TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! CROSBY KEMPER III SOUNDS THE KANSAS CITY FINANCIAL ALARM AT A RECENT LIBRARY READING!!!
One of the most KICK-ASS TKC TIPSTERS recently described a rather eventful reading at the KC Public Library.
Interestingly enough, the subject of the reading was sort of apropos . . . Author Chris Hedges discussed The Death of the Liberal Class.
Even more fascinating:
BEFORE THE TALK, DIRECTOR OF THE KC PUBLIC LIBRARY CROSBY KEMPER III LET LOOSE WITH A LITANY OF DEPRESSING KANSAS CITY FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES!!!
According to TKC TIPSTERS listening to Kemper . . . The elite member of Kansas City High Society told the audience:
TIF was taking $30 Million out of Kansas City Schools.
TIF is also taking $3 million out of the Kansas City Library Budget.
It gets worse:
Right now the Kansas City Public Library is down $700k
Most depressing of all . . .
THE TKC TIPSTER TELLS US THAT KEMPER IS ATTEMPTING TO RAISE FUNDS PRIVATELY FOR THE LIBRARY BUT SAID THAT THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT BE LOOKING AT PUTTING ANOTHER TAX BEFORE VOTERS!!!
Obviously, the guilt campaign that would come with a potential school tax would be overwhelming but old ladies and other voters might easily fall for it.
Meanwhile . . . While Kemper is doing his best to raise awareness of Kansas City financial fail . . . We'll soon see how dedicated the New Mayor and City Council are to keeping Kansas City solvent.
Developing . . .
There are some things that a society can accomplish ONLY by working together: among them, public safety; streets; librairies, and public education.
ReplyDeleteThat's the purpose of government.
When a municipality like KCMO taxes residents, businesses, workers, and visitors and spends the money on just about EVERYTHING OTHER than the common welfare, it degrades the environment in which all those other things might fluorish and divides people into little groups all fighting over "their" piece of an ever-smaller pie.
Let's see if the new administration can change the dynamic in KCMO before we all will have to have the bucks to pay for our own safety, education, and snow plowing.
TIF was taking $30 Million out of Kansas City Schools.
ReplyDeleteTIF is also taking $3 million out of the Kansas City Library Budget.
Another good reason to VOTE NO to the E-tax.
THe money is there it's just being misused on Tif project via political favors.
Vote NO E-Tax let the voter vote on tax issues.
ReplyDeleteLet the Voters Earmark the tax money and WHERE it will be spent.
No new taxes for schools. The KCMO school district is a nationally-recognized example of how throwing money at a problem doesn't help anything.
ReplyDeleteNow, if they want to propose a tax for the libraries, which provide many services for KC residents, we can talk.
Here's something never mentioned. Many of the TIF deals were illegal and should be investigated thoroughly but not by any local jurisdiction (Including the local justice department who is protecting the thieves). A solid example of this is the Attorney General not finding reason to investigate the Port Authority. Another example is the successful heist pulled off by J.E. Dunn and H&R Block. Once real investigations have been conducted and we know who stole how much, we need to seek restitution and send people to jail and recover the money. This may be too much for the "elite" society in this town for many of them are parties to the crime. The average Joe needs to push this.
ReplyDeleteI got this from a Kelly Urich joke email I subscribe to. I supppose this is not a joke?
ReplyDeleteKCPD has a new $395,000 mobile van that can do 5 breathalyzer tests at once.
Vote NO!
Crosby what about the $15 million for the Power & Light District. I hope he will oppose the Downtown Hotel.
ReplyDeleteCrosby what about the $15 million for the Power & Light District. I hope he will oppose the Downtown Hotel.
ReplyDeleteTake it away from those cry-baby former MAST employees! They don't need that 30 Million hand out for their pensions.
ReplyDelete@8:42, there were candidates (Ward, Nash) saying just that and they lost. KC is clueless.
ReplyDeleteNew thinking not allowed here.
KCPD is the biggest Waste of money in Kansas City. KCMO 9th most dangerous city. KCPD is an overpaid under performing Police Department.
ReplyDeleteVoting against the E-Tax is not the way to fix the TIF problem.
ReplyDeleteRemoving the E-Tax will only hurt regular folks. Rich guys like Crosby never want to pay their fair share.
Look at the bright side we've evolved from a reasonably responsbile society to one where we just brush off giant oil spills and nuke reactor meltdowns as if it's normal daily routine.
ReplyDeleteThe Interwebs will save us!
ReplyDeleteWhere is Covington? Why is Kemper out front on this issue?
ReplyDeleteA leavy increase for KCMSD will never pass in Kansas City because Covington has not stepped up to the plate.
KCPD has a new $395,000 mobile van that can do 5 breathalyzer tests at once.
ReplyDeleteYup, it's all about producing revenue with DWI's and at the same time making work for lawyers. Yet the PD can't seem to do anything about the MURDER rate. Must not be a priority. Hell, it probably costs money to try a murder defendant, not a penny in fines. Where's the profit in that?
The City Council granting a TIF is one thing, earnings tax that pays for public safety is another. Convenient how opponents continually try to mix things up, not even making sense.
ReplyDeleteTaking your policy cues from a self-impressed, trust fund baby, wing-nut like Crosby Kemper is exactly how we got to the stage that a book like "What's the Matter With Kansas?" was needed.
ReplyDeleteYou might read it, T. I actually believe you have it in you, T, to be a real thought leader (honestly). You might start with this book.
People need to be told what to do.
ReplyDeleteYour going to do this your going to do that this is the way your going to live this is how much you will be paid this is the way you will dress this is the way you will act . . . .
When do we get our money back?
ReplyDeleteWhen we take it back from the Kempers.
ReplyDeleteChris Hedges means consumer-culture liberalism is dying. He just doesn't mention consumer-culture conservatism is dying with it.
ReplyDeletePlease don't bag on Crosby Kemper. He is the best Library Director we have ever had. Finally libararies have all of the tools accessible to everyone, regardless of their income level.
ReplyDeleteI see more people of color using the internet at the libraries. Crosby truly cares about all of the community.
The last thing we need is cutting hours at libraries. Look at the suburban libraries and the hours they operate.
The KC libraries are open on holidays and Sundays and until 9:00 pm. They are open for all of the working stiffs so they have the chance to utilize the tools they need.
Look at the free lectures where the public can avail themselves of all kinds of information.
Please leave Crosby alone. He is for the little people!
Uh, little people. Right. And, he is a contributing member of the Show Me Institute, founded (and also funded)by Rex Sinquefield.
ReplyDeleteCrosby wants it like the old days when his Grandfathers were Pendergast's buddies lining their pockets, behind closed doors, so their heirs (trust fund kids like Crosby) could be free to pontificate.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear Kemper's logic on how TIF has "taken" this money from the schools and library.
ReplyDeleteSo the Kempers and UMB are a source of the money funding the anti- E-tax campaign?
ReplyDeleteNice.
Time to change banks.
I am still doing my research on the E-tax. I am not sold yet on the need to keep it. There is too much misuse of taxpayer funds. I have not been influenced by the opponents - I have made my own educated decision based on living in KC, seeing the misuse of TIFF dollars and other shennanigans that occur in KC.
ReplyDeleteJust the fact that the usual suspect crowd is for the E-tax indicates to me that there is more to the story and I do think its about keeping their pockets lined.
Voter apathy and lack of political and civic involvement have kept this corrupt structure of taxpayer waste in power. Shame on KC citizens.
Haven't seen Crosby offer to give back any TIF money that funded the library improvements and parking downtown. Funny how he comlains AFTER he took the money. Total hypocrite.
ReplyDeleteWell, you're not going to reach people until TV starts covering this... and they're far too preoccupied with police department crimes.
ReplyDeleteUnderstand, it's hard to illustrate TIF and taxes on TV. Hence, it's not a big story for TV stations, even tho it vastly affects more people than nobodies dying in street crimes.
TV stations hate talking heads. Which is why citizens nationwide make very bad mistakes... like the ones made to sweep in anti-American Tea Partiers last November.
There was no video on what they believed, only on their signs and funny hats. Not in the public interest!
VOTE NO E-TAX.
ReplyDelete1:10pm stated: I'd like to hear Kemper's logic on how TIF has "taken" this money from the schools and library.
ReplyDeleteThis is not debatable, unless you are clueless. No logic needed, simply add up the tax increments being lost by schools and libraries from each activated TIF project.
While you are at it, add up the e-tax being misdirected from the City's general fund to those same development projects. Keep in mind the diversion of the funds is for 23 years.
Kemper knows eactly what he is talking about. It's too bad the citizens of Kansas City are to lazy to discover these facts.
I think we should just get rid of all those silly services the E-Tax funds that will save us a few dollars here and there.
ReplyDeleteDear 2:11 PM, a few facts for you...
ReplyDelete* The Plaza Library was paid for using TIF dollars, so the Library Board would not have to go to the voters for a special tax/bond. That's about $14 million the Library got from TIF.
* The Kempers always piss and moan about TIF.
* The Kempers own the two largest locally owned banks in town, Commerce and UMB.
* Both Commerce and UMB sought and were granted their own TIFs.
* The Kempers are intellectually dishonest ideologues who actually believe THEIR TIFs were in fact needed, but EVERYONE ELSE's TIF are wasteful.
Go figure.
3:28 good point I'm voting against the E-Tax
ReplyDeleteDamn it 3:48. TIF and E-Tax are two DIFFERENT things!
ReplyDeleteTIF is for property taxes. Losing the E-tax WILL NOT STOP TIF!!!!
Get it through your head people, these are two DIFFERENT types of taxes. Christ people. If we loose the E-tax, then we loose police, fire, pothole fixes and f-ing everything else in this city.
But even if the E-tax is gone, people like the Kempers and developers will STILL GET THEIR TIF.
To make it simple, TIF is not contingent on the E-Tax. The E-tax is ZERO effect on TIF.
Ok, lets put it in simple terms:
ReplyDeleteE-Tax is used to pay for services used by common folk.
TIF is used by rich developers and banks that want to screw over the little guy.
I was there, Tony. The most interesting part of the evening to me was after the speaker's presentation and the QnA from the audience. I stopped a library official in the auditorium, who in response to a comment by me stated, with hand in my face, and I quote, "I am not here to make you or anyone happy."
ReplyDeleteReally? And your boss was just pandering for donations little more than an hour ago? This is a public library, correct? And yes, I live in KC, am gainfully employed, and my taxes help fund this place and your salary. Guess I won't be signing up as a "Friend of the Library," as Mr Kemper requested.
Everyone talking about TIFF, when was the last TIFF? During the Barnes era? Those old ones are obligated and get paid first. Cuts will be in basic services, police, and fire.
ReplyDeleteThe Plaza Library was paid for by the developer who built the building in a trade for the land which the Library owned. The stage area was built with additional funds from the library coffers after they found out that the developer had screwed the library with the "projections of costs" for the project were not right.
ReplyDelete2:11 shows EXACTLY who is clueless with a fundamental lack of understanding of how TIF works.
ReplyDeleteThe comments on this blog are so mis-informed includeing Kempers. I think there is a reason he didnt run the bank long. The schools mis-usued soo much money it isnt even funny.
ReplyDeleteKemper = rich, dumb asswipe
ReplyDeleteThe last three kcmsd supers stated there problem wasnt on the funding side it was the spending side. Kemper doesnt have a clue.
ReplyDeleteThe Plaza Library was funded with a TIF...that is a fact!
ReplyDeleteThe Downtown Library was funded with a TIF and State tax subsidies...that is a fact.
The Kempers always like to write their own history.
Building librarys is exactly the type of thing TIF should be used for.
ReplyDeleteUsing TIF to make condo's, not so much.
Down $700K? Can't Crosby just write a check to cover it?
ReplyDeleteI believe Herr Kemper has come out against the E-Tax. If the E-Tax fails, then the scramble for tax dollars could leave the library with a bigger hole than $780K. Maybe he should've thought of that before opening his mouth. Alas, it's so plebian to worry about money!
ReplyDeleteThe fact of the matter is if it werent for public partnerships (TIF and other development tools ) several library projects would not have gotten done.
ReplyDelete7:48pm E-Tax is a part of the TIF formula you clueless fool.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the definition of PILOT? What is the definition of EAT?
ReplyDeleteWhen you have the answers you will understand how the E-tax is a big part of the TIF gifting process!