TKC EXCLUSIVE AND BREAKING NEWS!!! "SEWER" JAN LEADS A KANSAS CITY COUNCIL RAID ON NEIGHBORHOOD TOURIST DEVELOPMENT FUNDS!!!
Check out a Kansas City policy wonk discussion that probably won't be reported in mainstream media . . .
RIGHT NOW THERE'S A CITY COUNCIL RAID ON NEIGHBORHOOD AND TOURIST DEVELOPMENT FUNDS!!! COUNCIL LADY JAN MARCASON LEADS THE EFFORT THAT WILL PROVIDE A LOT MORE LOOT FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SPEND!!!
There's no denying that NTDF is BOOOOOOORING.
But . . .
NTDF is the place that all the community groups go when they need cash for an event.
It's run by appointees who are usually local power players in small circles but mostly operate independently and in a committee that does a decent jobs of preventing too much influence from any particular faction.
Behind the scenes . . .
WE HEAR THE NTDF STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL ARE IN AN EPIC CITY HALL CATFIGHT OVER THIS CASH!!!
This whole discussion seems to be about controlling Kansas City taxpayer funds and how they're allocated to neighborhoods.
From what I can tell . . . There's an effort to make NTDF a lot more TOURIST and a lot less NEIGHBORHOOD. Your mileage may vary . . .
What's for sure an in a recent City Council ordinance . . . COUNCIL LADY JAN IS REARRANGING THE WAY NTDF DOES BIZ!!!
Here's one of the controversial parts of her plan . . . Ordinance #120112 . . . Again this basically gives The City Council more control. Check it:
1. Civic Tourism Events. Fifty (50) percent of the fund shall be for civic tourism events that are defined as those events that promote the neighborhood in addition to drawing tourists nationally or regionally or that may have international appeal. A special emphasis shall be placed on events that are planned as recurring and have a plan to become self sustaining without the assistance of NTDF funds.
2.Neighborhood Tourism Events. Twenty (20) percent of the fund shall be for neighborhood tourism events as defined by the Neighborhood & Community Services that will promote the neighborhood and draw tourists primarily from the city and local region.
3. Destination Marketing Organization. Thirty (30) percent of the fund shall be for the promotion of the events that have been approved by council. The City shall contract annually with a not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Missouri and located within the city limits that is the official, designated Destination Marketing Organization ("DMO") for the western Jackson County and Clay County area, as prescribed by the Missouri Division of Tourism that will promote the approved events.
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Now, this may be perfectly reasonable . . . But EVERYBODY KNOWS City Staff hates the idea and it may even further politicize this cash.
TKC Full Disclosure: I know a HOT MAMA currently on the NTDF committee but she's scared to come down to the basement so we haven't talked about this one. And all of this info is on the City Clerk's website anyhoo . . . I don't know if she's for or against this move and I'm not sure she even has a say.
Still . . . This effort seems to follow a pattern of Kansas City's Council looking for more cash to spend.
DEVELOPING . . .
I am hearing there have been other odd money transfers from TIF accounts in the 4th District. Anyone know anything?
ReplyDelete"3) 30% will go to a non-profit that will promote the above events."
ReplyDeleteOk who has a non-profit that could benefit from earmarking these funds to conduct promotional activities? They would probably have connections to Jan, Circo or Wagner.
They won't be happy till KCMO is broke.
ReplyDeleteDear 7:57 AM:
ReplyDeleteYes. A number of TIF plans have had their surplus funds raided to help pay for the planned Downtown short-rail system.
As Tony wrote in this article:
ReplyDelete"NTDF is the place that all the community groups go when they need cash for an event."
In other words, at a time of genuine urgency regarding our decaying infrastructure, the NTDF fund exist SOLELY for the purpose of "Touristy-Fru-Fru" (and also for doling out political favors).
Go Jan.
yeah, because the City Council won't reward any political favors. Right?
ReplyDeleteMomentum Public Strategies, formerly KC-Consulting, represents non-profits and municipalities in communications projects. Circo’s political consultant Kim George (formerly Kim Carlos) is a principal in the firm. Kim is also close with Scott Wagner and his wife Laura. It would be a sweet deal for the city to send money to a non-profit that Momentum Public Strategies hires for consulting services, which would allow Kim George to profit from her association with council members without leaving any thumb prints on the contract. The ear marking deal would faciliate money laundering pure and simple. They would run the money through the non-profit, but Cindy’s buddy would spend the cash, and pocket the administrative fees.
ReplyDeleteJan is pretty close to Kim George too.
ReplyDeleteJan should be supported.
ReplyDeleteHow much is misspent? It is a tax payer rip off with no accountability.
Jan should be thanked as it's pigs at a trough, nothing more.
Jan should be slapped hard for this blatant attempt to channel bucks to her buddies. 30% for a marketing firm to promote tourism??? Has she not heard of the KC Visitors and Conventions Bureau?
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean we can't get city funding for our $25,000 hot dog picnic this year? If not, I just know the 32 people who came last year will be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThe NTDF program is horribly run. I can't imagine that this would be an improvement.
ReplyDeleteRead a bit closer. The "marketing organization" mentioned here IS the CVA.
ReplyDeleteThis is nothing but Jan and Co. funneling money to the CVA at the demands of Rick Hughes and Bill George. The CVA will get 30% of NTDF money right off the top, then get to come back to apply for more funds. Nothing more than bonus cash for CVA. You can bet Rick will switch an equal amount of funds for raises and bonuses and use NTDF gifts from Jan to make up the difference. This ordinance reeks.
ReplyDeleteJan, you go to jail for things llike this.
ReplyDeleteJan went to the NTDF committee today and flat-out lied to their faces. With ethics and tactics like hers, the budget should be very interesting and probably equally full of lies.
ReplyDelete