20libs of Headlines reports the Mayor's negative campaigning, typical of a politico in trouble: At a Northland news conference, Funkhouser blasted two of his opponents, Council woman Deb Hermann and former Council man Jim Rowland. Funkhouser called them “fiscal frauds”.
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The Mayor has only voted against one TIF project since taking office, so he should be careful about who he claims is "rubberstamping" TIF Plans and projects!
ReplyDeleteBoth sold their souls to Kay barnes in Rowland's second and Hermann's first term in exchange for Committee Chairs. Check it out. Both voted to cheat the minority communities out of work on the Sprint Center by giving them a free pass when Mortensen failed to make any effort to meet goals. Both supported the known to be on shaky finacial ground P&L District funding scheme and now say they would do it a different way. Both supported Briarcliff TIF and Vivion Rd TIF's which Northlanders hated. Both supported Dunn's questionable TIF as a campaign favor. I think he called it a spade. They are fiscal frauds when it suits them.
ReplyDeleteThey must have been in trouble from the start. They have been name calling all along. What goes around...
ReplyDeleteGuess this means that Funky considers Hermann and Rowland his biggest threats. Now I know who to vote for.
ReplyDeleteBut Funky is wrong about Rowland. He was just about the only one on the Council who voted AGAINST TIFs, and constantly asked questions. In fact, Queen Kay kicked him off committees because she thought he asked too many questions and wasn't pro-TIF enough.
Selling your soul for a chair of a KCMO city council committee?
ReplyDeleteMust have been a "buy one, get one free" day!
Rowlands claim that Kay kicked him off a committee is a half truth. She kicked him off in his first term for being too mouthy but he learned his lesson and made a deal to get Budget in his second term. She silenced him and his anti TIF ways with an ego boost. Won't take much to silence him as mayor will it? Campaign support for reelection, contributions, freebee's.
ReplyDelete3:56 is wrong. Rowland wasn't on the Council when the Briarcliff and North Oak TIF (not called Vivion Road TIF, as that person claims) plans were approved.
ReplyDelete"He was just about the only one on the Council who voted AGAINST TIFs"
ReplyDeleteTotally false. Check his voting record. Check Hermann's voting record. Both voted for TIF's and whatever else Corsage Kay wanted from 2003-2007 (Rowland until he left early)
4:26 Where was he? Oh yea, he took a better paying job.
ReplyDeleteBack to the Future?
ReplyDeleteHermann and Rowland’s Rhetoric Doesn’t Match Their Record
Kansas City – Mayor Mayor Mark Funkhouser today held a press conference in front of the Prospect North Redevelopment area of Kansas City.
In the press conference, Mayor Funkhouser exposed two of his opponents, Deb Hermann and Jim Rowland, for being behind many of the bailouts, boondoggles and blunders that led him to run for mayor four years ago and have compelled him to run for re-election.
Hermann and Rowland’s TIF Problems
During one of the most aggressive periods of tax giveaways from 2003 to 2005, the two Mayoral-hopefuls rubber-stamped 120 TIF deals[1] (plans, projects and amendments). And from 2006 to 2007, Deb Hermann voted for 70 additional TIF deals[2]. This year, the city has to pay $30 million[3] to under-performing Super TIF projects that Hermann and Rowland approved.
Debt and Taxes
While Hermann and Rowland served together on the City Council, the city issued $1 billion in debt, much of it going for bars, restaurants, hotels and parking garages. Together, they supported tripling the debt from $517 million in 2003 to $1.43 billion in 2007[4].
Hermann and Rowland paid for their taxpayer giveaways and debt with more taxes. From 2003 to 2006, the city’s total direct tax rate increased by 12.4%[5].
“I was there, as auditor, and saw what these two fiscal frauds were doing to the city,” said Mayor Mark Funkhouser. “Giveaways to developers, out of control TIF projects that cost Kansas City taxpayers millions upon millions and other crazy development schemes coming from politicians like Hermann and Rowland are the reasons why I ran for mayor in the first place.”
“Rowland and Hermann, the King and Queen of TIF, helped lead the city to the brink of fiscal disaster,” said Mayor Mark Funkhouser. “Their election year makeover doesn’t match their record. Hermann and Rowland will send the city back to the bad old days of rubber-stamping TIFs, issuing debt and raising taxes.”
I've heard Rowland make that claim, but I've believe there's more to the story. I don't buy it. Also, it's not just the voting record to look at on this stuff. Many bad TIFs have been proposed and never make it to a vote. I am a northlander and I don't hate the Briarcliff TIF. We have the sort of upscale one-of-a-kind stores and restaurants that the Plaza used to have. Now Power & Light, I do not care for a bit.
ReplyDeleteDamn! The truth hurts......
ReplyDeleteMaybe that explains why the Star ignored both. They remembered their voting records versus the lies they tell themselves and voters. Where's the truth watch people when you need them?
Based on what the poster said above, I'd say those Committee Chairmanships came with a hefty price- to us.
In response, we decline your offer of leadership.
That's all.
Funky trying to weaken Hermann and Rowland, because he knows they'd both be much tougher opponents in the general than Sly or Burke.
ReplyDeleteRowland diverted infrastructure bound money to pay for his Recycle First program. I hope he is not saying we should invest more in roads because he took money away so we could have door to door recycling. I personally think people should pay for their own recycling and let our tax dollars fund basic services. Hermann was part of the failed housing program. Wasn't the million dollar home built on her watch?
ReplyDeleteI'm kinda glad he's calling them out.
4:41 I think the facts show they weakened themselves with their voting habits. I guess they thought they could cry negative campaigning if they were called out. Either come up with more than a denial and show some proof or you are busted for trying to fool the public.
ReplyDeleteFunk is the fraud. He has done nothing to help with the budget process in the past four years. Hermann and Marcason spearheaded it (much to his dismay), for which they deserve kudos, given the tough economic times and the tough decisions that had to be made.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I plan to vote for Hermann. She won't support costly, silly things (e.g., MAST pension) and is willing to tell people "no" because the money is not there.
@ 4:58PM
ReplyDeleteDeb Hermann took a paid trip to Florida on the firefighters dime. Go figure.
The Funky group are really pathetic. Going completely CRAZY today after the KC Star article. From the outside looking in I would say you Funky have lost it. Check on those meds.
ReplyDeleteIt's no where near good enough to say "no" because the money isn't there.
ReplyDeleteIf you actually have a vision and a plan for where you want the city to go and how you're going to get there, you can make intelligent decisions whenever proposals or requests come your way. Id is a high priority? Well let's take a look.
Like Harry Truman said, being president is an easy job. You just say yes or no. Mostly no.
Giving public money to whomever yells the oudest or is in the front of the line until all the money's gone is gutless and stupid.
Hope at least one of these candidates can figure that out.
I believe funkhouser voted for the briarcliff tiff immediately after he took $3000 from Garney.
ReplyDeleteI believe funkhouser voted for the briarcliff tiff immediately after he took $3000 from Garney.
ReplyDeleteFunky paid his own kids Tara and Andrew extremely large sums of money. Money that he took from KC Citizens. By the way what did you use the ten grand you took in CASH first time around. (cash money) Yes sir we know you. Just waiting. FBI check it out. Cash for cars, go Glo.
ReplyDeleteFunk must have finally raised enough money to pay Jeff Roe, because the Axiom blog squad sure is out in force today...
ReplyDeleteCracks me up that mayoral/council wannabes think this election will be won by the most posts. Pathetic
ReplyDeleteThe Axiom sunshine requests are flying through City Hall.
ReplyDeleteRoe's minion's will be rolling out the trash soon (a la 5:11).
Wonder when their communication strategies will begin showing.
Why exactly did he use a project represented by Mike Burke as the backdrop, and then not mention Burke at all? Seems strange, like maybe he originally intended to attack Burke and then changed his mind at the last second. Maybe decided that Burke wasn't a threat after all? Just strange.
ReplyDeleteAt least Burke isn't on drugs, like Rizzo.
ReplyDeleteThis is deperate BS. If this jackass felt this way why did he put her in charge of audit and finance. The uglier Roe and the Co-mayors become they had better find good realtor. They will need to move. For goodness sakes think about your children. You are already a laughing stock, Dont make it worse.
ReplyDeleteFunky has to do something, his only supporters are;
ReplyDelete1- Ollie (Burnt Ends) Gates
2- Gloria (Big Mouth, Big Foot) Squitiro
3- Ajamu (Super Fly) Webster
Any wonder his attacks today. Very SAD
Jeff Roe doesnt care. The Co-mayors are short sighted. Roe will drag them thru the gutter and they will loose. Roe will go on in his Briarcliff home (how ironic) and the Funkhouser-Squitiro family will be left behind to cope. The Co-mayors are pathetic.
ReplyDeleteThe bully pulpit does not work in KC. That is exactly why KC needs Mr. James for Mayor. Hes not a bully and can be an effective leader.
ReplyDeleteI think all the canidates should have taken the gloves off months ago. This moron needs to move back to W-Virginia or the tenament Gloria came from in NY.. Signed po-dunk resident.
ReplyDelete7:27PM I support Funkhouser, and I was not on your list.
ReplyDeleteNo more theft in the name of economic development. And that is, in major part, what this election should be about.
10:08 Are you not disappointed in his first term? Have you not seen what he has supported since being in office? On the rare occasions he stands up, he makes no effort (at least no effective effort) to bring along the others to get the votes for his ideas. Are you hoping for Funk to get re-elected and none of the council. Good luck with that.
ReplyDelete11:07PM I want the theft by deceit to stop, and Funkhouser is the only candidate in this race who will stop it.
ReplyDeleteThe City is broke, and Funkhouser is the only candidate who will attempt to fix the structural budget imbalance. But in the meantime, he will also stop the private sector welfare that is bankrupting the taxpayers. Burke and Hermann are surely a part of the problem through promises made to developers for TIF and other tax abatements -- just look at their campaign finance reports. Rowland certainly doesn't get it with the way he circumvented local minority businesses (real ones) at the stadiums.
I know what Funkhouser will do because he has already shown me. A new council with only dummy Marcason, hotel Circo and Mensa Johnson returning could be a refreshing new start for a very capable Funkhouser. It doesn’t matter that he can’t get along with the thieves.
Gloria nothing you say will work. By the way, what did you do with the ten grand (cash money)? We know you.
ReplyDeleteHermann claims to be the leader of the council and yet, they had the votes to do whatever they wanted and are now blaming Funkhouser for nothing being done right. It doesn't add up. You can't overthrow the leader and do nothing and call him ineffective. Just sayin. That should be the question asked to all incumbants. Newcomers need to answer what they would do if the same happened to them because I sure don't know what you could do in that situation. Also, Hermann should quit saying that was her budget. None were hers or Marcason's. The fact is all budget's start with the CM or when cauthen was there, the Budget Director, and are horse traded until they get the votes to pass one. Pretending otherwise is just a failure to be transparent. P.S. Hermann offered to trade on the Mast pension and couldn't make a deal. A little honesty would go a long way for her campaign because every Council Member and upper level city official knows the score. Hard to keep it quiet and rewrite history.
ReplyDeleteWow! Funk and the Funkapimps are going full steam on this blog flinging shit!
ReplyDeleteMast pension------former mast employees should get a pension that starts the day they became City employees.
ReplyDelete