The DeKalb City Council today is expected to discuss a request from Darden Restaurants for a $900,000 loan to help bring a new Olive Garden restaurant to DeKalb.

The council will discuss the issue as a committee of the whole at 6 p.m., and the public can speak about the proposal when the regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. There might be some people speaking out against the idea, for obvious reasons. The mere mention of government loaning money to private business can get people up in arms.

They complain that such arrangements are corporate welfare, they’re unfair to existing business, and that government should not spend taxpayer dollars on something for which they’re not intended.