According to an article that ran in today’s Free Lance-Star, former governor of Virginia and current mayor of Richmond Doug Wilder addressed the Fredericksburg City Council last night regarding a real estate tax exemption for the National Slavery Museum. His goal is to make the 38 acres in Celebrate Virginia on which he hopes to build his proposed United States National Slavery Museum exempt from city real estate taxes.

I have acknowledged the importance and supported the concept of this museum in the past, but to be perfectly honest, this deal is starting to look shadier and shadier. The bottom line is that this organization was donated the land ($17 million worth) 6 years ago and has yet to set a single brick on the plot. According to their plan they need to raise $200 million. To date, they claim $17.7 million with $17.4 of it being the value of the free land they were given. In other words, they have raised exactly $0.3 million themselves.

Mayor Wilder’s challenge of “Either you want the museum here or you don’t.” was met with some resentment from the audience. Councilman Matt Kelly said that while many of the speakers at the hearing noted a need for the city to partner with the museum, he wants to see more of an effort from the museum to communicate with Fredericksburg. “There have been a few meetings with regards to this project, but none with the community as a whole,” he said. Vice Mayor Kerry Devine said she supports the museum’s mission, but “I am struggling with the fact that it's been six years and we have yet to see further movement on that plan.”

According to the newspaper’s comments section citizens are beginning to lose their patience with Wilder and his project. Several Fredericksburg residents stated that they don’t want it and have no intentions of supporting it. Perhaps if the mayor would be willing to set a tentative starting date for construction (instead of demanding more money) this perpetually 'invisible' museum would finally see the light of day.

Personally, I am thrilled with the idea that Fredericksburg may actually have both a Museum of the Confederacy (satellite branch) and the National Slavery Museum in our own backyard. However, if the price is too 'political' and these unanswered questions about money become commonplace, the city government will most likely tell Mayor Wilder and his people to look elsewhere.

That would be most unfortunate, but entirely understandable. And they would have no one to blame but themselves.