The Mayor liked big projects. The People saw that the Mayor was doing something when they saw big projects. It meant he cared about the People, all these big projects. However, big projects meant big money. The Mayor didn’t always have big money for his big projects.

Developer Dan liked big projects, also. But Developer Dan’s big projects were not of the same nature as The Mayor’s. Developer Dan liked to build houses. Lots of houses. Lots of inexpensive houses. He had already built a lot of houses, which made Dan a happy man. Oh, and dare I say? It made Dan a fairly wealthy man.

Dan ran into a problem one day. Building lots of houses requires land. Lots of land. Lots as in parcels and lots as in a large number. Dan had lots of lots, but Dan’s lots of lots were not next to the city. There were some inconvenient farms in between Dan’s lots of lots and the city. They were inconvenient, because Farmers Joe and Bill did not make money from building houses. They made their money by farming. Dan hated farming. He had tried it, but found building lots of houses more rewarding.

Dan tried to buy the land from the farmers. They said no. Farmers Joe and Bill liked what they did and where they did it. Their fathers and grandfathers had farmed that land. Farmers Joe and Bill hoped their families would farm it after the two of them were gone. Dan hoped only for the two of them to be gone.

One day, Dan came up with a plan. He went to the Mayor and asked, “Wouldn’t you like to build something big for the kids? Wouldn’t you like to build a huge sports park that would have your name on it some day?”

“Of course,” replied the Mayor. “I live for big projects with my name on them for the kids. But, I have no money for them at this time.” The Mayor looked despondent at the very thought of no money for big projects with his name on them.

“Don’t look so despondent, Mr. Mayor,” Dan reassured the Mayor. “For I have a plan. Do you know that large tract of land between my property and the city?”

“You finally bought it from Farmers Joe and Bill? They were never going to sell their land.” the Mayor asked. Things were suddenly looking up.

“Not yet. I need your help. Here is what I want you to do…” he whispered in to the Mayor’s ear.

Soon the city announced it would be annexing Farmers Joe and Bill’s land. Farmers Joe and Bill went ballistic. They marched down to city hall to complain. If the city annexed their land, they would have to pay the annexation fees the city had just increased. They would have to pay higher property tax. Worst of all, they were going to have to pay higher water rates to farm, because their water contracts called for higher payment schedules for farms in the city limits. They would not afford to farm anymore. The land their fathers and grandfathers farmed, the land they wanted their sons and daughters to farm would suddenly be too expensive to farm.

When they got to city hall, the place was packed with kids. “Hooray for the Mayor!” shouted the kids. “Hooray for the Mayor!” shouted the parents of the kids. The People were on board with the plan.

Farmers Joe and Bill asked what was going on. They had arrived a few minutes late and the meeting had already started. “The Mayor is going to build the People a large sports park with annexation money and developer fees. He is the hero of the People,” said one parent.

“What annexation fees will he be using?” Farmers Joe and Bill asked.

“The ones from annexing the useless land next to town,” the parent replied. “It’s just sitting there doing nothing.”

“Hey, that is our land! It’s not just doing nothing,” exclaimed Farmers Joe and Bill. “We farm it!”

“Well, soon it will be lots of lots with houses on it and that will pay for the Mr. Mayor Sports Park,” said the parent.

Farmers Joe and Bill squeezed in to hear the plan. Developer Dan was giving a presentation on how annexing this large tract at once would give him the ability to plan all of the infrastructure at once. Farmers Joe and Bill looked at each other. “He’s planning how to build houses on land we own!” they said to each other at once.

“May we ask a question?” asked Farmers Joe and Bill, hands raised.

“Sure,” replied Dan.

“How can you plan land you don’t own?” Farmers Joe and Bill asked.

“Simple,” answered Dan. “I own the votes instead.” He nodded toward the City Council, who were discussing among themselves what order the names on the plaque would appear. “So I have one piece of advice for you two.”

“What is that?” Farmers Joe and Bill asked, their curiosity piqued.

“Buy cleats that fit.”