property to his advantage for supporting himself and his family. This writer believes Blake Gable in his statement was referring to his own property. Well, opponents refer to their property, too, albeit how little it is. The beauty of a vibrant economy on dividing the labor is that the resources of all the parts (property owners) can come together and produce something greater for the good of Collier county.

All those interested concerns should debate about Project Peet. Project Peet needs leaders who can analyze the issues in an encouraging environment.

For more reading: Jackson Lab forum at Ave Maria more of a debate » Naples Daily News.

Mike Hyde’s Wow Factor of Genetics Research | James Pat Guerrero

Mike Hyde’s place is unenviable. The vice president for advancement of Jackson Laboratory maintains that research grants are given all the time for companies like Jackson Laboratory. That’s it. No other argument for receiving state and federal funding is given. It is quite revealing that his place is also that Jackson Laboratory almost demands taxpayer funding because Jackson Laboratory is a RESEARCH INSTITUTE. Mr. Hyde changes to cut the argument, without any defense, to THE WOW FACTOR. Somehow, the days of wooing residents of Collier County are no longer. Now its Jackson Laboratory wows Collier County residents with indisputable fact of a research institute, a genetics research institute, a genetics research institute from Maine, and a genetics research institute from Maine that sells mice, ad infinitum.

Today, computer experimentation is the bedrock of DNA research, and one needs only one mouse to get that DNA. This writer’s hypothesis is that mice breed like alligators. The cost for breeding mice is small, and the price for selling mice is slightly greater. So, can the public get much benefit from selling mice? No. The benefit, explained by Mr. Hyde, is the genetics research. WOW! Doesn’t that take a lot of time and cost?

For more reading: Arthrex steps up legal attack against Jackson Lab funding » Naples Daily News.

Project Peet is the Jackson Lab Project | James Pat Guerrero

Fred Coyle, the Chairman of the Collier County Commissioners, District 4, has not completed a contract with Jackson Lab but admits that construction has begun on the project, i.e., the digging of a lake and the providing of fill for the Oil Well Road development. State officials have dubbed the Jackson Lab project none other than code name, Project Peet. According to Mike Hyde, the Jackson Lab vice president, “it’s always been the practice in economic development circles to have a code name to protect the anonymity of organizations so they don’t say … who the prospective client will be.” The code name has been in existence for two years.

Why does the Chairman say that the Jackson Lab is “not a done-deal” and, at the same time, continue to waste staff’s time and taxpayers’ resources and start construction on Project Peet? First, Jackson Lab has not submitted its application to the Florida Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. That resolves to the idea that they’re not interested unless the federal and state legislates the funding.  Second, the federal funding was late. That resolves to the idea that this non-profit can not guarantee economic viability. Third, the Chairman is using staff’s time and taxpayers’ resources to beg Project Peet to arrive with no guarantee that it ever will arrive. Fourth, if Project Peet ever arrives, it will offer 200 jobs in Collier county, but it will more benefit every other healthcare and educational institution outside Collier County and every other healthcare and educational institution outside of Florida. It will offer really not much economic vitality to the residents of  Collier County, who would end up paying for it. Yet, Project Peet will satisfy Blake Gable of Barron Collier Company and Ave Maria District in more corporate welfare, which at this time is skyrocketing. Commissioner Jim Coletta should join Commissioner Tom Henning in making sense out of Project Peet, since Commissioner Fred Coyle said, “NO.” The non-profit should seek its own funding in its own regional start-up. That would mean that it could go elsewhere in the United States.

For explicit reading: Coyle: No emergency meeting on Jackson Lab, delay could be a positive » Naples Daily News.

Undisclosed Jackson Lab Process May Halt Project | James Pat Guerrero

Collier County Commissioner Tom Henning calls for an emergency meeting to stop all action on the Jackson Laboratory project. Apparently, the County is wasting its staff’s time and taxpayers’ resources. Mr. Henning  refers to a letter that Arthrex, Inc., received that explains that the Maine-based laboratory hasn’t even completed its application to get its project approved by Gov. Charlie Crist in time by January 4, 2011 to receive the $50 million of state funds needed by March 1, 2011. The $50 million would return to the state’s general budget because it’s highly unlikely the approval will come through in time to receive them. This private information that Jackson Laboratories was behind in the application process in time to begin construction on March 1, 2011 had been undisclosed until Arthrex sued and discovered the process status in the county circuit court challenging on how the proposed state funding was constitutional. “The process [was exempted] from disclosure through state public records requests.”

For more reading: Collier commissioner calls for special meeting to end county support of Jackson Lab » Naples Daily News.