TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! PROPOSED FUNDING FOR CITADEL PLAZA PROJECT SUBVERTS PIAC PROCESS AND COULD LEAD TO LAYOFFS!!!
I could try to be upbeat here . . . I could note that my opposition to the current Citadel Plaza ordinance is really about saving the integrity of City Hall rules like those governing the Public Improvements Advisory Committee (PIAC) and respecting their process . . . But that wouldn't be be very interesting.
What's more important is saving the jobs of skilled people working for Kansas City and this Citadel Plaza disaster is putting the employment of those folks at risk.
It's complicated but let's look at this thing seriously for just a sec.
KICKASS TKC TIPSTERS looking at this thing note that PIAC has about $200 million of funding for projects at this point.
Citadel Plaza is going to take $20.5 million . . . (AND THEN SOME) off the table for PIAC.
Now . . . This loss of funding not only represents fewer projects that are getting cash but, more importantly, less funding for highly skilled City Employees.
Here's how that works . . . City contractors and employees like architects and urban planners and other high level administrators (etc.) charge their time back to a project that they're working on and those funds eventually come from the PIAC budget.
If/when money is taken away from PIAC and forwarded to Citadel Plaza that means less money, fewer projects . . . Which would ultimately necessitate fewer employees. And we're not talking clerical people here or other low level folks that are often the object of public scorn . . . These are some of the most skilled workers at City Hall and this Citadel Plaza hot mess could cost them their jobs.
TKC TIPSTERS ARE SAYING THAT THERE IS AN ESTIMATE FLOATING AROUND CITY HALL WHICH CLAIMS THAT THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION OF CITADEL PLAZA FUNDING COULD RESULT IN ANOTHER 35-40 LAYOFFS!!!
Essentially, it's a simple principle . . . More funding for one project equals less funding somewhere else. Politics and Kansas City's finances are a zero sum game and what we're really talking about here is priorities.
There are also consequences to consider.
TKC TIPSTERS ARE ALSO SAYING THAT CITADEL PLAZA FUNDING WILL ULTIMATELY PUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY TAX IN JEOPARDY!!!
Again subverting the PIAC process sends a bad message to voters who might not be willing to hand over more cash if their money is simply going to be tossed around City Hall in order to provide support for a weird, semi-private plan that has very little chance of success.
I hate to be dramatic here (not really) but we're talking about nothing less than the future of Kansas City's finances here, the essence of being "smart with the money" and a risky plan to bet everything on Citadel Plaza.
Vote NO.
ReplyDeleteCan't Beth with all her powers save us?
ReplyDeleteWhen your "ON" Tony, your really On. Good reporting! Keep hammering this home!
ReplyDeleteThis is about as exciting as pooping into a bucket.
ReplyDeleteI see Jeff Roe has joined us.
ReplyDeleteI know that the two council people from the third have to support this. Anyone else who does is doing it solely in hopes of winning approval from the African-American community. I'm not saying they shouldn't. It's a bad project, but they are apparently an influential group. I hope that those who support them out of fear understand that the communitee will not offer their support in return when it doesn't directly benefit them. That includes at re-election time. Anyone who supports this that isn't from the third district loses my vote (and I'm guessing I'm not alone).
ReplyDeleteCurls will vote for it if her vote is not needed, but if it were close she has the standing and the backbone to vote against it.
ReplyDeleteBeth is the one to watch. Without the support of the African American political organizations she would have lost to Doug Gamble. The leadership of those organizations stand to make money on this deal.
This will stress Beth out.
Curls will vote with Terry, as will Brooks and Sharp... so predictable you could set your watch by it.
ReplyDeletetru dat!
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a big moment for Beth. She has to risk her political neck for his and do the right thing or fall back into the same old politics that brings out the worst in Kansas City. I hope she has the guts to say no.
ReplyDeleteit's a sad fucking day when a lowly city council person on any city council anywhere in the country has a piece written about them that includes the phrase "Risk her political neck".
ReplyDeletewhat political neck? they're on a goddamn podunk city council.
sorry, i forgot that they're making out like bandits using their seats to make themselves rich.
all this wheeling and dealing and strange and stupid money grabs exist because our council people worked their butts off to get on the council so they could engage in criminal activity and take all that money from developers.
where the hell is the fbi and the justice dept?
oh yea, they're out laughing at the constitution while fighting non-domestic terrorists.
anyone voting for this will be subject to intense criticism come election time...as they should be. Too bad we don't have anyone with business sense on the council. If Beth votes yes look for Glover to capitalize on it and take her seat.
ReplyDelete